By 1930 Arthur Samish exerted more influence than did any member of the state legislature. As the self-annointed “Governor of the Legislature,” he was the man to see in Sacramento about legislation regarding liquor, horse racing, banking, cigarettes, trucking and—-daylight saving time.
Over the years, Samish said, he performed many services for Hollywood folks concerned with pending legislation. He knew all the studio bosses, including Louis B. Mayer, Harry Cohn, Jack Warner and Joseph M. Schenck.
When the daylight saving time initiative was facing California voters in 1930, Schenck and other movie heads opposed it, believing that the extra hour of sunlight would discourage people from going to the movies.
“Whatever Joe Schenck wanted, wanted, I got for him,” wrote Samish in his autobiography, “The Secret Boss of California.”
…To Be Continued…