Timeline: 1930 to 1939

An International Film Festival is held for the first time at the French town of Cannes.   In New York City the film critic for the communist newspaper, The Daily Worker , has been dismissed because the editors thought he wasn’t harsh enough in his review of “Gone With the…

The French film producer, Georges Méliès, who was one of the most innovative pioneers in the early days of motion pictures, dies at the age of 78.   MGM buys the rights to the famous children’s book, “The Wizard of Oz”.   In Washington, DC, Senator Sullivan declares in front…

Rita Cansino adopts the screen name, Rita Hayworth, during the shooting of her 13th film, “Criminals of the Air”.   David O. Selznick, the producer who left MGM to form “Selznick International Pictures”, is very taken with the young actress, Ingrid Bergman when he sees her in the new Swedish…

Pope Pius XI issues a Pontifical Encyclical that recommends the boycotting of indecent films and congratulates the American Catholic Church’s “Legion of Decency” on their activities.   Irving Thalberg, MGM’s production chief and the “Boy Wonder” of Hollywood, dies at 37 of pneumonia.   Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy leave…

RKO, Warner Bros., and Paramount are summoned to appear before a grand jury on charges of monopolistic practices.   Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks are granted a divorce.   Joseph Schenck and Darryl F. Zanuck buy controlling interest in the Fox Film Corporation that will be merged with their company,…

Movie theater box–office receipts begin to rebound. Weekly attendance has now increased to 70 million per week.   Production guidelines for a film’s moral content, which are outlined in “The Motion Picture Production Code” of 1930, are revised and expanded. The Studio Relations Committee (SRC) which oversees the enforcement of…

According to statistics published by the U.S. Ministry of Commerce, American cinema attendance has dropped by 56% since 1928.   RKO’s production chief, David O. Selznick, leaves the company to produce pictures for MGM.   Registering a 40% drop in attendance at its theaters, and having produced few successful films,…

Harry Cohn becomes Columbia Pictures’ president, and head of the studio, when Joe Brandt sells his interest in the company to Harry and his brother Jack.   The director, Cecil B. DeMille, leaves MGM and returns to Paramount.   The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences adopts an aspect…

RKO takes control of Pathè’s assets.   Carl Laemmle, founder and president of Universal Pictures, celebrates his 25th anniversary in the movie business.   Mary Pickford buys up all of her silent films. She feels that the recent technical advances in the motion picture industry has made actors in old…

The “Depression” causes movie attendance to drop dramatically. Movie theaters lower ticket prices, give away door prizes, offer matinees and midnight screenings, and finally start adding a second, “B”, feature film to their programs in an effort to increase attendance. Some theaters even promote “Mickey Mouse Clubs” as a gimmick…