Universal

Deanna Durbin signed a contract with Universal Studios on the 13th of June, 1936.

She was elected Mayor of Universal City in 1940. Similar to the duties of a regular mayor in any other city, Universal City's Mayors governed the day-to-day activities of the municipality as well as the movie studio. The Mayor assembled an honorary cabinet that usually included a police chief, fire chief, postmaster general, and ambassador. The length of term for Universal's Mayors lasted one year and elections took place annually in November. Similar to any normal election, candidates formed campaign strategies and tried to win the appeal of the voting public. Those eligible to vote included actors, executives, technicians, and employees that worked exclusively with Universal. The newly elected Mayor took hold of the symbolic "gavel of authority" and focused on civic issues that affected the daily routine and operation of Universal City. The Universal City Mayor was a bona fide position, not just an honorary title.



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Location of Universal City in California:



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Deanna Durbin's movies acocunted for 17 percent of Unviersal's total profits in the late 1930s, an astonishing figure for one performer who appeared in (on average) two movies a year. Deanna's movies were so popular that Universal was able to charge a 35 percent rental fee for them, while most Hollywood movies could only charge a 25 percent rental fee!