T-Shirt Unisex Lionel Stander (Red SOB)

The design for January 2025 celebrates rebellious US actor Lionel Stander, who was born on 11 January 1908. While being most famous for playing the chauffeur in 1980s hit TV show “Hart-to-Hart”, Stander was also a popular Hollywood actor, and active in supporting strikes and anti-racist and anti-fascist campaigns. He was denied working during the anti-communist hysteria of the 1940s and 50s. In 1938, Columbia Pictures head Harry Cohn allegedly called Stander "a Red son of a bitch" and threatened a US$100,000 fine against any studio that renewed his contract. We incorporated Cohn’s cursing into this month’s design by using the abbreviated form “RED SOB” thus offering everyone feeling aligned with Standers anti-racist and anti-fascist stance to wear it with pride.

Early in his career Stander helped organise actors in the Screen Actors Guild, raised money for anti-fascists in Spain during the civil war of 1936-1939 and campaigned against racist miscarriages of justice like the Scottsboro boys case. Stander later became one of the most defiant actors pulled in front of the anti-communist House Un-American Activities Committee. Not only did he refuse to inform on any of his colleagues, he exasperated the committee by speaking over senators and lawyers, ignoring their questions and instead testifying about the committee itself:

"I know of some subversion, and can help the committee if it is really interested… I know of a group of fanatics who are desperately trying to undermine the Constitution of the United States by depriving artists and others of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness without due process of the law. If you are interested in that, I would like to tell you about it. I can tell names, I can cite instances, and I am one of the first victims of it, and… these people are engaged in the conspiracy outside all the legal processes to undermine our very fundamental American concepts upon which our entire system of jurisprudence [legal system] exists".

Design by Berlin based artist and illustrator Chris W. Jany.

Attention: Made to order production

You order and we produce the item exclusively for you! Together we avoid overproduction and lessen the impact on the environment. The average production time is 7 to 10 working days after receipt of payment. After that your order will be shipped. More info under “Shipping and Delivery”.

Important: Please take enough time to choose the right size for you. You can find the size chart at the end of each product picture gallery. All products are made especially for you and therefore cannot be easily sent back and be replaced. Of course, unworn goods with obvious material or printing errors are excluded from this.

Brand & Manufacturer: dna merch, Humana Nova Social Cooperative

Material: 100 percent organic cotton

Printing & Finishing: High quality skin and ecofriendly direct-to-garment prints

Care: Important care instructions are available at the bottom of our website

Stock Info: If, in exceptional cases, your size is not in stock, we will send you an organic T-shirt of the same material quality by Fair Wear Foundation Leader Stanley & Stella instead.