Word: petrillos
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...Veterans Administration got around to thanking James C. ("Little Caesar") Petrillo, boss of the American Federation of Musicians, whose union has been supplying free performers for the last four years to the VA radio show, Here's to Veterans. After considerable thought, VA officials presented Petrillo with a certificate of appreciation-and the innards of a heavy-duty battle helmet...
...were skeptical at first. But when, after several rehearsals, they heard the orchestra play, they decided that some of Local 802's share of the A.F.M.'s $4,500,000 in recording and transcription royalties should be used to help the old boys along. Czar James Caesar Petrillo himself dropped in, listened and rasped with approval: "That's what we want-culture." Local 802 agreed to pay the Old Timers the minimum scale: $9.00 for one rehearsal, $30 a performance. By August the musicians had polished their work enough to give their first free concert...
Bass Fiddler Lee Norman, a member of Petrillo's union, was no actor. But five months ago, when he began to act as master of ceremonies as well as fiddle at Harlem's Regent Theater, the vaudeville union socked him $50 for a card. Fiddler Norman also paid, but Petrillo called out the orchestra and closed the act. Said Petrillo: "I am being mercenary . . . We are going to get back that...
Ever since, there has been war between Petrillo and A.G.V.A.'s parent body, the A.F.L. Associated Actors & Artistes of America, whose affiliates cover every entertainment field from circuses to grand opera. Petrillo was accused of signing up any actor who played so much as a musical comb. But he called it raiding when the "Four A" tried to enroll musicians who,. according to Petrillo, only stepped into the spotlight or said two words like,"Hello, hello." Many entertainers solved matters by belonging to both unions...
...Petrillo threw out that solution. Last week he staged a showdown at the Persian Room of Manhattan's Plaza hotel. There, Pianist Victor Borge, a member of both Petrillo's union and A.G.V.A., has been burlesquing opera-singing and making fun of music in general. Petrillo was not amused. He sent Borge a terse telegram: leave the A.G.V.A., or play without an orchestra. Borge meekly complied. Said he: "It is easier for me to get along without the A.G.V.A. than to do without an orchestra...