WGA Expresses ‘Concern’ in Agency-Writer Flap : Movies: Guild says that alleged threats against writers would violate its ‘basic agreement.’ Creative Artists Agency has denied charge brought by writer Joe Eszterhas.

One week after a screenwriter’s allegations against Creative Artists Agency President Michael Ovitz surfaced in the press, the Writers Guild of America, West has issued a cautiously worded statement saying that it “views with grave concern threats of interference with a writer’s career opportunities from any quarter, including agents and/or employees.”

The statement, released Thursday, came in response to a four-page letter in which screenwriter Joe Eszterhas alleged that Ovitz threatened his career after he announced plans to leave CAA to join his longtime friend, Guy McElwaine, at rival International Creative Management. Eszterhas, one of the industry’s highest-paid screenwriters, has authored such hit films as “Flashdance” and “Jagged Edge.”

After news of the letter appeared in the press, the writers guild’s electronic bulletin board--which enables members to “talk” to each other through their computers--lit up with messages urging the guild to take action in support of Eszterhas.

“If any of us has been attacked, we have to see this as an attack on all,” one guild member wrote. “We can’t let a writer’s success or lack of success isolate a member from whatever strength this organization can muster . . . Joe E. may not need the guild to fight for him but the guild needs to stand with him.”

“That took guts,” another guild member wrote, “I absolutely agree that the WGA should back him 100%. How many of our rules for agents does this break?”

“Assuming the letter is the genuine thing, which seems more than likely,” came another response, “I would like to extend to the brave Joe Eszterhas my support and approval of what he’s doing here in two ways: Maybe a message from his brothers and sisters, and maybe a strong message to our BOD (board of directors) . . . “

Leaders of the guild--which represents 7,500 TV writers and screenwriters--met with CAA officials “to express and discuss its position and to seek a resolution of the matter,” according to the statement. “Furthermore, the WGA has made inquiries of CAA and Mr. Eszterhas and sought certain acknowledgements, assurances and representations.”

The statement released by the guild was approved by both CAA and Eszterhas.

“It is the position of the WGA that were such threats to issue from an agent, and/or were such threats to be carried out, directly or indirectly, there would be a serious breach of the (guild’s) Basic Agreement (which serves as a legal contract between talent agents and guild members),” the union said in its statement.

CAA, said the guild statement, “acknowledged that any threats to a client of interference with his or her career opportunities and actions undertaken to carry out such threats would be a serious breach of the Basic Agreement.” CAA also assured the guild that “it does not condone the use of threats for the purpose of inhibiting a client from exercising a legal right to terminate or change representation.”

Eszterhas’ letter reconstructs purported portions of conversations Eszterhas had with Ovitz and an underling, agent Rand Holston, in late September after the writer told Ovitz he was leaving CAA to join McElwaine, one of his oldest friends in the business.

According to Eszterhas’ letter, Holston warned the screenwriter that Ovitz would go out of his way to damage his reputation with studio executives and that CAA would withhold its stars and directors from his projects. “Mike’s going to put you into the . . . ground,” Holston is quoted as saying in the Eszterhas letter.

Both Holston and Ovitz have declined comment on the letter. But the agency issued a statement last week denying Eszterhas’ version of events, and released a letter from Ovitz to Eszterhas in which the CAA president said his “recollection of our conversation bore no relationship to your recollection.

“I want to make it eminently clear that in no way will I, Rand or anyone else in this agency, stand in the way of your pursuing your career,” Ovitz added in his letter. “So please, erase from your mind any of your erroneous anxieties or thoughts you may have to the contrary.”