On behalf of all of us at SAG-AFTRA, I just wanted to take a moment to thank Taylor-Royall, and especially its founder Martha Royall, for the significant role she and the company have played in our market place for more than 30 years.
I began working with Martha shortly after she and her business partner first opened Taylor-Royall, Inc. Martha, along with Dagmar Wittmer and Carol Ness of Central Casting, partnered with legacy AFTRA-SAG to organize all the significant advertising agencies and production companies in the region. They believed in fair wages for actors and fought to protect our membership under various “hats”, first as Taylor-Royall Casting, later as Mid-Atlantic Payroll Services, and finally and since the very early 1990s, Taylor-Royall the franchised talent agency. In addition, other important entities sprouted from Martha’s legacy and continue to flourish – namely East West Payroll Services based in San Francisco, and Betsy Royall Casting, owned and operated by Martha’s daughters Patty and Betsy respectively.
We weathered some difficult storms together over the years and celebrated numerous victories as well. It has not always been easy for them to live by the union rules and we commend and thank them for sticking with us through thick and thin.
More recently, with advances in technology and Martha’s retirement a number of years ago, the contact has become less frequent and personal, but I will always be grateful to Martha, her daughters who learned the business from the best and continue her great legacy, and Martha’s successor owner, her son in law Scott Goodhue, for their enduring commitment to the region’s professional, union actors.
And while this is the end of one particular chapter in the company’s history, it’s not the end. Scott and the others at Taylor-Royall will continue to occupy an important place in our community pursuing work in casting along with Betsy Royall who of course has been a C.S.A. casting director in our region for many years.
I know that I speak for all of us here in the Washington-Mid Atlantic Local of SAG-AFTRA when I say “thank you” Taylor-Royall for your steadfast work on behalf of actors.
Pat O’Donnell
Executive Director
SAG-AFTRA Washington-Mid Atlantic Local
To: All SAG-AFTRA Members Who are Currently Represented by, or Previously been Affiliated with the, Taylor-Royall Agency, Maryland.
From: Zino Macaluso, National Director/Sr. Counsel, Agency Relations
Megan Capuano, Associate National Director, Agency Relations
Date: Sept. 12, 2013
Please note that the Taylor-Royall Agency surrendered its Union franchise on Sept. 12, 2013.
The effect of the surrender is as follows:
- No member of SAG-AFTRA may hereafter engage, use or deal through this agency.
- All contracts in force between this agency and the members of SAG-AFTRA are ipso facto and without further notice terminated except that he agency may retain and collect any commissions earned under said contracts prior to the surrender of franchise.
- Members shall not be under any obligation to pay commissions to the agent on any moneys earned by members after the termination of the agency contracts, even though such moneys are earned by members on employment contracts in existence at the date of termination of the agency contracts.
Please do not hesitate to contact the National SAG-AFTRA Agency Department at either (323) 549-6745 or the Washington-Mid Atlantic Local at (301) 657-2560 if you have any outstanding questions.
Thank you.
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