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Design by A. H. Leman From the organizational skills of such mas- ters of the trade as Frank Borzage, Herbert Biberman, John Ford, Howard Hawks, Henry When solidarity began King, Rowland V. Lee, Ernst Lubitsch, for Hollywood’s film directors Rouben Mamoulian, Lewis Milestone, A. nearly sixty-four years ago, two Edward Sutherland, Frank Tuttle, W.S. evenings before Christmas, “Woody” Van Dyke, Richard Wallace and 1935, a dozen-plus directors William A. Wellman, who gathered that Vidor and the Guild’s founding have the Directors Guild, direc- Six decades, three headquar- gathered in a secret meeting at evening in Vidor’s home, grew what has fathers were rich men and the most tors—with the exception of a few ters, one very short strike and the home of King Vidor. the become one of the strongest, most influential respected filmmakers in the busi- mavericks—would be cut to pieces more than 10,000 members later, agenda for discussion was to and trend-setting forces in American enter- ness, but they realized that in order because the Directors Guild really the Guild has become the fore- deal with two threats to the tainment labor: The Directors Guild of to protect their rights, and those of stands behind its members and the most of Hollywood’s collective bar- standing of the filmmakers’ pro- America. their less-powerful fellow crafts- studios know it.” Milos Forman gaining units. The Guild member- fession — a possible unilateral The Guild incorporated in Sacramento, men, they must band together to called the DGA “one of the few ship has reaped wage and benefit slash in pay for all filmmakers by California on January 13, 1936, under the achieve common goals. truly noble institutions.” victories, a solid pension plan, studio moguls (who had made a name SDG, Inc. Two days later, at 29 strong, “First and foremost, the Guild is The Directors Guild is an organ- marked increases in residuals col- similar cut in 1933), and an the Screen Directors Guild met in a down- genuine protection,” the late ization that was born because of lections and creative rights edict issued by Paramount town Los Angeles office building to adopt Martin Ritt said on screen for the obstacles, and it grew and flour- achievements. Most importantly, Pictures to its contract direc- bylaws, elect a board of directors and install DGA-produced documentary on ished by tackling them. For the Directors Guild of America is tors to either accept movies as as its president Vidor, maker of such classics its history, Fifty Years of Action, in decades, the guild has used its the guardian of its members jobs assigned by the studio or else as The Big Parade (1925) and The Crowd 1986. The late Richard Brooks also hard-bought influence to combat and creative integrity. hit the street. (1928). emphasized the Guild’s protective roadblocks in the way of its mem- qualities in that film: “If you didn’t bers’ creative lives. 1931 The first discussion of the need of a guild 1938 • In January, King Vidor, Cecil B. took place on the sidewalk outside of the • D.W. Griffith receives the Guild’s DeMille, Frank Borzage and Lewis Roosevelt Hotel after a blanket salary cut first Honorary Life Membership Milestone sign a “Directors’ was proposed by the producers. Any indi- from Frank Capra. Declaration of Independence” and vidual who stood up with a contrary idea PICTURED, from left, John Ford, George plan to form an organization called or to propose that the executives take the Cukor, Guild legal counsel Mabel Walker the Directors Guild to produce qual- same cut was singled out as a target for Willebrandt, Rouben Mamoulian, Griffith, ity independent films. None of the penalty. The need for speaking as a group Sam Wood, W.S. Van Dyke, William Wyler, intended films were produced. was obvious. Capra, Leo McCarey and George Marshall. 1933 —King Vidor • Dorothy Arzner is the first woman director • Studio heads enact unilateral pay to join the Guild. cut for all filmmakers. • Screen Directors’ Guild represents 95 per- 1935 cent of film directors • In December, a dozen or so direc- and assistant directors tors hold a secret meeting at King in Hollywood. Vidor’s home to discuss organizing • The Guild goes to the NLRB in in order to prevent further economic Capra’s Power Play an effort to force the producers to cutbacks and increased control by the recognize the Guild as the bargaining studios. One night in 1935, a bunch of us directors gathered in The Screen Directors’ Guild was just gather- moguls agent for directors. The studios, ing momentum in the late 1930s, but the studios counted on apparently aware that the NLRB King Vidor’s living room to talk about our mutual prob- wouldn’t recognize it as the bargaining unit the awards 1936 lems. Now directors, because of the nature of their pro- which represented the people who actually for their pub- decision is going to go against them, • Screen Directors’ Guild created fession (some might say the cussedness of their natures, crafted the movies. licity value agree to recognize the Guild and According to his interview with Variety’s and couldn’t and incorporated as SDG, Inc. in too), are among the greatest individualists in the world. enter into a tentative agreement Dave Robb on the occasion of the Guild’s 50th afford a strike. covering directors and assistant Sacramento, California on January But all of us in that room realized the need to band anniversary, Frank Capra recalled that he changed Also at that time, the National Labor Relations 13. King Vidor is named first presi- together to protect the integrity of motion picture direc- the studios’ attitude with a power play that rever- Board (NLRB) was still deciding on the Guild’s case, directors. dent. berated throughout Hollywood. At the time, he was filed in 1938, claiming that the studios were obligat- tion. serving as president of the Academy of Motion ed to recognize it as a bargaining agent. Capra’s 1939 • SDG’s first offices are located in — John Ford Picture Arts and Sciences. threat, along with the studios’ increasing awareness the Crossroads of the World building Joseph Schenk, then president of Twentieth that the NLRB decision was going to go against • An AMPP agreement provides a Century-Fox, was also head of the Association of them, resulted in Schenk caving in. The AMPP head nine-year contract that can be rene- in Hollywood. Motion Picture Producers, and he refused to rec- told Capra that the studios would meet his demands ognize the SDG as a bargaining agent. To force and the SDG finally received blanket studio recog- gotiated after three years, providing 1937 such recognition, Capra called on Guild members nition on February 18, 1939. for an 80% Guild shop — meaning to strike and threatened not only to resign as As a coincidental bonus, Capra’s You Can’t Take that 80% of the studios’ directors • Screen Directors’ Guild admits Academy president, but also to instigate an ind- It With You (1938) was named the Oscar-winning and assistant directors would have to sutry-wide boycott of the Academy Awards, which Best Picture and he was named Best Director at Assistant Directors. Francisco were a week away on February 23, 1939. The that year’s Academy Awards. be SDG members. Creative rights “Chico” Day is the first Mexican- that directors won include the right American to join the Guild as an to be consulted on the cutting of the AD. film and to be consulted on the ADs Join Guild employment of principals. to those Darryl F. Zanuck, chairman of • Frank Capra elected president. kinds of the producers’ negotiating com- Joseph C. Youngerman, who grueling mittee, claimed that ADs and would serve the Guild for five hours, little UPMs were business and mana- decades (until his death in recognition gerial officers, not creative per- November 1995) — most of and low pay. sonnel. those years as executive secre- The ADs were admitted into the tary — was an assistant director process of admitting ADs and Guild in 1937. UPMs, however, on dozens of films in the 1930s UPMs into the Guild was not an went on to form their own guild, and ‘40s. He remembered one easy one. In 1937, the studios’ but eventually would merge with instance in 1927 in which he did- attorneys told the Guild that they the Directors Guild in 1964. n’t get to bed for seven days would not negotiate if those so- CAPRA while on location in Sonora, called “less creatively skilled” Mexico for Man Power. Assistant personnel were included in the 1930s directors and UPMs were used SDG. Twentieth Century-Fox’s 1941 1947 • George Stevens elected president. • William Wyler, left, receives the • With the U.S. joining the Allied Best Director Oscar for The Best Years Forces in World War II, many Guild of Our Lives (1946) from Billy 1940s Wilder, the previous year’s winner, members join the armed services. Several, such as Frank Capra, John who won for The Lost Weekend. Photo Ford, John Huston, William Wyler courtesy of the Wyler family. and George Stevens, make documen- • Radio and Television Directors tary films. Guild forms in New York. 1942 1949 • The 1939 AMPP agreement with • In January, president George the SDG appended to include mini- Stevens conducts a board meeting to mum salaries for directors. discuss upcoming contract negotia- tions.

1943 PICTURED clockwise, from behind the desk, • Mark Sandrich elected president. Stevens, William Wyler, Frank Capra, Cecil B. DeMille, John Ford, George Sidney, Irving 1944 Pichel, J. P. McGowan (executive secretary), Tay Garnett and King Vidor. • John Cromwell elected president. • The Screen Directors’ Guild Awards are established. The first Best 1945 Director Award is presented to • In June, the Educational and Joseph L. Mankiewicz and his AD, Benevolent Foundation is formed Gaston Glass, for A Letter to Three Wives with donations from several SDG at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in members. May. • In July, with some 150 members PICTURED, from left, George Stevens, who working in the Chicago and Detroit received the plaque for “Outstanding Service” areas, the Guild opens a Chicago as past president of the SDG; producer office and hires CBS production Darryl F. Zanuck, who accepted an award manager Richard W. Ortner to serve for Anatole Litvak; George Marshall, who as midwest executive secretary. was elected president of the SDG; Fred Zinneman, another award winner; and Joseph L. Mankiewicz, who won the Guild’s Directors in the first annual Achievement Award. Howard Hawks also won an award but was not able Armed Forces to attend.

During World War II, from 1941 to 1945, many Guild members served in the armed forces. While STEVENS some served in traditional roles, others worked as combat cameramen. A few directors, including Frank Capra, John Ford, William Wyler, George Stevens and John Huston, made documentary films to aid the war effort as part of the U.S. Army Signal Corps. Capra’s Why We Fight series was a landmark SANDRICH undertaking in the medium and footage from Ford’s The Battle of Midway and Wyler’s Memphis Belle would show up in other documentaries and fea- tures into the 1970s. Huston’s Let There Be Light, about shell- shocked soldiers in Army hospitals, is still counted among the most poignant anti-war pic- tures. CROMWELL 1950 • Joseph L. Mankiewicz elected pres- ident. • Joseph Youngerman named Guild executive secretary.

• In October, the infamous Cecil B. MANKIEWICZ DeMille/John Ford face-off occurs at a meeting at the Beverly Hills hotel. • Ida Lupino becomes the second woman director to join the Guild. • First television film contract is negotiated, which includes the direc- tor’s right to share in revenue from LUPINO filmed shows on commercial televi- sion. 1951 • George Sidney elected president. He would serve in this post for 2 years. • Screen Directors’ Guild Annual SIDNEY Awards begin conforming to the cal- endar year — and to the Academy Awards. 1952 • First free TV (FTV) to FTV residuals (2-3 runs only). 1953 Groundbreaking for the construction of the new • The first honorary D. W. Griffith Screen Directors’ Guild headquarters at 7950 Award, the Guild’s highest honor, is Sunset Boulevard is held on September 17, presented to Cecil B. DeMille, left, 1954. President George Sidney, with shovel, makes the ceremonial dig. Others in the photo- by president George Sidney. graph include Paul Guilfoyle, Milton Bren, • Director Robert Florey and assis- Clarence Brown, Fred Guiol, William Seiter, Reginald LeBorg, George Stevens, Lesley tant director Bruce Gowler win the Selander, Claude Binyon, Joseph Mankiewicz, Guild’s first Best Direction for Stuart Heisler, Frank Borzage, Norman Television Award for The Last Voyage. McLeod, Rouben Mamoulian, George Marshall, Leo McCarey, Rudolph Mate, Alfred Santell, L.B. Mayer and Howard W. Koch, kneeling. Two 1955 participants are unidentified. Frederick Lights is the first African-American stage • Screen Directors’ Guild sets up manager to join the Radio and Television Directors headquarters in its own building, Guild in New York in the mid-1950s including a private theater, at 7950 Sunset Boulvard in Los Angeles. 1958 • Residuals increases, FTV to FTV (2-6 runs). 1950s