by Paul R. Spitzzeri
Despite the general antipathy in Los Angeles business circles to labor unions during the late 19th and early 20th centuries when the Angel City was widely known for its “open shop” philosophy, there were some unions that existed and thrived during that period. Among them were those that involved printers, railroad workers and musicians, the latter comprising the Musicians’ Mutual Protective Association, Local 47 of the American Federation of Musicians.
The National Association of Musicians, the first industry union, formed in 1870, but was short-lived, while another, the National League of Musicians was launched in 1886 and included some 100 locals, though it chose not to affiliate with the broader labor unions. Two years later, during the Boom of the Eighties, the Musical Protective Association was organized as a local under the leadership of conductor Harley Hamilton, who, soon became conductor of a philharmonic orchestra, but, despite the growth of theaters and professional opportunities for musicians, it failed after two years and after the boom went bust.
In fall 1894, another local National League of Musicians union was created and called the Los Angeles Musical Society, soon rechristened the Los Angeles Musical Association. Two years later, those members of the broader union who chose to affiliate with the American Federation of Labor organized as the American Federation of Musicians and, in March 1897, the Los Angeles group joins the A.F. of M as Local 47. That year, Hamilton and Lynden E. Behymer formed the Los Angeles Symphony, which lasted for more than two decades until the current Los Angeles Philharmonic was organized.
In 1900, the local was designated as the Musicians’ Mutual Protective Association and another boom soon ensued. This included another significant period of growth for theaters and performers in orchestras at these venues, aside from symphony orchestra work and, in 1904, the first set wage scales were formulated. As the first decade of the 20th century came to a close, the motion picture industry arrived in Los Angeles and a huge opportunity developed for musicians to play live accompaniment to silent films.
1912 marked the opening of the Vernon Country Club and another avenue for employment among musicians developed in the burgeoning nightclub scene and, while the onset of radio was a boon to musicians through live broadcasts, the development of sound motion pictures by 1927 meant that those live performances were ended and only some musicians could find work with studio-recorded film soundtracks.
The December 1927 edition of The Overture, the monthly publication of Local 47, is the featured artifact from the Museum’s collection for this post and was issued as the movie revolution was just underway and its contents are notable on several levels. One is a short holiday reference from White Way Magazine in E.L. Smith’s “The Editor’s Sanctum” in which it was observed that, for the Yuletide season,
The musician is doubly blessed. For the greatest gift within the power of man is that of happiness, and giving happiness is his daily privilege. From the simplest tune, whispered softly on a flute, to the intricate patters of a major symphony, music cannot fail to bring joy.
The quote also asked, “that happy smile of content, as music soothes away cares—can that be valued in money?” but an obvious answer is, yes, if this meant providing a musician, in an industry that was highly voluble, a means to making a decent living.
The first page also contained a review of the last three years of the local’s operations and informed members that they could feel “much pride [in] the unprecedented progress” especially as it was asserted that “Local 47 territory provides the greatest variety of employment entanglements to be found anywhere,” while leadership was praised for “conscientious effort and energy.”
It was noted that, in September 1925, wages of $7 per week were achieved for theater musicians, while musicians working in combined venues earned a 35% increase in salary. Motion picture studios and radio stations, moreover, were unionized and the local built “the finest headquarters in America” for a musicians’ union.
A six-day work week was finalized and, in September 1927, another increase in pay for musicians working in theaters that had two performances per day involved a 7 1/2% jump the first year and another 2 1/2 percent the second. Lastly, members were exhorted to support, through ticket sales, the Musicians’ First Annual Ball, to be held on the last day of January in support of the local’s Relief Fund, considered “a most treasured asset.”
Another item of interest were the results of the recent local election, including that of J.W. Gillette as president, John Tobias as vice-president and others as trustees, delegates to the A.F. of M. convention and the executive committee. The Local’s Price List was also amended by a fairly narrow vote of 290 to 246 so that a section read that members could only take on “such steady theatre or season engagement as they can personally fill and upon which they can render complete musical service.”
The minutes of eight recent weekly Local board meetings were printed and included by-laws amendments; membership applications, including from quite a few women; expulsions and reinstatements of members; records of transfers to other locals; requests by orchestra and ensemble leaders to set up contracts at minimum amounts at theaters and other venues; relief provided to members and their families; and others.
The 15 November meeting recorded the fact the radio station KHJ was sold by the Los Angeles Times to Cadillac dealer Don Lee. Other meeting included proposals to provide reasonable accommodations for musicians traveling to gigs that were further than would allow for a commute to and from home and a third set pricing for members and groups appearing on radio. Discussion was also had about setting new prices for movie studio work with the onset of 1928. A question about whether piano tuners at theaters where union musicians worked were to be union members was answered as being beyond the Local’s purview.
A short feature of note concerned bandleader Jack Virgil and his orchestra, in the seventh month as the house band of the Club Casa del Mar, which opened as a private club on the beach in Santa Monica in May 1926 and, after multiple uses over the years, including as a Navy facility during World War II, a hotel in the postwar period, a Synanon drug treatment center, and a Pritikin health and nutrition facility, it was renovated as a luxury hotel and remains so today.
The Virgil ensemble was known for its fine musicianship and repertoire of some 300 songs, including classical and popular pieces, with an unusual arrangement of pipe organ, performed for club members including “many of the most noted musical celebrities of the Pacific Coast.” While the leader was said to have been tendered “very attractive offers as arranger for theatrical concerns in the East,” Virgil “prefers to stay with his own organization,” though he later did some film composing.
Speaking of organs, there was a page devoted to the performers of this popular theatrical instrument, comprising the Los Angeles Theatre Organists’ Club, which included newly elected Local president Gillette as a member. Edward C. Hopkins, editor for the issue’s column wrote of the activity of the organization during 1927 and monthly gatherings, including at the Elks Lodge, Jahnke’s Tavern, the Barker Brothers furniture store, and others, with member performances including theater organists demonstrating their skills, such as Walter Freed of the Paramount, performing an accompaniment to the famous chariot race scene from the classic film, Ben-Hur.
A lengthy discussion on the glut of organists flocking to Los Angeles under the mistaken belief that theatrical accompaniment gigs were plentiful is also quite interesting, including the observation that “many magnificent organists are failures in the theatre for the lack of the showman’s qualities,” while other floundered “because they are too willing to try to do anything anyone may suggest instead of limiting their activities to reasonable hours and their own strong points of artistry.”
Managers and other theatre officials were also criticized to falling prey to organists whose “little bag of showy tricks has been exhausted,” suggesting that showmanship was hardly a substitute for mastery of the organ. Moreover, it was averred that “the contractor, if an orchestra man, is often unable to pick an organist successfully by reason of his unfamiliarity with the psychology of the really fine performer.” Such a situation might involve the machinations “of the slickest talker” and it was hoped that theatre management would become more well-versed in the finer points of the musical art to avoid being taken in.
Charles L. Bagley, elected a delegate to the A.F. of M. convention and a Local official, penned a long-running series on the “History of the Band and Orchestra Business in Los Angeles,” with this issue focusing on the year 1899. He noted the performance of the bands from Pasadena, Santa Catalina Island and the Army’s Seventh Regiment, along with the American Drum Corps, at the Tournament of Roses in the Crown City on 2 January (New Year’s Day being on a Sunday, the event was moved to the next day) despite rain.
The death, at just age 36, of Dion Heberling Romandy, the Burbank Theatre’s musical director, was discussed at some length, with his talent on the violin, his composing abilities and knack for performing works without the scores, as he was “equipped with a prodigious memory,” were emphasized. The funeral march by Chopin was performed by Local members and it was noted that Romandy’s sons, Gounod (named for a great French composer) and Dion, Jr., carried on the musical heritage of their father.
The opening of the Broadway-side annex of the Hotel Van Nuys (which was later consumed by a fire) was also noted, with the appearance of a Venetian Ladies’ Orchestra a regular part of the dinner program and concerts offered by the Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra—mentioned above—were also summarized, sometimes with complete program information. Another all-woman ensemble, excepting its violinist-conductor, Louis N. Ritzau, the American Ladies’ Orchestra of San Francisco, was mentioned for its three months’ engagement at the Vienna Buffet. Also highlighted was Gertrude Ross, daughter of Rosslyn Hotel owner, Abner Ross, and who embarked on “the career as a pianist and composer that has since made her famous among us.”
Occasionally, Bagley made reference to non-musical events or aspects of Angel City life that were somewhat tangential. For example, he recorded the visit of Robert Todd Lincoln, the son of President Abraham Lincoln, on 13 January and lauded his “simplicity so characteristic of him” as well as scrupulous avoidance of the spotlight. The writer also commented that “an account of this period would not be complete without mentioning the ‘tamale’ wagon lunch stands that were to be found in many places on the streets after dark, and from which a good proportion of night life of the city received its nourishment.”
Here is ample evidence that the food truck of our own time is not an innovation, but a continuation of a long tradition, as Bagley recalled the stand of Charlie Bennett at the southeast corner of Spring and 6th streets, now the site of the Thurman Lofts, and which “had a widespread reputation for excellence.” Tamales, chili, hamburgers, coffee and other items were served “and there was always a crowd around from about 6 p.m. until the time of closing in the ‘we sma” hours,” being also “a popular resort for the musicians when the theatres, dances, etc. were over.”
A clarinetist in the city at the time, Bagley fondly recalled “not only the musical profession, but our night loving citizens in general” as well as that “the food was wonderful,” leading him to conclude, “I wish I could turn time backward and enjoy it once again.” He also remarked that the triple of intersection of Spring, Main and Temple streets, this being where the Temple Block terminated at its northern end, was known as “Shannon’s Point” for a police officer, Michael Shannon, “who for a long stretch of years was the traffic officer” at that busy point where the northern portion of the City Hall now stands.
With the end of the Free Harbor Fight, over which the existing main port at San Pedro/Wilmington prevailed over the Southern Pacific’s wharf at Santa Monica for federal funds for future development, a Harbor Jubilee floral parade was held on 27 April and at which the 7th Regiment and Pasadena bands were joined by a “Mexican Philharmonic” orchestra as well as a “Joss House (Chinese)” ensemble also performed, along with a drum corps. At an evening gathering with lighted streets, the Catalina Island band played outside the Hotel Nadeau, while the 3rd Regiment “and Mexican” bands played on streetcars traveling throughout downtown.
These historical recollections by Bagley are certainly an interesting look back, not only at the musical aspect, but the general conditions of life in Los Angeles decades prior to the publication of this issue of The Overture, much less the nearly 130 years back from our own time. We’ve featured three other editions of the magazine in past posts from 15 February, 15 May and 15 October 1925 and have three others in the collection that we will highlight in future ones, so be sure to keep an ear out for those.