My Look Back: 1932

The Paramount Theatre in Oakland California
Photo by BWChicago from Flickr Creative Commons

When I think of the 1930's I automatically think of the art deco style, Marlene Dietrich, Jean Harlow, Greta Garbo, and bias cut satin gowns.  There was also of course the Great Depression, but despite the trying economic times of the thirties, there were also many great things that transpired, and here are a few I came across as I took a look back at 1932.

• Brave New World by Aldous Huxley was published.
• Elizabeth Taylor, Edward Kennedy and Patsy Cline were born.
• The founder of Kodak, George Eastman, commited suicide.
• The Summer Olympics took place in Los Angeles, California.
• The cost of a first class stamp rose from 2 cents to 3 cents in July (I'm sure the hikes in price were as annoying back then as they are today).
• Scarface (United Artists, 1932), directed by Howard Hawks, was released.  The movie was released without censor approval and it is based on the 1929 novel by Armitage Trail (aka: Maurice Coons), which is loosely based on Al Capone's life (and we are still fascinated by all of this, well, at least I am, with shows like Boardwalk Empire).
• President Hoover cut his own salary by 15% (Too bad the governator didn't take a lesson from him).
• The first purple heart was awarded.
• Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers began filming their first movie together, Flying Down to Rio (RKO Radio Pictures, 1933).
• Amelia Earhart flew from the United States to Northern Ireland in 14 hours and 54 minutes.
• The first Venice Film Festival was held, which was the first organized film festival of its kind.
• Mickey's Revue, a Disney cartoon short, was released.  With it came the introduction to Dippy Dawg, who later became known as Goofy.