- published: 27 Jan 2015
- views: 577
Harry Bridges (July 28, 1901–March 30, 1990) was an Australian-American union leader, in the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), a longshore (dock) and warehouse workers' union on the West Coast, Hawaii and Alaska which he helped form and led for over 40 years. As controversial as he was charismatic, he was prosecuted by the US government during the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, and was convicted by a federal jury of having lied about his Communist Party membership, which the Supreme Court ultimately overturned in 1953. On the West Coast, Bridges still excites passions both for and against the labor movement.
Bridges was born Alfred Renton Bridges in Melbourne. He went to sea at age 16 as a merchant seaman, and joined the Australian sailors' union. He took the name Harry from a beloved uncle, who was a socialist and an adventurer, much in the cut of Jack London, the writer who also inspired young Bridges to go to sea.
He entered the United States in 1920, where his American colleagues nicknamed him "The Beak" for his prominent nose, "The Limey," as they couldn't tell the difference between an Australian and an Englishman, and finally "Australian Harry" or "Racehorse Harry" to differentiate him from all other Harrys by his nationality and love of the racetrack. He became a naturalized US citizen in 1945.
Actors: Alan Shearman (actor), John Apicella (actor), John Apicella (actor), Cody Cowell (actor), Aaron Hendry (actor), Aaron Hendry (actor), John Kaiser (actor), Brenda Brkusic (producer), Daniel Van Thomas (actor), Graham Norris (actor), Jack Baric (writer), Jack Baric (producer), Chicago Jones (actor), Michael Hebert (composer), Jared Cotton (director),
Plot: Bloody Thursday tells the story of longshoremen fighting for their rights in the midst of the great depression. Faced with unsafe labor conditions and unfair treatment, they decide to form a Union for protection. During this period many mainstream newspaper publishers, fearful of unionization efforts at their own businesses, launched attacks against the dockworkers and drove public sympathy against them with accusations of communism. Politicians and police openly used their resources to side with the shipping companies against the striking dockworkers. On July 5, 1934 police killed two longshoremen at a massive dockworker strike in San Francisco, a tragedy known as Bloody Thursday. The tragic events of Bloody Thursday turned public opinion against the shipping companies and lead the citizens of San Francisco to go on a general strike in support of the dockworkers. This lead to the formation of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, now known worldwide as the ILWU. Bloody Thursday includes a range of filmed interviews with union officials and historians who provide fascinating insight to the dockworker's struggles during the depression. These interviews are visually supported through an extensive archive of photographs, film, and old newspapers. Dramatic accounts of the longshoremen, labor activists, and politicians who were participants in the tumultuous events of the historic West Coast strike of 1934 are poignantly brought to life by actors who read their accounts verbatim and bring a new level of emotional impact to the story through their performances.
Genres: Documentary,Actors: Haskell Wexler (director), Elliott Gould (actor), Edward Asner (actor), Terry Sanders (miscellaneous crew), Ian Ruskin (actor), Ian Ruskin (writer), Ian Ruskin (producer), Keith Robinson (editor), Dana R. Woods (costume designer), Anne Stein (editor), Suzanne Thompson (producer), Harry Bridges (writer),
Genres: Drama,Bloody thursday was july 6th
the pigs killed 3 workers harry bridges grabbed the mic
The city shut down july 6th the workers outrage it was a general strike
The media clamed that the commies were taking over
and some believed it was true
3 uncompremising strikes was paved the way
Minn Sf and Toledo
Over and over again the doors are locked
and the windows are broken
Eddie worked for general motors and he swore
that he'd never lose his job again
A union man who owned his own home
in beautiful flint michigan
Eddie lost his job and eddie lost his wife
So eddie lost his self esteme
The last time i saw eddie
he was living in the trailer park again
Over and over again the doors are locked
and the windows are broken
I believe eddie for gave too much too soon
I got a letter from eddie and it was bad news
Over and over again the doors are locked