Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-11-06
Bioff Trial
Exposes Film
Shenanigans
indicates Suspicious
PeeIer Had for Years
By wEsTBROOK PEGLER


of the Hollywood movie
magnates in the trial of George
Browne and Willie Biof, the
underworld unioneers. has been
a source of comfort to me, for 1t
vindicates my conviction that
there was big story in Holly
wood in the Winter of 1888, even
though / did lay an egg on the
assignment.
The Hollywood assignment
was my own idea and IL cost a
lot of money and paid of in
peanuts.
/ doubt that any newspaper
reporter ever did worse and 1
remember that my revered en-
ployer felt the same way about
it. for he wired me. after quite a
while. to come on back.
There were sharp fumes OF
larceny in Hollywood about then,
which could be shifted in New
York when the wind was right,
but ! suppose was just naive.
First, l looked up Willie Bioff's
union in the Hollywood phone
book and found several listings
all at the same address and. Sc
lecting one at random, asked for
Mr.. Bioff.
At that time they were SPELL
ing his name Byoff and ! knew
nothing about him except that
he was supposed TO have a police
record in Chicago which. for
professional unioneer. would be
more a citation of merit than an
embarrassment.
GENERAL times / called Mr..
~ Byoff, and each time the
voice at the other end would
say. Nav, he amt around.
Nav, / dunno when he is going
TO be around. Nav, he don't
want TO talk to no reporters"
Then / went TO Pat Casey, the
labor relations man for the IN
dustry, and Mr.. Casey puzzled
me up by giving both Mr..
Browne and Mr.. Byoff a good
reputation.
He said they weren't gentle
men. but were pretty good
unioneers, nevertheless, who had
gougcd a few raises out of the
magnates for the studio workers,
hard hit by the long panic.
He said they were tough. but
that union agents had TO be
tough in dealing with these
movie capitalists.
How Mr.. Casey could have
been so innocent. he being so
smart and so long acquainted
with union relations in Holly
wood. I just don't know.
| A MOTHER day / went out TO
"A one OF the big studios.
/ wanted 10 see MIR. Joe
Schenck and the press agent
said he would fix il up for me
to have a few minutes of that
great mans busy day, but time
was awasting and he was awast-
ing Of IL, as I began TO notice as
the hours passed and my dead
line approached.
He took me to the commissary
for snack and some air banter
and then he took me around
several sets 10 see the actors in
their fascinating make-believe.
But l kept nagging him about
Mr.. Schenck and finally he got
me in.
Mr.. Schenck seemed 10 think
/ had come TO get his autograph
or ask him the secret of his
success. for he would not stay
on the subject OF union relations
or say anything against either
Browne or Byoff and in about
five minutes / was outside again.
/ recall that now because here
Mr.. Schenck had a chance to
expose Browne and Byoff and
get them off his neck, but he
acted as though he hardly knew
them.
A FEW days later an inter-
"A view was arranged with one
OF the Warner brothers.
/ forget which one, but re-
member that he was vague on
union relations and showed me
about his premises, which held
no interest for me, and. finally,
sat down and dictated a formal
statement which said. in SUBJ
stance. that he wasn't saying
anything.
A famous actress was a vice
president of the screen actors
and she agreed TO give me an
audience, but then said she
would have to confer with her
husband first.
L forget her name, honestly.
but the husband of the moment
was Franchot Tone.
l sent word back that If the
lady vice president of the union
couldn't speak on union relations
without being coached. why lust
skip it and save my time.
So l never met the famous
actress. Crawford, that was her
name.
The story was there all the
time.
Well. the story is still no more
than half told. but when this
trial is over there will be further
dispatches, you may be sure.
about the business morals Of the
men In the movie industry