Thomas 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. Executive Vice President and New York Local President Rebecca Damon emceed the event, which included a screening of the film, Hanley formally being awarded his honorary union card and a Q&A panel with Hanley and National and New York Local Board member Adrian Martinez. 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 towards providing for his family, and he was thus unable to pay to join the Screen Actors Guild.
Unable to land more acting roles, Hanley became a longshoreman at age 16, following in the footsteps of his father, who disappeared when Hanley was 4 months old and is believed to have been murdered by a gang that ran the West Side piers. Over his 52 years of work, he became a lifelong advocate of unions and fought to reform the shipping industry. His advocacy included service as the recording secretary for Local 1558 of the International Longshoremen’s Association.
SAG-AFTRA is proud and honored to have a steadfast union advocate and performer among its membership. Congratulations to Thomas Hanley!
From left, SAG-AFTRA Executive Vice President and New York Local President Rebecca Damon, honorary SAG-AFTRA member Thomas Hanley, Hanley’s granddaughter Reagan Elizabeth Brater, his daughter Mara Hanley Brater, and National and New York Local Board member Adrian Martinez.
Despite the success of 'On the Waterfront,' Hanley left acting two years later and, in a case of life imitating art, took up his father’s trade and went to work on the Hoboken docks. Following a string of federal corruption indictments that deposed the leadership of Local 1558 of the International Longshoremen’s Association, he was elected recording secretary, and for the next 50 years, fought against the malfeasance that once contaminated the industry. From left, SAG-AFTRA EVP and New York Local President Rebecca Damon, honorary SAG-AFTRA member Thomas Hanley and SAG-AFTRA National and New York Local Board member Adrian Martinez.
EVP and New York Local President Rebecca Damon gives an opening speech to attendees at the special screening of 'On the Waterfront.'
SAG-AFTRA National and New York Local Board member Adrian Martinez, left, engages honorary SAG-AFTRA member Thomas Hanley in a Q&A after a screening of 'On the Waterfront.' A friend of Hanley’s father served as the film’s technical advisor and hired him to feed the pigeons on the roof of his apartment building. It was there that Hanley was discovered and offered the opportunity to audition for director Elia Kazan.
From left, SAG-AFTRA New York Local Board member Avis Boone, SAG-AFTRA National and New York Local Board member Adrian Martinez, honorary SAG-AFTRA member Thomas Hanley, Hanley’s granddaughter Reagan Elizabeth Brater, Hanley’s daughter Mara Hanley Brater, SAG-AFTRA New York Local Vice President Maureen Donnelly, SAG-AFTRA EVP and New York Local President Rebecca Damon, and SAG-AFTRA National and New York Local Vice President Liz Zazzi.
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