Women in Entertainment

By abby2rm

  • 1930s: "First Lady in Radio"

    1930s: "First Lady in Radio"
    Mary Margaret McBride began hosting a radio show in the 1930s. The radio show was composed of interviews, along with other aspects of womanhood that were not publicized in the 30s, “Topics discussed on her show included prostitution, unwed mothers, marriage in the modern world, and pioneering women” (Library of Congress, par. 2). Women were the primary audience of the broadcast, as it offered a different source of entertainment than what was commonly seen during the time.

  • 1940s: War Women with Radios

    1940s: War Women with Radios
    Radios were crucial for all people at the time of the Second World War. However, they functioned for women in ways such as distraction, communication about loved ones, and recruitment for work. Thus, radio served as a medium of communication for women in several ways. Mainly, the Office of War Information held campaigns that featured women’s stories. World War II allowed women to join the workforce, and the radio helped to encourage this.

  • 1950s: "Life of Elizabeth"

    1950s: "Life of Elizabeth"
    This was the first appearance of the incredibly well-known Betty White. Her first sitcom was essentially the answer to what to do with daytime television. "Life of Elizabeth" did not have a script; thus, Betty White improvised every minute on screen.

  • 1960s: Pushing the Limits

    1960s: Pushing the Limits
    The Bill Wilder film "Some Like It Hot" was culturally revolutionary for the censorship put onto cinema (i.e., the Hays Code). Marilyn Monroe was the featured actress in the project. The comedy, notably, addressed significant issues revolving around gender and societal norms.

  • 1970s: Feminism Era

    1970s: Feminism Era
    Gloria Steinem was considered the "face" of the wave of feminism occurring during the 1970's. At this time, TV started to feature more content that would inspire women. One example is "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," which showed the harshness of the workplace for women. Another great show that illustrated the power of women was "One Day at a Time."

  • 1980's: New Roles

    1980's: New Roles
    During the time of the 1980s, women were being placed into roles that men typically filled. L.A. Law, in particular, displayed women as lawyers. To add to this, many sitcoms included women who acted as wealthy and powerful which before this was not a usual role.

  • 1990's: Premiere Rom-Com Decade

    1990's: Premiere Rom-Com Decade
    Television was evolving in the nineties to reach more specific audiences. This was also arguable the peak time for rom coms: "10 Things I Hate About You" and "Clueless." These movies depicted various women who all played crucial roles to encompass the range of femininity.