Articles on the Termination of Teresa Wright's contract with Samuel Goldwyn

December 16, 1948   |   December 19, 1948

Goldwyn Releases Teresa Wright, Star

The New York Times  December 16, 1948 page 39

Special to The New York Times

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Dec. 15--

In an action which produced a heated exchange of statements, Samuel Goldwyn today terminated Teresa Wright's acting contract with him, which still had four and a half years to run. The actress has been under contract to the producer for seven years.

According to the Goldwyn organization, Miss. Wright's contract was terminated because the actress refused to perform services required under the agreement. "Instructed to go to New York in connection with pre-opening publicity for the Goldwyn production ‘Enchantment,' in which she appears, Miss Wright refused the assignment," a studio statement said. She refused again last Monday and twice declined to be examined by physicians designated by the studio to determine the state of her health, according to the Goldwyn company.

In a special statement issued with the announcement, Mr. Goldwyn said: "I think the time has arrived when studios must assert their rights more than they have in the past. No one has a greater appreciation of artists and no one wants to treat them more fairly than I have in my career."

Miss Wright's answer said: "I accept Mr. Goldwyn's termination of my contract without protest -- in fact, with relief. The types of contracts standardized in the motion picture industry between players and producers are archaic in form and absurd in concept. I am determined never to set my name to another one."

© 1948 The New York Times

 Goldwyn - Wright Affray

The New York Times  December 19, 1948 page II 5

HOLLYWOOD

The breaking of relations last week between Samuel Goldwyn and Teresa Wright, who had been under contract to the producer for seven years and still had four and a half years to work out her present agreement, provided Hollywood with its latest conversation piece. Both parties rushed into print with statements and in this case, judging solely by word count, Miss Wright had more to say than Mr. Goldwyn. Following are the unabridged pronunciamentos:

Mr. Goldwyn: "I think the time has arrived when the studios must assert their rights more than they have in the past. No one has a greater appreciation of artists and no one wants to treat them more fairly than I have in my career. But I am sick and tired of what is going on in this town -- where people have no respect for the money they receive and refuse to perform and cooperate.

"Making a picture is no longer sufficient. The picture has to be sold to the public, and particularly at this time, when it seems that everything is being done to unsell the public on Hollywood.

"My reason for canceling the contract with Miss. Wright is that she has been uncooperative and has refused to follow reasonable instructions. As far as I am concerned, that is that -- and irrespective of what anyone else does, I am through tolerating that sort of conduct. Instead of showing gratitude, Miss Wright has done just the opposite. Hollywood had better get wise to itself. The day is over when stars can get away with this sort of behavior."

Rebuttal

Miss Wright's answer, made public from her home, said:

"A discussion of my difference with Mr. Goldwyn would be of benefit to no one and of interest to few. However, for the record, I would like to say that I never refused to perform the services required of me; I was unable to perform them because of ill health.

"I accept Mr. Goldwyn's termination of my contract without protest -- in fact, with relief. The types of contracts standardized in the motion picture industry between players and producers are archaic in form and absurd in concept. I am determined never to set my name to another one.

For ‘natural equities'

"We in the acting branch of the profession are to blame for accepting in our eagerness to work agreements under which we waive the natural equities prevailing in every other industry. We say in effect, 'We have no privacy which you as producers cannot invade. Treat us like cattle. Speak to us like children. Make us work eleven hours a day. Loan us out for ten or twenty times the sums paid to us at your discretion. Only give us a big pay check at the end of the week.'

"If the time has come for anything new in the motion-picture business, it has come for actors and actresses to stop being tax collectors, to say 'pay me less, only treat me with respect.'

"I have worked for Mr. Goldwyn seven years because I consider him a great producer, and he has paid me well, but in the future I shall gladly work for less if by doing so I can retain my hold upon the common decencies without which the most glorified job becomes intolerable, and with which the most humble can be carried off with dignity. I think the time has come for professional people to reject contracts like the one of which Mr. Goldwyn has so kindly relieved me."

T.F.B.

© 1948 The New York Times

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