Screen Actors Guild

A group helps actors work.

Long ago, actors had hard jobs. Studios made unfair rules for them. They worked too many hours. They did not get enough rest.

So, a group called the Guild was made. It started in 1933. The actors wanted fair pay. They wanted better work rules.

This group grew very fast. Many people joined to help. They worked to make things fair for all.

They even give out awards now. These awards celebrate great acting. It is a big job for the group.

The Screen Actors Guild was a labor union for actors.

It helped people who worked in films and on TV.

In the early 1930s, actors had very hard jobs. Movie studios made them sign unfair contracts. These deals did not limit work hours. They did not ensure enough rest. Studios could even control the private lives of actors.

To fix this, six actors met in March 1933. They started the Guild to fight for fair pay. They also wanted better working conditions. At first, many famous actors would not join. But things changed after a big meeting. Soon, the group grew from 80 members to over 4,000.

In 1947, the film industry faced a hard time. Some people were treated unfairly because of their ideas. This period was known as the blacklist. Many people could not find work during this time.

Later, the Guild grew in new ways. In 1972, they formed groups for women and minorities. In 2012, the Guild joined with another group called AFTRA. Now, they work together as SAG-AFTRA.

They also give out the Screen Actors Guild Awards. These awards help show which actors are successful.

The Screen Actors Guild, or SAG, was a labor union for performers.

It represented over 100,000 people who worked in films and on TV. These performers included both main actors and background actors. The union worked to make sure workers were treated fairly. They negotiated for good pay and safe working conditions. They also worked to protect how actors' performances were used. The guild wanted to help create more jobs for its members.

To become a member, actors had to follow certain rules. A principal actor could join after working one day on a SAG project. They had to be paid the correct union rate. Background actors used a system called the "three voucher rule." They needed three valid vouchers from three different work days. Once they met these goals, they became eligible to join. This helped ensure that union rules were followed on every set.

The guild began in 1933 to fight unfair studio rules. Before this, studios used very tough contracts. These deals did not limit work hours or rest time. Studios could even control the private lives of the actors. In March 1933, six actors met to start the guild. Their names were Berton Churchill, Charles Miller, Grant Mitchell, Ralph Morgan, Alden Gay, and Kenneth Thomson. Ralph Morgan became the very first president.

Growing the guild was not always easy at first. Many famous actors refused to join the group early on. A big change happened after a meeting at Frank Morgan's home. An actor named Eddie Cantor helped the group grow very fast. In just three weeks, membership jumped from 80 to over 4,000 people. By 1937, the movie producers finally agreed to negotiate with the guild. Many famous stars like Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart joined to support it.

The guild has changed a lot over many decades. In 1972, new committees were formed for women and ethnic minorities. In 1995, the guild started giving out the Screen Actors Guild Awards. These awards are often seen as a sign of success. On March 30, 2012, a big change happened. The SAG members voted to merge with a group called AFTRA. Now, they work together as a single union called SAG-AFTRA.

The Screen Actors Guild, known as SAG, was a powerful American labor union.

It represented more than 100,000 film and television performers. This group included principal actors, who play main roles, and background actors. The union's primary mission was to protect these workers. They negotiated collective bargaining agreements to ensure fair pay and benefits. They also fought for safe working conditions for all members. Additionally, the guild worked to prevent the unauthorized use of recorded performances. They also aimed to preserve and expand job opportunities for performers worldwide.

SAG was founded in 1933 to stop the exploitation of Hollywood actors. Before the guild existed, major movie studios used very oppressive contracts. These multi-year deals lacked restrictions on work hours or rest periods. Studios often included clauses that allowed them to renew contracts automatically. These contracts even let studios dictate the private and public lives of performers. Most deals did not allow an actor to end the contract early. In March 1933, six actors met to change this. Berton Churchill, Charles Miller, Grant Mitchell, Ralph Morgan, Alden Gay, and Kenneth Thomson led this meeting. Ralph Morgan became the organization's first president.

Growing the union required significant effort and momentum. Initially, many high-profile actors refused to join the guild. However, a pivotal meeting at the home of Frank Morgan changed everything. During this meeting, the entertainer Eddie Cantor insisted that the union must help all actors. He argued that the response should benefit everyone, not just established stars. This push for inclusivity worked very well. In just three weeks, membership grew from 80 people to over 4,000. By 1937, following the National Labor Relations Act, producers finally agreed to negotiate with SAG. Many famous stars, including Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart, became early supporters.

The guild faced a difficult period during the late 1940s. In October 1947, the House Committee on Un-American Activities investigated Hollywood. They looked for Communist influence within labor unions. Ten people, known as the "Hollywood Ten," refused to cooperate and were sentenced to prison. This created a climate of fear in the film industry. In November 1947, the Motion Picture Association of America issued the Waldorf Statement. This statement declared that studios would not employ known Communists. This led to a blacklist that prevented hundreds of people from working. Some SAG members, like Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, formed the Committee for the First Amendment to support those targeted.

Membership in the guild followed specific professional rules and categories. A principal actor became "SAG-eligible" after working one day on a SAG production. They had to be paid the correct union rates to qualify. Background actors used a different system called the "three voucher rule." They needed three valid vouchers from three separate work days to become eligible. SAG productions were also required to hire a minimum number of union background actors. For example, feature films in West Coast zones required at least 57 union background actors. If a producer could not meet these minimums, they could hire non-union actors using a "Taft–Hartley" voucher.

As the decades passed, the guild expanded its focus on diversity and recognition. In 1972, the guild co-founded the Ethnic Minorities Committee and the Women's Committee. These groups were created to support different communities within the industry. In 1995, the guild began presenting the Screen Actors Guild Awards. These awards are often seen as an indicator of success at the Academy Awards. The guild also maintained many branches across the United States. They had offices in cities like New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. This helped them manage their large, diverse membership effectively.

The final major chapter in the guild's independent history was its merger. On March 30, 2012, SAG members voted to merge with another union. This union was the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, or AFTRA. The merger created a new, larger organization called SAG-AFTRA. Before the merger, the guild had a complex membership structure. Records from 2006 show that about 30% of members were not "active." This included 36,284 members who were "honorably withdrawn" and 18,402 who were "suspended." The new SAG-AFTRA continues to manage these classifications today.