Although writers and actors don’t make up all of Hollywood, it’s safe to say the entertainment industry has been in limbo since the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes began earlier this year (On March 20 and July 13, to be exact). After all, without writers to write new shows and movies, or actors to act in existing ones, new productions can’t continue until a deal is reached.
In a nutshell, the Guilds is striking against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) to restructure the residual payment agreement as well as asking for better working conditions. And although their asks don’t seem like a massive stretch given the studios’ massive profits, there’s no telling how long this strike could last. Weeks, months, years? Who knows!
So, as we continue to count all the A-list celebrities making an appearance at the picket line, or keep up with what celebrity opens up about their tiny residual checks next, we’ve decided to look back at the last time there was a double strike of the WGA and SAG. In fact, the last time WGA and SAG went on a strike together was in the first-ever double strike in 1960. And though times have changed since then, maybe some of the past could shape how this year’s strike turns out.
Find out all the details on the 60s strikes below!
How Did the 1960 Strikes Begin?
The first-ever double strike of the SAG and the WGA started, much like this year’s, with only the WGA at first. Per Time Magazine, the initial strike against the Alliance of Television Film Producers (or ATFP for short) began on January 16, 1960. In a nutshell, the WGA was asking for health and pension funds as well as increased wages and to get paid better residuals for their television reruns. Sounds familiar?
Two months later, on March 7, the SAG (the AFTRA merger only happened in 2012) began their strike. The actors, for their part, were picketing for better residuals from films sold to TV networks. According to SAG-AFTRA’s official website, the strike halted eight major productions including Elizabeth Taylor’s Butterfield 8, Gina Lollobrigida’s Go Naked in the World, Jack Lemmon’s The Wackiest Ship in the Army and Marilyn Monroe’s Let’s Make Love.
How Did it All End?
On April 18, SAG ended their strike after a deal was agreed upon. In addition to agreeing to pay residuals for all films made from 1960 and beyond, the agreement also gave the Guild a one-time payment from producers of $2.65 million. Per the SAG-AFTRA site, the lump payment went toward creating the Guild’s first Pension and Welfare Plan.
Two months later, on June 12, the WGA put down their signs after 22 weeks of striking and reached an agreement. Per the WGA‘s official page, the deal granted the first-ever motion picture residuals for writers which equaled to paying 1.2% of the license fee when features were licensed to television. The deal also guaranteed an independent pension plan, a 4% residual for television reruns and participation in an industry health insurance plan. Talk about a historic moment!
Who Was in Charge?
In 1960, the future president of the United States Ronald Reagan was SAG president (the position Fran Drescher currently holds) and was the lead in contract negotiations. As for the WGA leadership, writer Curtis Kenyon led the guild.
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