Frank L. Shaw

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Frank L. Shaw (February 1, 1887—January 24, 1958) was an American politician (born in Canada). He was elected to the Los Angeles, California city council in 1925 and to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 1928. In 1933, he successfully ran for mayor of Los Angeles. He was re-elected in 1937 but was recalled from office on September 16, 1938. The intrigue and scandals surrounding his administration were dramatized in the fiction of Raymond Chandler, and (albeit in a 1950s setting) in the novel and film L.A. Confidential. Today, his administration is generally considered to be the most corrupt in the history of Los Angeles.

In addition to the recall, Shaw is perhaps best remembered for addressing the nation by radio during the catastrophic Los Angeles Flood of 1938 and declaring that "the sun is shining in Southern California and all is well," even as thousands lost their homes, and dozens their lives, to the raging waters of the Los Angeles River. His callous response is often credited with providing the initial spark to the recall effort that ultimately unseated him.

[edit] References

Chronological Record of Los Angeles City Officials: 1850—1938, Compiled under Direction of Municipal Reference Library City Hall, Los Angeles March 1938 (Reprinted 1966)

FRANK SHAW. Frank Shaw, Mayor of Los Angeles, 1933-37. Retrieved on May 19, 2005.

Preceded by John C. Porter	Mayor of Los Angeles, California 1933—1938	Succeeded by Fletcher Bowron
Preceded by J. H. Bean	Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors 2nd district 1928—1932	Succeeded by Gordon L. McDonough
Preceded by None	Los Angeles City Councilman 8th district 1925—1928	Succeeded by Evan Lewis