La Cava v. Pickford
La Cava v. Pickford
Opinion of the Court
In this action for damages for breach of an alleged oral contract, and for the reasonable value of services rendered, judgment was for defendant. Plaintiff appeals from the judgment. He asserts that the evidence was insufficient to support certain findings.
It was alleged in the complaint, in substance, that: About March 19, 1945, plaintiff and the defendant Mary Pickford entered into an agreement whereby defendant agreed to employ plaintiff, and plaintiff agreed to work for defendant, as
Defendant, in her answer, denied generally and specifically the allegations of the complaint to the effect that the parties had entered into an agreement, and she denied that she was indebted to plaintiff. It was alleged, as an affirmative defense, that: Defendant, acting on behalf of The Venus Company, a corporation, and not for herself, had certain negotiations with plaintiff with respect to a contract under which plaintiff would direct a photoplay to be produced by The Venus Company ; it was agreed that a contract was to be prepared setting forth the terms and conditions of the employment, and that neither party was to be bound by the terms of any agreement until said terms had been reduced to writing and signed by the parties; during the process of negotiating the terms and conditions of said employment, plaintiff at his own request voluntarily appeared to render services subject to the terms and conditions of an agreement to be entered into, but with the understanding that The Venus Company was not to be obligated to plaintiff or plaintiff to The Venus Company until said contract had been agreed to and signed; during the pend-ency of the negotiations said negotiations were terminated and no agreement was entered into. It was also alleged, as an affirmative defense, that about March 29, 1945, plaintiff orally released defendant from all claims and obligations of any kind.
The court found among other things, that: Defendant did not enter into an agreement with plaintiff; prior to March 19, 1945, defendant had certain negotiations with plaintiff with respect to a proposed contract under which plaintiff would render personal services as writer and director of a photoplay entitled “One Touch of Venus”; at the "beginning
Appellant contends that the evidence conclusively established that the parties entered into a binding oral agreement on Sunday, March 18, 1945; and that the findings that the parties did not intend to be bound until a written contract was signed are not supported by any substantial evidence.
The persons who participated in the negotiations hereinafter referred to were the plaintiff La Cava, his agents Everett N. Crosby and Jack Maurice, the defendant Mary Pickford, her agent Sam Coslow, her attorney I. H. Prinzmetal, and the business manager of The Venus Company, C. J. Tevlin.
During October, 1944, the Pickford Corporation purchased “the rights” to a stage play entitled “One Touch of Venus.” About October, 1944, Miss Pickford and Coslow entered into a written agreement which provided that Coslow would render his “exclusive services” in connection with the production of said photoplay, including the “handling of any production matters that she might designate.” In January, 1945, a corporation, known as The Venus Company, was organized.
About March 6, 1945, at a meeting arranged by Maurice and attended by La Cava, Coslow and Maurice, there was a further discussion relative to employing La Cava, and Coslow left a copy of a writer’s incomplete “treatment” of the script of the proposed photoplay, “One Touch of Venus,” with La Cava.
About March 10, 1945, at a second meeting which was attended by the same three persons, La Cava stated that he had read the “treatment,” he thought it was “exciting,” and that something could be made of it.
On March 15, 1945, there was a meeting in Miss Pickford’s office which was attended by Miss Pickford, Coslow, Prinzmetal, La Cava, Crosby and Maurice. At this meeting, referred to as the “friendly meeting,” it appears that everyone was happy over the prospect of La Cava directing the play, and there was a general discussion about the play and about producing it in technicolor. Miss Pickford testified that she stated at the meeting that it was important that the picture be done in technicolor, and she hoped they could get it; that she told La Cava she had been promised technicolor and she hoped they could get started by July 15th; that she told Prinzmetal (her attorney) to “get together with Mr. Crosby and see about working out a contract.” At said meeting, La Cava consented “to work on the picture.”
On March 16, 1945, Crosby and Maurice went to Prinzmetal’s office and had a discussion with him regarding the amount of compensation to be paid for La Cava’s services. They told him the amount of compensation La Cava “would want,” and Prinzmetal stated that he felt the demand was high and he would have to talk with Miss Pickford and Coslow to see whether it would be “possible to get together on the financial end of the deal.”
On Sunday, March 18,1945, there was a meeting at the home of La Cava which was attended by Coslow, La Cava, Crosby and Maurice. (This is the meeting at which, according to appellant, the oral agreement was made.) There was a further discussion at that meeting pertaining to the amount of
Coslow testified that, at said meeting on March 18th, they discussed the script, the way La Cava wanted to treat the picture and the “terms”; that La Cava was to get a salary and a percentage; he was to get part of his salary in cash, part of it was to be deferred, and they finally “boiled it down to something which Mr. Crosby wrote on a piece of paper” which Coslow was “to take back to Miss Pickford.” He also testified that Crosby wrote the “final terms” on a piece of paper, and he (Coslow) stated they had a “deal” if Miss Pickford would approve it—that he would discuss the matter with her and then report to La Cava’s agents later that day. He also testified that Maurice said it looked like they had “a deal,” and he (Coslow) then said, “Pending the drawing up of a contract and agreeing to certain very salient terms”; that he (Coslow) told them there were several things they should talk to Prinzmetal about.
On said March 18th after said meeting, Coslow had a telephone conversation with Miss Pickford, and then he had a telephone conversation with Maurice relative to his conversation with Miss Pickford. Coslow testified that he told Maurice that “Miss Pickford felt that at this point the wisest course would be to turn the matter over to her attorney and Mr. La Cava’s agent and let them see what they could do about drafting a written contract”; that Maurice replied something to the effect that he thought it was the wisest move at that time, and “they” would see her attorney the following morning. Maurice testified that Coslow told him to “have Mr. La Cava at the studio tomorrow morning ready to go to work”; that Maurice then called La Cava and Crosby and notified them regarding his conversation with Coslow—and he told La Cava that Coslow had said, “We have a deal” and have “La Cava go tó work in the morning.” Miss Pickford testified that she told Coslow in a telephone conversation on March 18th to
After the meeting on March 18th La Cava, according to his testimony, “abandoned” all negotiations regarding other pictures. On March 19th he went to the studio (United Artists) where, with the consent of Miss Pickford, an office was assigned to him. He began some work in connection with the production of the photoplay. A few days later Miss Kay, who had been employed with the consent of Miss Pickford, began research work in connection with the play. With reference to an office being assigned to La Cava, and with reference to employing Miss Kay, Coslow testified that Maurice had told him, prior to the time he talked to Miss Pickford by telephone, that La Cava had “no place to park,” and asked him if La Cava might sit in one of their offices while the contract was being drafted; that in his (Coslow’s) conversation with Miss Pickford he told her about that request and she said she had no objection to La Cava occupying an office while they were “dickering on the contract”; he also told her about the proposal to employ Miss Kay and, “after a great protest,” she said it was all right. Miss Pickford testified that La Cava said he would like to sit in from the beginning; that the office was not offered by her or Coslow; that it was made available at La Cava’s request pending the drawing of the contract. La Cava testified that he did not request the use of an office.
On March 19th, Crosby went to the office of Printzmetal and told him about the meeting at La Cava’s home. Prinzmetal testified that Maurice was with Crosby, and that they told him “they had finally gotten together on the amount of money that La Cava was to get” for the picture; they said La Cava was to get $50,000 in cash, $50,000 “deferred,” 12% per cent of the profits until the gross was $3,000,000, and 20 per cent
Crosby testified that he went to Prinzmetal’s office on said occasion alone; he told Prinzmetal they had “completed a deal” at La Cava’s home, and he gave him all the “details of the deal”; Prinzmetal “then telephoned Mr. Coslow to get his approval which he got, ’ ’ and Prinzmetal said he would start writing the contract; they talked about the “billing,” and Prinzmetal said he did not know whether Miss Pickford would give La Cava “that kind of billing,” and he (Crosby) stated “They approved it”; they talked about the payment of the $100,000, and whether La Cava would be willing to take half
Thereafter, Prinzmetal procured a copy of the Universal contract, from which the excerpts purportedly were taken, and found there were provisions in it which qualified or limited La Cava’s authority; he had a conversation with Miss Pickford and Mr. Tevlin, who had been employed by The Venus Company in the early part of March, 1945, as business and financial manager for the production of “One Touch of Venus”; he then prepared a draft of a contract between The Venus Company and La Cava which was delivered to Tevlin about March 22, 1945. Tevlin testified that he delivered a copy of said contract to Maurice about March 24, 1945; that he had no conversation with Maurice or Crosby at that time— he merely handed a copy of the contract to Maurice and said to him, ‘1 Here is a copy of the agreement you have- been asking for.” Crosby testified that he and Maurice went to the studio where they had a meeting with Tevlin and Coslow; Tevlin informed them that the contract would have to be changed and that he had changed it; he told them what the changes were; he (Crosby) refused to accept the changes, and Tevlin said, ‘ ‘ That was it, ’ ’ and he gave Crosby the contract.
About March 26, 1945, Crosby and Maurice took the contract to Prinzmetal’s office and told Prinzmetal that they objected to certain provisions in it. Prinzmetal testified that they suggested changes in the contract; that Crosby wanted the contract to state, in addition to the provision that the production was “Directed by Gregory La Cava,” that it was “A Gregory La Cava Production”; Crosby also objected to a provision that the first weekly payment of compensation would be on the first day of “shooting of the picture,” and he said the compensation should start immediately; he also objected to the sum of money set forth as the anticipated cost of production, and he objected to the distribution charge ; he requested a provision limiting the charge for printing and advertising; he (Prinzmetal) told them he would discuss the matter with Miss Pickford. Crosby testified that he told Prinzmetal that was not the agreement he had made with
On March 28,1945, La Cava told Tevlin that if he (La Cava) “was going” to start the picture in June, he felt that the “key people” (cameraman, art director, etc.) should be “brought in immediately,” and Tevlin told him he would go into the matter with him in a few days.
On March 30, 1945, a meeting was held in La Cava’s office at the studio which was attended by La Cava, Miss Kay, Maurice, Coslow and Tevlin. Also present were Mr. Siegel, a writer, and Mr. Nadel, a production manager, who apparently had been employed by Coslow in connection with the production of “One Touch of Venus.” There was testimony that Tevlin asked La Cava, at that meeting, when he was going to have something “on paper” about the story, and La Cava replied that they were not ready to put anything on paper—that was not the way he worked—and he had never made an agreement to do so; he (La Cava) told them the story as far as he “had gone”; Tevlin asked what progress he was making otherwise, and La Cava replied that it was impossible to make progress with no one through whom he could function; Tevlin stated that he didn’t want La Cava to call the “key people in,”—that there was no technicolor “commitment,” they might not get such a commitment until August or September, and they could not guarantee it would be available then; La Cava arose from his chair and said the proposition had “lost its integrity,” and then he left the room.
Tevlin testified that, at said meeting last mentioned, La Cava also stated as follows: he was surprised; he had not contemplated that the picture might be made in black and white; it was entirely immaterial to him whether he made the picture; and “we owed him nothing provided we used none of the material” he had created.
La Cava testified that, at said last-mentioned meeting, when Tevlin said they were unable to get technicolor and would have to postpone the picture, he (La Cava) stated, “That is not in line with my agreement” to start not later than June 30th; he also said that if Tevlin would sit right down and write a note stating they would not use any of the material La Cava had devised and about which he had just told Tevlin and Coslow, he would take his hat “and go home and it won’t cost you a cent”; and he (La Cava) then told them that if they
After La Cava left that meeting, Maurice and Tevlin engaged in a discussion. Tevlin testified that Maurice said “this makes it a completely different proposition and you couldn’t expect Greg [La Cava] to wait until September to start this picture; it is a completely different deal and I will have to take it up with Crosby.”
The next morning, March 31st, Maurice and Crosby went to Tevlin’s office and told him that the deal had been entirely changed. Tevlin testified that he told them why “we were dissatified with the other deal,” and he “pointed out to them that La Cava’s method of proceeding with the picture had put us to a great disadvantage.”
The next morning, April 1st, Maurice and Crosby had a meeting with La Cava. On April 2d, Maurice and Crosby went to Prinzmetal’s office. Crosby testified that he asked Prinzmetal why the contract had been changed, and that Prinzmetal said he did not know, that it had been taken out of his hands and was being handled by Tevlin. Prinzmetal told them that he would have a discussion with Miss Pickford. Apparently after having talked with Miss Pickford, Prinzmetal had a telephone conversation with Maurice. Prinzmetal testified that he told Maurice that “negotiations for the contract were terminated. ’ ’ Maurice testified that Prinzmetal told him that “the deal is cold.” On April 3d Tevlin wrote a letter to Miss Kay notifying her that her employment was terminated as of that date.
On April 4th a meeting was held in Miss Pickford’s office which was attended by Miss Pickford, Coslow, Tevlin, Crosby and Maurice. Crosby asked Miss Pickford what the trouble was with respect to La Cava. She said that she was dissatisfied with him, and she stated some of her reasons for being dissatisfied. Crosby testified that she stated they “were absolutely cold on Mr. La Cava and didn’t want him at all, any kind of terms.” This was the last meeting held, and it appears that there were no further negotiations or communications relative to executing a contract.
With reference to the purpose of the meeting on March 18th, Coslow testified that it was to get an “asking price on Mr. La Cava’s services”—that Miss Pickford told him to “Go out and see what they want and let me know.” Maurice testified, with reference to the purpose of said meeting, that Coslow called him and asked him if “we couldn’t bring this
La Cava testified that he understood that a written contract would be prepared—that it “was to be reduced to legal terminology, the usual custom,” and that it was his understanding that Crosby and Maurice would meet with Prinzmetal and work out the written contract but from the “conclusion of the meeting” on the 18th he was leaving it to Crosby and Maurice to get the contract into satisfactory form for signature. He also testified that he did not remember “one instance” when he did not start to work before he signed a written contract.
On March 22, 1945, a writer for the Los Angeles Examiner (L. Parsons) stated in that newspaper that La Cava had “signed with Mary Pickford to do ‘One Touch of Venus,’ ” and “Mary couldn’t be happier that she has him under contract.” While Miss Pickford was a witness she was asked if she had any talk or communication with that writer with respect to La Cava’s connection with the picture. She replied, “I might have. I don’t recall having spoken to Miss Parsons myself.” She was also asked whether she or someone under her direction gave that writer the substance of said statement. She replied, “It is possible, yes.” On March 23, 1945, an article appeared in a trade paper (“Variety”) which stated in part: “Gregory La Cava was signed yesterday to direct ‘One Touch of Venus’ for Mary Pickford.” The publicity director for the photoplay testified that said article was the essence of a press release which he sent out; that he had issued press releases regarding La Cava’s connection with the photo-play, and that before he issued them he cleared them with Miss Pickford; that on La Cava’s first day at the studio, Miss Pickford told him (publicity director) that “La Cava was going to come on the picture to direct it. ’ ’ On March 21, 1945, Coslow sent a telegram to Mary Martin (an actress) which stated in part, ‘ ‘ Thought you would be happy to know we have just signed Greg La Cava to direct ‘One Touch of Venus.’ ”
Appellant contends, as above stated, that the finding that the parties did not enter into an agreement, and the finding that they did not intend to be bound until a written contract was signed, are not supported by the evidence. He argues that, “The question of ‘intention’ with which we are here concerned is that intention which was manifested to the
Appellant also contends that, in any event, the trial court erred in failing to allow the reasonable value of services rendered by appellant. It appears that while appellant was occupying the office referred to herein for a period of 11 days he discussed with Coslow and others questions regarding cast, costumes, settings, and whether La Cava should go to Chicago
The judgment is affirmed.
Shinn, P. J., concurred.
Vallée, J., deeming himself disqualified, did not participate.
A petition for a rehearing was denied December 22, 1950. Vallée, J., did not participate therein. Appellant’s petition for a hearing by the Supreme Court was denied January 25, 1951.
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