Red Hot Mama by Lauren Rebecca Sklaroff

Author:Lauren Rebecca Sklaroff [Sklaroff, Lauren Rebecca]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: University of Texas Press
Published: 2018-05-06T04:00:00+00:00

7

THE VALUE OF DEVOTION

Sophie Tucker had always delivered progressive messages to audiences and commanded a position at the highest rungs of the industry. Yet she had never served in a formal political capacity, instead shying away from the suffrage movement, organized civil rights events, and other major activities promoting social change. But because performers’ rights mattered deeply to the singer, she ventured into unknown territory as president of the American Federation of Actors (AFA) and soon realized that she would become the center of one of the largest labor struggles performers had ever engaged in. While Tucker may have accepted the role with the best of intentions and the sincerest motivation to promote equity for fellow stage workers, she came to realize that the battle among labor unions was often in the spirit of managerial self-interest. The singer’s political activity in the AFA went against the grain of all of her public actions to date, and she would pay a price for the generosity and fidelity that she was so famous for.

It was not possible for anyone to know that beginning in June 1939, the union would become embroiled in a major scandal that would be covered daily by the New York Times and other major newspapers across the country. The saga began with the American Actors and Artists of America (otherwise known as 4A) charging that its subsidiary union, the AFA, was mishandling funds collected at benefits for relief purposes. The controversy centered on Executive Secretary Ralph Whitehead, who had been managing the daily operations of the union and was cited by 4A as the “only executive of importance” in the 4A report of violations. The 4A provided evidence that along with improperly recording finances, Whitehead had purchased an automobile with the funds. Tucker became incensed at these accusations, defending Whitehead with a steely resolve and claiming that the benefit money was placed in a general fund used to help needy members in times of emergency. New to union politics and thinking only about the consequences for union members, Tucker was not open to any possibility of corruption; she truly believed that Whitehead was honest. It is likely that Tucker’s stance had more to do with defending a union that she was entrusted with rather than personal feelings for Whitehead. Tucker recalled that the AFA had emerged as the union making the “first concerted move . . . to lift the status of the vaudeville performer.” She had strong feelings about the industry where she began her career and believed that everyone in the profession should support the union.1

A hearing was set for July 10 to further investigate the charges, with the possibility that the AFA charter could be revoked by 4A. Yet Tucker’s reputation was not tarnished. At the same time the New York Times was issuing commentary on these labor woes, Tucker was given a lavish luncheon at the Imperial Theater for her thirtieth year on Broadway. The cast of Leave It to Me and other friends attended, and the entertainment community was showing Tucker love and appreciation.

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