About the Exhibit
Behind Hollywood's Glamor
For over a century, Hollywood has shaped America’s popular culture. Through films, cartoons, and television shows, the industry has captivated and inspired generations of Americans. Hollywood has also done an exceptional job of romanticizing itself, encouraging people to view the industry through a glamorized lens. However, studying Hollywood’s labor history shows audiences that the industry’s history can be complex, unflattering, sometimes violent, and anything but a fairytale.
"Hollywood, Studios, and Unions: An Introduction" Display
2023
Introductory display case from the original 2023 physical exhibition featuring Hollywood film materials and archival items from California State University, Los Angeles and SAG-AFTRA.
Hollywood Labor Conflict
Strikes have plagued film, television, and animation studios as unions have sought to defend the rights and protections of Hollywood employees. However, unions have had their dangers too. Gangsterism and organized crime took advantage of the growing labor disputes in Hollywood, extorting millions from major studios who wished to avoid strikes. The fear of communism during the Cold War hindered Hollywood unions’ growth as federal and local governments targeted and blacklisted those who were believed to be communist sympathizers. The fight for jurisdiction between unions frequently complicated the fight for better wages and labor conditions, leading to bloody and deadly battles between pickets, scabs, gangsters, and the Los Angeles Police Department.
"A Glimpse into the Strikes that Reshaped Hollywood" Display
2023
Display case from the original 2023 physical exhibition examining the labor strikes and union movements that reshaped Hollywood throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Featured materials highlighted labor activism associated with organizations such as the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild.
Why This Exhibit Was Created
This digital exhibit was created to preserve and expand the physical exhibition that opened at California State University, Los Angeles Special Collections and Archives on May 19, 2023. At the time, Hollywood labor history was no longer just a subject from the past: the Writers Guild of America had already gone on strike, and SAG-AFTRA would soon follow. Bringing the exhibit online allows the original story to continue beyond the limits of the display cases while connecting earlier labor conflicts to the questions still shaping the entertainment industry today. Instead of focusing on Hollywood’s glamour alone, this exhibit looks behind the screen at the workers and unions whose struggles helped shape film, television, and animation.
"Lights, Camera, Labor!" Exhibition
2023
Installation view of the original 2023 physical exhibition “Lights, Camera, Labor!” displayed at California State University, Los Angeles' Special Collections and Archives. The exhibit examined the history of labor unions, strikes, and worker activism throughout Hollywood’s film, television, and animation industries.
From Physical to Digital
This digital exhibit is adapted from the physical exhibition displayed at California State University, Los Angeles’ Special Collections and Archives from May 19, 2023, to January 11, 2024. While the original exhibition was shaped by the limits of physical display cases, this digital version allows the project to reorganize, expand, and preserve the story for a wider audience. Not all materials from the physical exhibition are reproduced here, but selected images, documents, and exhibit photographs are included to represent the major themes of the original project. Special thanks to Valerie Yaros from the SAG-AFTRA Archives for her continued support of the project and guidance regarding select materials included in this digital version.
"Causes for Unionization!" Display
2023
Display case from the original 2023 physical exhibition examining some of the labor conditions, economic struggles, and workplace disputes that contributed to unionization and striking throughout Hollywood’s film, television, and animation industries.
Acknowledgements
This exhibit would not have been possible without the help and participation of various organizations and individuals. We thank the Library Special Collections at UCLA, Special Collections and Archives at California State University, Northridge, Azalea Camacho from the Special Collections and Archives at California State University, Los Angeles, Hilary Swett from the Writers Guild Foundation Archive, Valerie Yaros from the SAG-AFTRA Archives, and Tom Sito, author of Drawing the Line: The Untold Story of the Animation Unions from Bosko to Bart Simpson, for allowing the use of various items to be displayed in the physical version of this exhibit.
"Gangsterism vs. Communism" Display
2023
Display case from the original 2023 physical exhibition examining the conflicts surrounding jurisdictional disputes, organized crime, anti-communism, and corruption within Hollywood labor unions during the twentieth century.
"Lights, Camera, Labor!" Pamphlet
2023
Digital recreation of the original exhibition pamphlet distributed during the 2023 Hollywood labor strikes to promote “Lights, Camera, Labor!” at California State University, Los Angeles' Special Collections and Archives.
"Lights, Camera, Labor!" Pamphlet Interior
2023
Interior pages of the original exhibition pamphlet outlining the themes, historical topics, and labor conflicts explored throughout “Lights, Camera, Labor!” during its 2023 display at California State University, Los Angeles.