Actors feel impact of WGA strike

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 16 (UPI) -- The casts of several U.S. television shows will have their contracts suspended for the next five weeks and pay cut in half as a result of the writers' strike.

The Writers Guild of America walkout, which began Nov. 5, has shut down production on numerous series.

Universal Media Studios told the stars of "The Office," "30 Rock," "Bionic Woman" and "Battlestar Galactica" Thursday that it had decided to activate the force majeure clause in their Screen Actors Guild contracts, E! News reported.

Sony Pictures TV suspended the casts of Fox's "'Til Death" and CBS' "Rules of Engagement" without pay, a move that has drawn criticism from both SAG and the American Federation of TV & Radio Artists.

Warner Bros. TV also reportedly sent out a letter to production and facility employees, stating work on all shows will be shutting down in the next six or seven weeks, assuming the WGA strike is not resolved soon, and suggesting layoffs are likely, E! said.