Los Angeles

  INTERNAL AFFAIRS

POPULATION

US: 256 million

Los Angeles 8.6 million

  TIME

GMT minus eight hours

  TELEPHONE

IDD country code 1

San Francisco 1 415

Oakland, Berkeley 1 510

Los Angeles 1 213,

1 310, 1 818

New York 1 212, 1 718, 1 516

New Orleans 1 504

Chicago 1 312

Local operator 0

International operator 00

Directory assistance 411

To call internationally from LA, first dial 011, then the country code and the number you require. To call nationally, dial 1 before any number that begins with a prefix other than the one you are dialling from. So, to call New York from LA you must dial 1-212 and the number.

  WEATHER

LA generally enjoys a pleasant, Mediterranean-style climate all year round; blue skies, warm breezes, temperatures sometimes topping 100 in August and September. Occasional rainstorms serve to disperse the constant layer of smog hanging over the city. Earthquakes are not uncommon.

  COMMERCIAL HOURS

Banks 8.00 to 17.00, Monday-Friday; 10.00-16.00 Saturday

Offices 9.00-18.00, Monday-Friday

Shops 10.00-21.00, Monday-Saturday. Many shops are also open on Sundays

  NATIONAL HOLIDAYS 1996

1 January, third Monday in January (Martin Luther King Day), third Monday in February (Washington's Birthday), last Monday in May (Memorial Day), 4 July, first Monday in September (Labor Day), second Monday in October (Columbus Day), 11 November, fourth Thursday in November (Thanksgiving), 25 December. Also, 12 February (Lincoln's birthday) and Good Friday are observed in most states.

  BEST GUIDES & MAPS

Thomas Bros Guide is the bible for travelling within LA.

  TOURIST INFORMATION

Los Angeles Convention & Visitors Bureau

633 W 5th Street, #6000, Los Angeles, CA 90071 Tel: (213) 624 7300 Fax: (213) 624 9746

  ELECTRIC CURRENT

110 Volts

TRADING PLACES

Number of screens in the US: 25,626

Number of screens in California 2,900

VCR penetration in US: 71,687,000

  TV NETWORKS

ABC

2040 Ave of the Stars, Los Angeles, CA 90067 Tel (310) 557 7777

CBS

7800 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036 Tel (213) 460 3000

NBC

3000 Alameda Ave, Burbank, CA 91523 Tel (818) 840 4444

KCET (PBS)

4401 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027 Tel (213) 666 6500

Fox Television

5746 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028 Tel (213) 856 1000

  INDUSTRY EVENTS 1995

American Film Market/Location Expo

29 February-8 March

Showbiz Expo West

June (tbc)

AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival

19 Oct-2 Nov

The Academy Awards

25 March

LA Screenings

20 May-9 June

  COURIERS

International

DHL 1-800-CALL-DHL

DPE Int (310) 417 3900

Local Messengers

Action (213) 654 2333

Universal (310) 398 1222/

(213) 463 3975

  LOST/STOLEN CREDIT CARDS

Amex (800) 528 4800

Visa/Mastercard (800) 336 8472

Diner's Club (213) 480 0460

  THE X FILES TIPPING

Tipping is expected everywhere. Fifteen per cent of the total bill is standard, 20% for exceptional services.