This photo of me was taken in 1956. I had just arrived in Hollywood and I was ready to be a star.

I became a member of SAG (Screen Actor's Guild) in 1980.

In 1980 the initiation fee for SAG was $300. That seemed like a lot of money at that time. I was able to get in for only $150 because there was a 50% discount for AFTRA members.

Today it would be about $2200 to join SAG if they needed you for a movie or TV show.

I never did belong to AGVA. It is a great guild to join if you plan to do live theater performances.

This picture of Jackie Gleason showing how excited he was to meet me was taken in 1980. That was the year I joined SAG. Jackie worked in MY movie "Smokey and the Bandit, II." I was an extra in one scene.

By 1980 I belonged to so many unions I was always on strike. There was a five month actor's strike in 1980. It began just as I was getting known by the extra casting agencies. When it was over I reintroduced myself to the industry and things started to happen for me that were fun and lucrative.

SAG is the union which represents speaking, on-camera talent on filmed shows and commercials. There are some exceptions to this but that is the general rule. To join SAG you must get three SAG vouchers while you are working as a non union extra on a SAG show. To get a SAG voucher, you must be on a show where a SAG member working as an extra does not show up and that voucher (and higher pay) is given to a non union extra. After receiving three such vouchers you are invited to pay the initiation fee. As of February, 2007 the initiation fee to join SAG is $2277 plus one year's membership dues of $116.

SAG's misguided leaders tried to increase the dues for members in 2004. They wanted to up the initiation fee by 50%, claiming that since there were now more members it would cost more for services. They neglected to reason that with more members there was already more money coming in to the coffers. SAG's membership defeated the proposal.

You also can get into SAG by having a letter from a producer or director who will say they need you for their union film. Again, the initiation fee and dues will be collected.

Still another way to get your invitation to join SAG is to work and be paid under the jurisdiction of AGVA (American Guild of Variety Artists whose site is under construction), AGMA (American Guild of Musical Artists), ACTRA (Association of Canadian Radio and Television Artists) or AEA (Actor's Equity Association). You will then pay the initiation to SAG as previously mentioned.

SAG has good benefits if you work enough to earn them. SAG has a health plan and a retirement plan. You must be 55 or older with ten qualifying years of earnings to get a pension from SAG. At 65 you will get the full pension if you have ten or more qualifying years. Qualifying years are based on the performers earnings and in some cases the performer's age. The amount of earnings needed will vary from $7500 yearly to $26,000 yearly depending on various considerations and plans. The $26,000 is for earnings beginning in 2007. For 2002, $15,000 was the minimum amount for some members. It changes every year. The number of years required to earn benefiys is now 15 or more in most situations.

AFTRA is easier to join. It is an open union. Take in your $1300 plus $65 membership dues and you are in. AFTRA is the union for radio performers and soap operas and some sit-coms and even a few promos, commercials and music videos.

Getting into the musician's union (AFM) varies from state to state. If you are going to work as a musician in a scene in a movie, it is best to belong to AFM.