Russ Tamblyn in Los Angeles on April 14, 2023.Photo:Jon Kopaloff/GettyActorRuss Tamblynhas experience with Hollywood strikes.TheWest Side Storystar, 88, lived through the last time both the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and theWriters Guild of America (WGA)were on strike in 1960. In an exclusive chat with PEOPLE, Tamblyn recalls that while he was in the Army for most of that strike, he fully backed both the effort from 63 years ago, and does in 2023 as well.“I have been a proud member of the Screen Actors Guild since 1949,” says theOscarnominee andGolden Globe Awardwinner, who is also the father of actress and writerAmber Tamblyn.And although he is now retired from acting — and working on his memoir — Russ adds, “I still believe that the big studios and the big people with the moneyare just being greedy. And I think that they should give a break to the actors and the writers, and just share a little more.““They’re not asking for the same amount as the heads that are making millions — the CEOs who are making really a lot of money,” he tells PEOPLE.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.Russ Tamblyn picketing at Sony Pictures Studios on July 28, 2023.Bonnie Murray TamblynRuss also recalledRonald Reagan’s SAG presidency, an office he first held from 1947 to 1952. He returned to lead the union once again in 1959 and through the 1960 SAG strike, which lasted five weeks that year, according toThe Washington Post. (The WGA strike lasted from January to June.)The deal that was finally struck between SAG and Hollywood studios included a stipulation that actors would only receive residuals for films made in 1960 and later — which negatively impacted many in the industry, including Russ.“I was pretty upset when I found out that Reagan gave away the residuals for actors that worked in the 1940s and the 1950s,” Russ says. “Because I did most of my films, most of them in the 1950s.““So that really cut me out of the loop, and I thought it was pretty crappy,” adds thePeyton Placeactor.Russ and Amber Tamblyn in New York City on May 21, 2017.Mark Sagliocco/GettyRuss, who’s also well known for his appearance in the 1954 musicalSeven Brides for Seven Brothers, praises SAG-AFTRA presidentFran Drescherfor her “passionate” speechannouncing the strikelast week, and says she’s “doing a great job” in her leadership role.He also gives props to daughter Amber, 40, who has been “extremely involved” — particularly in the WGA strike, as she is a writer herself who recentlypublished an interviewwith national vice president of SAG-AFTRA’s Los Angeles chapter, Michelle Hurd, about the strike.“And one of [Amber’s] best friends is a writer, too. So she was really involved with that,” Russ says.Asked for any words of wisdom he would give those on the picket lines today, he tells PEOPLE, “My advice would be just to stay in there and keep striking.““And don’t sell out like Ronald Reagan did,” he adds.
Russ Tamblyn in Los Angeles on April 14, 2023.Photo:Jon Kopaloff/Getty
Jon Kopaloff/Getty
ActorRuss Tamblynhas experience with Hollywood strikes.TheWest Side Storystar, 88, lived through the last time both the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and theWriters Guild of America (WGA)were on strike in 1960. In an exclusive chat with PEOPLE, Tamblyn recalls that while he was in the Army for most of that strike, he fully backed both the effort from 63 years ago, and does in 2023 as well.“I have been a proud member of the Screen Actors Guild since 1949,” says theOscarnominee andGolden Globe Awardwinner, who is also the father of actress and writerAmber Tamblyn.And although he is now retired from acting — and working on his memoir — Russ adds, “I still believe that the big studios and the big people with the moneyare just being greedy. And I think that they should give a break to the actors and the writers, and just share a little more.““They’re not asking for the same amount as the heads that are making millions — the CEOs who are making really a lot of money,” he tells PEOPLE.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.Russ Tamblyn picketing at Sony Pictures Studios on July 28, 2023.Bonnie Murray TamblynRuss also recalledRonald Reagan’s SAG presidency, an office he first held from 1947 to 1952. He returned to lead the union once again in 1959 and through the 1960 SAG strike, which lasted five weeks that year, according toThe Washington Post. (The WGA strike lasted from January to June.)The deal that was finally struck between SAG and Hollywood studios included a stipulation that actors would only receive residuals for films made in 1960 and later — which negatively impacted many in the industry, including Russ.“I was pretty upset when I found out that Reagan gave away the residuals for actors that worked in the 1940s and the 1950s,” Russ says. “Because I did most of my films, most of them in the 1950s.““So that really cut me out of the loop, and I thought it was pretty crappy,” adds thePeyton Placeactor.Russ and Amber Tamblyn in New York City on May 21, 2017.Mark Sagliocco/GettyRuss, who’s also well known for his appearance in the 1954 musicalSeven Brides for Seven Brothers, praises SAG-AFTRA presidentFran Drescherfor her “passionate” speechannouncing the strikelast week, and says she’s “doing a great job” in her leadership role.He also gives props to daughter Amber, 40, who has been “extremely involved” — particularly in the WGA strike, as she is a writer herself who recentlypublished an interviewwith national vice president of SAG-AFTRA’s Los Angeles chapter, Michelle Hurd, about the strike.“And one of [Amber’s] best friends is a writer, too. So she was really involved with that,” Russ says.Asked for any words of wisdom he would give those on the picket lines today, he tells PEOPLE, “My advice would be just to stay in there and keep striking.““And don’t sell out like Ronald Reagan did,” he adds.
ActorRuss Tamblynhas experience with Hollywood strikes.
TheWest Side Storystar, 88, lived through the last time both the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and theWriters Guild of America (WGA)were on strike in 1960. In an exclusive chat with PEOPLE, Tamblyn recalls that while he was in the Army for most of that strike, he fully backed both the effort from 63 years ago, and does in 2023 as well.
“I have been a proud member of the Screen Actors Guild since 1949,” says theOscarnominee andGolden Globe Awardwinner, who is also the father of actress and writerAmber Tamblyn.
And although he is now retired from acting — and working on his memoir — Russ adds, “I still believe that the big studios and the big people with the moneyare just being greedy. And I think that they should give a break to the actors and the writers, and just share a little more.”
“They’re not asking for the same amount as the heads that are making millions — the CEOs who are making really a lot of money,” he tells PEOPLE.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories.
Russ Tamblyn picketing at Sony Pictures Studios on July 28, 2023.Bonnie Murray Tamblyn
Bonnie Murray Tamblyn
Russ also recalledRonald Reagan’s SAG presidency, an office he first held from 1947 to 1952. He returned to lead the union once again in 1959 and through the 1960 SAG strike, which lasted five weeks that year, according toThe Washington Post. (The WGA strike lasted from January to June.)
The deal that was finally struck between SAG and Hollywood studios included a stipulation that actors would only receive residuals for films made in 1960 and later — which negatively impacted many in the industry, including Russ.
“I was pretty upset when I found out that Reagan gave away the residuals for actors that worked in the 1940s and the 1950s,” Russ says. “Because I did most of my films, most of them in the 1950s.”
“So that really cut me out of the loop, and I thought it was pretty crappy,” adds thePeyton Placeactor.
Russ and Amber Tamblyn in New York City on May 21, 2017.Mark Sagliocco/Getty
Mark Sagliocco/Getty
Russ, who’s also well known for his appearance in the 1954 musicalSeven Brides for Seven Brothers, praises SAG-AFTRA presidentFran Drescherfor her “passionate” speechannouncing the strikelast week, and says she’s “doing a great job” in her leadership role.
He also gives props to daughter Amber, 40, who has been “extremely involved” — particularly in the WGA strike, as she is a writer herself who recentlypublished an interviewwith national vice president of SAG-AFTRA’s Los Angeles chapter, Michelle Hurd, about the strike.
“And one of [Amber’s] best friends is a writer, too. So she was really involved with that,” Russ says.
Asked for any words of wisdom he would give those on the picket lines today, he tells PEOPLE, “My advice would be just to stay in there and keep striking.”
“And don’t sell out like Ronald Reagan did,” he adds.
source: people.com
