 Program cover for the 16 March 1915 Masque Ball of the White Rats Actors' Union of America | |
| Founded | 1900 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | New York City |
| Location |
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| Affiliations | American Federation of Labor |
The White Rats was a fraternal organization formed in the United States by vaudeville performers, led by George Fuller Golden, as a labor union to support the rights of male performers.[1] Women and African-American performers were not allowed to join. The White Rats attempted to combat the monopolistic practices of the United Booking Office (UBO) and the Vaudeville Managers Association (VMA), groups formed by vaudeville theater managers to keep performers' wages low and control when and where performers were allowed to work. It was based on the Grand Order of Water Rats, a British entertainment industry fraternity and charity.[2] It received a charter from the American Federation of Labor in 1910.[3] The union staged several strikes but ultimately disbanded.
- ^ "ACTORS GO ON A STRIKE(2) - Members of the "White Rats" Organization Refuse to Play. Every Syndicate Vaudeville House in the Country Said to Be Affected - Object to Paying Comm..." (PDF). timesmachine.nytimes.com. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
- ^ Trav S.D. No Applause - Just Throw Money: The Book that Made Vaudeville Famous (New York: Faber and Faber, Inc., 2005)
- ^ Smith, Bill. The Vaudevillians. (New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1976)