installed popcorn machines in the lobbies of his Dickinson theaters. Their minds eventually changed, however, and in 1938 a Midwestern theater owner named Glen W.

The snack was popular at theaters, much to the initial displeasure of many of the theater owners, who thought it distracted from the films. During World War II, sugar rations diminished candy production, and Americans compensated by eating three times as much popcorn as they had before. Thus, while other businesses failed, the popcorn business thrived and became a source of income for many struggling farmers, including the Redenbacher family, namesake of the famous popcorn brand. After popcorn, it took other snacks a whole decade to get into movie theaters.During the Great Depression, popcorn was fairly inexpensive at 5–10 cents a bag and became popular. Theaters that couldn’t accommodate a popcorn machine would allow local vendors to sell popcorn in the lobby. Charles Cretor invented the electric popcorn machine, which made making popcorn at a theater much easier. This was a great opportunity for theater owners to increase their revenue and attract a bigger audience. It wasn’t long until movie theaters started selling popcorn themselves. Popcorn remained America’s favorite snack, in part because it was cheap to produce and snack on. Because of the financial difficulties of the 1930’s the owners of movie theaters looked for new streams of revenue.

Movies remained popular as an escape from the stress of daily life. This growth in audience happened just in time for the Great Depression.

Now more than ever before, movies were becoming a popular pass-time. In the 1920s, instead of silent films, “Talkies” were the big thing. As film technology advanced, sound was eventually incorporated into productions, creating a larger audience.

Movie and popcorn