Movie Union Rally Turns Violent, March 20, 1939

The Newsreel Theatre at 8th and Broadway, one way to get news before CNN.

A melee breaks out at the Hollywood American Legion Stadium over control of the Local 37 of the IATSE. In London, Britain seeks to enlist the U.S., France and the Soviets in an alliance against the Germany and Italy. And the Japanese ambassador to Berlin extends his government's congratulations upon Adolf Hitler's return to Germany after a tour of the conquered area. But in Moscow, the Italian Embassy hosts a grand ball with clowning and pranks by envoys in costumes. The Times' Gene Sherman takes a look at the story of one criminal. Katharine Hepburn doesn't need Hollywood; she's got a hit play in Boston with "Philadelphia Story," Hedda Hopper says. As a youngster, I always considered George Lichty's "Grin and Bear It" to be humorless smudges and scrawls.  But this panel shows he could actually draw.   The Cubs defeat the Pirates in an exhibition game at Wrigley Field. New term for the Pirates: "Smoky City stooges."

Comments

[zabadu]

In the Hedda Hopper column - the "Eddie Robinson subpeona"...what's that? Any idea what they were all being subpeonaed for? Sounds like it was common knowledge in the way she wrote that...

[Jeff Ball]

This is just a guess, but it's backed up by some research ...

The "Eddie Robinsons" (as Hedda calls them) are Edward G. Robinson and his wife-at-the-time, Gladys Lloyd. Their son, Edward G. Robinson, Jr. was born on March 19, 1933, so his sixth birthday would have fallen on a Sunday in 1939. Probably out of respect for the Sabbath, the birthday party was held on Saturday, the 18th.

As for the "subpena" (sic), the invitations probably were made up to look like official court documents. This was a common practice that continues on to this day – I got a subpoena-invitation to a friend's retirement party a few months ago.