1. They call it “The World’s Largest Parade” – What is it?
2. In 1924, what was the average life expectancy in the United States?
3. Los Angeles resident Lionel C. Sternberger invented what hot sandwich?
4. What professional sports team debuted in Boston?
5. How much did a Loaf of Bread cost in 1924?
6. Who proved that Andromeda was a Galaxy, and NOT a Nebula?
7. What 1924 invention obtains information about the electrical function of the heart?
8. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1924?
9. What was the average household income in 1924?
10. Who won the 1924 World Series?
11. What was the highest-grossing movie of 1924?
12. How much did an average Ford Model T cost in 1924?
13. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1924?
14. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1924?
15. What first-time aviation feat did Lowell H. Smith, Leslie P. Arnold, Erik H. Nelson, and John Harding Jr. complete in 1924?
16. How much did a dozen eggs cost in 1924?
17. How many people lived in the United States in 1924?
18. Who was the President of the United States in 1924?
19. Now represented by Leo the Lion, what motion picture company was founded in 1924?
20. What is MGM’s official motto?
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. Which celebrity was NOT born in 1924? Jimmy Carter, Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, or Marlon Brando?
2. What was Chicago’s first air-conditioned office building?
3. Who was the American Vice-President in 1924?
4. The Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR), in New York, changed their name to what in 1924?
5. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1924?
6. What movie company was founded by Harry and Jack Cohn, along with Joe Brandt?
7. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1924?
8. Held in Chamonix France, how many medals did the US win in the 1924 Winter Olympics?
9. Held in Paris, France, how many medals did the US win in the 1924 Summer Olympics?
10. Who was the Pope in 1924?
The Answers:
24 Trivia Answers for 1924 History
1. They call it “The World’s Largest Parade” – What is it?
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
2. In 1924, what was the average life expectancy in the United States?
Men – 58.1 years, Women – 61.5 years.
3. Los Angeles resident Lionel C. Sternberger invented what hot sandwich?
The Cheeseburger
4. What professional sports team debuted in Boston?
The Boston Bruins
5. How much did a Loaf of Bread cost in 1924?
9 cents
6. Who proved that Andromeda was a Galaxy, and NOT a Nebula?
Edwin Hubble
7. What 1924 invention obtains information about the electrical function of the heart?
Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
8. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1924?
(tie) California, Here I Come! – Al Jolson OR It Ain’t Gonna Rain No Mo’ by Wendell Hall
9. What was the average household income in 1924?
$3,481.26
10. Who won the 1924 World Series?
In 1924, The Washington Senators won, beating the New York Giants (4 games to 3)
11. What was the highest-grossing movie of 1924? The Sea Hawk
12. How much did an average Ford Model T cost in 1924?
$265
13. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1924?
$0.21 per gallon
14. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1924?
In 1924, The Montreal Canadiens won over the Calgary Tigers (2 games to none)
15. What first-time aviation feat did Lowell H. Smith, Leslie P. Arnold, Erik H. Nelson and John Harding Jr. complete in 1924?
The first aerial circumnavigation of the world. (All served in the United States Army Air Service)
16. How much did a dozen eggs cost in 1924?
51 cents
17. How many people lived in the United States in 1924?
The population was an estimated 114,109,000 people.
18. Who was President of the United States in 1924?
Calvin Coolidge (August 2, 1923 – March 4, 1929)
19. Now represented by Leo the Lion, what motion picture company was founded in 1924?
MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios)
20. What is MGM’s official motto?
“Ars Gratia Artis” (Art for art’s sake)
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. Which celebrity was NOT born in 1924? Jimmy Carter, Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, or Marlon Brando?
Frank Sinatra was born in 1915.
2. What was Chicago’s first air-conditioned office building?
The Wrigley Building
3. Who was the American Vice-President in 1924?
The office of vice president was vacant from August 2, 1923 – March 4, 1925
4. The Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company (CTR), in New York, changed their name to what in 1924?
International Business Machines (IBM)
5. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1924? So Big by Edna Ferber
6. What movie company was founded by Harry and Jack Cohn, along with Joe Brandt?
Columbia Pictures
7. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1924?
Black Gold
8. Held in Chamonix France, how many medals did the US win in the 1924 Winter Olympics?
4.
1 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze.
9. Held in Paris, France, how many medals did the US win in the 1924 Summer Olympics?
99.
45 Gold, 27 Silver, 27 Bronze.
10. Who was the Pope in 1924?
Pope Pius XI, February 6, 1922 – February 10, 1939
2. Who (or what) was the first giant balloon in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
3. What major Swedish car company debuted in 1927?
4. In 1927, what was the average life expectancy in the United States?
5. Who was the President of the United States in 1927?
6. Over 2 1/2 miles long, what passageway between New Jersey and New York opened?
7. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1927?
8. What was the average household income in 1927?
9. Georges Lemaître, a Catholic priest, first proposed what astronomical idea?
10. What tasty powdered drink was invented by Edwin Perkins in Hastings, Nebraska?
11. Directed by Fritz Lang, what German science fiction classic was released?
12. What radio (and later television) network debuted in 1927?
13. Who was issued a pilot’s license from the United States government in 1927? (Hint: He does not use an airplane)
14. How many people lived in the United States in 1927?
15. What world population milestone was reached in 1927?
16. Who gained international fame as the first pilot to fly solo and nonstop across the Atlantic Ocean in a single-engine airplane, from New York to Paris?
17. What was the name of Charles Lindbergh’s airplane?
18. Who won the 1927 World Series?
19. What Yankees player set the Major League Baseball Record with 60 Home Runs?
20. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1927?
21. How much did a dozen eggs cost in 1927?
22. Which celebrity was NOT born in 1927? Martin Luther King Jr., Gina Lollobrigida, Eartha Kitt or Bob Fosse
23. Who was the Time Magazine Man of the Year in 1927?
24. After Leon Trotsky was expelled from the Soviet Communist Party, who took over?
25. What Ford car replaced the Ford Model T in 1927?
26. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1927?
27. What Hollywood actress made a film called “It”, which later became her nickname: The It Girl?
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. Who was the Pope in 1927?
2. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1927?
3. Hans Nilson Langseth (July 14, 1846 -November 10, 1927) died with the world’s longest WHAT?
4. Who was the American Vice-President in 1927?
5. What was invented by Charles Brannock in 1927?
6. Who said, “I do not choose to run for president in 1928”?
7. What two cities did Charles Lindbergh fly between to make the first trans-Atlantic flight?
8. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1927?
9. What kind of electric clock was an improvement over the standard mechanical clock?
10. What medal did US President Calvin Coolidge present what honor to Lindbergh after his flight?
The Answers:
27 Trivia Answers for 1927 History
1. What was the highest-grossing movie of 1927? The Jazz Singer
2. Who (or what) was the first giant balloon in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade? Felix the Cat
3. What major Swedish car company debuted in 1927? Volvo
4. In 1927, what was the average life expectancy in the United States? Men – 59 years, Women – 62.1 years.
5. Who was the President of the United States in 1927? Calvin Coolidge (August 2, 1923 – March 4, 1929)
6. Over 2 1/2 miles long, what passageway between New Jersey and New York opened? The Holland Tunnel
7. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1927? (tie) My Blue Heaven by Gene Austin OR In A Little Spanish Town by Paul Whiteman
8. What was the average household income in 1927? $5,496.73
9. Georges Lemaître, a Catholic priest, first proposed what astronomical idea? The Big Bang Theory
10. What tasty powdered drink was invented by Edwin Perkins in Hastings, Nebraska? Kool-Aid
11. Directed by Fritz Lang, what German science fiction classic was released? Metropolis
12. What radio (and later television) network debuted in 1927? The Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)
13. Who was issued a pilot’s license from the United States government in 1927? (Hint: He does not use an airplane) Santa Claus
14. How many people lived in the United States in 1927? The population was an estimated 119,035,000 people.
15. What world population milestone was reached in 1927? 2,000,000,000 (2 Billion) people
16. Who gained international fame as the first pilot to fly solo and non-stop across the Atlantic Ocean, flying from New York to Paris in his single-engine airplane? Charles Lindbergh
17. What was the name of Charles Lindbergh’s airplane? The Spirit of St. Louis. The flight took place on May 20/21, 1927.
18. Who won the 1927 World Series? In 1927, The New York Yankees won, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates (4 games to 0)
19. What Yankees player set the Major League Baseball Record with 60 Home Runs? Babe Ruth
20. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1927? In 1927, The Ottawa Senators won over the Boston Bruins (2–0–2)
21. How much did a dozen eggs cost in 1927? 49 cents
22. Which celebrity was NOT born in 1927? Martin Luther King Jr., Gina Lollobrigida, Eartha Kitt or Bob Fosse Martin Luther King Jr.
23. Who was the Time Magazine Man of the Year in 1927? Charles Lindbergh
24. After Leon Trotsky was expelled from the Soviet Communist Party, who took over? Joseph Stalin
25. What Ford car replaced the Ford Model T in 1927? The Ford Model A.
26. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1927? $0.21 per gallon
27. What Hollywood actress made a film called “It”, which later became her nickname: The It Girl? Clara Bow
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. Who was the Pope in 1927? Pope Pius XI, February 6, 1922 – February 10, 1939
2. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1927? Elmer Gantry by Sinclair Lewis
3. Hans Nilson Langseth (July 14, 1846 -November 10, 1927) died with the world’s longest WHAT? Beard
4. Who was the American Vice-President in 1927? Charles G. Dawes (March 4, 1925 – March 4, 1929)
5. What was invented by Charles Brannock in 1927? The foot-measuring tool (“Brannock Device”) used in shoe stores
6. Who said, “I do not choose to run for president in 1928”? Calvin Coolidge
7. What two cities did Charles Lindbergh fly between to make the first trans-Atlantic flight? New York City and Paris
8. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1927? Whiskery
9. What kind of electric clock was an improvement over the standard mechanical clock? The Quartz Clock
10. What medal did US President Calvin Coolidge present what honor to Lindbergh after his flight? Distinguished Flying Cross Medal
(answers) 1. What silent film, a comedy-drama, written, produced, directed by, and starring Charlie Chaplin was released?
2. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1921?
3. What paper and ink psychological test was created in 1921?
4. In 1921, what was the average life expectancy in the United States?
5. What did the Atlantic City Pageant’s Golden Mermaid pageant later come to be called?
6. What home improvement retail chain opened in North Carolina?
7. What was the average household income in 1921?
8. How many people lived in the United States in 1921?
9. Who was the top-selling musician or band of the 1920s?
10. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1921
11. What silent film made Rudolph Valentino a bonafide movie star
12. How much did a Gallon of Milk cost in 1921?
13. How much were 5 pounds of flour?
14. Who was the President of the United States in 1921?
15. What miracle discovery was found, to be used as a medication to treat high blood glucose?
16. How much did an average Ford Model T cost in 1921?
17. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1921?
18. What company used the slogan: “I’d Walk a Mile for a …”?
19. Who was the only person to become both US President and Chief Justice of the United States?
20. What was the first “fast food” hamburger chain, that opened in 1921?
21. Who won the 1921 World Series?
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1921?
2. What was the highest-grossing movie of 1921?
3. What automobile comfort and safety device was invented in 1921?
4. Who was the American Vice-President in 1921?
5. What popular comedic actor retired from acting in disgrace following a scandal?
6. What methodology system was created to manage, analyze, and structure a process in 1921?
7. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1921?
8. Who was the first actor to ever to play Jesse James on film?
9. Who was the first “Miss America”?
10. Who was the Pope in 1921?
Answers:
21 Trivia Answers for 1921 History
1. What silent film, a comedy-drama, written, produced, directed by, and starring Charlie Chaplin was released? The Kid
2. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1921? (tie) Wabash Blues by Isham Jones OR Wang Wang Blues by Paul Whiteman OR Cherie by Paul Whiteman
3. What paper and ink psychological test was created in 1921? Rorschach Test (Hermann Rorschach)
4. In 1921, what was the average life expectancy in the United States? Men – 60.0 years, Women – 61.8 years.
5. What did the Atlantic City Pageant’s Golden Mermaid pageant later come to be called? The Miss America Pageant
6. What home improvement retail chain opened in North Carolina? Lowes’s (Lucius Smith Lowe)
7. What was the average household income in 1921? $2,938.56
8. How many people lived in the United States in 1921? The population was an estimated 108,538,000 people.
9. Who was the top-selling musician or band of the 1920s? Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra
10. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1921? Main Street by Sinclair Lewis
11. What silent film made Rudolph Valentino a bonafide movie star? The Sheik
12. How much did a Gallon of Milk cost in 1921? 58 cents
13. How much were 5 pounds of flour? 29 cents
14. Who was the President of the United States in 1921? Woodrow Wilson (March 4, 1913 – March 4, 1921) and Warren G. Harding (March 4, 1921 – August 2, 1923)
15. What miracle discovery was found, to be used as a medication to treat high blood glucose? Insulin
16. How much did an average Ford Model T cost in 1921? $395
17. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1921? $0.26 per gallon
18. What company used the slogan: “I’d Walk a Mile for a …”? Camel Cigarettes
19. Who was the only person to become both US President and Chief Justice of the United States? William Howard Taft
20. What was the first “fast food” hamburger chain, that opened in 1921? White Castle, in Wichita, Kansas
21. Who won the 1921 World Series? In 1921, The New York Giants won, beating the New York Yankees (5 games to 3)
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1921? In 1921, The Ottawa Senators won over the Vancouver Millionaires (3 games to 2)
2. What was the highest-grossing movie of 1921? The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
3. What automobile comfort and safety device was invented in 1921? The Headrest
4. Who was the American Vice-President in 1921? Thomas R. Marshall (March 4, 1913 – March 4, 1921) and Calvin Coolidge (March 4, 1921 – August 2, 1923)
5. What popular comedic actor retired from acting in disgrace following a scandal? Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle
6. What methodology system was created to manage, analyze, and structure a process in 1921? The flowchart
7. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1921? Behave Yourself
8. Who was the first actor to ever to play Jesse James on film? His own son, Jesse James Jr, in the 1921 film Under the Black Flag.
9. Who was the first “Miss America”? Margaret Gorman
10. Who was the Pope in 1921? Pope Benedict XV, September 3, 1914 – January 22, 1922
(answers) 1. What movie studio was founded by Samuel Goldwyn and Louis B. Mayer?
2. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1920?
3. In 1920, what was the average life expectancy in the United States?
4. Soft drinks and tea rooms in America became very popular after what became law?
5. What Yankees player set the Major League Baseball Record with 52 Home Runs?
6. Who won the 1920 World Series?
7. What American newspaper mocked rocket scientist Robert H. Goddard after he said rockets could take men to the moon
8. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1920?)
9. How many people lived in the United States in 1920?
10. How many people lived in the World in 1920?
11. Made of peanuts, caramel, and milk chocolate-flavored nougat, covered in chocolate, what popular candy bar was introduced?
12. Who was the President of the United States in 1920?
13. How much did an average Ford Model T cost in 1920?
14. Before renaming themselves The National Football League in 1922, what did the pro football league call themselves?
15. What was the average household income in 1920?
16. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1920?
17. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1920?
18. What law prohibited the manufacture, sale or transportation of intoxicating liquors in the United States
19. How much did a pound of bacon cost in 1920?
20. What huge Hollywood couple were married on March 27, 1920?
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. What was the highest-grossing movie of 1920?
2. What were the anti-communist raids run by the U.S. Dept. of Justice called?
3. Raggedy Andy was introduced in 1920. What was his relationship with Raggedy Ann?
4. Who was the Baby Ruth candy bar named after?
5. Who was the Pope in 1920?
6. Who was the American Vice-President in 1920?
7. How much time did the average housewife spend preparing meals and cleaning every week?
8. Held in Antwerp, Belgium, how many medals did the US win in the 1920 Summer Olympics?
9. What major country did NOT join the League of Nations when it formed in 1920?
10. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1920?
Answers:
20 Trivia Answers for 1920 History
1. What movie studio was founded by Samuel Goldwyn and Louis B. Mayer? MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
2. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1920? ( tie) Swanee by Al Jolson OR Dardanella by Ben Selvin OR Whispering by Paul Whiteman
3. In 1920, what was the average life expectancy in the United States? Men – 53.6 years, Women – 61.8 years.
4. Soft drinks and tea rooms in America became very popular after what became law? Prohibition, which went into effect in America on January 16, 1920,
5. What Yankees player set the Major League Baseball Record with 52 Home Runs? Babe Ruth
6. Who won the 1920 World Series? In 1920, The Cleveland Indians won, beating the Brooklyn Robins (5 games to 2)
7. What American newspaper mocked rocket scientist Robert H. Goddard after he said rockets could take men to the moon? The New York Times
8. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1920? In 1920, The Ottawa Senators won over the Seattle Metropolitans (3 games to 2)
9. How many people lived in the United States in 1920? The population was an estimated 106,461,000 people.
10. How many people lived in the World in 1920? The estimated world population in 1920 was 1,860,000,000 people.
11. Made of peanuts, caramel, and milk chocolate-flavored nougat, covered in chocolate, what popular candy bar was introduced? Baby Ruth
12. Who was the President of the United States in 1920? Woodrow Wilson (March 4, 1913 – March 4, 1921)
13. How much did an average Ford Model T cost in 1920? $395 to $550
14. Before renaming themselves The National Football League in 1922, what did the pro football league call themselves? American Professional Football Association (APFA)
15. What was the average household income in 1920? $3,269.40 per year
16. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1920? $0.30 per gallon
17. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1920? The Man of the Forest by Zane Grey
18. What law prohibited manufacture, sale or transportation of intoxicating liquors in the United States? The Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
19. How much did a pound of bacon cost in 1920? 52 cents
20. What huge Hollywood couple were married on March 27, 1920? Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford. Their home was called Pickford.
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. What was the highest-grossing movie of 1920? Way Down East
2. What were the anti-communist raids run by the U.S. Dept. of Justice called? The Palmer Raids, named after Attorney General Palmer.
3. Raggedy Andy was introduced in 1920. What was his relationship with Raggedy Ann? Brother
4. Who was the Baby Ruth candy bar named after? NOT baseball’s Babe Ruth- it was named after President Grover Cleveland’s daughter, Ruth Cleveland. In reality, they named it after her so they would not have to pay any royalties to the baseball star.
1. Two brothers, Walter and Roy, founded what animation company?
2. What dance craze that became popular for the rest of the decade, was introduced by The Ziegfield Follies of 1923 by the all-black cast African-American Broadway musical “Running Wild”?
3. In 1923, what was the average life expectancy in the United States?
4. The Gregorian calendar was formed in 1582. What country adapted it in 1923?
5. Formerly the center of the Ottoman Empire, what country was founded in 1923?
6. What is the capital of The Republic of Turkey?
7. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1923
8. How much did a Pound of Butter cost in 1923?
9. Who won the 1923 World Series?
10. What film, starring Lon Cheney, and later adapted by Walt Disney, was released?
11. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1923?
12. What movie studio was formed by four brothers, Albert, Samuel, Jack, and Harry?
13. How many people lived in the United States in 1923?
14. What popular magazine debuted, with former US Speaker of the House Joseph G. Cannon on the cover?
15. What 45-foot-tall icon was established on Mount Lee, in California?
16. Where was the worst natural disaster in the 1920s, killing over 140,000 people?
17. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1923?
18. Who was the President of the United States in 1923
19. What was the average household income in 1923?
20. What major star began recording in 1923, and eventually had a #1 song, in 1964?
21. What endurance racing event debuted in France?
22. Who played the premiere Major League Baseball game at Yankee Stadium?
23. Opened in 1923, this London stadium hosted the 1948 Summer Olympics…
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. What was the highest-grossing movie of 1923?
2. In Kansa, James Cummings and J. Earl McLeod, invented what motorized construction vehicle?
3. Who was the Pope in 1923?
4. How much did an average Ford Model T cost in 1923?
5. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1923?
6. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1923?
7. Who was the American Vice-President in 1923
8. What artist, with a career lasting over 30 years, debuted in King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band?
9. Dorothy Dix received 100,000 letters a year and her estimated reading audience was about 60 million for her newspaper column. What was her column about?
10. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1923?
The Answers:
23 Trivia Answers for 1923 History
1. Two brothers, Walter and Roy, founded what animation company? The Walt Disney Studio (Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio)
2. What dance craze that became popular for the rest of the decade, was introduced by The Ziegfield Follies of 1923 by the all-black cast African-American Broadway musical “Running Wild”? The Charleston
3. In 1923, what was the average life expectancy in the United States? Men – 56.1 years, Women – 58.5 years.
4. The Gregorian calendar was formed in 1582. What country adapted it in 1923? Greece
5. Formerly the center of the Ottoman Empire, what country was founded in 1923? The Republic of Turkey
6. What is the capital of The Republic of Turkey? Ankara
7. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1923? Parade of the Wooden Soldiers by Paul Whiteman
8. How much did a Pound of Butter cost in 1923? 56 cents
9. Who won the 1923 World Series? In 1923, The New York Yankees won, beating the New York Giants (4 games to 2)
10. What film, starring Lon Cheney, and later adapted by Walt Disney, was released? The Hunchback of Notre Dame
11. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1923? In 1923, The Ottawa Senators won over the Edmonton Eskimos (2 games to none)
12. What movie studio was formed by four brothers, Albert, Samuel, Jack, and Harry? Warner Brothers
13. How many people lived in the United States in 1923? The population was an estimated 111,947,000 people.
14. What popular magazine debuted, with former US Speaker of the House Joseph G. Cannon on the cover? Time Magazine
15. What 45-foot-tall icon was established on Mount Lee, in California? The Hollywood Sign (originally The Hollywoodland Sign)
16. Where was the worst natural disaster in the 1920s, killing over 140,000 people? Japan’s Great Kanto earthquake
17. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1923? $0.22 per gallon
18. Who was the President of the United States in 1923? Warren G. Harding (March 4, 1921 – August 2, 1923) and Calvin Coolidge (August 2, 1923 – March 4, 1929)
19. What was the average household income in 1923? $3,226.70
20. What major star began recording in 1923, and eventually had a #1 song, in 1964? Louis Armstrong
21. What endurance racing event debuted in France? (24 Hours of) Le Mans
22. Who played the premiere Major League Baseball game at Yankee Stadium? The New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox, by a score of 4-1, with Babe Ruth hitting a three-run home run.
23. Opened in 1923, this London stadium hosted the 1948 Summer Olympics… Wembley Stadium
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. What was the highest-grossing movie of 1923? The Covered Wagon
2. In Kansa, James Cummings and J. Earl McLeod, invented what motorized construction vehicle? The Bulldozer
3. Who was the Pope in 1923? Pope Pius XI, February 6, 1922 – February 10, 1939
4. How much did an average Ford Model T cost in 1923? $365
5. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1923? $0.22 per gallon
6. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1923? Black Oxen by Gertrude Atherton
7. Who was the American Vice-President in 1923? Calvin Coolidge (March 4, 1921 – August 2, 1923) The office of vice president was vacant from August 2, 1923 – March 4, 1925
8. What artist, with a career lasting over 30 years, debuted in King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band? Louis Armstrong
9. Dorothy Dix received 100,000 letters a year and her estimated reading audience was about 60 million for her newspaper column. What was her column about? She was an Advice Columnist. (Real name: Elizabeth Meriwether Gilmer)
10. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1923? Zev
1929 was a pivotal chapter in history, marking the close of the Roaring Twenties and the start of dramatic global changes. Known for its stark contrasts, 1929 saw remarkable achievements in culture and technology as well as the beginnings of economic turmoil that would shape the decade to come. From iconic films and music to landmark historical events, the year offered a mix of optimism, innovation, and challenges.
In entertainment, 1929 was a groundbreaking year for cinema as Hollywood fully embraced the era of “talkies,” with sound revolutionizing the film industry. Audiences flocked to theaters to see stars of the silver screen in new, immersive experiences. Meanwhile, music continued to thrive with the rise of jazz and big band sounds, as legendary artists captivated listeners with timeless melodies.
Beyond the arts, 1929 saw significant advancements in aviation, science, and technology. These innovations brought the world closer together and reflected the bold spirit of the times. Yet, it was also a year that witnessed the stock market crash, which signaled the end of the economic boom in the 1920s and the onset of the Great Depression. Globally, cultural shifts and political events hinted at the changes shaping the coming decades.
Ready to put your knowledge to the test? Take our 1929 trivia quiz and explore the moments that defined this extraordinary year. From pop culture highlights to historical milestones, see how well you know the events that shaped this fascinating period!
3. What famous New York museum opened on November 7, 1929?
4. In 1929, what was the average life expectancy in the United States?
5. What was the highest-grossing movie of 1929?
6. What was the average household income in 1929?
7. What was the name of the Marx Brothers’ first movie?
8. How many people lived in the United States in 1929?
9. What mass-produced products made from celluloid were first produced by Sam Foster and sold in Atlantic City, New Jersey?
10. What famous ‘Sailor Man’ comic strip and cartoon character debuted on January 17, 1929?
11. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1929?
12. In 1929, Clarence Birdseye introduced “flash freezing” to the American public. What did he make by flash-freezing?
13. What well-known Mexican artists were married on August 29, 1929?
14. Animators of Koko the Clown, Betty Boop, Popeye the Sailor, and Superman, what studio was Disney’s biggest rival from the 1920s through the 1930s?
15. How much did a Loaf of Bread cost in 1929?
16. Author J.M. Barrie donated the copyrights of what character to the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London in perpetuity?
17. Who was the President of the United States in 1929?
18. What is the Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, signed on July 27, 1929, known as?
19. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1929?
20. What major league baseball player was the first to hit 500 home runs in his career?
21. Name the film that won the “Best Picture” of 1927/28 at the first Academy Awards?
22. According to former British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, what organization was in danger of failure because it was run by’ flapdoodlers’?
23. One of the world’s most important and prestigious automobile races began in 1929. What is it?
24. How much did an average Ford Model A cost in 1929?
25. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1929?
26. What famous event occurred on February 14, 1929, in Chicago’s north side?
27. What company used the slogan: “The pause that refreshes”?
28. Who won the 1929 World Series?
29. A newspaper comic strip adaptation of what Edgar Rice Burroughs character was first published on January 7, 1929?
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. What property was established via the Lateran Treaty, answering “The Roman Question”?
2. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1929?
3. Unaccustomed As We Are was the first sound comedy short film starring what comedy duo, released on May 4, 1929?
4. What leading Marxist Soviet politician was exiled from the U.S.S.R. by Joseph Stalin?
5. Who was the Pope in 1929? Pope Pius XI, February 6, 1922 – February 10, 1939
6. What fictional character is a reporter and adventurer who travels around the world with his dog Snowy? Tintin, by Belgian cartoonist Hergé
7. Who was the Time Magazine Man of the Year in 1929? Owen D. Young
8. Who was the American Vice-President in 1929? Charles G. Dawes (March 4, 1925 – March 4, 1929) and Charles Curtis (March 4, 1929 – March 4, 1933)
9. Before the Wall Street Crash, what number did the Dow Jones Industrial Average peak at?
10. What famous office got its own telephone in 1929?
The Answers:
29 Trivia Answers for 1929 History
1. What happened on October 28, 1929? The Wall Street Crash (Black Monday) The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged nearly 13 percent.
2. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1929? Tip Toe Through The Tulips – Nick Lucas
3. What famous New York museum opened on November 7, 1929? MOMA – Museum of Modern Art
4. In 1929, what was the average life expectancy in the United States? Men -55.8 years, Women – 58.7 years.
5. What was the highest-grossing movie of 1929? The Broadway Melody
6. What was the average household income in 1929? $6,132.22
7. What was the name of the Marx Brothers’ first movie? The Cocoanuts
8. How many people lived in the United States in 1929? The population was an estimated 121,767,000 people.
9. What mass-produced products made from celluloid were first produced by Sam Foster and sold in Atlantic City, New Jersey? Sunglasses
10. What famous ‘Sailor Man’ comic strip and cartoon character debuted on January 17, 1929? Popeye the Sailor
11. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1929? The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder
12. In 1929, Clarence Birdseye introduced “flash freezing” to the American public. What did he make by flash-freezing? Frozen Foods
13. What well-known Mexican artists were married on August 29, 1929? Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera
14. Animators of Koko the Clown, Betty Boop, Popeye the Sailor, and Superman, what studio was Disney’s biggest rival from the 1920s through the 1930s? Fleischer Studios
15. How much did a Loaf of Bread cost in 1929? 9 cents
16. Author J.M. Barrie donated the copyrights of what character to the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London in perpetuity? Peter Pan
17. Who was the President of the United States in 1929? Calvin Coolidge (August 2, 1923 – March 4, 1929) and Herbert Hoover (March 4, 1929 – March 4, 1933)
18. What is the Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, signed on July 27, 1929, known as? The Geneva Convention
19. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1929? In 1929, The Boston Bruins won over the New York Rangers (2 games to none)
20. What major league baseball player was the first to hit 500 home runs in his career? Babe Ruth
21. Name the film that won the “Best Picture” of 1927/28 at the first Academy Awards? Wings
22. According to former British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, what organization was in danger of failure because it was run by’ flapdoodlers’? The League of Nations. The league formally dissolved on April 20, 1946.
23. One of the world’s most important and prestigious automobile races began in 1929. What is it? Monaco Grand Prix
24. How much did an average Ford Model A cost in 1929? $495 (Town Car $1400)
25. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1929? $0.21 per gallon
26. What famous event occurred on February 14, 1929, in Chicago’s north side? The Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre. Seven reputed gangsters were killed.
27. What company used the slogan: “The pause that refreshes”? Coca Cola
28. Who won the 1929 World Series? In 1929, The Philadelphia Athletics won, beating the Chicago Cubs (4 games to 1)
29. A newspaper comic strip adaptation of what Edgar Rice Burroughs character was first published on January 7, 1929? Tarzan
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. What property was established via the Lateran Treaty, answering “The Roman Question”? Vatican City
2. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1929? Clyde Van Dusen
3. Unaccustomed As We Are was the first sound comedy short film starring what comedy duo, released on May 4, 1929? Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy
4. What leading Marxist Soviet politician was exiled from the U.S.S.R. by Joseph Stalin? Leon Trotsky
5. Who was the Pope in 1929? Pope Pius XI, February 6, 1922 – February 10, 1939
6. What fictional character is a reporter and adventurer who travels around the world with his dog Snowy? Tintin, by Belgian cartoonist Hergé
7. Who was the Time Magazine Man of the Year in 1929? Owen D. Young
8. Who was the American Vice-President in 1929? Charles G. Dawes (March 4, 1925 – March 4, 1929) and Charles Curtis (March 4, 1929 – March 4, 1933)
9. Before the Wall Street Crash, what number did the Dow Jones Industrial Average peak at? 381.17, a number not reached again until November 1954.
10. What famous office got its own telephone in 1929? The Oval Office, in the Whitehouse.
1. What premiere German automobile company was founded in 1926?
2. How many people lived in the United States in 1926?
3. Released in 1923 as “Baby gays”, what do we call them today?
4. What world-famous magician died at the age of 52?
5. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1926?
6. Who was the President of the United States in 1926?
7. Starting as a Christmas seasonal beer, what brand was first sold in 1926?
8. What was the average household income in 1926?
9. What mystery writer disappeared for 11 days?
10. Earning $6,000 a week, who was the highest-paid animal in Hollywood?
11. What radio network (later television network) debuted?
12. What country sent the United States a birthday card with over 5 Million signatures for its Sesquicentennial (150 years) birthday?
13. Who was the top gangster in the Chicago area?
14. What popular book fictional character, who is still popular today, debuted?
15. How much did a Loaf of Bread cost in 1926?
16. What well-known standardized test debuted in 1926?
17. How much did an average Ford Model T cost in 1926?
18. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1926?
19. What major American company began a five-day, 40-hour workweek for its employees?
20. In 1926, what was the average life expectancy in the United States?
21. Which celebrity was NOT born in 1926? James Lipton, John Coltrane, Allen Ginsburg or John F. Kennedy?
22. What popular Hollywood actor and sex symbol died suddenly at the age of only 31?
23. The Gregorian calendar was formed in 1582. What country adapted it in 1926?
24. Who won the 1926 World Series?
25. Who launched the first liquid-fuel rocket, at Auburn, Massachusetts?
26. What automobile brand was introduced by General Motors in 1926? (Hint: It closed in 2010)
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1926?
2. Who became the leader of Japan in December of 1926?
3. Combining documentary and fiction, what was the first Docufiction film? (Hint: Disney released a film of the same name in 2016)
4. Who was the Pope in 1926?
5. Gertrude “Trudy” Ederle was the first woman to do what?
6. What was the highest-grossing movie of 1926?
7. How many movie theaters were in the United States?
8. Who was the American Vice-President in 1926?
9. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1926?
10. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1926?
The Answers:
26 Trivia Answers for 1926 History
1. What premiere German automobile company was founded in 1926? Mercedes-Benz
2. How many people lived in the United States in 1926? The population was an estimated 117,397,000 people.
3. Released in 1923 as “Baby gays”, what do we call them today? Q-Tips
4. What world-famous magician died at the age of 52? Harry Houdini
5. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1926? (tie) Valencia by Paul Whiteman OR The Prisoner’s Song by Vernon Dalhart
6. Who was the President of the United States in 1926? Calvin Coolidge (August 2, 1923 – March 4, 1929)
7. Starting as a Christmas seasonal beer, what brand was first sold in 1926? Stella Artois
8. What was the average household income in 1926? $5,249.16
9. What mystery writer disappeared for 11 days? Agatha Christie
10. Earning $6,000 a week, who was the highest-paid animal in Hollywood? Rin Tin Tin
11. What radio network (later television network) debuted? National Broadcasting Company (NBC)
12. What country sent the United States a birthday card with over 5 Million signatures for its Sesquicentennial (150 years) birthday? Poland
13. Who was the top gangster in the Chicago area? Al Capone
14. What popular book fictional character, who is still popular today, debuted? Winnie-the-Pooh
15. How much did a Loaf of Bread cost in 1926? 9 cents
16. What well-known standardized test debuted in 1926? SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test)
17. How much did an average Ford Model T cost in 1926? $360
18. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1926? $0.23 per gallon
19. What major American company began a five-day, 40-hour workweek for its employees? Ford. In 1940, the 40-hour workweek became U.S. law.
20. In 1926, what was the average life expectancy in the United States? Men – 55.5 years, Women – 58.0 years.
21. Which celebrity was NOT born in 1926? James Lipton, John Coltrane, Allen Ginsburg or John F. Kennedy? John F. Kennedy.
22. What popular Hollywood actor and sex symbol died suddenly at the age of only 31? Rudolph Valentino
23. The Gregorian calendar was formed in 1582. What country adapted it in 1926? Turkey
24. Who won the 1926 World Series? In 1926, The St. Louis Cardinals won, beating the New York Yankees (4 games to 3)
25. Who launched the first liquid-fuel rocket, at Auburn, Massachusetts? Robert Goddard
26. What automobile brand was introduced by General Motors in 1926? (Hint: It closed in 2010) Pontiac
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1926? Bubbling Over
2. Who became the leader of Japan in December of 1926? Hirohito was crowned Emperor of Japan in December following the death of his father Yoshihito. He reigned until his death, on January 7, 1989.
3. Combining documentary and fiction, what was the first Docufiction film? (Hint: Disney released a film of the same name in 2016) Moana
4. Who was the Pope in 1926? Pope Pius XI, February 6, 1922 – February 10, 1939
5. Gertrude “Trudy” Ederle was the first woman to do what? Swim the English Channel (Hint: About 21 miles)
6. What was the highest-grossing movie of 1926? Aloma of the South Seas
7. How many movie theaters were in the United States? 14,600
8. Who was the American Vice-President in 1926? Charles G. Dawes (March 4, 1925 – March 4, 1929)
9. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1926? The Private Life of Helen of Troy by John Erskine
10. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1926? In 1926, The Montreal Maroons won over the Victoria Cougars (3 games to 1)
1. The Threepenny Opera debuted in 1928. What Pop Music Standard is from this musical play? (Hint: It was a #1 song in 1959)
2. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1928?
3. In 1928, what was the average life expectancy in the United States?
4. This book, written by A.A. Milne, is best known for introducing Tiggir.
5. What was Mickey Mouse’s first cartoon with sound?
6. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1928?
7. Who was the FBI agent assigned to head the prohibition enforcement in Chicago?
8. What is the best-known name for this toy, also described as a ‘Whirligig’ or ‘Tagalog’?
9. How many people lived in the United States in 1928?
10. Who lead the FBI’s prohibition unit in Chicago?
11. What is the name of the lion used to represent MGM Studios?
12. Who was the President of the United States in 1928?
13. What compartmental device for liquids was invented by Lloyd Groff Copeman?
14. What American company was a sponsor for the 1928 Olympic Games? (hint: They still sponsor the games today)
15. What was the average household income in 1928?
16. Who was the first woman to make a successful transatlantic flight as a passenger?
17. The Boulder Dam Project Act was signed into law in 1928. What do we call the dam that was completed today?
18. Still in business today, what electric men’s personal device was invented?
19. What easy-to-wear men’s clothing accessory was invented in 1928?
20. How much did an average Ford Model A cost in 1928?
21. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1928?
22. Which celebrity was NOT born in 1928? William Shatner, Judith Krantz, Vidal Sasson, or Philip K. Dick
23. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1928?
24. It started in Europe in the 1920s; what artistic style became popular in the United States?
25. Who won the 1928 World Series?
26. What did Alexander Fleming discover on Friday, September 28, 1928?
27. Who launched the first of several “five-year plans” that failed in the USSR?
28. How much did a Loaf of Bread cost in 1928?
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. Who showed the world the first working all-electronic television system in San Francisco?
2. Who was the American Vice-President in 1928?
3. The 1928 Winter Olympics were held in St. Moritz, Switzerland. How many medals did the US win?
4. Held in Amsterdam, Netherlands, how many medals did the US win in the 1928 Summer Olympics? 56. 22 Gold, 18 Silver, 16 Bronze.
5. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1928?
6. What was the first trans-Pacific flight between two countries?
7. Who was the Time Magazine Man of the Year in 1928?
8. Who was the Pope in 1928?
9. What was the highest-grossing movie of 1927?
10. What sizeable medical device, primarily replaced by ventilators, was invented in 1928?
The Answers:
28 Answers for 1928 History
1. The Threepenny Opera debuted in 1928. What Pop Music Standard is from this musical play? (Hint: It was a #1 song in 1959) Mack The Knife
2. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1928? Sonny Boy – Al Jolson
3. In 1928, what was the average life expectancy in the United States? Men – 55.6 years, Women – 58.3 years.
4. This book, written by A.A. Milne, is best known for introducing Tiggir. The House at Pooh Corner.
5. What was Mickey Mouse’s first cartoon with sound? Steamboat Willie
6. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1928? In 1928, The New York Rangers won over the Montreal Maroons (3 games to 2)
7. Who was the FBI agent assigned to head the prohibition enforcement in Chicago? Eliot Ness
8. What is the best-known name for this toy, also described as a ‘Whirligig’ or ‘Tagalog’? A Yo-Yo
9. How many people lived in the United States in 1928? The population was an estimated 120,509,000 people.
10. Who lead the FBI’s prohibition unit in Chicago? Eliot Ness
11. What is the name of the lion used to represent MGM Studios? Leo the lion. (The lion’s real name was ‘Slats’ until 1928, and ‘Jackie’ from 1928-1956, although always nicknamed ‘Leo’)
12. Who was the President of the United States in 1928? Calvin Coolidge (August 2, 1923 – March 4, 1929)
13. What compartmental device for liquids was invented by Lloyd Groff Copeman? The Ice Cube Tray
14. What American company was a sponsor for the 1928 Olympic Games? (hint: They still sponsor the games today) Coca-Cola
15. What was the average household income in 1928? $6,196.81
16. Who was the first woman to make a successful transatlantic flight as a passenger? Amelia Earhart
17. The Boulder Dam Project Act was signed into law in 1928. What do we call the dam that was completed today? The Hoover Dam
18. Still in business today, what electric men’s personal device was invented? The electric razor was invented in 1928 by Col. Jacob Schick.
19. What easy-to-wear men’s clothing accessory was invented in 1928? The Clip-on Tie
20. How much did an average Ford Model A cost in 1928? $495 (Town Car $1400)
21. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1928? $0.21 per gallon
22. Which celebrity was NOT born in 1928? William Shatner, Judith Krantz, Vidal Sasson, or Philip K. Dick William Shatner (born March 22, 1931)
23. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1928? The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder
24. It started in Europe in the 1920s; what artistic style became popular in the United States? Art Deco
25. Who won the 1928 World Series? In 1928, The New York Yankees won, beating the St. Louis Cardinals (4 games to 0)
26. What did Alexander Fleming discover on Friday, September 28, 1928? Penicillin
27. Who launched the first of several “five-year plans” that failed in the USSR? Joseph Stalin
28. How much did a Loaf of Bread cost in 1928? 9 cents
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. Who showed the world the first working all-electronic television system, in San Francisco? Philo Farnsworth
2. Who was the American Vice-President in 1928? Charles G. Dawes (March 4, 1925 – March 4, 1929)
3. Held in St. Moritz, Switzerland, how many medals did the US win in the 1928 Winter Olympics? 6. 2 Gold, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze.
4. Held in Amsterdam, Netherlands, how many medals did the US win in the 1928 Summer Olympics? 56. 22 Gold, 18 Silver, 16 Bronze.
5. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1928? Reigh Count
6. What was the first trans-Pacific flight between two countries? Charles Kingsford Smith made the first transpacific flight from the United States to Australia.
7. Who was the Time Magazine Man of the Year in 1928? Walter Chrysler
8. Who was the Pope in 1928? Pope Pius XI, February 6, 1922 – February 10, 1939
9. What was the highest-grossing movie of 1927? The Singing Fool
10. What sizeable medical device, primarily replaced by ventilators, was invented in 1928? The Iron Lung (Negative pressure ventilator)
1. Who was the President of the United States in 1925?
2. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1925?
3. What is the longest-running radio broadcast in US history?
4. Focused on New York City, what publication debuted in 1925?
5. Who won the 1925 World Series?
6. What car company used the slogan: “Ask the Man Who Owns One”?
7. How much did a Loaf of Bread cost in 1925?
8. Later the theme for basketball legends The Harlem Globetrotters, what song was written and released in 1925?
9. What was the average household income in 1925?
10. How many people lived in the United States in 1925?
11. Although now known as an American chain of hotels and motels, what company started as a restaurant in 1925?
12. What company used the slogan: “Often a Bridesmaid, Never a Bride”?
13. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1925?
14. In 1925, what was the average life expectancy in the United States?
15. What temporary roadside accommodations began appearing in 1924?
16. How much did a dozen eggs cost in 1925?
17. Which celebrity was NOT born in 1925? Margaret Thatcher, Johnny Carson, Malcolm X or Marilyn Monroe?
18. What famous trial took place in Dayton, Tennessee, in which a high school teacher, John Scopes, was accused of violating Tennessee’s Butler Act?
19. What (now) considered to be a literary classic book didn’t get recognized until World War II?
20. The Maxwell Motor Company was founded in 1904, but in 1925 it was reorganized into what other American car company?
21. Authorized in 1925, what oversized National Memorial features George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln?
22. A popular mail-order catalog company opened its first store in Chicago. What was the name of that store?
23. How much did an average Ford Model T cost in 1925?
24. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1925?
25. What invention was introduced to help painters by the 3M Company?
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. Later the first home of the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders, what California stadium opened in 1925?
2. What was the highest-grossing movie of 1925?
3. Name the 5 primary ingredients in a Reuben Sandwich…
4. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1925?
5. What popular fad did the Chicago Department of Public Health say “caused no ill health effects from headaches or eye strain”?
6. What deadly weather event killed nearly 700 people in Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana?
7. Who was the Pope in 1925?
8. What honor did Nellie Tayloe Ross and Ma Ferguson share?
9. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1925?
10. Who was the American Vice-President in 1925?
The Answers:
25 Trivia Answers for 1925 History
1. Who was the President of the United States in 1925? Calvin Coolidge (August 2, 1923 – March 4, 1929)
2. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1925? (tie) I’ll See You in My Dreams by Isham Jones and Ray Miller OR Yes Sir! That’s My Baby by Gene Austin
3. What is the longest-running radio broadcast in US history? The Grand Ole Opry (based in Nashville, Tennessee)
4. Focused on New York City, what publication debuted in 1925? The New Yorker
5. Who won the 1925 World Series? In 1925, The Pittsburgh Pirates won, beating the Washington Senators (4 games to 3)
6. What car company used the slogan: “Ask the Man Who Owns One”? Packard
7. How much did a Loaf of Bread cost in 1925? 9 cents
8. Later the theme for basketball legends The Harlem Globetrotters, what song was written and released in 1925? Sweet Georgia Brown by Ben Bernie and Maceo Pinkard,
9. What was the average household income in 1925? $5,249.16
10. How many people lived in the United States in 1925? The population was an estimated 115,829,000 people.
11. Although now known as an American chain of hotels and motels, what company started out as a restaurant in 1925? Howard Johnson’s (Hint: 28 flavors of Ice Cream)
12. What company used the slogan: “Often a Bridesmaid, Never a Bride”? Listerine Mouthwash
13. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1925? In 1925, The Victoria Cougars won over the Montreal Canadiens (3 games to 1)
14. In 1925, what was the average life expectancy in the United States? Men – 57.6 years, Women – 60.6 years.
15. What temporary roadside accommodations began appearing in 1924? Motels (Motorists Hotel). The Milestone Mo-Tel opened in San Luis Obispo, California
16. How much did a dozen eggs cost in 1925? 55 cents
17. Which celebrity was NOT born in 1925? Margaret Thatcher, Johnny Carson, Malcolm X or Marilyn Monroe? Marilyn Monroe was born in 1926.
18. What famous trial took place in Dayton, Tennessee, in which a high school teacher, John Scopes, was accused of violating Tennessee’s Butler Act? The Scopes Monkey Trial, regarding teaching the theory of evolution in public schools. William Jennings Bryan, argued for the prosecution, while Clarence Darrow, the famed defense attorney, spoke for Scopes.
19. What (now) considered to be a literary classic book didn’t get recognized until World War II? The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
20. The Maxwell Motor Company was founded in 1904, but in 1925 it was reorganized into what other American car company? Chrysler
21. Authorized in 1925, what oversized National Memorial features George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln? Mount Rushmore. It was completed in 1941.
22. A popular mail-order catalog company opened its first store in Chicago. What was the name of that store? Sears, Roebuck and Co. (Sears)
23. How much did an average Ford Model T cost in 1925? $260
24. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1925? $0.22 per gallon
25. What invention was introduced to help painters by the 3M Company? Masking tape
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. Later the first home of the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders, what California stadium opened in 1925? Kezar Stadium
2. What was the highest-grossing movie of 1925? Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ
3. Name the 5 primary ingredients in a Reuben Sandwich… Meat, Sauerkraut, (Swiss) cheese, Russian (or Thousand Island) dressing and rye bread.
4. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1925? Flying Ebony
5. What popular fad did the Chicago Department of Public Health say “caused no ill health effects from headaches or eye strain”? Crossword Puzzles
6. What deadly weather event killed nearly 700 people in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana? The Tri-State Tornado on March 18, 1925. It was the deadliest tornado in United States history.
7. Who was the Pope in 1925? Pope Pius XI, February 6, 1922 – February 10, 1939
8. What honor did Nellie Tayloe Ross and Ma Ferguson share? Nellie Tayloe Ross was the first female governor in the United States (Wyoming). Twelve days later, Ma Ferguson became the second (Texas).
9. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1925? Soundings by A. Hamilton Gibbs
10. Who was the American Vice-President in 1925? Charles G. Dawes (March 4, 1925 – March 4, 1929) The office of vice president was vacant from August 2, 1923 – March 4, 1925
3. What was the original name for the Eskimo Pie ice cream bar?
4. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1922?
5. In 1922, what was the average life expectancy in the United States?
6. The League of Nations banned it in 1922 and the United States did not ban it until 1971. What was it?
7. What Washington, D.C. landmark was dedicated on May 30, 1922?
8. Who won the 1922 World Series?
9. On June 14, 1922, what was President Warren G. Harding the first to do?
10. What amphitheater in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California?
11. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1922?
12. Who was the first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union?
13. How much did a Pound of Porkchops cost in 1922?
14. How many people lived in the United States in 1922?
15. What female celebrity holds the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest television career, over 80 years?
16. What California creature became extinct in 1922?
17. F. Scott Fitzgerald named what musical era?
18. Which celebrity was NOT born in 1922 – Stan Lee, Martin Luther King, Betty White or Judy Garland?
19. What was the average price of a 78 RPM record?
20. How much did an average Ford Model T cost in 1922?
21. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1922?
22. What vegan and kosher Australian food product was invented by Australian entrepreneur Fred Walker?
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. What did Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter discover?
2. By 1922, Hollywood became the center of filmmaking in the U.S. with how much (% percentage) of American movie production?
3. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1922?
4. What did Ralph Samuelson do on Lake Pepin in Lake City, Minnesota?
5. Although she only served for one day, what did Rebecca Latimer Felton do on November 21, 1922?
6. Who was the Pope in 1922?
7. Why was all telephone service in the U.S. and Canada silenced for one minute on August 4th, 1922?
8. Tool Trivia: What type of saw did Raymond De Walt of Bridgeton, New Jersey invent?
9. Who was the American Vice-President in 1922?
10. What was Walt Disney’s first animated short?
The Answers:
22 Trivia Answers for 1922 History
1. What was the Biggest Number One Song of 1922? April Showers by Al Jolson
2. What was the average household income in 1922? $3,143.46
3. What was the original name for the Eskimo Pie ice cream bar? I-Scream Bar
4. What was the Bestselling Fiction Book in 1922? If Winter Comes by A.S.M. Hutchinson
5. In 1922, what was the average life expectancy in the United States? Men – 58.4 years, Women – 61.0 years.
6. The League of Nations banned it in 1922 and the United States did not ban it until 1971. What was it? Lead paint
7. What Washington, D.C. landmark was dedicated on May 30, 1922? The Lincoln Memorial
8. Who won the 1922 World Series? In 1922, The New York Giants won, beating the New York Yankees (4 games to 0, 1 tie)
9. On June 14, 1922, what was President Warren G. Harding the first to do? Warren G. Harding was the first president to have a speech broadcast on the radio.
10. What amphitheater in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California? The Hollywood Bowl
11. Who won the Stanley Cup in 1922? In 1922, The Toronto St. Patricks won over the Vancouver Millionaires (3 games to 2)
12. Who was the first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union? Joseph Stalin
13. How much did a Pound of Porkchops cost in 1922? 33 cents
14. How many people lived in the United States in 1922? The population was an estimated 110,049,000 people.
15. What female celebrity holds the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest television career, over 80 years? Born in 1922, Betty white started on television in 1939.
16. What California creature became extinct in 1922? California grizzly bear
17. F. Scott Fitzgerald named what musical era? The Jazz Age
18. Which celebrity was NOT born in 1922 – Stan Lee, Martin Luther King, Betty White or Judy Garland? Martin Luther King Jr. (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968)
19. What was the average price of a 78 RPM record? $1.75
20. How much did an average Ford Model T cost in 1922? $319
21. How much did a gallon of gas cost in 1922? $0.25 per gallon
22. What vegan and kosher Australian food product was invented by Australian entrepreneur Fred Walker? Vegemite
Trivia Team Bonus Questions:
1. What did Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter discover? King “Tut” Tutankhamen’s tomb.
2. By 1922, Hollywood became the center of film making in the U.S. with how much of American movie production? 85%
3. What Horse won the Kentucky Derby in 1922? Morvich
4. What did Ralph Samuelson do on Lake Pepin in Lake City, Minnesota? He invented water skiing, with rope and a pair of snow skis.
5. Although she only served for one day, what did Rebecca Latimer Felton do on November 21, 1922? She became the first woman to serve in the U.S. Senate.
6. Who was the Pope in 1922? Pope Benedict XV, September 3, 1914 – January 22, 1922, and Pope Pius XI, February 6, 1922 – February 10, 1939
7. Why was all telephone service in the U.S. and Canada silenced for one minute on August 4th, 1922? To mark the funeral of Alexander Graham Bell.
8. Tool Trivia: What type of saw did Raymond De Walt of Bridgeton, New Jersey invent? The radial arm saw
9. Who was the American Vice-President in 1922? Calvin Coolidge (March 4, 1921 – August 2, 1923)
10. What was Walt Disney’s first animated short? Four Musicians of Bremen, in 1922, long before Mickey Mouse or Oswald The Lucky Rabbit.
This week marks the anniversary of the invention of the clip-on tie. Invented on December 13th, 1928 by an unknown inventor, the clip-on tie was then further developed by Eastern Creatives Industries INC into the product that we know today.
The clip-on tie serves as a convenient option for those who find difficulty in properly adjusting a traditional tie. While learning how to tie a tie is a rite of passage for some, the clip-on tie exists for those who aim for a dapper look while barely lifting a finger.
The clip-on tie is simply a tie that is permanently knotted with a metal clasp on the back that clips onto dress shirts and other clothing. While viewed as cheap and tacky to some, the clip-on tie can be a last-minute lifesaver when traveling to a business meeting, job interview or other events that require you to look sharp.
The origins of the clip-on tie can be traced back to Iowa in 1928. However, the person behind the classic invention is still unknown to this day. Eastern Creative Industries INC expanded on this idea in the 1970s, developing an easier clasp that is widely recognizable by the public today.
Besides the aforementioned tackiness, some people complain about the clip-on ties removal process which has been said is much harder than putting it on. Many who’ve owned clip-on ties say that removing them often breaks that clasp and even gets stuck to their clothing.
Others say that in more hands-on work settings, the clip-on tie is easier to fall off thus revealing the wearer’s less renowned choice in attire. Still, the clip-on tie gave many opportunities to those who refrained from wearing a regular necktie because of the complicated knotting process. The clip-on tie gave a chance to those who no longer wished to avoid wearing ties altogether.
The clip-on tie comes in all varieties of lengths and styles just as regular ties do. From patterned to solid color, clip-on ties never falter in providing style for their wearers. Most of the time, people can’t even tell the difference from a regularly tied necktie.
Since the 1920’s when it was first conceptualized, the necktie both clip-on and regular has seen a decrease in modern work settings with many choosing to work from home in today’s socio-economic climate, and due to the pandemic. The clip-on tie’s popularity has also decreased since it’s major use in the 70s and 80s.
Still, the clip-on tie has had a major impact on fashion, primarily men’s fashion and is still used by workers in office spaces and other business settings today. The clip-on tie may have a diluted history and questions on why it needs to exist, but no doubt it has helped people around the world feel fashionable with ease.
It went through four name changes but it also started as The Hotel Pennsylvania when it opened at 401 Seventh Avenue (15 Penn Plaza) in Manhattan, across the street from Pennsylvania Station and Madison Square Garden in New York City, right across the street from the Pennsylvania Station and was designed to be the main hotel for visitors who took the train to New York. When it opened on January 25, 1919, and for a long time it was the largest hotel in the world. It was bought and renamed the Hotel Statler on January 1, 1949, and the hotel became The Statler Hilton in 1958. In 1991, it was renamed the Hotel Pennsylvania
Animated films Hotel Transylvania I, II, III, IV – AND a Bugs Bunny Cartoon spoofed the Transylvania Hotel idea.
Ellsworth Statler first owned the hotel, he is the basis for one of the two cranky old Muppets who sit in a theatre balcony – Statler and Waldorf.
The TV Show Mad Men made several references to the hotel, which was still called the Hilton-Statler in the 60s.
There was Scandal Too- it was the location of the famous– foul/play murder in 1953 of Frank Olson, he was a CIA agent, who was deliberately given LSD without his knowledge. The CIA confessed to that in 1975.
On January 21, 1972, the first Star Trek Convention occurred in New York, at the Statler-Hilton Hotel. Because the Star Trek Future idea outlasted the show, it created a real community. Star Wars and the MCU are beggir now, but today there are dozens of conventions centered around TV Shows, Horror Conventions, with hundreds of thousands, possibly millions, of visitors among them. I don’t think any of that would have happened if a few thousand fans didn’t show up in New York that first weekend in January 1972.
Pennsylvania Hotel’s Musical Connection
Starting with the Phone Number- Before Tommy Tutone came out with 867-5309 in (#4 in 1982), the Hotel’s Number- Pennsylvania 6- 5000 (212-736-5000,) came out as a song by Glenn Miller. Tommy made up 867-5309, but Pennsylvania 6, 5000 was and is the real number for the Hotel. They claim that it is the longest continually used number in New York City, which would make it one of the longest-used 7 digit phone numbers anywhere. We’re talking 100 years old at this point.
Glenn Miller was the Top Artist of the day. He had 20 Top Ten Hits between 1939 and 1943- he had 120 Top 30 Hits, all in under 5 years. Nobody has matched that success in such a short time, including chart-toppers like The Beatles, Drake, or Taylor Swift. Pennsylvania Six 5000 was one of his Signature Songs, he performed at the hotel more than any other artist.
In the Early Days of Radio, the 30s, and 40s, live entertainment was based in New York, and Live Broadcasts on NBC had a lot of bands and orchestras that were broadcast from a restaurant/showroom that was part of the Hotel called The Cafe Rouge. Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Doris Day, and of course Glenn Miller played there. In the forties, it was the hottest nightclub in New York.
The Annual Westminster Dog Show is across the street at Madison Square Garden, so a lot of the contestants and their owners stayed there, The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission denied several requests to get it listed as a Historic Landmark. It’s just a walk from the train station, and it was last renovated in 2008- they planned on renovation again, but the building was just too old to renovate. They closed it on April 1, 2020, and it was demolished in 2022.
Music has been the source of sexual discovery for a very long time. In different eras, the style of the music that was considered erotic or sexy changed. A few decades can make the difference between an amorous connection or a silly novelty song. Here is a mix from many from the half-century before this one.
Old Time Double Entendre, Sexy &Seduction Songs, Film Scores, with a little hot Rock and Roll.
1.
The Stripper – David Rose
2.
Let’s Spend The Night Together – The Rolling
Stones
3.
Fever – Peggy Lee
4.
Ebb Tide – The Righteous Brothers
5.
Sixty Minute Man – The Dominoes
6.
Lay Lady Lay – Bob Dylan
7.
Makin’ Whoopee! – Eddie Cantor, 1928
8.
Please Please Me – The Beatles
9.
Let’s Misbehave – Ben Bernie
10.
I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl – Nina Simone
11.
Je T’Aime… Moi Non Plus – Jane Birkin and
Serge Gainsbourg
12.
Whole Lotta Love – Led Zeppelin
13.
I Just Want to Make Love to You – Etta James
14.
Nights in White Satin – Moody Blues
15.
Yes Sir, That’s My Baby – various, 1925
16.
Just A Gigolo – Louis Prima & Keely Smith
17.
The Look of Love – Dusty Springfield
18.
I Get Ideas – Tony Martin, 1950
19.
The House of the Rising Sun – The Animals
20.
Handy Man – Jimmy Jones
21.
One Night – Elvis Presley
22.
Boléro – Maurice Ravel, 1928
23.
In The Midnight Hour – Wilson Pickett
24.
Why Don’t We Do It In The Road – The Beatles
25.
Love Is Strange – Mickey & Sylvia
26.
Boom Boom – John Lee Hooker
27.
You Got To Give Me Some – Bessie Smith
28.
A Guy What Takes His Time – Mae West
29.
Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon – Gary Puckett
& The Union Gap
30.
Carolina in the Morning – various, 1923
31.
I Love Ya Then I Need Ya – Eartha Kitt
32.
Fever – Elvis Presley
33.
The Orgy (From The Conan The Barbarian Soundtrack)
– Basil Poledouris’, 1980
34.
Walkin’ the Dog – Rufus Thomas
35.
I Need A Little Sugar In My Bowl – Bessie Smith
36.
I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You) – Aretha
Franklin
37.
I Want To Be Bad – Helen Kane
38.
Harlen Nocturn – The Viscounts
39.
Too Hot Too Handle – Jayne Mansfield
40.
Hard To Handle – Otis Redding
41.
Night Train – The Viscounts
42.
Lover Man – Billie Holiday
43.
Bacchanale from Daphnis et Chloé (Daphnis
and Chloe) – Maurice Ravel
44.
What’s New Pussycat? – Tom Jones
45.
Good Golly Miss Molly – Little Richard
46.
Shave ‘Em Dry – Lucille Bogan
47.
I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man – Muddy Waters
48.
Bacchanale from Samson et Dalila (Samson and Delilah)
– Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns, 1877
49.
Squeeze Box – The Who
50.
Buffalo Gals – various
51.
If It Don’t Fit (Don’t Force It) – Los Enemigos
52.
Sonata Erotica – Erwin Schulhoff
53.
Foxey Lady – Jimi Hendrix
54.
Dance of the Seven Veils (Salomé) – Richard
Strauss, various, based on the biblical era story of Salome
and John the Baptist
55.
Gotta Gimme Whatcha Got – Julia Lee
56.
Comin’ Thro’ the Rye – Robert Burns
57.
Tom Cat – Muddy Waters
58.
Keep On Churnin’ – Wynonie Harris
59.
These Arms of Mine – Otis Redding
60.
Strip Polka – The Andrews Sisters
61.
A Man For Every Day Of The Week – Sippie Wallace
62.
Come Again, Sweet Love Doth Now Invite – John
Dowland, late 1500s
63.
Love Man – Otis Redding
64.
Whatever Lola Wants – Carmen McRae
65.
Sam The Hot Dog Man – Lil Johnson
66.
Opening of Der Rosenkavalier – Richard Strauss,
1911
World Changing Event: The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also known as the Great Crash, or the Stock Market Crash of 1929, began on October 24 and peaked on October 29, 1929.
Influential Songs include Pop Standards Singin’ in the Rain and When You’re Smiling.
The Movies to Watch include The Cocoanuts, Pandora’s Box, Blackmail, Hallelujah, and The Hollywood Revue of 1929
The Most Famous Person in America was probably Al Jolson
From 1928-1933, giant balloons were released into the air at the end of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. In 1929, they were postmarked with a return address, and you won a prize if you found one and sent it back.
Notable books include All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque and A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway.
Price of Jell-O in 1929: 20 cents/3 packs
The Funny Duo were George Burns and Gracie Allen
The Galactic Observation: Astronomer Edwin Powell Hubble proposed the expanding universe theory.
Top Ten Baby Names of 1929
Mary, Betty, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret, Robert, James, John, William, Charles
US Life Expectancy
(1929) Males: 55.8 years, Females: 58.7 years
The Stars
Josephine Baker, Clara Bow, Dolores Costello, Louise Brooks, Joan Crawford, Marion Davies, Dolores Del Rio, Mary Eaton, Greta Garbo, Myrna Loy, Thelma Todd, Anna May Wong
The Oscars
The 1st Academy Awards rolled out the red carpet on May 16, 1929, at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel’s Blossom Room with actor Douglas Fairbanks hosting the event. Wings, a silent war film, clinched the Best Picture category, making it the only silent film to win the prestigious award. Frank Borzage bagged the Best Director title for Seventh Heaven, a romantic drama that set trends for the genre. Regarding acting, Emil Jannings was the star, winning Best Actor for his roles in The Last Command and The Way of All Flesh. Janet Gaynor made history as the youngest Best Actress winner and was then, honored for her roles in Seventh Heaven, Street Angel, and Sunrise.
Unlike today’s sprawling ceremonies, the initial event was a 15-minute affair attended by fewer than 300 guests. The term “Oscar” hadn’t even been coined yet, and the awards were officially known as “Academy Awards of Merit.” Interestingly, the awards had more nuanced categories in their early days; for example, there were two types of Best Picture awards—Outstanding Picture and Unique and Artistic Production. While Wings swooped the Outstanding Picture, Sunrise captured the Unique and Artistic category. So, the Academy Awards, initially a small, private affair, have evolved into a global spectacle, continuing to captivate audiences nearly a century later.
Miss America
none
Time Magazine’s Man of the Year
Owen D. Young
Firsts, Inventions, and Wonders
When first created in 1929, 7-Up (7 ounces of “Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda.”) contained the mood-enhancing drug lithium citrate and did so until it was removed from the formula in 1950.
Mickey Mouse was the first-ever cartoon character to speak. In The Karnival Kid, Mickey’s first words were, “Hot dogs!”
Times New Roman is a modified version of Times Roman, a font created in 1929 for the British newspaper The Times. It was designed by Monotype to be used by rivals at Linotype on their typesetting machines.
Popeye first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre, on January 17, 1929.
Pine-Sol cleaner was invented.
On November 9, in New York City, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) opened to the public.
Tarzan and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century A.D. comic strips debuted.
Vatican City was founded in 1929.
Alfred Hitchcock made the first recorded “That’s what she said” (as the girl said to the soldier) joke while filming his movie Blackmail.
The Biggest Pop Artists of 1929 include
Gus Arnheim & His Orchestra, Gene Austin, Eddie Cantor, Cliff Edwards, Ruth Etting, Johnny Hamp & His Orchestra, Bob Haring and His Orchestra, Libby Holman, Al Jolson, Helen Kane, Ted Lewis, and His Band, Nick Lucas, George Olson, and His Orchestra, Leo Reisman and His Orchestra, Nat Shilkret & the Victor Orchestra, Rudy Vallée & His Connecticut Yankees, Ethel Waters, Ted Weems and His Orchestra, Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra
Scandalous News
On March 31, at New York City’s Easter Parade, a small group of young women proudly smoked cigarettes as they marched. Since smoking was considered a male-dominated activity then, these cigarettes were marketed as “Torches of Freedom” to help break the taboo and convince women to buy them. Edward Bernays, a nephew of Sigmund Freud, who was nicknamed “the father of public relations,” created the #marketingploy
Women were not legally considered ‘Persons’ in Canada until 1929.
The US Supreme Court voted 8 -1 in favor of a Eugenics program requiring forced sterilization of citizens deemed not intelligent enough to reproduce.
The Quote
Mobster Frank Gusenberg told police, “Nobody shot me,” after being shot eight times at the St Valentine’s Day Massacre.
US Politics
March 4, 1929 (Monday): Inauguration of Herbert Hoover
Pop Culture History
John F Kennedy’s father, Joe Kennedy, sold his entire stock portfolio before the 1929 crash because “a shoeshine boy gave him some stock tips. And He figured that when the shoeshine boys have tips, the market is too popular for its good.”
From 1928-1933, giant balloons were released into the air at the end of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. In 1929, they were postmarked with a return address, and you won a prize if you found one and sent it back.
THE SAINT VALENTINE’S DAY MASSACRE – Al Capone’s men allegedly killed seven other alleged gangsters in an apparent shooting on February 14th. This would have given Mr. Capone control of Chicago’s mob underworld, if such a thing, in fact, actually existed.
The United States Congress established the Grand Teton National Park.
Vladimir Zworykin invented the cathode-ray tube called the kinescope, the basis for 20th-century television screens.
The Zildjian musical instrument company, which started in 1623 in Turkey and moved to the US in 1929, is widely recognized as the oldest family-owned business in America.
An estimated 50% of all American films made before 1950 and over 90% of those made before 1929 are forever lost.
The practice of identifying baseball players by number was started by the Yankees in 1929. (originally corresponding to a player’s position in the batting order).
Music and the Spoken Word is the longest-running continuous network program in the world. It debuted in 1929 and has made over 4,400 weekly broadcasts.
When the Levee Breaks is a country blues song written and first recorded by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie in 1929, inspired by the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. Led Zeppelin covered it on their Led Zeppelin IV album.
‘Zombie’ was introduced to the Western world in The Magic Island by W.B. Seabrook in 1929.
The first public demonstration of color TV was held at Bell Telephone Laboratories in New York. The first images were a bouquet of roses and an American flag.
Coco the Clown debuted at Bertram Mills Circus in Manchester, England.
All Quiet on the Western Front (Im Westen nichts Neues) by Erich Maria Remarque, was published in book form.
“Blue Chip” refers to high-value poker chips at the turn of the 20th century. It was first applied to stocks in 1929, shortly before the great stock market crash.
The Countdown we use today was first seen in Fritz Lang’s Woman on the Moon.
Strange, But True
General Motors and Chevrolet were founded by the same man, William Durant, who later lost all his money in the stock market crash in 1929 and died nearly bankrupt while managing a bowling alley.
Roger Babson correctly predicted the Wall Street Crash of 1929 using the unorthodox notion that gravity and Sir Isaac Newton’s law of action and reaction can be used to explain movement in the stock markets.
Princeton researchers successfully turned a live cat into a functioning telephone.
Nobel Prize Winners
Physics – Louis de Broglie Chemistry- Arthur Harden, Hans Karl August Simon von Euler-Chelpin Physiology or Medicine – Christiaan Eijkman, Sir Frederick Gowland Hopkins Literature – Thomas Mann Peace – Frank Billings Kellogg
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1929
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque The Bishop Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine Dodsworth by Sinclair Lewis Dark Hester by Anne Douglas Sedgwick Peder Victorious by O. E. Rolvaag Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett Roper’s Row by Warwick Deeping The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
Sports
World Series Champions: Philadelphia Athletics Stanley Cup Champs: Boston Bruins U.S. Open Golf: Bobby Jones U.S. Tennis (Men/Ladies): William (Bill) T. Tilden/Helen Wills Wimbledon (Men/Women): Henri Cochet/Helen Wills NCAA Football Champions: Notre Dame Kentucky Derby Winner: Clyde Van Dusen Boston Marathon Winner: Johnny Miles Time: 2:33:08
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1920: A Man for the Ages by Irving Bacheller The Great Impersonation by E. Phillips Oppenheim Kindred of the Dust by Peter B. Kyne The Man of the Forest by Zane Grey Mary-Marie by Eleanor H. Porter Harriet and the Piper by Kathleen Norris The Lamp in the Desert by Ethel M. Dell The Portygee by Joseph C. Lincoln The Re-Creation of Brian Kent by Harold Bell Wright The River’s End by James Oliver Curwood
Take our 1920 Quiz!
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1921: A Poor Wise Man by Mary Roberts Rinehart The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton The Brimming Cup by Dorothy Canfield Her Father’s Daughter by Gene Stratton-Porter The Kingdom Round the Corner by Coningsby Dawson Main Street by Sinclair Lewis The Mysterious Rider by Zane Grey The Sheik by Edith M. Hull The Sisters-in-Law by Gertrude Atherton The Valley of Silent Men by James Oliver Curwood
Take our 1921 Quiz!
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1922: Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis The Breaking Point by Mary Roberts Rinehart Gentle Julia by Booth Tarkington The Head of the House of Coombe by Frances Hodgson Burnett Helen of the Old House by Harold Bell Wright If Winter Comes by A. S. M. Hutchinson Maria Chapdelaine by Louis Hémon The Sheik by Edith M. Hull Simon Called Peter by Robert Keable This Freedom by A. S. M. Hutchinson To the Last Man by Zane Grey
Take our 1922 Quiz!
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1923: Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis Black Oxen by Gertrude Atherton The Breaking Point by Mary Roberts Rinehart His Children’s Children by Arthur Train The Dim Lantern by Temple Bailey The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim This Freedom by A. S. M. Hutchinson The Mine with the Iron Door by Harold Bell Wright The Prophet by Kahil Gibran The Sea Hawk by Rafael Sabatini Spring and All by William Carlos Williams Wanderer of the Wasteland by Zane Grey
Take our 1923 Quiz!
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1924: A Gentleman of Courage by James Oliver Curwood The Call of the Canyon by Zane Grey The Coast of Folly by Coningsby Dawson The Heirs Apparent by Philip Gibbs The Homemaker by Dorothy Canfield Fisher The Little French Girl by Anne Douglas Sedgwick So Big by Edna Ferber The Midlander by Booth Tarkington Mistress Wilding by Rafael Sabatini The Plastic Age by Percy Marks When We Were Very Young by A.A. Milne and Ernest Shepard
Take our 1924 Quiz!
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1925: Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis The Carolinian by Rafael Sabatini The Constant Nymph by Margaret Kennedy Glorious Apollo by E. Barrington The Green Hat by Michael Arlen The Keeper of the Bees by Gene Stratton-Porter The Little French Girl by Anne Douglas Sedgwick The Mark of Zorro by Johnston McCulley One Increasing Purpose by A. S. M. Hutchinson The Perennial Bachelor by Anne Parrish Soundings by A. Hamilton Gibbs The Weary Blues by Langston Hughes
Take our 1925 Quiz!
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1926: After Noon by Susan Ertz Beau Geste by P. C. Wren Beau Sabreur by P. C. Wren The Blue Window by Temple Bailey Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos The Hounds of Spring by Sylvia Thompson The Private Life of Helen of Troy by John Erskine Show Boat by Edna Ferber The Silver Spoons by John Galsworthy Sorrell and Son by Warwick Deeping Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A. Milne and Ernest Shepard
Take our 1926 Quiz!
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1927: A Good Woman by Louis Bromfield Doomsday by Warwick Deeping Elmer Gantry by Sinclair Lewis The House on the Cliff (Hardy Boys #2) by Franklin Dixon Jalna by Mazo de la Roche Lost Ecstasy by Mary Roberts Rinehart The Plutocrat by Booth Tarkington Sorrell and Son by Warwick Deeping The Old Countess by Anne Douglas Sedgwick To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf Tomorrow Morning by Anne Parrish The Tower Treasure (Hardy Boys #1) by Franklin Dixon Twilight Sleep by Edith Wharton
Take our 1927 Quiz!
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1928: All Kneeling by Anne Parrish Bad Girl by Vina Delmar The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder Claire Ambler by Booth Tarkington The Greene Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne and Ernest Shepard Jalna by Mazo de la Roche Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne and Ernest Shepard
Old Pybus by Warwick Deeping Swan Song by John Galsworthy The Strange Case of Miss Annie Spragg by Louis Bromfield Wintersmoon by Hugh Walpole
Take our 1928 Quiz!
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1929: A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque The Bishop Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine Dodsworth by Sinclair Lewis Dark Hester by Anne Douglas Sedgwick Peder Victorious by O. E. Rolvaag Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett Roper’s Row by Warwick Deeping The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
Take our 1929 Quiz!
Bert Ambrose Tip Toe Through The Tulips Written by Al Dubin (lyrics) and Joe Burke (music), the song was recorded by Nick Lucas in May of 1929. Lucas introduced the song in the 1929 talkie Gold Deggirs of Broadway. The song would stay at number one for 10 weeks on the charts. In 1969 Tiny Tim would bring this song back to charts with his recording. The song became popular again after Tiny Tim performed it on Rowan and Martins Laugh-In.
Cliff Edwards Singin’ in the Rain
Not many songs have as varied a history as Singin in the Rain. It’s up-tempo music with lyrics full of hope that would continue to be remembered throughout the 20th century and into the 21st. The song was turned into a film in 1952 starring Debbie Reynolds and Gene Kelly. The film is considered by many as one of the best movies ever made.
The song was originally written by Arthur Freed lyrics and music by Nacio Herb Brown, and published in 1929. There are suggestions that the song was written and performed as early as 1927. Cliff Edwards would perform the song in the 1929 film musical The Hollywood Revue of 1929. This performance would be the opening of the film That’s Entertainment a retrospective of MGM musicals. The song would again be used in the film Speak Easily starring Jimmy Durante and again by Judy Garland in the film Little Nellie Kellie.
The song was used in the second season of GLEE as a mash-up with Umbrella. The song was sung by Mathew Morrison and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Eddie Cantor Makin Whoopie First popularized by Eddie Cantor in the 1928 musical Whoopee!. Walter Donaldson (music) and Gus Kahn( lyrics) for the song as well as for the entire musical. The song would go on to be recorded by Frank Sinatra, and as a duet by Danny Thomas and Doris Day. The song is about sexual intimacy both its good and its bad sides.
Johnny Hamp’s Kentucky Serenaders If I Had A Talking Picture of You If I Had a Talking Picture of You was by Lew Brown, B.G. Desilva, Ray Henderson. This song was probably inspired by the introduction of talking movies in 1929. It would later be sung as a period song for Peter Davidson’s title character of Campion in the BBC series.
Fats Waller Ain’t Misbehavin Fats Waller was a composer and songwriter that left a large library of great music that will live on forever after his much too short a life. Waller would be the first to record the song but he also performed the song in the 1943 film Stormy Weather. The song would go on to be recorded by such different artists as Johnny Ray and Bill Haley and The Comets. The song would also be the title of a musical revue in 1978 that showcased the jazz songs on the period.
Rudy Vallee and his Connecticut Yankees Marie This song was written by the great Irving Berlin in 1929. It would go on to be recorded by such artists as The Mills Brothers and Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra. One reason this recording is particularly memorable is because it is the first time Rudy Vallee would make his mark on the charts. Vallee would go on to make quite an impression on American culture as many would enjoy his songs as well as his personal style. One of the big crazes he started was the full-length raccoon coat.
Louis Armstrong The Basin Street Blues This song was originally written and published in 1926 but made its hit when Louis Armstrong made his recording in 1929. The song is actually about the Red Light District in The French Quarter of New Orleans.
Top Artists and Songs of 1929
Al Jolson I’m In Seventh Heaven Little Pal Liza (All The Clouds’ll Roll)
Arnold Johnson and his Orchestra Breakaway
Ben Selvin My Sin
Bert Ambrose and his Orchestra Tip-Toe Thru The Tulips With Me
Bessie Smith Nobody Knows When You’re Down and Out Take It Right Back
Bob Harring and the Copley Plaza Orchestra Pagan Love Song
Charley Patton Pony Blues
Clarence Smith Pine Top’s Boogie Woogie
Cliff Edwards (Ukelele Ike) Singin’ In The Rain
Coon-Sanders Orchestra Little Orphan Annie
Eddie Cantor Makin’ Whoopee
Ethel Waters Am I Blue?
Fats Waller Ain’t Misbehaving Handful of Keys
Gene Austin Carolina Moon Wedding Bells Are Breaking Uo That Old Gang of Mine
George Olson A Precious Little Thing Called Love
Gus Arnheim and his Orchestra Sleepy Valley
Guy Lombardo Sweethearts on Parade
Jimmy Rogers Waiting For A Train
Johnny Hamp’s Kentucky Serenaders If I Had A talking Picture of You
Leo Reisman Ain’t Misbehavin’ The Wedding of the Painted Doll
Louis Armstrong Basin Street Blues St James Infirmary When You’re Smiling
Marion Harris Nobody’s Using It Now
Maurice Chevalier Louise
Meade Lux Lewis Honky Tonk Train Blues
Nat Shilkret You Were Meant For Me
Nick Lucas Painting the Clouds With Sunshine Tip Toe Thru The Tulips With Me
Paul Whiteman Great Day
Peter Dawson The Admiral’s Room
Rudy Valley and his Connecticut Yankees Coquette Deep Night Honey Lonely Troubador Marie
Ruth Etting Exactly Like You
Stanley Lupino I Lift Up My Finger and I Say Tweet Tweet
The Carter Family I’m Thinking Tonight of Two Blue Eyes
Winners announced on May 16, 1929
Held at: Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel’s Blossom Room.
Host: Actor Douglas Fairbanks.
Eligibility Year: 1927/1928
Trivia:
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Foundation were started by MGM boss, Louis B. Mayer.
There were 230 original members of the Academy.
Adolph Hitler was such a big fan of Charlie Chaplin that he trimmed down his handlebar mustache.
The Oscar Statuette was designed by MGM’s art director, Cedric Gibbons. It is 14 inches tall and weighs 7 pounds.
Best Actor Emil Jannings could not compete for talking roles with his German accent. He went back to Germany and became a Nazi propagandist. After the war, we had very little demand for his talents.
“You Ain’t Heard Nothin’ Yet” was the first line ever heard in a feature film, The Jazz Singer
7th Heaven earned 5 nominations, winning 3
1929 Oscar Nominees and Winners
Outstanding Picture:
Wings – Lucien Hubbard for Paramount Pictures (WINNER)
7th Heaven – William Fox for Fox Film Corporation
The Racket – Howard Hughes for The Caddo Company
Best Unique and Artistic Picture:
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans – William Fox for Fox Film Corporation (WINNER)
Chang: A Drama of the Wilderness – Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack for Paramount Pictures
The Crowd – Irving Thalberg for MGM
Best Director, Comedy Picture:
Lewis Milestone – Two Arabian Knights (WINNER)
Ted Wilde – Speedy
Best Director, Dramatic Picture:
Frank Borzage – 7th Heaven (WINNER)
King Vidor – The Crowd
Herbert Brenon – Sorrell and Son
Best Actor:
Emil Jannings – The Last Command and The Way of All Flesh (WINNER)
Richard Barthelmess – The Noose and The Patent Leather Kid
Best Actress:
Janet Gaynor – 7th Heaven, Street Angel, and Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (WINNER)
Louise Dresser – A Ship Comes In
Gloria Swanson – Sadie Thompson
Best Original Story:
Underworld – Ben Hecht (WINNER)
The Last Command – Lajos Bíró
Best Adaptation:
7th Heaven – Benjamin Glazer, based on the play by Austin Strong (WINNER)
Glorious Betsy – Anthony Coldeway, based on the play by Rida Johnson Young
The Jazz Singer – Alfred A. Cohn, based on the story “The Day of Atonement” and the play The Jazz Singer by Samson Raphaelson
Best Art Direction:
The Dove and Tempest – William Cameron Menzies (WINNER)
7th Heaven – Harry Oliver
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans – Rochus Gliese
Best Cinematography:
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans – Charles Rosher and Karl Struss (WINNER)
The Devil Dancer – George Barnes
The Magic Flame – George Barnes
Sadie Thompson – George Barnes
Best Engineering Effects:
Wings – Roy Pomeroy (WINNER)
(No specific film) – Ralph Hammeras
(No specific film) – Nugent Slaughter
Best Title Writing:
(No specific film) – Joseph W. Farnham (WINNER)
(No specific film) – George Marion Jr.
The Private Life of Helen of Troy – Gerald Duffy (posthumous nomination)
Honorary Awards:
Charlie Chaplin “For versatility and genius in acting, writing, directing and producing The Circus”.
Warner Brothers Production “For producing The Jazz Singer, the pioneer outstanding talking picture, which has revolutionized the industry”.
World Changing Event: The discovery of Penicillin on September 28, 1928, in London, England, by Alexander Fleming.
Influential Songs include Mack The Knife by Bertolt Brecht, and I Wanna Be Loved By You by Helen Kane.
The Movies to Watch include The Passion of Joan of Arc, The Circus, The Crowd, and The Cameraman.
The Most Famous Person in America was probably Charles Lindbergh
Columbia Records founded CBS in 1928, and Columbia itself was bought out by CBS in 1938.
No copies of the 1928 film The Patriot exist and are considered “lost.” The film won the Academy Award for Best Writing Achievement and was nominated for Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Picture.
Notable books include House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne and Ernest Shepard.
The price of one pound Oreo of cookies in 1928 was 35 cents
The Biggest Movie Star was Lon Chaney
The visual inspiration for The Joker (from Batman) came from a 1928 movie called The Man Who Laughs.
Top Ten Baby Names of 1928
Mary, Betty, Dorothy, Helen, Margaret, Robert, John, James, William, Charles
US Life Expectancy
(1928) Males: 55.6 years, Females: 58.3 years
The Stars
Josephine Baker, Clara Bow, Dolores Costello, Louise Brooks, Joan Crawford, Marion Davies, Dolores Del Rio, Greta Garbo, Myrna Loy, Mary Pickford, Anna May Wong
Miss America
none
Time Magazine’s Man of the Year
Walter Chrysler
Firsts, Inventions, and Wonders
Sliced bread was invented in 1928 by Otto Rohwedder and was referred to as the ‘best thing since bagged bread’.
Babies have been eating Gerber baby foods since 1928. Dorothy Gerber started making them for her daughter in 1927.
1928’s most comfortable invention was the Lay-Z-Boy recliner.
The 3-M Company began marketing Scotch Tape.
Mickey and Minnie debuted in the Silent cartoon short Plane Crazy, first released on May 15, 1928.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups were also called initially “penny cups” since they cost just one cent each when Harry Burnett Reese started selling them in 1928.
Speedos were invented in 1928 by Alexander MacRae, a Scottish underwear maker in Australia. A similar product was available in 1914 called Fortitude.
Amsterdam invented the Blue P Parking Sign for the 1928 Olympics.
Alexander Fleming discovered that the ‘penicillium’ mold could be made into penicillin to cure many life-threatening diseases. It wasn’t fully utilized until World War II.
Columbia Records founded CBS in 1928, and Columbia itself was bought out by CBS in 1938.
Velveeta Cheese went on sale for the first time.
Chef Boyardee was founded by restaurant owner Hector Boiardi in 1928.
The Biggest Pop Artists of 1928 include
Gene Austin, The Carter Family, Frank Crumit, Cliff Edwards, Vernon Dalhart, Duke Ellington, Seger Ellis and His Orchestra, Marion Harris, Al Jolson, Isham Jones and His Orchestra, Helen Kane, Roger Wolfe Kahn and His Orchestra, Ted Lewis & His Band, Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians, Vincent Lopez and His Orchestra, Nick Lucas, George Olson, and His Orchestra, Helen Morgan, Jimmy Rodgers, Nat Shilkret & The Victor Orchestra, Fred Waring’s Pennsylvanians, Ted Weems, and His Orchestra, Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra
Pop Culture Facts & History
Ida Rosenthal founded Maidenform, which defined bra sizes like A, B, C, D, etc.
The Lights Of New York was the first movie filmed entirely with sound.
The Okeechobee Hurricane of 1928 is the second deadliest hurricane in U.S. History. At least 2,500 people drowned.
The 1928 Summer Olympics were the first to feature a scheduled length of 16 days. Previously, the Olympic competition was stretched out over several months.
The Passion of Joan of Arc was panned by the French government that commissioned it and a fire destroyed the negative, the original cut of the movie was thought to be lost forever. That was until a copy was found in a closet in an Oslo mental institution in 1981.
The ‘Banana Massacre’ of 1928: ~1/2000 striking workers were murdered for United Fruit Company (now Chiquita).
Amos & Andy debuted on WMAQ in Chicago.
Thomas Midgley and Charles Kettering invented Freon. Freon is now blamed for the depletion of the earth’s ozone shield and being a handy portable air conditioning coolant.
Shaving doesn’t make hair grow back thicker, darker, or faster, was first proven in a clinical study by Mildred Trotter.
Betty Robinson, who won the first Olympic 100m for women in 1928 at just 16, was later involved in a plane crash. A man who discovered her wrongly thought she was dead drove her to an undertaker. She awoke from her coma seven months later, before returning to win a relay gold in 1936.
Humorist Will Rogers ran a presidential campaign in 1928, with his only promise being that he would resign the presidency if he won the election.
Although Levi Strauss first made his jeans in 1872, the company finally registered the name (Levi’s™) in 1928. He never married, so he never passed his ‘genes’ to children.
Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s musical play, The Threepenny Opera, premiered. It featured the earliest version of Mack The Knife.
Mickey Mouse officially appeared for the first time in Steamboat Willie, and his birthday coincided with Willie’s release date, November 18th. Many consider it the first “talkie cartoon”. Paul Terry released the talkie cartoon Dinner Time on Oct 14, 1928, a month before Walt Disney’s Steamboat Willie, which got all the credit.
Walt Disney himself voiced Mickey Mouse from his premiere in 1928 until 1946, when Walt became too busy to do it.
The lowest toll ever paid for the Panama Canal was 36 cents. It was paid by Richard Halliburton in 1928 so he could swim across the canal.
Joseph Goebbels attributed everything he knew about population control to just two books, Propaganda (1928) and Crystalizing Public Opinion (1923). To this day, the techniques in these books are used extensively by figures in politics, media, and advertising.
Amelia Earhart flew her plane east across the Atlantic Ocean successfully in 1932, the first female having done so. She was also the first female to fly across the Atlantic Ocean as a passenger, in 1928.
The slogan “Make your wet dreams come true” was used by 1928 presidential candidate Al Smith about repealing prohibition.
Nobel Prize Winners
Physics – Owen Willans Richardson Chemistry – Adolf Otto Reinhold Windaus Physiology or Medicine – Charles Jules Henri Nicolle Literature – Sigrid Undset Peace – not awarded
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1928
All Kneeling by Anne Parrish Bad Girl by Vina Delmar The Bridge of San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder Claire Ambler by Booth Tarkington The Greene Murder Case by S. S. Van Dine House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne and Ernest Shepard Jalna by Mazo de la Roche Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne and Ernest Shepard Old Pybus by Warwick Deeping Swan Song by John Galsworthy The Strange Case of Miss Annie Spragg by Louis Bromfield Wintersmoon by Hugh Walpole
Sports
World Series Champions: New York Yankees Stanley Cup Champs: New York Rangers U.S. Open Golf: Johnny Farrell U.S. Tennis (Men/Ladies): Henri Cochet/Helen Wills Wimbledon (Men/Women): Rene Lacoste/Helen Wills NCAA Football Champions: Georgia Tech & USC Kentucky Derby Winner: Reigh Count Boston Marathon Winner: Clarence DeMar Time: 2:37:07
Only 5 NFL Games have ended with a 2-0 score:
November 29, 1923: Akron Pros 2, Buffalo All-Americans 0
November 21, 1926: Kansas City Cowboys 2, Buffalo Rangers 0
November 29, 1928: Frankford Yellow Jackets 2, Green Bay Packers 0
October 16, 1932: Green Bay Packers 2, Chicago Bears 0
September 18, 1938: Chicago Bears 2, Green Bay Packers 0
Al Jolson My Mammy Music by Walter Donaldson and lyrics by Joe Young, this song was one of Al Jolson’s most popular recordings and one that he would be remembered for, as he would film it three times. First in 1927s The Jazz Singer, second in 1928s, The Singing Fool and third in 1939 in a film entitled The Rose of Washington Square. Curiously it was not Jolson who originally introduced the song. It was William Frawley of TVs I love Lucy who first sang it in a Vaudeville style act. Jolson heard the song and made it his own.
Al Jolson Sonny Boy The song was written by Ray Henderson, Bud De Sylva, and Lew Brown, and sung by Al Jolson in 1928’s The Singing Fool. The song would hit number one and stay there for 12 weeks. The recording Jolson made would make a million copies sold mark. Sonny Boy would become a hit for Eddie Fisher in the 1950s and would be used and referred to often in television show Queer As Folk.
Bertolt Brecht Mack The Knife Composed by Kurt Weill with lyrics by Bertolt Brecht for the musical The Three Penny Opera. The show was originally performed in Germany, but the song made it to The United States. When the show itself made its appearance in the U.S. it had a very short run in 1933, only to be resurrected in 1956 where it played off-Broadway for over six years.
Mack The Knife would hit the charts on both the United States and The United Kingdom when Bobby Darin Recorded it in 1959. Others to record the song would be Louis Armstrong and Jerry Orbach, best known as Lt Lenny Briscoe in TVs long-running Law and Order.
Cliff Edwards I Can’t Give You Anything But Love Jimmy McHugh (music) and Dorothy Fields (lyrics) This song’s origins are actually a bit obscured. There is some evidence to suggest that Fats Waller wrote the music and sold it to Mchugh. But whatever it’s beginning, the song would be recorded again and again by such artists as Judy Garland and Doris Day.
Bing Crosby Ol’ Man River This song had been around for a year before it became popular in 1928. It was part of the Musical Show Boat which debuted in 1927 and had many firsts including being the first Broadway Show to allow white and black people onstage together. One of the most important things about this 1928 recording is that it put Bing Crosby on the charts for the first time. Crosby would go on to become a recording, movie and TV star. Ol’ Man River was written by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein.
George Metaxa Sweet Sue Just You This song as originally recorded in 1928 was played sweetly. With music by Victor Young and lyrics by Will J Harris, the song would become more popular in the mid-1930s when the song would be played in more of a swing style. The song was recorded many times by artists like Bing Crosby. It was used to prove Lucy Ricardo’s inability to sing in the I Love Lucy episode Breaking The Lease.
Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians I Scream You Scream We All Scream For Ice Cream These days the song is remembered more for its title than any other reason. The song was written by Howard Johnson, Billy Moll, and Robert A. K. King. The title, at least, has been used in TV shows as different as The Two Fat Ladies and Barney.
Helen Kane I Wanna Be Loved By You Written by Herbert Stothart and Harry Ruby, with lyrics by Bert Kalmar, for the 1928 musical “Good Boy”. The song became a hit when recorded by Helen Kane who would go on to be known as the Boop-Boop-a-Doop Girl. Miss Kane would be the inspiration for the cartoon character Betty Boop. The song has remained a standard and may best be remembered as sung by Marilyn Munroe in the movie Some Like It Hot
Marion Harris The Man I Love This song was originally written for the musical Lady Be Good, by George and Ira Gershwin and entitled The Girl I love. The song was cut from the show. It would be later rewritten as The Man I Love and then cut from the 1927 anti-war musical Strike Up The Band. Florenz Ziegfeld would also try to use it in his show Rosalie and for a third time, the song would be cut. It became popular as an independent song and would be recorded often. The song was used most recently in an episode of Agatha Christie’s Marple called At Bertram’s Hotel.
Nat Shilkret The Sidewalks of New York “The Sidewalks of New York” is a song about life in New York City during the 1890s. It was created by lyricist James W. Blake and vaudeville actor and composer Charles B. Lawlor in 1894. The song is also known by the title East Side West Side. The song became a popular recording in 1928 but would go on to be recorded by Mel Torme, Duke Ellington and The Grateful Dead.
Top Artists and Songs of 1928
Al Jolson My Mammy Sonny Boy There’s A Rainbow Round My Shoulder
Pinetop Smith Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie
Ben Bernie Let’s Misbehave
Bertolt Brecht Mack The Knife
Bessie Smith Empty Bed Blues
Bing Crosby Ol’ Man River
Blind Willie McTell Statesboro Blues
Cliff Edwards (Ukelele like) I Can’t Give You Anything But Love (dear) Just Like A Melody Out Of The Sky
Coon-Sanders Orchestra Is She My Girl Friend?
Duke Ellington Black and Tan Fantasy Creole Love Call
Earl Burtnett and his Los Angelos Biltmore Hotel Orchestra Sweet Sue, Just You
Emmitt Miller and his Georgia Crackers Lovesick Blues
Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians I Scream You Scream We All Scream For Ice Cream Laugh Clown Laugh!
Gene Austin Jeannine (I Dream of Lilac Time) My Melancholy Baby Ramona
George Metaxa Sweet Sue, Just You
Harold Collins and his Orchestra Fashionhette
Helen Kane I Wanna Be Loved By You That’s My Weakness Now
Helen Morgan Bill
Jimmie Rodgers Brakeman’s Blues In The Jailhouse Now T for Texas (Blue Yodel Number 1)
Louis Armstrong Fireworks Struttin’ With Some Barbecue Weather Bird West End Blues
Marion Harris The Man I Love
Maurice Ravel Bolero
Mississippi John Hurt Frankie
Nat Shilkret The Sidewalks of New York
Paul Robeson Ol’ Man River
Paul Whiteman Among My Souvenirs My Angel Ramona Together
Ruth Etting Love Me Or Leave Me The Song is Ended (But The Melody Lingers On)
Ted Lewis and his Orchestra Is Everybody Happy Now?
The Carter Family Keep On The Sunny Side Wildwood Flower
World-Changing Event: Charles Lindbergh crossed the Atlantic Ocean in their first solo flight. When Charles Lindbergh made the first transatlantic flight, his plane had a periscope fitted because he could not see from the front windshield.
Influential Songs include I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover and Ain’t She Sweet by Ben Burnie—and Stardust by Hoagy Carmichael.
The Movies to Watch include Metropolis, Wings, The Unknown, It, Sunrise and The Jazz Singer
The Most Famous Person in America was probably Charles Lindbergh
Price of Men’s Racoon Coat in 1927: $295.00 to $395.00
Edwin Perkins invented “Fruit Smack” – now called Kool-Aid.
The Biggest Entertainer was Al Jolson
The Tool: The foot-measuring tool (“Brannock Device”) used in shoe stores was invented by Charles Brannock in 1927.
Top Ten Baby Names of 1927
Mary, Dorothy, Betty, Helen, Margaret, Robert, John, William, James, Charles
US Life Expectancy
(1927) Males: 59.0 years, Females: 62.1 years
The Stars
Josephine Baker, Clara Bow, Dolores Costello, Marion Davies, Dolores Del Rio, Greta Garbo, Myrna Loy, Mary Pickford, Anna May Wong
Miss America
Lois Delander (Joliet, IL)
Time Magazine’s Man of the Year
Charles Lindbergh
Firsts, Inventions, and Wonders
A tough, durable kind of plastic, polystyrene, was invented.
Pogs (collecting them was a 90s fad) originated from Hawaii as early as 1927.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was founded.
The first words spoken in a movie were “Wait a minute, wait a minute. You ain’t heard nothin’ yet” in 1927 in The Jazz Singer.
National Geographic magazine was the first US publisher to publish underwater color photographs in 1927, the first to print an all-color issue in 1962, and the first to print a hologram in 1984.
Southland Corp (7-11) was founded in Dallas, Texas.
The earliest known use of the phrase “trick or treat” appeared in a small town in Alberta, Canada, in 1927.
Pan American Airways took flight.
The Big Bang Theory was first proposed by a Catholic Priest in 1927.
The first recorded recipe for S’mores can be found in the publication Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts.
Felix the Cat was the first giant balloon ever in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The first robot depicted in cinema was a gynoid, Maria, in the 1927 science fiction film Metropolis.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial began construction.
The Biggest Pop Artists of 1927 include
Gene Austin, Ben Bernie and His Orchestra, Vernon Dalhart, Vaughn DeLeath, Cliff Edwards, Ruth Etting, Gene Goldkette and His Orchestra, Roger Wolfe Kahn and His Orchestra, Irving Kaufman, Gertrude Lawrence, Guy Lombardo, and His Royal Canadians, Nick Lucas, Johnny Marvin, John McCormack, Red Nichols, and His Five Pennies, George Olson and His Orchestra, Nat Shilkret and the Victor Orchestra, Whispering Jack Smith, Fred Waring’s Pennsylvanians, Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra
Pop Culture Facts & History
The Jazz Singer was the first film to use synchronized sound and picture, although the entire film was not an all-sound movie. There were just two scenes with talking and ten songs that Mr. Jolson sang. It was based on Samson Raphaelson’s 1921 short story, The Day of Atonement. It was about a Jewish cantor’s son who wanted to get into showbiz. Al Jolson was a cantor’s son who got into showbiz BTW.
American Hero, Philo Farnsworth invented a working television. In court, he beat John Logie Beard, who had a TV-type demonstration in 1925 in London in court for the title and rights.
Another American Hero, Charles Lindberg, traveled non-stop on his ‘Spirit of Saint Louis’ flight on May 20-21 from New York’s Long Island to Le Bourget Field in Paris, France.
Santa Claus was issued a pilot’s license from the United States government in 1927.
The first “It Girl” was Clara Bow, who starred in the 1927 film It.
Georgia Tech has a fictional enrolled student named George P. Burdell. He enrolled in 1927, and since then, he has received all undergraduate degrees, served on Mad Magazine’s Board of Directors, and was in the running for Time’s Person of the Year in 2001.
Garnet Carter built the first public miniature golf course, Tom Thumb Golf, on Lookout Mountain in Tennessee.
John W. Hammes made the first garbage disposal unit.
Babe Ruth set the sixty-home run record in 1927, more than any other American League team combined that year.
The world population reached one billion for the first time in 1804. It was another 123 years before it reached two billion in 1927, but it took only 33 years to reach three billion in 1960.
Hans Langseth died, along with the world’s longest beard. You can see it (his beard) at the Smithsonian Institute.
Former president of Liberia Charles King holds the Guinness World record for the most fraudulent election ever, having won the 1927 election with 234,000 votes in a country of 15,000 voters.
New York City’s Holland Tunnel opened.
The Ford Motor Company made 15,000,000 Model T cars since 1908, and production stopped in 1927. The new Model A Ford went on sale, for $385 each.
Founded in Chicago in 1927, the Harlem Globetrotters never played a ‘home’ game in Harlem until 1968.
Pacific Rim’s “Gipsy Danger” is not spelled “gypsy” because it’s named after the de Havilland Gipsy, a plane engine invented in 1927.
School Tragedy
America’s deadliest school massacre was the 1927 bombing of a school in Bath, Michigan, which killed 44 people, 38 of them were students
Nobel Prize Winners
Physics – Arthur Holly Compton, Charles Thomson Rees Wilson Chemistry – Heinrich Otto Wieland Physiology or Medicine – Julius Wagner-Jauregg Literature – Henri Bergson Peace – Ferdinand Buisson, Ludwig Quidde
Popular and Best-selling Books From 1927
A Good Woman by Louis Bromfield Doomsday by Warwick Deeping Elmer Gantry by Sinclair Lewis The House on the Cliff (Hardy Boys #2) by Franklin Dixon Jalna by Mazo de la Roche Lost Ecstasy by Mary Roberts Rinehart The Plutocrat by Booth Tarkington Sorrell and Son by Warwick Deeping The Old Countess by Anne Douglas Sedgwick To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf Tomorrow Morning by Anne Parrish The Tower Treasure (Hardy Boys #1) by Franklin Dixon Twilight Sleep by Edith Wharton
Sports
World Series Champions: New York Yankees Stanley Cup Champs: Ottawa Senators U.S. Open Golf: Tommy Armour U.S. Tennis (Men/Ladies): Rene Lacoste/Helen Wills Wimbledon (Men/Women): Henri Cochet/Helen Wills NCAA Football Champions: Illinois & Yale Kentucky Derby Winner: Whiskery Boston Marathon Winner: Clarence DeMar Time: 2:40:22
Ben Bernie I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover Written by Harry Woods and Mort Dixon the song has a long history of being remade. It was used in more than one of Warner Brothers Merrie Melody cartoons. The song is a staple for St. Patrick’s Day and was even parodied in 1973, the title changed to I’m Looking over My dead Dog Rover. The song has been adopted as an anthem for Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union and The Son’s of Ben, the team supporters, sing it at every home game. In 2012 the song was recorded again by Willie Nelson.
Ben Bernie Ain’t She Sweet. Was written by Milton Ager and Jack Yellen, both of whom have places in the Song Writers Hall Of Fame. The song would continue to record across the 20th century by such artists as Pearl Bailey, Guy Lombardo, and The Beatles.
Ben Selvin Blue Skies Blue Skies was written by Irving Berlin who plays an important role in the first half of the 20th century in American Pop Music. It would go across the century and into the 21sr century being recorded again and again by such artists as Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Debbie Boone and Rod Stewart.
The song was written by Berlin as an added song to the Rodger’s and Hart Musical, Betsy. The song would live on, but the musical closed after 39 performances. Blue Skies would go to be performed both on television movies and Broadway shows. The song had a movie named after it and joined other Berlin songs that have that honor such as White Christmas, Easter Parade and There’s No Business Like Show Business. Most recently the song was brought back to life in a production number for the Broadway production of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas.
George Olson The Best Things in Life Are Free. This song is from the 1927 musical Good News, book by Laurence Schwab and B.G. DeSylva, lyrics by DeSylva and Lew Brown, and music by Ray Henderson. The story surrounds a college football player who needs to pass an exam in order to play in the big game that weekend. He gets a tutor to help study and during their study time, this song is sung.
This is another song that would make its way across the rest of the 20th century. Being recorded by June Allyson Joe Stafford, Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand. There would be a film named after the song in 1956, based on the lives of the writers.
Gertrude Lawrence Someone to Watch Over Me Someone To Watch Over Me was written by George and Ira Gershwin for the musical Oh Kay, which still is done, on occasion, by community theatre groups. The song would be introduced by Gertrude Lawrence, who would remain a top Broadway name for many years. She would eventually go on to play the lead of Anna Leonowens in Rodger’s and Hammerstein the King and I. The King and I was written specifically for her and at her request. The interesting thing about the show is Gertrude Lawrence would fade and he C0-Saty Yul Brynner would begin to rise. The King and I would be his most remembered role.
The song would grow in popularity and be regularly rerecorded by such singers as Rosemary Clooney, Linda Ronstadt, Sting, Brian Wilson and as late as 2011 by Susan Boyle. The song was performed 3 times on American Idol. It was used as an instrumental in the second season of GLEE and Lady Gaga would perform the song on the Today Show. Proving this song is timeless. The video provided is Julie Andrews singing the song in the movie STAR which was the life of Gertrude Lawrence.
Hoagy Carmichael Stardust Stardust was originally an instrumental written by Hoagy Carmichael in 1927. Two years later lyricist Mitchell Paris would write lyrics for the song based on ideas that both he and Carmichael had discussed. The song would go on to be recorded by Doris Day, Frank Sinatra, Ringo Starr and as recently as 2009 by Michael Buble.
Whispering Jack Smith Me and my Shadow The song was originally written by Al Jolson, Billy Rose, and Dave Dreyer. The truth may be that Jolson contributed very little to the song. The song is a standard that was still being played on the radio as late as the 1960s. Artists that recorded the song include Michael Ball and Antonio Banderas, Perry Como, Lou Rawls and Mandy Patinkin.
Paul Whiteman Side by Side “Side by Side” is a popular song from 1927 with lyrics by Gus Kahn and music by Harry M. Woods. It is still considered a standard though not as well know today as in the 20th century. The song has been recorded by many artists including Bruce Willis and Danny Aiello for Hudson Hawk, Hayley Mills and Paul Anka, but is probably best known in a 1953 recording by Kay Starr.
Vaughn De Leath Are You Lonesome Tonight Vaughn De Leath was also known as The Original Radio Girl actually recorded this song twice in 1927 on June 13 as a solo and again on September 21 as the vocalist for The Colonial Club Orchestra. The song would continue to be popular but rise to mega popularity when Elvis Presley recorded it in 1960. It would remain number one on the Billboard charts for 6 weeks.
Vernon Dalhart Lucky Lindy Lucky Lindy was written in honor of Charles Lindbergh’s historic flight between New York and Paris in a single-seat single-engine plane called The Spirit of St Louis on May 21 thru the 22, 1927. He was 25 years old and would have careers as an aviator, author, explorer and social activist.
Top Artists and Songs of 1927
Ben Bernie Ain’t She Sweet? I’m Looking Over a Four Leave Clover
Ben Selvin Blue Skies
Bessie Smith A Good Man Is Hard To Find After You’ve Gone
Bix Beiderbecke At The Jazz Band Ball In A Mist
Blind Lemon Jefferson Black Snake Moan Matchbox Blues
Blind Willie Johnson Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground
DeFord Bailey Pan American Blues
Frankie Trumbauer Singin’ The Blues
Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians Sweetheart of Sigma Chi
Gene Austin Forgive Me My Blue Heaven Tonight You Belong To Me
