US actors' unions go separate ways

Hollywood is often seen as a business operating on hardball bases rather than softball. In the union politics it is no different. Screen Actors Guild, representing mainly those in the cinema and TV movie business, have fallen out with their TV news anchor and radio jock colleagues. The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists is going in separate direction so that they can negotiate their own contracts. The movie moguls must be pleased. I've read Larry Hagman's autobiography and he explained quite candidly how brutal the business can be. Usually it is the bosses that try the divide and conquer technique. It's not usually the unions that set about promoting a divided front.

The war of words has begun. "It's really tragic," said SAG president Alan Rosenberg. "It's tough enough to compete with the Hollywood studios and try to get fair wages and working conditions for actors. Now we have to compete against our own union. . . . What they did today was turn their back on every actor in America."

For those of us who enjoy TV shows, it's worth remembering that not all actors are stars. That great producer Quinn Martin used to get a guy to announce such stuff as "BARNABY JONES! A Quinn Martin production! Starring Buddy Ebsen. Also starring,......" It's the "also starrings" that need the support of the union.

SAG is made up exclusively of actors who work in film, television and commercials and has jurisdiction over such popular prime-time series as "Grey's Anatomy" and "Lost." AFTRA, which has its roots in radio, represents local TV anchors, disc jockeys and even recording artists. The two may not be competing over the same work territory, but I'm sure the Hollywood bidwigs have ordered the champagne!