Los Angeles Mayor. He served as the 34th mayor of Los Angeles, California from 1933 to 1938. Born Frank Lawrence Shaw in Warwick, Ontario, Canada, he went to public schools in Denver, Colorado and in Joplin, Missouri. He studied business and then worked in a country store in Joplin, then became a salesman with a grocery company, where he remained for nearly thirty years. He moved to Los Angeles in 1909 and worked in private business until 1925 when he was elected to the City Council in the 8th District. He won reelection to two-year terms in 1925 and 1927. He ran for the Board of Supervisors in 1928 and won and was reelected in 1930 and 1932 and was named chairman of the board by his fellow supervisors in 1932 and 1933. He proposed the establishment of a county psychopathic clinic, was named chairman of a county committee on employment and proposed that employees should be given a five-day week. While still a supervisor, he ran for the mayoralty of Los Angeles in 1933 against the incumbent and was elected as mayor in the final vote. During his term, the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and the Slauson Avenue storm drain projects were developed, the Los Angeles Harbor became home base for the Pacific Fleet and the city employees' retirement system was begun. Accusations of corruption in Los Angeles City Hall led to a recall movement against him and close associates. He was the first mayor of a major American city to be recalled from office, being succeeded by Fletcher Bowron. He sued Warner Bros. Pictures in October 1939 for $1 million in damages, alleging he was defamed in a motion picture supposedly based on the bombing of a private investigator. The suit was settled out of court, with both sides agreeing there would be no statement as to the terms. He was involved in several other lawsuits from the 1940s into the 1950s, some in which he was sued, and some in which he sued others, usually for libel.
Los Angeles Mayor. He served as the 34th mayor of Los Angeles, California from 1933 to 1938. Born Frank Lawrence Shaw in Warwick, Ontario, Canada, he went to public schools in Denver, Colorado and in Joplin, Missouri. He studied business and then worked in a country store in Joplin, then became a salesman with a grocery company, where he remained for nearly thirty years. He moved to Los Angeles in 1909 and worked in private business until 1925 when he was elected to the City Council in the 8th District. He won reelection to two-year terms in 1925 and 1927. He ran for the Board of Supervisors in 1928 and won and was reelected in 1930 and 1932 and was named chairman of the board by his fellow supervisors in 1932 and 1933. He proposed the establishment of a county psychopathic clinic, was named chairman of a county committee on employment and proposed that employees should be given a five-day week. While still a supervisor, he ran for the mayoralty of Los Angeles in 1933 against the incumbent and was elected as mayor in the final vote. During his term, the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and the Slauson Avenue storm drain projects were developed, the Los Angeles Harbor became home base for the Pacific Fleet and the city employees' retirement system was begun. Accusations of corruption in Los Angeles City Hall led to a recall movement against him and close associates. He was the first mayor of a major American city to be recalled from office, being succeeded by Fletcher Bowron. He sued Warner Bros. Pictures in October 1939 for $1 million in damages, alleging he was defamed in a motion picture supposedly based on the bombing of a private investigator. The suit was settled out of court, with both sides agreeing there would be no statement as to the terms. He was involved in several other lawsuits from the 1940s into the 1950s, some in which he was sued, and some in which he sued others, usually for libel.
Bio by: Pete Mohney
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