80-YEAR ANNIVERSARY The Screen KING VIDOR 1938 >“Women’s dramatic sense is “Directors Guild DOROTHY invaluable to the motion picture was organized industry,” said Dorothy Arzner, solely by ARZNER whose contributions include and for the First Female 80 YEARS STRONG motion picture being the first female member Member 1933 >The formation of the Directors director…. We of the Directors Guild. In early A GUILD Guild had been percolating for a are not anti- Hollywood, Arzner was a typist, number of years. Amid nationwide anything: the screenwriter, editor, and ultimately, director. IS BORN labor unrest in the country, the Guild being She is believed to have developed the boom mic, studios had been squeezing directors formed for the enabling actors to move and speak more easily purpose of both financially and creatively. The first step toward in early talkies. At one time under contract to assisting and Paramount, Arzner is organizing a guild occurred in 1933 outside the Hol- improving the lywood Roosevelt Hotel, after a meeting in which best known for directing director’s work such strong personalities the studios announced a 50 percent across-the-board in the form of pay cut. After the meeting, King Vidor and a handful a collective as Clara Bow, Claudette of directors congregated on the sidewalk and knew body, rather Colbert, Katharine something had to be done. They understood, as Vidor than as an Hepburn, and Joan put it, “We must have a guild to speak [for us], and individual. Crawford in films such not the individual, who can be hurt by standing up as Honor Among Lovers “I worked on my for his rights.” That guild was born in late 1935 and ” (1931) and Christopher first project under Strong (1933). “Maintain her supervision. early 1936 at a series of secret And after—I think meetings attended by about 15 conscious control of your it was the second directors, the first a legendary medium—nothing ran- day—she sat there gathering at Vidor’s house on dom,” was her philoso- looking at me, Dec. 23. “What brought them phy. She later taught at nodding her head, the Pasadena Playhouse and said, ‘You’re together initially were issues re- going to be a lated to the treatment of direc- and UCLA, where she very successful “Solidarity is the tors and their creative rights,” inspired generations of director.’” hallmark of our said DGA National Executive filmmakers including —FRANCIS FORD strength. When Francis Ford Coppola. COPPOLA we are united, we Director Jay D. Roth. “And I DGA.org/Arzner are an indomitable think the issues that brought force—then, now, them together in 1935 are the and into the future.” same issues that directors deal —PARIS BARCLAY | with today. Those core issues President are still here.” 1933 - 1935 1936 1937 1938 Informal Talks Directors Meet to The Screen Directors SDG Admits ADs SDG >A group of directors meet outside the Roosevelt Hotel Form a Guild Guild Is Born Represents ➨ >About 15 directors hold >Articles of incorporation Francisco “Chico” Day to discuss forming a guild. secret meetings in late filed in Sacramento on 95 Percent of DGA.org/BeforeTheGuild 1935 and early 1936 at King Jan. 13, 1936. King Vidor Becomes the First Film Directors Vidor’s home to organize a is named first president. Mexican-American and ADs in union of directors. The first general member- Member of the Hollywood DGA.org/Founding ship meeting is held at the Directors Guild Hollywood Athletic Club. DGA.org/Day SDG’s first offices open in the Crossroads of the World building in Holly- wood. DGA.org/Founding King Vidor’s house in Coldwater Canyon, where a secret meeting on Dec. 23, 1935, resulted in the Visit links to the DGA website founding of the Guild. for more information. PHOTOS: (CLOCKWISE, TOP LEFT): AMPAS; EVERETT; BISON ARCHIVES; DGA AMPAS PHOTOS: (CLOCKWISE, TOP LEFT) JEFFREY MOSIER; AMPAS (2); L.A. PUBLIC LIBRARY 36 dga quarterly dga quarterly 37 80-YEAR ANNIVERSARY 1941-1945 >During World War II, Guild members GUILD AWARDS LAUNCHED THE WAR contributed to the war he announcement hit EFFORT effort, and directors the trades in August 1939 FRANK CAPRA Frank Capra, John T 1948. “Effective from >For three years—amid broken FIRST promises and bad faith—the Asso- Ford, William Wyler, last May 1, the Screen ciation of Motion Picture Produc- George Stevens, and John Huston were Directors Guild is establishing CONTRACT ers (AMPP) had refused to recog- enlisted to make documentaries on behalf awards to be presented quarterly nize the of the U.S. Army Signal Corps. In a 1942 for the best di- Directors Guild as a bargain- Christmas greeting, Guild President rected picture, ing unit. The case was still George Stevens told members, “[You] are and annually for the outstanding directorial pending before the National doing your part in finishing the biggest and achievement of the year,” wrote Variety under Labor Relations Board. At most important production on which you the banner headline “SDG Gives Own Awards.” the time, Frank Capra was have ever worked.” A kind of Declaration of Independence from DGA.org/WW2 the Academy, the awards were initiated to give serving as president of the “[Winning] this is “The opposing sides credit for outstanding work and enhance the Academy of Motion Picture truly an honor and of Hollywood’s I’m humbled by image of the director in the eyes of the indus- Arts and Sciences. Joseph M. moviemaking family being recognized try, the press, and the public. SDG President Schenck, then president of had reached a crucial by my peers. ... accord and a crucial George Marshall called it “a family affair” and 20th Century Fox, was lead- They do what I understanding. The said no one was more qualified to judge the ing the producers. Capra do so it means directors had their work of directors than directors themselves. “It threatened not only to resign everything.” Guild, their unity, as Academy president, but —ALFONSO isn’t that we’re dissatisfied with the Academy and their victory. CUARÓN | Awards,” said Marshall. “We just want awards of also to instigate an industry- So did the movies.” Winner of DGA Award our own judged on technique only.” wide boycott of the Academy —MARTIN SCORSESE for Gravity in 2013 Awards, which was just a From DGA Moments in Time week away. The moguls caved in and the Guild, representing 95 percent of George Stevens with directors and ADs in Hollywood, received blanket captured German studio recognition on Feb. 18, 1939. Capra was soldiers in 1945. elected president of At the first ceremony at the Hollywood the SDG. To top off Roosevelt Hotel, the victory, Capra’s President George “Thanks to the foresight of a small Marshall (center) filmYou Can’t Take group of directors seeking to offer poses with award recipients (from left) It With You won the compassionate assistance to fellow George Stevens, Academy Award for members in need, 70 years later, Darryl F. Zanuck best picture and best Some members were for calling an emergency the DGA Foundation continues (accepting for that vital mission, making sure that Howard Hawks), director. meeting of all directors and asking for a strike vote. I Fred Zinnemann, “ members facing financial crisis have suggested a more immediate power play: Disrupt the and Joseph L. somewhere to turn.” Mankiewicz, who upcoming Academy Awards banquet. —DON PETRIE | won for feature film. ” Directors Guild Foundation Chair 1939 - 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 Studios Recognize Minimum Salaries John Cromwell Educational George Stevens George Marshall Screen Directors the Guild Established Elected Guild and Benevolent Elected Guild Elected Guild Guild Awards Are ➨ DGA.org/Recognition >The 1939 AMPP agree- ment is appended to President Foundation Founded President for President Established >Serves 1944-1946 >Initially backed by a >Serves 1948-1950 DGA.org/1stAwards include minimum salaries $25,000 donation from Second Term >Serves 1946-1948 for directors. director Leo McCarey, today’s foundation offers no-interest, short-term loans to members experiencing financial hardship. It part- nered with the MPTF and UCLA in 2015 to establish the DGA Foundation Cog- Radio & Television Mark Sandrich nitive Wellness Program, a Directors Guild Forms research program exploring Elected Guild ways to delay the onset of in New York President dementia and Alzheimer’s Serves 1943-1944 George Stevens > symptoms. Elected Third Guild President Serves 1941-1943 PHOTOS: (CLOCKWISE, TOP RIGHT) DGA ARCHIVES (2); LANDOV/CBS; HOWARD WISE; AMPAS; FRAZER HARRISON/GETTY IMAGES FOR DGA > PHOTOS: DGA ARCHIVES; (TOP, RIGHT) EVERETT 38 dga quarterly dga quarterly 39 80-YEAR ANNIVERSARY NEW HEADQUARTERS 1955 1950 >In the midst of the McCarthy George Sidney (center, with shovel) and members era blacklist, Cecil B. DeMille’s break ground for the new headquarters at 7950 PENSION PLANS THE call for Guild members to sign Sunset Blvd. in 1954. I got King JOSEPH L. MANKIEWICZ Vidor and BLACKLIST a loyalty oath and his secret ESTABLISHED “ petition demanding the resig- George Stevens he DGA-Producer Pension Plan was born out of the Hol- and a few nation of President Joseph L. Mankiewicz brought over 300 members to a hotly lywood labor strife of the late 1950s over the reuse of fea- other past T ture films on television. The DGA was preparing to enter presidents and contested, emotionally draining seven-hour meet- negotiations in early 1960 when Republic Pictures broke a we put things ing at the Beverly Hills Hotel 12-year moratorium on exhibiting films on television without negotiat- together again on Oct. 22, 1950. With some ing a residual payment to any of the Hollywood guilds.