Hollywood has influenced American history since its inception. It has strengthened and shaped the morale of a nation for nearly a century. But Hollywood not only influenced American society, but was influenced by American society. In the 1920s, American society was booming; people got rich, spent and borrowed money, and thought life was going well. Then, in October 1929, the stock market crashed. Many people lost everything they owned. People had invested all their money in banks before the crash. After the collapse the banks had nothing left. The people were destitute. They had no money to pay for their house, electricity bills and food. It became the Great Depression. Likewise, Hollywood was hit by the Great Depression. Hollywood lost money and felt the same loss as people all over the United States. But Hollywood used this depression to its advantage. They changed their course of action to please the American people during this time. Hollywood then produced the Golden Age of Hollywood to boost American morale. This period required many innovations for Hollywood officials. This period of time leads to the transformation of Hollywood. To understand Hollywood's golden age, historians must credit the Great Depression and Hollywood's tactics of catering to society's whims. In the 1920s, American society was booming. The economy was doing well, people were becoming consumers, and society was thriving. The American people were happy. Then, in 1929, the stock market crashed. The October Crash of 1929 marked a significant change in American society. The collapse, however, was not unjustified. Many factors led to the stock market crash on October 29, 1929. A significant loss in... middle of paper ......would not have been achieved. its greatness had it not been pushed through the Great Depression in its early years. Works Cited “Hollywood and the Great Depression.” Digital stories. March 30, 2010. March 30, 2010. “Hollywood during the Depression.” December 15, 2000. March 30, 2010. “Shirley Temple.” 2010. Biography.com. March 15, 2010, 11:10 am. .Castoro, Frank. "The Hollywood Studio System adapts to the sound." The 1930s. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2000. 280-319.Smiley, Frank. “The Concise Encyclopedia of Great Depression Economics.” Library of Economy and Freedom. March 30th 2010. .