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Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists Guild, Local 839 Collection
URB.SCG  
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  • Historical Note:
  • Scope and Contents
  • Arrangement of Materials:
  • Electronic Format:
  • Conditions Governing Access:
  • Conditions Governing Use:
  • Immediate Source of Acquisition
  • Accruals:
  • Preferred Citation:
  • Processing Information:

  • Contributing Institution: Special Collections & Archives
    Title: Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists Guild, Local 839 Collection
    Creator: Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists Local 839, I.A.T.S.E.
    Identifier/Call Number: URB.SCG
    Physical Description: 4.28 linear feet
    Date (inclusive): 1937-1951
    Abstract: The Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists Guild was a professional guild and labor union of cartoonists and animators. The Guild, then known as the Hollywood Screen Cartoonists, held their first union meeting in 1937. Throughout its existence the Guild represented animators at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, the Walter Lantz Studios, Walt Disney Studios, and Terrytoon, Inc. The Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists Guild Collection contains historical records relating to the organization of the Guild, jurisdictional disputes, and its support and involvement in union strikes.
    Language of Material: English

    Historical Note:

    The Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists Guild, then known as the Hollywood Screen Cartoonists, held their first union meeting in 1937. A formal constitution was drafted in 1939, and the name Screen Cartoonists Guild (SCG) was adopted. In 1940, William Littlejohn became the Guild's president. After their first year as a union, the SCG represented cartoonists at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) and the Walter Lantz Studios. The Guild then consisted of approximately 115 members. Through successful collective bargaining, the SCG was able to significantly raise the average wage paid to the industry's animators.
    Walt Disney Studios, with its 700 potential members, soon became the SCG's major organizing target. Disney employees belonged to the Federation of Screen Cartoonists (FSC), an organization which the SCG identified as a "company union." The FSC and the Disney Studios' management vehemently denied these allegations by the SCG. The Guild's successful organizing drive of Disney cartoonists quickly lead to the 1940/1941 Disney strike. The strike resulted in a bitter defeat for Disney and the Federation, while becoming a decisive victory for the SCG.
    The SCG cast their lot with the Painters Union (International Brotherhood of Painters, Decorators and Paperhangers of America), an affiliate of the American Federation of Labor (A.F. of L.), but had to fight a jurisdictional battle with the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) for union recognition. The Hollywood Cartoonists then became Local 852 of the Painters Union.
    Having successfully organized the Hollywood industry, the SCG soon tackled the New York animation industry. In 1944, the SCG sent its organizers to New York City to form Screen Cartoonists, Local 1461. This move also proved to be a successful venture, although in 1951, Local 1461 became involved in a tough jurisdictional dispute with the I.A.T.S.E., which was then led by Roy Brewer.
    In 1947, the Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists Guild would face one of its first major defeats. Cartoonists in New Rochelle were asking for salaries comparable to those paid by other major studios. Not receiving satisfaction, the SCG organized a strike at Terrytoons, Inc. The cartoonists lost their fight in the strike, which lasted over twenty-eight weeks. Striking animators received support funding from other unions, but Terrytoons, Inc. was able to continue operating by hiring New Rochelle high school students to work during the strike.
    In 1952 the Screen Cartoonists Guild changed its name to the Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists, and in 2002 changed to The Animation Guild.

    Scope and Contents

    The Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists Guild, Local 839 Collection contains historical records relating to the organization of the Guild, jurisdictional disputes, and its support and involvement in union strikes. The bulk of the material found in the collection consists of by-laws, cartoons and sketches, correspondence, memorabilia, minutes, newspaper clippings, newsletters, notes for speeches, organizational leaflets and strike photographs. Of particular significance are the handbills, leaflets and photographs from the Walt Disney Strike of 1940/1941, extensive correspondence between union organizers Herb Sorrell and Pepe Ruiz, and records detailing the Terrytoon Strike of 1947. The collection has been divided into four series: Screen Cartoonists Guild, Local 839 (1937-1951), Federation of Screen Cartoonists (1939-1941), Walt Disney Studios' Strike (1941-1946), and Terrytoon, Inc. Strike (1945-1948).
    Series I, Screen Cartoonists Guild, Local 839, consists of the Guild's by-laws, constitutions, correspondence, leaflets, pamphlets and printed material. The series is arranged in alphabetical order by type of material and chronologically within each grouping.
    Series II, Federation of Screen Cartoonists, includes memorandums, printed material, organizational plans and statements. The material is arranged in chronological order.
    Series III, Walt Disney Studios' Strike, consists of by-laws and leaflets pertaining to the Disney strike. Also included is a speech given by Mr. Disney (circa 1941) to studio employees. Leaflets are arranged in chronological order.
    Series IV, Terrytoon, Inc. Strike, documents the strike's history through contracts, correspondence, financial records, minutes, newsletters and press releases. The series is arranged alphabetically according to the nature of the material and chronologically thereafter.

    Arrangement of Materials:

    Series I: Screen Cartoonists Guild, Local 839, 1937-1951
    Series II: Federation of Screen Cartoonists, 1939-1941
    Series III: Walt Disney Studios' Strike, 1941-1946
    Series IV: Terrytoon, Inc., Strike, 1945-1948

    Electronic Format:

    Digital reproductions of selected items in this collection are available electronically as a part of the San Fernando Valley History Digital Library.  

    Conditions Governing Access:

    The collection is open for research use.

    Conditions Governing Use:

    Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of this collection has been dedicated to the public. Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

    Immediate Source of Acquisition

    Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists Guild, 1980.

    Accruals:

    1981

    Preferred Citation:

    For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual, or see the Citing Archival Materials  guide.

    Processing Information:

    Dr. Leonard Pitt, 1981

    Subjects and Indexing Terms

    Documents
    Photographs
    Scrapbooks