BUSINESS
January 17, 2012 | By Richard Verrier, Los Angeles Times
After a marathon meeting, Hollywood's two main actors unions took a historic step toward creating the largest and potentially most powerful entertainment union in the industry. Leaders of the 125,000-member Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, which has about 70,000 members, reached a merger agreement Monday after nine days of intensive talks at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel. If approved as expected by the union boards and memberships, the merger would end a decades-long competition between the two groups to organize actors.
BUSINESS
January 5, 2012 | By Richard Verrier, Los Angeles Times
Bruce Dow, the beleaguered chief executive of the Screen Actors Guild-Producers Pension and Health Plans, which have been rocked by allegations of misconduct, has taken a leave of absence. Dow has "requested and been granted a leave of absence from his duties," trustees for the plans said late Wednesday. In an interview, the veteran plan manager said he requested a 60-day break on medical grounds and is not resigning his post. The pension plans' chief operating officer, Christopher Dowdell, will take on day-to-day management responsibilities, the trustees said.
ENTERTAINMENT
December 15, 2011 | By Nicole Sperling, Los Angeles Times
Comedies are often the most talked-about movies of the year, but even the good ones are often overlooked when it comes to awards season. Hoping to buck the trend is "Bridesmaids," the raunchy, female-driven ensemble that racked up close to $170 million at the box office this summer, spawned a slew of copycat scripts and served as a touchpoint for a women-in-comedy discussion. The film received an unexpected boost Wednesday when it received two nominations from the Screen Actors Guild — one for performance by a cast and a supporting female actor nod for Melissa McCarthy.
ENTERTAINMENT
November 27, 2011 | By Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times
A panic-stricken middle-aged man, wearing little more than a gas mask and tighty-whities, is driving a dilapidated RV across the desert. Two unconscious bodies and a dead one slide around in the back — near his portable methamphetamine lab. He wants to make money before he dies of cancer. A slightly younger man, dressed in snug leather pants and a glittery top with a plunging neckline, is gyrating his hips for an arcade dance contest. He's doing the robot to a mix of "Sometimes When We Touch.
BUSINESS
September 23, 2011 | By Richard Verrier, Los Angeles Times
Screen Actors Guild President Ken Howard was overwhelmingly reelected to a second term as president of the 125,000-member union. Howard, who did not face serious opposition, won 75% of the votes, defeating three lesser-known candidates in the presidential contest: David Hillberg, Sharon Rubin and Asmar Muhammad. His victory is likely to add further momentum toward merging SAG with its smaller sister union, the American Federation of Television & Radio Artists. Howard and his supporters have campaigned heavily on combining the unions to give actors more clout in negotiations and end long-standing conflicts between the two groups.
BUSINESS
September 16, 2011 | By Richard Verrier, Los Angeles Times
A former employee of the Screen Actors Guild pension and health plans has filed a complaint alleging that he was fired for attempting to uncover an embezzlement scheme involving a previous executive of the funds. Craig E. Simmons, a former human resources executive with the SAG plans, alleges in a complaint filed this week with the Labor Department that he attempted to blow the whistle on a $5-million to $10-million embezzlement scheme by the funds' former chief information officer, Nader Karimi.