Halloween Mischief

Betty Boop's Halloween Party  -  1933

Halloween has not always been as we know it today. The custom of trick-or-treating started only in isolated areas in the late 1930's and early 1940's. This American invention of costume-wearers being rewarded with gifts didn't become widespread in the US until the late 1940's and the 1950's. And in the early days of trick-or-treating, gifts were often cookies, cakes, fruit, nuts, toys, coins - candy didn't begin to takeover the holiday until the 1950's. In the early 20th Century there were many holidays that were associated with candy and sweets, but celebrating Halloween had absolutely nothing to do with candy. In fact, in 1916 candy makers had launched a specific holiday for their treats - "Candy Day".
Halloween celebrations were brought to the US by immigrants from various parts of the world. Celebrations in the late 1800's would reflect the cultural or religious make-up of the region. The Scottish and Irish brought over their Halloween folklore, while German's brought interest in witchcraft, English and Dutch brought the love of masquerade, and Haitians and Africans brought superstitions like fearing the black cat. The one thing in common with the varied Halloween night celebrations was that hooligans would run the streets at night wrecking havoc. At the turn of the century Halloween was marked with reports of: molasses smeared on seats, opposing doorknobs tied together, streetcar tracks blocked with pyramids of stones, pipe bombs, broken trees, and all sorts of pranks and vandalism. In one report from 1894, 200 kids in Washington DC attacked a full street car with bags of white flour. By the 1920's many cities would beef up their police forces on Halloween in an attempt to quell mischief. 

Ko-Ko's Haunted House
In the early 1900's celebrating Halloween became popular party theme - pumpkins, apples and other seasonal fruit would be the theme of the menu and the decor. In the 1910's and 1920's, New York's ritzy Halloween balls gave way to broader celebrations with parades and firecrackers. In New York City, the Bronx was known to host a yearly ragamuffin parade of thousands of costumed revelers taking over the streets. Other regions had their own ways of celebrating, such as in Philadelphia where costume parties were held at taverns and houses. In Venice Beach, California there were all night festivals held on the beach every year.
​
​Check out some creepy costumes from the 1930's & 1940's HERE.
​and from the 1940's & 1950's HERE.


Mask-A-Raid  -  Betty Boop  -  1931

Betty Boop's Halloween Scary Show

This video is made-up from different Betty Boop's scary Halloween cartoons
​featuring "Minnie the Moocher" and "Saint James Infirmary"
In the 1940's, World War II brought ​shortages and conservation efforts that caused a overall disinterest in Halloween. Mischief and vandalism were less tolerated, they were viewed as a deliberate setback to the war effort. Some cities actually banned Halloween outright, such as in Chicago where the day was re-named "Conservation Day". In 1950, President Truman unsuccessfully tried to declare the day "Youth Honor Day". Even as late as 1962, New York City's Mayor Wagner talked about wanting to change the name of the day to "UNICEF Day".
MUSIC VIDEO MASH-UP
KAY STARR - HEADLESS HORSEMAN  vs  BETTY BOOP
In the 1920's, 1930's and 1940's, horror was a very popular film genre. Many of these films were produced every year as you can see on these (incomplete) lists of 1920's horror films HERE, on a list of 1930's horror films HERE, and on a list of 1940's horror films HERE. Cartoons were produced exclusively to play in movie theaters in these years, and sometimes would cater to the audience's interest in monsters, ghosts and other spooky stuff.

Max Fleischer's The Raven

Swing You Sinners

Betty Boop  in  "I Heard"

Vintage Halloween Songs From The 1910's-1950's

1910's, 1920's & 1930's
1920's, 1930's, 1940's & 1950's
I'M A JAZZ VAMPIRE  -  1920
MARION HARRIS
MYSTERIOUS MOSE  -  1930
CLIFF PERRINE'S ORCHESTRA
THE SKELETON IN THE CLOSET  -  1936
LOUIS ARMSTRONG
THE GHOST OF SMOKEY JOE  -  1939
CAB CALLOWAY

MORE SPOOKY STUFF FROM FLEISCHER STUDIOS...

OUT
OF THE
INKWELL:
THE
OUIJA
BOARD

1920
BIMBO'S
INITIATION

​1934?
BETTY BOOP:
MYSTERIOUS
MOSE

​1930
POPEYE
THE
SAILOR:
GOONLAND

1938
POPEYE
THE
SAILOR:
WOTTA
NITEMARE
SUPERMAN:
THE
MUMMY
STRIKES

​1943
POPEYE
THE
SAILOR:
FRIGHT
TO THE
FINISH

1954
POPEYE
THE
SAILOR:
SPOOKY
​SWABS

1957

Hollywood On Parade Featuring Betty Boop & Dracula...

HOLLYWOOD
ON PARADE

featuring
BETTY BOOP
and
DRACULA
​
1934

A Rare Peak Into The Roaring Twenties On Halloween...

1920's
HALLOWEEN
DANCE
PARTY

A Fleischer-Inspired Award-Winning Music Video From 1998...

SQUIRREL
NUT
ZIPPERS

​GHOST OF
STEPHEN
FOSTER
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