What's with that 1920s American accent in movies and TV?

Do you know who James Cagney was?

It’s called the Transatlantic Accent. It was taught specifically to actors and announcers.

So it was the newscaster voice of yesteryear, basically.

That’s what I was thinking @GloPro. Thanks.

Now look here see, whaddaya got against my accent? We’re gonna have a problem if you don’t walk away and bring me a cigarette and a coffee, toots.

I always wanted to talk like that.
I kinda do

@cookieman Ya don’t say?

@dxs: Yeah, I tend to use a lot of slang from the time.

That was supposed to be 1920s speak.
Again, I’m brought back to my salesman role in The Music Man. The epitome of this jargon.

It’s hip-speak. Bop talk. Street slang. Hipsters, hippies, greasers, beatniks, zoot suiters, boppers, flappers, big wheels and hubcaps- all can talk that way. Y’dig?

The NY newspaperman and author of “Guys and Dolly,” Damon Runyon, is partly to blame.