Most historians believe Hollywood movies played an important role in the war effort, providing information and boosting morale. To test this theory on a local level, Dr. Robert Matson of Pitt-Johnstown has been working on a case study of Johnstown's movie-going habits during the war. He studied where the movie houses were (downtown boasted 15, including the Majestic Theatre pictured here), ads for movies in the newspaper, and even interviewed about 200 Johnstowners who remember going to movies here during World War II. Join us for an illustrated presentation of his research. Free and open to the public.

Dr. Matson is a professor of history at Pitt-Johnstown. He is a member of the World War II Studies Association and the International Association for Media and History, and has served as senior associate editor of the journal Film & History. Public Matters is a partnership between Pitt-Johnstown and JAHA, where Pitt-Johnstown professors present their research to the community.