Show Business and Politics
Swanton tried to convince Hollywood movie producers to film in Santa Cruz. The silent film A Romance of the Redwoods was filmed in the area by Cecil B. DeMille. Edward Ferguson and W.D. Dalton (under the name "Fer Dal") and Theodore Wharton established studios briefly, but interest waned during World War I. In 1914 Swanton acted as agent of actress ZaSu Pitts, and staged a benefit performance at the Opera House to finance the start of her film career. He became so well known the city was sometimes called Swanticruz or Swanta Cruz. He became president of the Combined Amusement Company to build exhibits for the amusement park called the Zone at the 1915 Panama–Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco. In 1924 he obtained the Miss America franchise for the state and started the Miss California beauty pageant, which was held in Santa Cruz until 1985. The first "Miss Santa Cruz", Fay Lanphier won the first two contests and became Miss America in 1925. Swanton was elected mayor of Santa Cruz on July 4, 1927, and was reelected for two more terms until 1933, when Roy Hammond took the office.
Prohibition reduced profits, and the Neptune Casino had its name changed to "Cocoanut Grove". Business declined and his plans for real estate development fell through during the Great Depression.
Swanton died September 3, 1940, almost bankrupt. He was described as a cross between P. T. Barnum and California Senator Samuel M. Shortridge, or the "P. T. Barnum of Santa Cruz".
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