"Where's the Pocorn?"

If you went to the theater in the 1920's you would be asking that very question. Ever wonder why the movies instantly equals popcorn? This ingrained tradition is practiced by millions but never given a moment's thought. This raises the question: when did popcorn start being served at movie theaters?

In 1885 the invention of the first portable popcorn machine increased the popularity of popcorn dramatically; vendors saw a money-making opportunity and sold their popcorn outside of the movie theaters. The costumers loved it, but the mess and the smell it left behind irritated the high-class movie theater owners.

Then the 1930's came along, the time of the Great Depression. Many used to flock to the theaters but people were pinching pennies and their trips to the theaters began decrease, leaving them nearly empty. Now theaters competed for audiences, the movies had to become more than just seeing a picture, which only appealed to one of the consumers' five senses. What was going to get people back into the movie theaters? The once annoying popcorn vendors no longer seemed inferior to the big shot theater owners, so they began to offer popcorn inside the theaters. It was said that when they started popping fresh popcorn you could smell it from blocks away, which appealed to the sense of smell and then the sense of taste when people ate the popcorn.

Something so simple as that worked! People began to flock back to the movie theaters to get away and enjoy themselves with their families. So the tradition began, whether we're at home or in the theater there is almost always someone who asks, "Where's the popcorn?"

How about trying a 1930's movie for your next movie night?

Here are some ideas...

It Happened One Night 1934

The Awful Truth 1937

The Mad Miss Manton 1938

Nancy Drew Detective 1938

Vivacious Lady 1938
A Slight Case of Murder 1938

Nancy Drew Reporter 1939

Midnight 1939

Sincerely, Vera