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Daniels Tells Allies To Get Along with Gilbert Departing Screen Actors Guild President William Daniels is hoping to leave the actors union in peace by sanctioning the members' new presidential choice, actress Melissa Gilbert ("Little House on the Prairie").
Daniels urged his SAG allies at a Sunday night soiree to try working with the former Half Pint, according to Variety. Otherwise, he contended, Gilbert will face the same kind of massive divisiveness that dogged him during his two-year term. The former "Boy Meets World" actor was a union novice when he won a tough election two years ago over Richard Masur. After a tough year renegotiating industry contracts, which included a bitter strike against the advertising industry, Daniels decided to endorse former "Rhoda" star Valerie Harper last July rather than seek re-election. Daniels term was marked by bitter boardroom battles heightened by differing opinions regarding the strike.
Sunday's get-together at a Hollywood restaurant drew about 70 SAG members and staffers, including new CEO Bob Pisano. Daniels has not expressed his views on a possible challenge to the election results, and it remains to be seen if the results will be overturned. Harpers' allies have 14 days after the election to challenge the results, but as of late Monday, no formal challenges had been received.
The opening for a challenge is a possible procedural misstep regarding 25,000 New York ballots lacking a signature line or instructions to sign despite SAG requirements. SAG staff's decided to make up for the discrepancies by making the New York deadline two days later than that for the rest of the country. While SAG staff contends it followed Dept. of Labor guidelines, detractors point to Labor guidelines saying a union must follow its own election rules. Treasurer candidate Kathleen Haigney and SAG member Gordon Drake have both said they will proceed with challenges, although Drake added he would back off if staff and elected leaders take steps to prevent recurrence of such problems. Related Shows
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