Harvard business reports (1930)

202 HARVARD BUSINESS REPORTS extension of authority came as a result of the introduction of sound pictures. Such pictures had greatly diminished the popularity of the legitimate stage and of vaudeville. They also had caused large numbers of stage actors, a majority of whom were members of Equity, to go to Hollywood to act in sound motion pictures. Equity leaders apparently believed that these developments might seriously weaken their union. Then, too, the sound field gave promise of successful exploitation. Equity advanced three reasons to justify its position: first, the unfair treatment of actors by motion picture producers; second, the alleged failure of motion picture producers to observe contracts; and third, the protection of play producers against actors evading stage engagement contracts.1 The Actors Equity Association was organized in 1913 for the purpose of protecting stage actors against unjust working conditions. The union was officially recognized by stage producers at the culmination of the General Actors Strike in 191 9. Equity's commanding position was reaffirmed in 1924, at which time a new agreement was made with the stage producers. In 1926, Equity had attempted unsuccessfully to organize actors in the motion picture industry. In the latter part of 1928, the Equity Council and Mr. Frank Gillmore, the president of Equity, sent questionnaires to members of the association in the Los Angeles district. The questions, in substance, asked the members if they were in favor of the Council's passing a resolution prohibiting members from acting and speaking parts in talking pictures unless all speaking parts were filled by Equity members. Of the 1,196 votes cast, 1,087 favored the resolution. During the first 6 months of 1929, Mr. Gillmore and several other officials of Equity took up their residence in Hollywood to study conditions there. In deciding to invade Hollywood, the association was influenced by certain complaints which it received from actors to the effect that at times they were required to work continuously for from 18 to 36 hours and that studio conditions were unsanitary. The players stated, further, that actors were told at the completion of a brief engagement to hold themselves ready for retakes. This meant that, although retakes might involve only a day or two of extra work, and although the actors 1 Exhibitors Herald World, June 15, 1929, page 115.