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sagaftra.org | Summer 2019 | SAG-AFTRA 49 SAG-AFTRA CELEBRATES A DECADE OF ROCK THE CITY A cross from the bright lights of Lincoln Center at SAG-AFTRA's New York office, SAG-AFTRA New York Local Board and Host Committee members welcomed more than 100 luminaries in entertainment, labor and government May 9 for the 10th anniversary of Rock the City. The annual networking celebration serves to strengthen bonds with current allies and forge new relationships with entities that advance SAG-AFTRA's initiatives. Backstage once again served as the annual networking event's media sponsor, and distinguished guests included representatives from the New York Mayor's Office, the Ghetto Film School, the Entertainment Industry Foundation and various industry unions. T homas Hanley, a performer from the 1954 Academy Award-winning film On the Waterfront, received honorary membership into SAG-AFTRA during a special ceremony at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation's Robin Williams Center in New York on May 18. The event included a screening of the film, Hanley formally being awarded his honorary union card and a Q&A panel. Among event attendees were Hanley's family, including his daughter and granddaughter; representatives of the Fort Lee Film Commission/Barrymore Film Center; and members of the New York Local. On the Waterfront stars Marlon Brando as Terry Malloy, a disgraced boxer-turned-dockworker fighting against systematic union violence and corruption among the longshoremen in Hoboken, New Jersey. Hanley, then 14 years old, was discovered by director Elia Kazan on the rooftop of his apartment building where shooting took place. Despite having no acting experience, he was invited to audition and scored the role of Tommy Collins, a young boy who takes care of the rooftop pigeons and befriends Brando's Terry. Hanley worked on set for two weeks, earning a total wage of $500. Although the film gained great commercial and critical acclaim and earned Brando his first Academy Award for Best Actor in 1955, Hanley did not see the same levels of success in the industry. The payment he received for his work went toward HONORING MEMORIAL DAY UPSTATE S AG-AFTRA members from Western and Central New York represented the union at local Memorial Day parades on May 27. MOVE New York Western N.Y./Central N.Y. Subcommittee co-chairs Louise Simon Schoene and Joe Wooley coordinated members' participation in the parade. SAG-AFTRA members from the Buffalo area with Town of Amherst Supervisor Brian J. Kulpa (back row, second from right) at the Memorial Day Parade in Williamsville, New York New York NEW YORK NEXTGEN PERFORMERS RING IN SPRING T he New York NextGen Performers Subcommittee held its inaugural spring mixer at the Museum of Jewish Heritage on April 14. The venue was provided by the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene. The event provided an opportunity for attendees to mix and mingle with fellow millennial New York SAG-AFTRA peers. Light appetizers and an open bar were provided by the Actors Federal Credit Union, and the music played by DJ Rev Love served as the perfect backdrop to the panoramic views of Brooklyn, the New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty and New Jersey. New York NGP Committee members Kieran Kerekes and Ann Chow at the spring mixer Continues on page 55 ON THE WATERFRONT PERFORMER GIVEN HONORARY SAG-AFTRA MEMBERSHIP