by Jake Friedman
BabbittBlog: The Official Blog of an Animation Legend
Posted on October 9, 2016
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Let’s talk about the mob for a minute.
There was a man named Willie Bioff. He was a member of Al Capone’s gang, as was his partner, George Browne. They were both top men of the Hollywood stagehands’ union, the IATSE (International Alliance for Theatrical Stage Employees). Browne, a tall Irishman, was the national head; Bioff, a stocky Russian man, was the head of the southern California branch. In the 1930’s, Bioff’s name became synonymous with Hollywood labor corruption. In the eyes of the Disney company, this man had the potential of being both villain and hero.
04 Nov 1955, Phoenix, Arizona, USA --- Original caption: Phoenix, Arizona: This is a copy photo of Willie Bioff, famous Chicago mobster of the Al Capone school. He was blown to bits today in Phoenix, Arizona, when he stepped on the starter of his truck and the vehicle exploded. --- Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS
So who was Willie Bioff?
Born in Odessa around 1900,...
Odessa is a city in western Texas.
Downtown, Jack Ben Rabbit is an 8-foot-tall statue of a jackrabbit. Another 37 Jamboree Jackrabbits dot the city. The Presidential Archives and Leadership Library exhibits presidential memorabilia.
The University of Texas of the Permian Basin's Stonehenge is a replica of the famous English site. To the southwest, meteorite fragments are on display at the Odessa Meteor Crater.
-- About Odessa, by sunrisepixel.com
... young Willie Bioff moved with his family to the outskirts of Chicago. In 1922, he was charged with pandering – i.e. running a speakeasy/brothel – for mobster Jack Zuta,...
John U. "Jack" Zuta (February 15, 1888[1] – August 1, 1930) was an accountant and political "fixer" for the Chicago Outfit.
Zuta (also spelled as "Zoota") was born on February 18, 1888, in Russia to a peasant family of Jewish descent. He immigrated to the United States around 1913. Living in Chicago, Zuta worked as a junk dealer on the West Side before becoming involved in prostitution. He eventually operated several brothels on west Madison Street. However he was put out of business by competition from Mike "The Pike" Heitler and the Guzik Brothers, Harry and Jake "Greasy Thumb" Guzik.
Zuta began working for Al Capone in the mid-1920s. He helped contribute $50,000 of Capone's money to Chicago Mayor William Hale Thompson's reelection campaign in 1927. However, Zuta defected to Bugs Moran's North Side Gang during the gang war between Capone and Moran.
In June 1930, Zuta supposedly ordered the death of Chicago Tribune reporter Jake Lingle after Lingle tried to extort money from Moran's gambling operations. After the murder (for which Leo Vincent Brothers was convicted), Zuta was questioned by police. He was released the next day. While being given a police escort the police cruiser was fired on by several unidentified gunmen. The attackers killed two bystanders before being driven off by police. Zuta fled Chicago, moving to Upper Nemahbin Lake, west of Milwaukee, living the last month of his life under the name "J. H. Goodman". Zuta was shot to death on August 1, 1930, in a roadhouse in Delafield, Wisconsin. He is buried in the Jewish cemetery located in Middlesboro, Kentucky.
Zuta's death resulted in the uncovering of a large amount of corruption in Illinois. Zuta, a meticulous record keeper, had much information later found in various safe deposit boxes. This information lead to the capture of a large whiskey shipment to Moran and to information about police raids on several breweries, as well as detailing Mafia payoffs to state and city officials.
Some of the officials implicated were:
• Chicago Alderman Dorsey Crowe
• Board of Education executive Nate DeLue
• Judge Joseph W. Schulman
• ex-Judge Emanuel Eller
• Chicago Police sergeant Martin C. Mulvihill
• Evanston Police Chief William O. Freeman
• Illinois Senator Harry W. Starr
All denied involvement, however, particularly Crowe and Starr, who claimed the money was part of campaign contributions. The name, "Zuta", later became slang for revenge. In 1931, after a $50,000 bounty was placed on him, Capone said, "Nobody's gonna' 'Zuta' me."
-- Jack Zuta, by Wikipedia
... but he never served his jail time. In early 1933 he was arranging to limit the poultry market in Chicago (i.e. making sure some chicken vendors didn’t sell their wares, and getting a cut of those who did). Then he met George Browne. In 1933 Browne was a card-carrying member of the IATSE. They figured out if they could get enough projectionists from a local movie theater chain to threaten a strike, the owner would pay them off. To their reasoning, it would cost the theater more to endure a strike than to grease their palms. A lot more. Tens of thousands more.
THE INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Thirty-Three
July, 1934
INTRODUCING GEORGE E. BROWNE
New President of the International Association of Theatrical Stage Employees and Motion Picture Machine Operators of the United States and Canada
At the recent convention of the I.A.T.S.E. & M.P.M.O. of the United States and Canada, George E. Browne, for many years business representative of Stage Hands Local No. 2, Chicago, was unanimously elected President of the I.A.T.S.E. and M.P.M.O. to succeed William Elliott.
Mr. Browne was formerly First Vice-President of the I.A.T.S.E. and M.P.M.O. during the administration of Former President Canavan. He resigned from that office at the I.A.T.S.E. and M.P.M.O. Convention, which met in Los Angeles several years ago, in order to give all his time to the affairs of his own Local.
Too much cannot be said in praise of the new President. He is a thorough Union man and is a master of the principles of Unionism. He particularly understand the problems of the great organization of which he had the honor to be the head and those who know him will say that he not only understand the problems, but that he has the courage, ability and vision to solve them.
He is firm. He is absolutely trustworthy. He is loyal to the body over which he presides and he demands loyalty in return. President Browne, though a man of decision and firm in his judgments, is nevertheless a diplomat and his reputation for fair dealing has done much to bring him the great popularity he enjoys.
Moreover, the new executive is a man of action and of ideas and he does not wait for anybody to take the initiative. In brief, he goes and he gets. The latch-string at 659 and at the International Photographer, President Browne, will always be hanging out if ever you come to our fair city. And – we hope you’ll be a long time President.
One of Al Capone’s top wiseguys, Frank Rio, got wind of this and enlisted them to the gang, kinda by force: It was either join Capone and get protection and a percentage, or drop it all together and get squat. So Bioff and Browne stayed on. In 1934, Rio helped Browne get elected as the national head of IATSE, and Browne hired Bioff as his West Coast representative.
Now Bioff and Browne did what they were doing before – threatening strikes for stagehands and projectionists unless theater owners and studio heads paid up – except on a much grander scale. In 1935, RKO and Leow’s paid Bioff and Browne $150k. In 1936, Bioff moved to Los Angeles, where he ran a Studio Basic Agreement meeting. It was there that representatives from every movie studio committed to paying him a total of $500k over two years. In 1937 RKO and Leow’s paid him $100k. By the end of 1937, IATSE local 37, the Hollywood branch of IATSE run by Bioff, had spent two years taking $200k from mere members in dues alone.
Whether this was blackmail (Bioff did this against studios’ wishes) or bribery (Bioff cooperated with studios to disenfranchise union members) is still a debate. In either case, Bioff had built up a reputation around Hollywood as the leader of both the absolute largest, and most corrupt, Hollywood union.
The way Babbitt tells it in 1942 is like this: It was in November 1937. His friend and colleague (and fellow liberal) Dave Hilberman showed him an article in Time magazine about Bioff increasing his hold on Hollywood unions. At the time Hilberman was an animation assistant under Babbitt’s best friend, Bill Tytla. Babbitt wanted to stop Bioff and the IATSE from signing up anyone in the Disney studio. At the behest of Bill Garity, the production control manager, Babbitt went to the top of the top: the business head and Walt’s brother, Roy O. Disney.
Roy pointed Babbitt to Gunther Lessing, the studio’s head legal council, board member, and future vice president of the company. Together Lessing and Babbitt formed a group called the FEDERATION OF SCREEN CARTOONISTS. For Lessing, this was an attempt for an informal social organization just to block the Bioff. For Babbitt, this was a chance to create a union to represent the Disney employees.
Blocking Bioff seemed like a great idea: renown columnist Westbrook Pegler published an exposé on Bioff in November 1939 that solidified his villainy in the public eye. This exposé, in part, led to Bioff’s and Browne’s federal indictment on May 23rd, 1941.
For Disney unionists, things went to shit in 1941.
The FEDERATION’s true position – keeping the management’s best interests at heart – became abundantly clear by early 1941. And a bona fide independent union, the SCREEN CARTOONISTS GUILD demanded union representation for the Disney employees.
And then the Disney strike hit on Wednesday, May 28, 1941.
According to many strikers, the energy of the first month of the strike was light. There were hopes for a quick outcome, and there was trust in the company. After a month, though, there was a serious shift.
Bioff was granted a delay of his trial in Washington, as well as permission to return to Los Angeles temporarily. Why?
In a twist befitting a scripted soap opera, the GUILD went into a negotiation meeting the evening of July 1 with Roy Disney, Gunther Lessing, and sitting between them was… Willie Bioff. Roy and Bioff had drafted a settlement deal at Bioff’s ranch earlier that day (some report the previous day), with hope that the strikers would sign.
HERE ARE ANSWERS TO SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS
1. THE NATIONAL AFL BOYCOTT IS STILL ON AND IS SPREADING. Disney film will have a dwindling market in the U.S. or Canada, even though it may be edited and developed. With a restricted market on Disney film, where will your future paychecks come from?
2. THE GUILD HAS NOT SPLIT INTO TWO FACTIONS. The membership of the Guild has never been stronger, and no Guild member is going to work in the studio until the strike is over.
3. THE GUILD HAS NO INTENTION OF JOINING THE C.I.O. The Guild is receiving full moral and financial support from the AFL and has no need to apply elsewhere for assistance. All branches of the Guild and all sympathizers are still aiding the strike in every way and will continue to do so.
4. EVEN IATSE MEMBERS ORDERED BACK TO WORK BY BIOFF ARE IN SYMPATHY WITH THE GUILD’S STAND AND HAVE PLEDGED FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO THE GUILD FOR THE DURATION OF THE STRIKE.
HERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO ANSWER
1. Do you remember when Walt said employees could join any organization of their own choosing?
2. Did Walt have your consent and approval when he signed contracts placing you under Bioff’s jurisdiction?
3. Have you read the constitution and by-laws of your new union?
4. Will you be able to vote Bioff out of office?
5. Are you so sure of your job with Disney that you know you will work there forever? Remember all the other studios have signed closed shop contracts with the Guild you are now fighting.
Screen Cartoon Guild
1441 N. McCadden Pl.
Hollywood, Calif.
Babbitt remembered, probably on June 30, being “asked” to get in a car and being driven to Bioff’s ranch. There was Roy, Lessing, Bill Garity, and Bioff himself. Bioff made him a generous offer individually: a hefty payout to just disappear – to take a permanent camping trip, and continue to receive paychecks. Babbitt refused. “I already have more money than I know what to do with,” he said.
Besides Babbitt, the Guild negotiation committee included Dave Hilberman and Herb Sorrell. Sorrell was the business representative of the Guild’s parent union, the Moving Picture Painters Local 644, as well as the Disney Strike’s business manager.
IT’S A DEAL
DISNEY-BIOFF
IT’S A DEAL BETWEEN WALT DISNEY AND WILLIE BIOFF, EX-PANDERER AND NOTORIOUS RACKETEER, TO BREAK THE STRIKE OF THE DISNEY ARTISTS FOR UNION RECOGNITION.
For seven weeks Disney Artists on Strike have tried to get Disney to sit down and negotiate with them.
Instead Disney negotiated a deal with Bioff dominated Unions representing less than ten per cent (10%) of his employees in an effort to break the Strike of his Artists representing more than fifty per cent (50%) of his employees.
DOES THIS MEAN THAT DISNEY WOULD RATHER DO BUSINESS WITH A RACKETEER THAN WITH HIS OWN ARTISTS?
PROTEST DISNEY’S DEAL WITH A RACKETEER WHO DOES NOT REPRESENT THE TRUE SPIRIT OF AMERICAN LABOR UNIONS.
HELP US WIN A CLEAN SETTLEMENT AND END OUR STRIKE.
DO NOT PATRONIZE THEATRES SHOWING DISNEY PICTURES.
Screen Cartoonists Guild
Local 852
1441 McCadden Place
Hollywood, Calif.
WALT CAN NOT BIOFF US!
Do you know the deal that was about to be perpetrated on the Disney employees – Guild and non-Guild alike!
Do you know at whose ranch-house Walt Disney spent last Sunday!
Do you know the proposals that the Disney unit was asked to countenance at its meeting Tuesday!
Do you know the agreement that Walt Disney was willing to enter into to save his face – but not yours!
Do you know about the “negotiation” meeting for which Walt and his new “chum” waited in vain last night!
Do you know WHO this chum of Walt’s is?
Let us tell you!
He is none other than Mr. Willie Bioff, convicted panderer, ex-convict who is at present out on $50,000 bail on a charge of extortion.
ASK WALT ABOUT THIS!
The meeting began with discussions about back pay, and re-hire discrimination, although there were “many inquiries as to why Bioff was in the picture.” Bioff attempted to dictate the terms of the final contract, and also demanded that Hilberman leave the negotiating committee. The Guild left the meeting understanding that an agreement would be further negotiated in the Roosevelt Hotel, a frequent meeting spot for the Strike. Then the company reps returned to advise the Guild that the meeting would not continue in the hotel – but at Bioff’s ranch.
Sorrell called a halt – and addressed the strikers en masse in a huge meeting, to a “thunderous ovation.” They voted unanimously to take no part in any negotiations that included Willie Bioff.
TO ALL DISNEY ARTISTS
Last night the studio signed a blanket agreement with Willie Bioff!
In doing so the studio handed the whole personnel over to the most vicious racketeer in the history of the motion picture labor movement.
A man who has just finished a six months sentence for pandering. A man who is under Federal indictment for income tax evasion and extorting $550,000 from major film companies.
Walt promised to take care of you people inside.
Is this the way?
Last week Bioff told two of us that either we string along with him, OR he would “take over” our union and the WHOLE STUDIO.
In defiance of this threat, feeling that we were fighting for something more than a contract, feeling that we could not hand over the animated cartoon industry to this Chicago hoodlum, we turned down this or ANY deal that Willie was a party to.
We did this after five weeks of being on strike.
Then we tried to negotiate directly with the studio – and were turned down!
Yesterday Bioff made good half his threat.
He “took over” the studio.
BUT HE’S NOT GOING TO TAKE OVER US!
We are fighting now! Harder than ever! We’ll stick out on this line – if it takes all summer – before we see this gangster rule the artists in the motion picture industry like he rules the technicians.
We’d like you to help us fight him.
The danger to you is as great as the danger to us.
BIOFF IS OUR COMMON ENEMY!
The disappointment: discovery that the contract was a behind-the-scenes deal engineered with Walt Disney by William Bioff, a labor man who is being prosecuted by the government for alleged union racketeering, and that the Cartoonists negotiators were to accept it and sign it, but not to question any detail.
All strikers were called together in an emergency meeting to consider the proposed deal. Even the 24-hour picketlines were withdrawn from the Disney studio so that every striker might hear the terms offered. The strikers boood the intervention of Bioff and repudiated the undercover attempt to put over a contract without its democratic submission to the strikers.
The next day an ad appeared in the daily industry trade paper, Variety:
Walt Disney,
Burbank, Calif.
Dear Walt:
Willie Bioff is not our leader.
Present your terms to our elected leaders, so that they may be submitted to us and there should be no difficulty in quickly settling our differences.
Your Striking Employes.
On July 3, Roy Disney was left with no alternative but to contact Washington DC. At the end of his rope, he requested a federal arbitrator to settle the Strike once and for all.
THE DISNEY STRIKE IS STILL ON!
STUDIO UNIONISTS HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW THE REASON
Seven weeks ago, 472 members of the Screen Cartoonists, local 852, went on strike for:
1. Recognition of their union
2. Reinstatement of 19 Guild members fired for union activity.
3. A fair, honorable contract.
THEY ARE STILL ON STRIKE FOR THESE OBJECTIVES
The studio has consistently refused to meet with its striking artists.
Last week Roy Disney and Gunther Lessing, studio vice-presidents, met with Willie Bioff, ex-convict now under Federal indictment for extorting $550,000. Through Bioff an offer was made to the Guild for the settlement of the strike.
That offer constituted then, and does now, a fair basis for negotiations. No honest, American trade union, however, could accept the conditions for acceptance that Bioff placed upon the Guild.
First, Willie attempted to dictate the terms of the contract.
Secondly, he demanded the right to hand-pick the members of the Guild negotiating committee.
Failure to accept these provisions, Bioff warned, would result in the withdrawal of IATSE support of the strike.
When the Bioff Deal was disclosed to the membership of the Guild, they voted unanimously, “NOT TO ENTER ANY AGREEMENT TO WHICH BIOFF WAS A PARTY.”
IS WILLIE THE INDISPENSABLE MAN?
The Painters proved in their 1937 strike that workers united in an honest determination to win their legal rights could gain a victory – even in the motion picture business.
We intend to prove again that the workers in this industry CAN obtain their rights without the intervention of Willie Bioff.
We want to make it clear however, that our fight is primarily with Walt Disney. Willie is only secondary.
Walt can settle this strike tomorrow if he will bargain collectively with his employees as the Wagner Act requires him to do.
THE DISNEY STRIKE IS YOUR STRIKE!
The fight of the Screen Cartoonists is the fight of every man and woman in the motion picture industry.
If Walt breaks this strike, the cause of militant trade unionism will be set back ten years. If contracts in Hollywood can be won only through the intercession of Willie Bioff – the day of honest unionism is done.
Bioff is not the voice of the IATSE nor of the organized labor movement in Hollywood.
THE DISNEY STRIKE IS THE FIGHT FOR THE AMERICAN RIGHT OF ORGANIZATION AND FOR HONEST UNIONISM.
It must and will be won!
YOU CAN HELP
Your donations are urgently needed by the 472 artists and their families on strike. Send them with your name and local to the SCREEN CARTOON GUILD headquarters, 1441 N. McCadden Place, Hollywood, Cal.
Arbitrators arrived at the Disney lot. The final agreement between Walt Disney Productions and the Disney Strikers was signed on July 30, 1941, with no help from Bioff. On September 16, work at the Disney company resumed.
So yes, the Walt Disney company briefly had dealings with an indicted felon – the very felon they were trying to defend against. Bioff and Browne were convicted for extortion on November 6 and sentenced to ten and eight years behind bars, respectively.
The Disney studio was able to eventually bounce back, as did Bioff, for a time. In 1942 he agreed to cooperate with federal investigators to lessen his sentence, and he was released in 1944. He joined the witness protection program, and moved with his wife to Phoenix under the surname “Wilson.”
Then on the morning of November 4, 1955 Bioff turned the ignition of his car in the driveway and blew up. The mob had finally caught up with him.
[For more on Bioff, check out Shadow of the Racketeer by David Witwer.]
Jake Friedman is an author and artist. He studied animation at NYU’s Tisch school of the Arts, and was an artist for animated television shows on Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel, as well as Saturday Night Live, the independent film Sita Sings the Blues and the 2013 feature from Blue Sky Studios, Epic. He has been the east coast correspondent for Animation Magazine, and has contributed over 60 articles for publications like the Huffington Post, the Philadelphia Daily News, Animation Mentor.com and Animation World Network. He currently splits his time between writing and teaching art in the college classroom.
In 2011 he was authorized by the estate of Art Babbitt to be Babbitt’s official biographer. His first book on animation will be on the shelves in 2014. His biography on Art Babbitt will be his second book.
(He is also the result of a “picket romance” between two striking school teachers)