The Big Money

When the U.S. Treasury issued its list of big wage-earners last week, there were a few surprises. MGM’s Louis B. Mayer, whose name usually leads all the rest, had slipped to third. At the head of the list was Charles Skouras, president of National Theatres Amusement Corp., with $568,143. The Los Angeles Turf Club’s Charles Strub, who runs Santa Anita Park, was second ($541,412), well ahead of Mayer ($502,571). International Business Machines Corp.’s Thomas J. (“Think”) Watson was fourth ($425,548). A new name was in fifth place: F. E. Fowler, president of liqueur-making Southern Comfort Corp. ($376,616).

Except for General Motors’ C. E. Wilson ($303,990) and Great Lakes Steel Corp.’s George R. Fink ($275,000), the rest of the big money earners were Hollywood workers. As usual, Hollywood has the nation’s highest paid women; Ginger Rogers ($292,159) was ahead of Deanna Durbin by $30,000. (Betty Grable, last year’s winner, was farther down the list with $205,000.)

Other top Hollywood salaries: Director Leo McCarey ($355,426), Producer Walter Wanger ($282,899), Singer “‘Dennis Morgan ($261,000), BarbaraStanwyck ($256,666), Lana Turner ($226,000). Actually, the Treasury report for the calendar year 1945, and the fiscal year ended in 1946, did not tell the whole income story. It listed only salaries paid by companies, and took no account of dividends, capital gains or the “collapsible corporations” which have earned many a Hollywoodian (and many a plain businessman) far more than his salary.