“The Guiding Spirit”: Philip Loeb, the Battle for Television Jurisdiction, and the Broadcasting Industry Blacklist

Abstract

This article recognizes the work of Philip Loeb (1891-1955), one of the leaders of the Actors' Equity Association, the union for stage actors, and a founder of the Television Authority (TvA), the first national trade union to represent performers in the emerging medium of television. Using his authority and experience as a member of the Equity Council, Equity's governing body, Loeb was among the first to argue for a merger of all national performers' unions involved in the field of television; to that end, he successfully campaigned for a merger plan that brought shape and form to the TvA. This research examines Loeb's sixteen-year career as a union organizer in the entertainment industry, specifically his efforts in helping bring the TvA to life.

Much the result of his union work, Loeb was named in the publication, Red Channels: The Report of Communist Influence in Radio and Television, for alleged Communist activities. Accordingly, this article also reviews the details of Loeb's blacklisting, and discusses his accomplishments as a union organizer against the backdrop of political catastrophe.