Chapter 62: Los Angeles

The DC-3 plane landed slowly at Los Angeles Airport.

Los Angeles Airport, which would eventually become Los Angeles International Airport, had been in operation since the 1930s. At that time, however, there were no international flights, so the term "international" was irrelevant. Of course, the size of the airport couldn't compare to what it would become in the future. After all, flying was still a relatively luxurious form of transportation. Most of the DC-3s were not equipped with seats, but with berths.

The DC-3 Josh bought, for example, had twelve berths.

Coincidentally, there were exactly twelve people on this trip to Los Angeles: Josh, Margaret, Lyndon Schneider and his girlfriend Angela, Sabrina, Francesca, and six bodyguards, including Vito and Brook.

Francesca's presence was easily explained - she was a maid, taking care of Josh and Margaret. That wasn't an arduous task at all. Josh and Margaret were not demanding employers, which made this a rather enviable job. Without her connection to Vito, Francesca might not have had this opportunity.

As for Sabrina, Josh had "poached" her.

Although she had previously appeared to be a servant in the Leibler household, she wasn't officially employed by them. She was there to help out simply because her father was John Leibler's chauffeur and she was earning some spending money. Besides, this young girl was only 15 years old.

All Josh had to do was paint a rosy picture of potential fame and upward mobility for both Sabrina and her father. With John Leibler's encouragement, Josh easily secured the girl's contract. Of course, Josh didn't hide this from Margaret, instead openly explaining his intentions to groom the girl into a star.

Margaret, understanding and perceptive, didn't object in the least. She knew that if Josh had ulterior motives for the young girl, he wouldn't have needed to discuss it openly with her. Instead, she chose to trust Josh completely. She also went out of her way to take care of Sabrina during the trip, so much so that when they disembarked, the young girl was practically clinging to Margaret and calling her "sister.

This was an example of Margaret's shrewdness - befriending the girl would ensure her loyalty in any future conflicts involving Josh or Margaret herself.

In contrast, Angela seemed out of place among Margaret and the others. Communication between them was minimal throughout the trip. While there was no explicit hostility in their interactions, there was a palpable sense of alienation, an invisible barrier keeping them apart.

This wasn't because Margaret felt threatened by Angela, but rather because she considered the girl beneath her. Angela simply didn't measure up to her standards.

This subtle discrimination wasn't rooted in hierarchy-Margaret's warm demeanor toward Sabrina and Francesca made that clear. Angela, however, was a different case. She seemed to sense the disparity, hovering around Lyndon Schneider like a frightened squirrel. Margaret's imposing presence was too much for her.

For their part, both Josh and Lyndon Schneider wisely chose to remain silent about this unspoken tension.

Why stir the pot? Josh certainly wasn't going to get involved with a woman who had no bearing on his plans. To him, Angela was merely a subordinate's mistress and a potential cash cow. As for Lyndon Schneider, he wasn't stupid enough to antagonize the "boss lady" over a mere affair.

As they landed, Vito and Brook took the lead, followed by Josh and Margaret. Francesca and Sabrina followed, while Lyndon Schneider and Angela brought up the rear.

"Welcome to Los Angeles, Mr. Kahn!"

Two sharp-looking men in suits stepped forward to greet Josh as he stepped off the plane. Behind them was a line of cars.

These men were the CEOs of the two movie companies Josh had recently acquired: Pete of Siegel Pictures and Brad of Rose Pictures.

In the 1940s, the major Hollywood studios had already established their dominance. However, as in later decades, Hollywood was also teeming with countless small production companies. These two belonged to the latter category.

Despite their titles as "film companies," both had functioned primarily as tools for gangsters to establish connections with local elites. Their actual operations resembled those of certain modern "modeling agencies," known for exploiting hopeful young talent.

For example, they would lure ambitious young women with dreams of Hollywood stardom into signing exploitative contracts for low pay, then force them into compromising positions.

Such practices may seem shocking, but even in the 21st century, many entertainment and movie companies still engage in similar activities, albeit in a more discreet manner. Back then, it was almost brazenly public.

Of the two, Siegel Pictures was relatively better. It was owned by Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel, a prominent figure in the Jewish mob.

Siegel himself had a flair for the dramatic and had even acted in a few films. However, these ventures were far from profitable and usually resulted in losses.

However, because of Siegel's passion for the industry, the company at least had proper film equipment, giving it the appearance of a legitimate studio.

Rose Pictures, on the other hand, was essentially a shell company.

With Josh's arrival, however, the shady practices of both companies would come to an end. Such methods would no longer be necessary under his ownership. In fact, Josh planned to merge the two companies. Keeping them separate would only waste resources and money.

As for Pete and Brad, Josh had no intention of firing them.

In reviewing their records before coming to Los Angeles, Josh had been impressed by their resourcefulness. Despite the companies' meager budgets, the two had managed to produce a few films that actually turned a profit - except for those starring Siegel, of course.

Brad's accomplishment was particularly noteworthy; he had managed to produce a profitable movie by renting equipment and locations on a shoestring budget.

It was remarkable, to say the least.

While the profits weren't substantial, the ability to turn a profit under such constraints was a testament to their talent.

Josh decided to give both men a chance, but only after personally inspecting the two companies to see what he had inherited.

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