AMERICANS AT WORK — CIGARS

Year Published: 1959

Creator: AFL-CIO

Format: 16mm

Color: B&W

Description: “Americans at Work” was produced by Norwood Studios for the AFL-CIO. This is one of 99 films in the series intended to educate the American public on various union industrial jobs and duties. This episode presents a look into the tobacco industry at the close of the 1950’s. Cigar making methods had not changed much in the previous 100 years, though machines began to encroach upon the mainly hand rolling process. This short-lived televised series was created as a way to honor union efforts in various industrial jobs. It also acts as an homage to the industry worker. This feature takes a look at the history and significance of cigar rolling in the US. It shows the role of tobacco in culture, economy and the history of how the US got into smoking tobacco. Various methods by which cigars are manufactured are explored. Viewers get a close hand look at the process from selecting and preparing leaves to hand rolling, trimming and packaging fresh cigars. Cost of cigars are discussed as prices increased by nearly 50%. Viewers also learn how the cigars are graded by vein, color and structure. The final segment of the film addresses the implementation of machinery involved in the craft. 00:00 It begins with images of 5 cent cigars (:09) and is presented by the AFL-CIO (:24). A man puffs on a newly lit cigar (:38). A section uncovers the history of tobacco (:53) as well as tobacco’s historical and cultural significance. Tobacco played a role in the Louisiana purchase (1:00) and was used as a symbol of trade. Labor leader, Samuel Gompers was a tobacco roller prior to his position with the AFL-CIO (1:32). Samuel’s statue follows (1:29). The process of rolling cigars begins with the shaker (1:43). Leaves are taken to a climate-controlled storage area in order to have moisture restored (2:10). Leaves are sorted into three groups (2:37); fillers, binders and casings. The leaves are spun clockwise (2:52) and later cleaned by hand (3:08). Selectors sort and grade wrapper leaves (3:29). Stem removal follows in the stripping department (3:43). Leaves are fed into machinery (3:46). Tobacco sorters move down a long line of piled up tobacco leaves (4:13). A section explores how tobacco was once used as legal tender (4:28). A man hand rolls (4:53) as narration explains readers once detailed news or literature to employees while they worked. Changes in the industry implemented by union efforts include shorter work days and removal of youth from the line (5:26). The process of hand trimming (6:04) begins as the wrapper leaf is trimmed and later rolled and filled into its binder. Ends are sealed (6:25). Modern uses of tobacco are explored (6:48). How smokers select their type of cigar depends on size, color, flavor and shape (7:08). Each shape has its own blend (7:26). Extra long cigar types are rolled by hand (7:40). A cigar making machine gets put to use (8:32). The hand rolling method is contrasted against machine rolling (8:15). Filler leaves (8:16) are fed into the machine. A woman shows the process for hand rolling an extra-long type cigar (7:02). Smoking characteristics (7:20) depend upon shape and size. Moistened leaves are set onto the suction device (8:31). Difficulties with working with tobacco is tricky as tobacco is a temperamental material (8:52). Samuel Gompers opinions on the mechanization of the cigar industry is discussed (7:46). Machinery spits out freshly rolled cigars (10:43). Cigars are weighed (10:58) and given final trimmings. Packaged boxes are inspected (11:13). The increase in cost is explained (11:13). Wide shots pass over an array of cigar types (11:41) as the process of grading is discussed. Cigar workers perform hand inspections (12:01). The final boxing process takes about four days (12:07). Machinery fills an order (12:22). Plastic wrapping and labels are stuck on (12:39). The AFL-CIO seal closes the film (13:16).

Complete Record: “Americans at Work” was produced by Norwood Studios for the AFL-CIO. This is one of 99 films in the series intended to educate the American public on various union industrial jobs and duties. This episode presents a look into the tobacco industry at the close of the 1950’s. Cigar making methods had not changed much in the previous 100 years, though machines began to encroach upon the mainly hand rolling process. This short-lived televised series was created as a way to honor union efforts in various industrial jobs. It also acts as an homage to the industry worker. This feature takes a look at the history and significance of cigar rolling in the US. It shows the role of tobacco in culture, economy and the history of how the US got into smoking tobacco. Various methods by which cigars are manufactured are explored. Viewers get a close hand look at the process from selecting and preparing leaves to hand rolling, trimming and packaging fresh cigars. Cost of cigars are discussed as prices increased by nearly 50%. Viewers also learn how the cigars are graded by vein, color and structure. The final segment of the film addresses the implementation of machinery involved in the craft. 00:00 It begins with images of 5 cent cigars (:09) and is presented by the AFL-CIO (:24). A man puffs on a newly lit cigar (:38). A section uncovers the history of tobacco (:53) as well as tobacco’s historical and cultural significance. Tobacco played a role in the Louisiana purchase (1:00) and was used as a symbol of trade. Labor leader, Samuel Gompers was a tobacco roller prior to his position with the AFL-CIO (1:32). Samuel’s statue follows (1:29). The process of rolling cigars begins with the shaker (1:43). Leaves are taken to a climate-controlled storage area in order to have moisture restored (2:10). Leaves are sorted into three groups (2:37); fillers, binders and casings. The leaves are spun clockwise (2:52) and later cleaned by hand (3:08). Selectors sort and grade wrapper leaves (3:29). Stem removal follows in the stripping department (3:43). Leaves are fed into machinery (3:46). Tobacco sorters move down a long line of piled up tobacco leaves (4:13). A section explores how tobacco was once used as legal tender (4:28). A man hand rolls (4:53) as narration explains readers once detailed news or literature to employees while they worked. Changes in the industry implemented by union efforts include shorter work days and removal of youth from the line (5:26). The process of hand trimming (6:04) begins as the wrapper leaf is trimmed and later rolled and filled into its binder. Ends are sealed (6:25). Modern uses of tobacco are explored (6:48). How smokers select their type of cigar depends on size, color, flavor and shape (7:08). Each shape has its own blend (7:26). Extra long cigar types are rolled by hand (7:40). A cigar making machine gets put to use (8:32). The hand rolling method is contrasted against machine rolling (8:15). Filler leaves (8:16) are fed into the machine. A woman shows the process for hand rolling an extra-long type cigar (7:02). Smoking characteristics (7:20) depend upon shape and size. Moistened leaves are set onto the suction device (8:31). Difficulties with working with tobacco is tricky as tobacco is a temperamental material (8:52). Samuel Gompers opinions on the mechanization of the cigar industry is discussed (7:46). Machinery spits out freshly rolled cigars (10:43). Cigars are weighed (10:58) and given final trimmings. Packaged boxes are inspected (11:13). The increase in cost is explained (11:13). Wide shots pass over an array of cigar types (11:41) as the process of grading is discussed. Cigar workers perform hand inspections (12:01). The final boxing process takes about four days (12:07). Machinery fills an order (12:22). Plastic wrapping and labels are stuck on (12:39). The AFL-CIO seal closes the film (13:16).