Missouri State University Libraries

Records of the International Alliance of Theatrical and Stagehand Employes and Moving Picture Machine Operators of the United States and Canada (I.A.T.S.E.), Local 447

Collection Number: LA 6
Volume: 5 linear feet
Dates: 1916-1989 (Bulk 1950s-1989)

Provenance

The records of I.A.T.S.E., Local 447 and Local 465, which merged into 447 in 1978, were transferred from Len Eagleburger, Secretary/Treasurer of Local 447, to Neal Moore for deposit in the Ozarks Labor Union Archives in the spring of 1989, after Local 447 merged into Local 137. According to Len Eagleburger, early records (most pre-1950s) were destroyed. The collection was processed in 1999 by Jenni Boone.

Copyright

This collection may be protected from unauthorized copying by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code).

Access

The collection is unrestricted. Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish material from the collection must be obtained from the Ozarks Labor Union Archives. Citations should be as follows: Identification of the item, box and folder number, Moving Picture Machine Operators, Local 447, Ozarks Labor Union Archives, Missouri State University.

Organizational History

Local 447 of the I.A.T.S.E. was chartered on May 11, 1916 as the Springfield Moving Picture Machine Operators with 14 members. Projectionists had been members of I.A.T.S.E. Local 137 in Springfield since around the turn of the century, but formed their own local in response to the growing demand of the moving picture industry in Springfield.

The first major conflict recorded involving Local 447 is the “two man controversy” in the early 1930s. In 1931, members of the I.A.T.S.E. nationwide, including those in Springfield, were locked out of theaters over contract disputes. The dispute centered on the owners’ claim that new technology no longer necessitated two moving picture machine operators to be on duty at the same time. They claimed that the two-man contracts were causing them to lose money. The I.A.T.S.E. claimed that two men were still essential to the operation of picture machines because it was not safe to try to operate the projector, sound, and generator (which was often housed in a separate room) with only one man. In Springfield, several theatres were temporarily closed due to the dispute. Eventually, management prevailed and contracts for 1933 required one man shifts.

In the 1940s, the local lost members who joined the armed forces and received numerous work requests from men returning from service. The late 1940s saw a boom in union membership and power as projectionists were needed to show the movies people attended as the economy strengthened and people had more leisure time. All moving picture theaters in Springfield operated under union labor until 1949.

Times changed for the local in 1949 when a conflict ensued with Dickinson Theaters. From 1942 to 1947, the union had a contract with Dickinson. When the contract expired in 1947, the union and the theater agreed to continue operating under the most recent agreement. In 1949, R. C. McDonald was brought to Springfield to be the city manager of all Dickinson Theaters, which included the Tower, the Mullikin, and the Grenada. Also in 1949, a dispute began between Dickinson Theaters and the local union. Dickinson began to balk at the contract they had agreed to work under, which required the theater to hire a union stage hand (from Local 137) for maintenance at the theaters. Dickinson refused to sign the contract, and Locals 447 and 137 picketed the three Dickinson theaters in Springfield.

It was in this atmosphere that union sympathizer Cecil Daniels went to work for Dickinson Theaters at the Grenada and tried to obtain information from McDonald (referred to as “Mac” in Daniels’ notes) about the dispute. The notes and signed statement from Daniels are in the collection. The dispute between Dickinson and Locals 447 and 137 seems to have been related to a series of vandalistic acts in several Dickinson Theaters in the early 1950s. Theater management claimed unions were trying to sabotage the theaters, and union leaders claimed theater management was trying to frame the union. Eventually, Dickinson prevailed in the dispute and trained its own non-union employees as projectionists. The company never hired union labor again in Springfield or the surrounding area.

As technology changed, so did the union. Since I.A.T.S.E. is a craft union, it must respond to the changes that occur in the craft. Movie projectors became more technologically advanced as did most machines. By the 1950s, less skill was required to operate projectors, and projectionist jobs more often became part time. The drive-ins that became popular in the 1950s and 1960s also meant more part time contracts since the theaters operated only after sunset and in warm weather.

Joplin Moving Picture Machine Operators Local 465 underwent the same kinds of changes. Membership declined and the local lost power due partly to Dickinson Theaters buying many of the Joplin theaters and operating without union labor. On November 16, 1978, Local 447 merged with Joplin Moving Picture Machine Operators Local 465 to form the Southwest Missouri, Springfield-Joplin, Moving Picture Machine Operators Local 447, I.A.T.S.E. that time, there were 23 members of the new local.

Technology continued to advance, and the moving picture industry continued to change. Drive-ins became less popular, and large multiplexes began to emerge. Projectors became easier to operate as there was no need to adjust speakers, lamps, and generators, or splice film. In the 1980s, platter films replaced reel to reel films, meaning that one projectionist could operate several film booths at one time. By 1982, there were 17 theaters in Springfield, only four of which had full time contracts with the local; seven had part time contracts. Most projectionists (both union and non-union) operated moving picture machines only as a second job; those who tried to do it full time had to work at several theaters. The local continued to lose membership as the need for highly skilled and well-trained projectionists diminished and union labor was not required.

The last union contract for projectionists in Springfield was signed in 1988 with General Cinema Corporation which owned the Battlefield Mall 6. On March 19, 1989, Local 447 held its last meeting and merged with Local 137, which became a combined local with both stagehands and moving picture machine operators. Eight members of Local 447 transferred to Local 137. In October, 1989, Battlefield Mall 6 was sold to Wehrenburg Theaters, which would not sign a union contract, and Springfield theaters have not operated with union labor since.

Companies that had contracts with Local 447 and the theaters and years they operated under contract:

Commonwealth Amusement Corp

1942-1945	Gillioz in Monett
1950-1984	Sunset Drive-In
1984-?	Holiday (drive-in)

Dickinson

1944-1947

Mullikin

Dubinsky

1970s-1983	Petite Three
1982-1983	North Town 3

(Dubinsky sold out to Dickinson in 1983)

Fox / National General Corporation / Mann Theatres
(several different names over time)

1929-1946	Electric
1933-1936	Paramount
1933-1979	Gillioz
1945-1955	Kickapoo
1945-1965	Landers
1948-1979	Fox
1948-1950s	Jewell
1950s-1960	Four Star
1970-1977	Century 21
1977-1989	Fremont Triplex

General Cinema Corp.

1982-1989

Battlefield Mall 6

Southwestern Theatres

1936-1937

Mullikin

Taft Amusement

1947-1950

Sunset Drive-In

Bibliography

"Business men urge opening of Paramount." [Springfield, MO newspaper, 1931]

DeMoss, Gary. "The Last Picture Show." (November, 1993) OLUA Student Paper Collection.

"Dickinson Theater Chain Operating 3 Non-Union Theaters In Springfield." Springfield, MO : Union Labor Record, 15 May 1952, p.7

Eagleburger, Len. Personal Interview with Jenni Boone. 23 March 1999.

Letter to the Editor by Len Eagleburger. Springfield Labor Record, 7 October, 1982.

"Move to Avert Theatre Closings Here Fails After Two Conferences" [Springfield, MO newspaper] Sunday, October 4, 1931.

“Notice to Theatre Patrons of Springfield” [handbill] Springfield, MO, IATSE Local 447 [October 1931].

Scope and Content

The collection contains constitutions and by-laws of the local from 1921 to 1983, minutes of the general meetings from 1954 to 1989, a large amount of correspondence mainly from the 1950s to 1989, most of the contracts and agreements with local theaters from the 1930s to 1989, annual financial reports and quarterly reports from the 1950s to 1989, and general office and subject files maintained by the union from the 1950s to 1989. Although the early history of the union is somewhat sketchy, the broad range of records are sufficient to trace the history of this local from the 1930s to its end in 1989.

The collection is organized into eight series. Within each series, records from Local 447 are first, followed by records from Local 465.

Series I: Constitutions and By-laws, 1921-1983
Constitutions and by-laws of the local, their revisions and drafts, and those of the International. Arranged according to the organization which produced them, chronologically within each folder.

Series II: Minutes, 1954-1989
Minutes of general membership meetings for 447 and 465, arranged in chronological order.

Series III: Correspondence, 1931-1989
Arranged according to correspondent or subject. Outgoing correspondence written after 1975 is in a separate folder. All correspondence is chronological within each folder. Of interest is the folder "Regarding legislation" which includes correspondence with Senators R. T. Wood, Forrest Donnell, and John Danforth.

Series IV: Shop Files, 1929-1989
Mainly contracts and agreements with local theatres and theatre owners. Also includes correspondence with the shops, usually regarding contracts. Of particular interest is the "Dickinson-Conflict" folder which includes notes and a signed statement of a union spy from the 1950s. Arranged in alphabetical order by shop, chronological within each folder.

Series V: Contracts and Agreements, 1929-1985
Miscellaneous information regarding contracts and agreements such as blank contracts and contracts of other locals, sound contracts, and most of the contracts from Local 465. Arranged by subject, chronological within each folder. A list of contracts between Locals 465 and 447 and theaters/companies, compiled by former OLUA workers, can be found attached to the box list at the front of Box 2.

Series VI: Reports, 1943-1989
Annual reports to the Internal Revenue Service (Form 990), the U. S. Department of Labor (LM-3), and financial statements to the local, arranged chronologically. Business agent reports, and quarterly reports to the International, arranged chronologically.

Series VII: Publications, 1943-1989
Publications of the International such as convention proceedings, some issues of the I.A.T.S.E. Bulletin, and various other publications. Arranged alphabetically by title.

Series VIII: General Files. 1918-1990.
Member records, cash books, and other office files of the local, plus subject files regarding such topics as Labor's League for Political Action, Ozarks Labor Historical Society, and Social Security. Of interest is the folder "Projector Machines" which includes instructions and specifications for moving picture projectors and related machinery. Arranged alphabetically by subject, chronologically within each folder.

Related Materials in OLUA

1 photograph and 1 glass slide transferred to OLUA photograph collection.

Ephemeral items, including stamps and placard, transferred to OLUA memorabilia collection.

DeMoss, Gary. "The Last Picture Show." (November, 1993) Student Paper Collection. Ozarks Labor Union Archives, Southwest Missouri State University.

Books from collection currently housed in box 5 of collection, to be cataloged at a later date.

Container List

Series I: Constitutions & By-laws
Box 1	Folder
	1	Constitutions, Local 447	1921-1983
	2	Revisions	1956-1963
	3	Revisions	1983
	4	Revisions	n.d.
	5	International	1964-1988
	6	Other organizations	1921-1983
	7	Local 465	n.d.
Series II: Minutes
	8	Local 447	1954-1963
	9	Local 447	1964-1975
	10	Local 447	1976-1989
	11	Miscellaneous	1948-1963
	12	Local 465	1959-1976
Series III: Correspondence
	13	Correspondence from local	1975-1988
	14	Correspondence from members	1963-1989
	15	International	1918-1962
	16	International	1973-1988
	17	I. A. Secretary/Treasurer	1953-1963
	18	Members	1937-1969
	19	Missouri State Labor Council	1959-1988
	20	Ninth District I.A.T.S.E.	1942-1988
	21	Other I.A.T.S.E. Locals	1955-1988
	22	Regarding legislation	1931-1987
	23	Robert Butcher	1985-1988
	24	Shrine Circus	1953-1959
	25	Springfield Labor Council	1950-1989
Box 2
	1	Springfield Labor Organizations	1983-1988
	2	U.S. Department of Labor	1953-1986
	3	U.S. Treasury Department	1942-1956
	4	Work-Seekers	1942-1955
	5	Miscellaneous	1954-1986
	6	Local 465	1944-1978
Series IV: Shop Files
	7	Commonwealth-Agreements With Others	1981-1984
	8	Commonwealth Contracts & Agreements	1947-1973
	9	Commonwealth Contracts & Agreements	1947-1984
	10	Commonwealth-Correspondence	1942-1987
	11	Dickinson	1943-1983
	12	Dickinson-Conflict	1950-1954
	13	Dubinsky	1932-1983
	14	Fox-Contracts & Agreements	1933-1960
	15	Fox-Contracts & Agreements	1960-1969
	16	Fox-Contracts & Agreements	1970-1979
	17	Fox-Correspondence	1941-1972
	18	General Cinema	1982-1989
	19	Mullikin	1931-1937
	20	New Gillioz, Monett-Agreements	1931-1945
	21	Rialto	1929-1932
	22	Local 465-Commonwealth	1944-1980
Series V: Contracts & Agreements
	23	Miscellaneous Contract Information	1929-1985
	24	RCA/Altec Sound Contracts	1948-1981
	25	Local 465	1931-1976
Series VI: Reports
	26	Annual Reports	1951-1959
	27	Annual Reports	1960-1979
	28	Annual Reports	1980-1989
	29	Business Agent Reports	1958-1985
Box 3
	1	Quarterly Reports	1945-1969
	2	Quarterly Reports	1969-1989
	3	Annual Reports Local 465	1943-1975
Series VII: Publications
	4	"Advice to Members of Trial Boards&ldots;"	1978-1984
	5	Convention Proceedings	1984
	6	Convention Program	1976
	7	Convention Resolution Books	1984
	8	50th Anniversary-History	1943
	9	I.A.T.S.E. Official Bulletin	1976-1989
	10	Report of the General Executive Board
		Meetings	1982-1984
	11	Miscellaneous	n.d., 1983
Series VIII: General Files
	12	Blue Cross-Blue Shield	1969-1978
	13	Bonding	1976-1988
	14	Cash Books	1954-1961
	15	Cash Books	1960-1968
	16	Cash Books	1969-1976
	17	Cash Books	1976-1984
	18	Cash Books	1985-1989
	19	Dues Books	1946-1963
	20	Dues Book	1964
	21	Federated Theatrical Crafts of Springfield	1927
	22	I.A. President's Newsletter	1974-1978
	23	I.A.T.S.E. National Benefit Funds	1963-1984
	24	I.A.T.S.E. National Benefit Funds	1984-1985

Box 4	Folder
	1	I.A.T.S.E. National Benefit Funds	1986
	2	Labor's League for Political Education	1948-1959
	3	Life Insurance	1928-1960
	4	Member Records (Folder 1of 2)	1918-1987
	5	Member Records (Folder 2 of 2)	1918-1987
	6	Merger-Local #137	1985-1990
	7	Missouri State I.A.T.S.E.	1950-1984
	8	Ninth District I.A.S.T.E.	1940-1984
	9	Ozark Labor Historical Society	1980-1986
	10	Pension Fund Reports	1983-1988
	11	Projector Machines	1931-1970
	12	Publicity	1931-1987
	13	Social Security	1948-1956
	14	Stagehands Local #137	1977
	15	Time Reports	1976-1977
	16	Time Reports	1978-1979
	17	Time Reports	1980-1981
	18	Time Reports	1982-1989
	19	Miscellaneous	1973-1987
	20	Local #465-Cash Book	1955-1978
	21	Local # 465-Dues Books	1950-1978
	22	Local #465-Membership	1949-1977
	23	Local #465	n.d., 1960

Books to be cataloged into OLUA book collection at a later date:

Box 5

Combined Convention Proceedings of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes and Moving Picture Machine Operators of the U.S. and Canada, 1976-1984. New York: I.A.T.S.E.

Combined Convention Proceedings of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes and Moving Picture Machine Operators of the U.S. and Canada, 1928-1944. New York: I.A.T.S.E., 1960.

Combined Convention Proceedings of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes and Moving Picture Machine Operators of the U.S. and Canada, 1945-1958. New York: I.A.T.S.E., 1960.

Missouri Commission on the Status of Women, August, 1981. Jefferson City.

Missouri Commission on the Status of Women, December, 1977. Jefferson City.

Missouri Commission on the Status of Women, January, 1978. Jefferson City.

Proceedings of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes and Moving Picture Machine Operators of the United States and Canada, Fifty-fifth Convention Held in Diplomat Resort and Country Club Hollywood, Florida July 28-August 1, 1980, Inclusive. By Walter F. Diehl, President. New York: I.A.T.S.E., 1980.

Proceedings of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes and Moving Picture Machine Operators of the United States and Canada, Fifty-seventh Convention Held in Sheraton Bal Harbour Bal Harbour, Florida July 16-20, 1984, Inclusive. By Walter F. Diehl, President. New York: I.A.T.S.E., 1984.

Proceedings of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes and Moving Picture Machine Operators of the United States and Canada, Fifty-eighth Convention Held in Diplomat Hotel Hollywood, Florida July 14-18, 1986, Inclusive. By Alfred W. Di Tolla, President. New York: I.A.T.S.E., 1986.

Proceedings of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes and Moving Picture Machine Operators of the United States and Canada, Fifty-ninth Convention Held in Bally's Hotel Reno, Nevada August 9-12, 1988, Inclusive. By Alfred W. Di Tolla, President. New York: I.A.T.S.E., 1988.