The Washington times., 1936-04-18
Farming Out Of Film Actors
For Profit Only Causes
More Discomfort
By ANDREW r. KELLEY


Trick options that provide protection or feeling Of
security for the actor and farming out" by producers
appear to be at the bottom Of most of the Hollywood
tract discomfort
This week Ginger Rogers won a revision Of her contract
with RKO-Radio pictures and recently the agreement
with Shirley Temple revised upward by Fox These
exceptional They stars who at the
pinnacle of and in the position to dictate Others
Of less box office Importance not fortunate though
the merit Of their claim is substantial
What the actors claim, and not without valid proof is
that the contract works They legally bound
for the stipulated time Of the bond generally year. but
the options for future service be picked dropped
the discretion Of the producer and the actor has nothing
to say about it.
That course why they describe the anxious period
in hollywood actors career option time" He she
is literally the 'hot sea until the word he is
hired again fired depending entirely the wishes
whims of the producer.
It thus gets down to the cold hard fact that ongterm
Hollywood contract very little except to give the
actor chance to do bit Of boasng It is in reality
agreement with flock off, options that
nothing, unless the producer wants them to
thing.
Farming out" is another source of continual
grumbng and discomfort studio for instance that has
a star under contract who deemed desirable by another
producer has the right loan mortgage the actor
rival employer at such he deems fair for his
exchequer.
Here's how works actor described to He is
Gin demand figure in Hollywood, bound to longterm
The studio lends him for "bts" with other
companies and has been able to fix this farming
pensaon that they have the actors services for such
Of their features they desire without cost Naturally
the is dissatisfied and unhappy He feels that he
should share in the profit that the employer realizes
this outside service
Another actor of my acquaintance is under contract to
producer at ST. 500 week. He recently raised from
$1,000. Last year he twice 'farmed out" at
$1,000 week for 10 weeks and another occasion for
eight weeks at O0O The not complaining, since
his employer tossed him substantial bonus each ou
side job" but he says that his is exceptional
It is possible to half dozen other instances where
actors loaned to rival studios for substantial
of which they derived not penny and which the
ployer realized handsome profit.
Under the California laws the studios permitted
goate contracts for period Of Thus
they take talent in the bud sign them these
ments for the trivial allotted to the beginner and keep
them in actual servtude through the binding option clauses
Off the pay roll they should they become begeren and
other studio doors barred until they to terms
Seven years average life the movies That is very
few actors actresses remain in the top money privileged
class that length Of time Popularity audiences be-
tired of familiar faces perhaps they become stout
wrnkled and their pictorial value is lesened Accordingly
the sevepyear ongerm contract binds the average Holly
wood actor the full time when his her services will be
in most active demand.
So the Hollywood against meaningless options is
and stars already suffering term in the dog
house, because they object to being farmed out for profit
without voice in the producer deals Out of it ALL is
hoped will better and equitable contract for the