SCRN119
U.S. FILM UNTIL 1960
Also listed under 4 other titles
- U.S. FILM UNTIL 1950
- HIST OF AMER FILM: PRE-WWII
- HIST:AMER FILM:PRE-WWII
- AMER FILM:ORIGINS-WWII
- Department
- Screen Studies
- Terms offered
- 14
- Data refreshed
- Sep 29, 2026
Description
This course will examine the history of cinema in the United States from its beginnings until 1960. We will address such issues as: the development of film technology in America, the industry's relocation from New York to Los Angeles, the consolidation of classical style, the coming of sound, the quintessential American film genres, the star system and the studio system, the impact of the Depression and two World Wars, and the causes and consequences of censorship.
Syllabi
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Offering history & forecast 2015–2025
1997 2025
| Year | Fall | Spring | Summer | Intersession |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2030 | 2030 Fall: 15% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 2 of 9 fall terms since 2018. Department course count falling about 3% per year. | 2030 Spring: 19% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 2 of 9 spring terms since 2018. | 2030 Summer: 7% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 9 summer terms since 2018. | 2030 Intersession: 8% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 6 intersession terms since 2020. |
| 2029 | 2029 Fall: 19% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 3 of 10 fall terms since 2017. Department course count falling about 2% per year. | 2029 Spring: 18% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 2 of 10 spring terms since 2017. | 2029 Summer: 6% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 10 summer terms since 2017. | 2029 Intersession: 7% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 7 intersession terms since 2017. |
| 2028 | 2028 Fall: 17% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 3 of 11 fall terms since 2016. Department faculty is about 21% below its recent average. | 2028 Spring: 18% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 2 of 11 spring terms since 2016. | 2028 Summer: 5% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 11 summer terms since 2016. | 2028 Intersession: 7% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 7 intersession terms since 2017. |
| 2027 | 2027 Fall: 17% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 3 of 12 fall terms since 2015. Department faculty is about 21% below its recent average. | 2027 Spring: 18% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 2 of 12 spring terms since 2015. | 2027 Summer: 5% chance, high confidence. Offered in 0 of 12 summer terms since 2015. | 2027 Intersession: 6% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 7 intersession terms since 2017. |
| 2025 | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2024 | Not offered | 2 sections | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2023 | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2022 | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2021 | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2020 | Not offered | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2019 | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | No data for this term |
| 2018 | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | No data for this term |
| 2017 | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2016 | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | No data for this term |
| 2015 | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | No data for this term |
Forecast Under 15% 15–39% 40–69% 70–89% 90%+ Not enough history
Fall Spring Summer Intersession Darker means more sections Not offered No data for term
Future estimates combine recent offering frequency with detected multi-year cycles. Hover a cell for confidence and evidence; low-confidence estimates are marked with ~.
Meeting times
Most recent first- Mon, Wed, 4:15 PM–5:30 PM TC112 2025-12006-1
- Tue, 7:00 PM–9:30 PM TCRH 2025-2
- Tue, Thu, 4:15 PM–5:30 PM TC111 2024-1
- Tue, 7:00 PM–9:45 PM TCRH 2024-2
- Tue, 4:15 PM–6:45 PM TCRH 2021-1
- Wed, 6:00 PM–9:00 PM TC112 2021-2
- Tue, Fri, 12:00 PM–1:15 PM TC112 2020-1
- Wed, 7:00 PM–9:00 PM TCRH 2020-2
| Term | Professor | Type | Credits | Enrollment | CRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2025 | Erica L. Tortolani | Lecture | 1 | 29 of 30 enrolled | 23866 |
| Spring 2024 | Jed C. Samer | Lecture | 1 | 18 of 20 enrolled | 33507 |
| Spring 2024 | Jed C. Samer | Lecture | 1 | 28 of 28 enrolled | 33077 |
| Fall 2021 | Jed C. Samer | Lecture | 1 | 30 of 30 enrolled | 28303 |
| Spring 2020 | Jed C. Samer | Lecture | 1 | 30 of 30 enrolled | 37802 |
| Fall 2017 | Jeremy M. Powell | Lecture | 1 | 21 of 30 enrolled | 25934 |
| Spring 2014 | Jeremy M. Powell | Lecture | 1 | 25 of 30 enrolled | 33047 |
| Fall 2012 | Michael L. Siegel | Lecture | 1 | 30 of 30 enrolled | 21506 |
| Fall 2011 | Hugh Manon | Lecture | 1 | 12 of 20 enrolled | 21506 |
| Fall 2008 | Dana N. Benelli | Lecture | 1 | 32 of 30 enrolled | 25585 |
| Fall 2006 | Timothy Shary | Lecture | 1 | 17 of 18 enrolled | 24230 |
| Fall 2004 | Timothy Shary | Lecture | 1 | 32 of 30 enrolled | 22338 |
| Fall 2002 | Timothy Shary | Lecture | 1 | 27 of 28 enrolled | 26578 |
| Fall 1999 | Timothy Shary | Lecture | 1 | 14 of 30 enrolled | 24025 |
| Fall 1997 | Dana N. Benelli | Lecture | 1 | 12 of 30 enrolled | 22260 |