During the late 1800’s, the United States was still recovering from the devastating effects of the Civil War. Although the theater business was booming, the theatrical profession suffered a tremendous setback when President Lincoln was assassinated by an actor, John Wilkes Booth.

Prejudices against the profession existed prior to that time, but Lincoln’s death rekindled the old hatreds and added more fuel to the fire. Because of their low standing, members of the profession were regularly denied charity from most institutions, including many religious organizations.  It was not unusual for them to be refused a decent burial.

In 1879, a new theatrical paper - the New York Dramatic Mirror - arrived on the scene.  A young NYU freshman, Harrison Grey Fiske, submitted an article and soon after was writing regularly for the paper. When one third of the Mirror’s stock became available, his father bought  it and Fiske became the paper’s editor. Knowing the critical problems facing the profession he immediately began a campaign for an “Actors Fund”. Thanks to Fiske’s persistence and foresight, The Actors Fund was founded on June 8, 1882.

A Strong Start

This newly created charity immediately began providing assistance to individuals and families. By 1887 it purchased a cemetery in Brooklyn ensuring that no one would be without a proper burial. The first Actors Fund home on Staten Island was dedicated in 1902. This was made possible in part, by the successful 1892 Fair, held at Madison Square Garden, which raised over $163,000.  This was the first time that the profession was overwhelmingly accepted by society.  In attendance were President and Mrs. Grover Cleveland, Mr. and Mrs. John Jacob Astor, Andrew Carnegie, J. Pierpont Morgan and Cornelius Vanderbilt.   

Special Benefit performances around the country and a series of hugely successful fairs filled the coffers of The Fund so it could continue to provide assistance to entertainment professionals. The 1907 Fair opened by President Theodore Roosevelt raised $63,941.60.  The 1917 Fair was opened by President Woodrow Wilson, who pressed a button in Washington, D.C. The button unfurled flags of the United States and its Allies. The performance was the Star Spangled Banner sung by Louise Homer. 

In 1916 the Motion Picture Campaign for The Fund created a “Roman Spectacle” production of “Julius Caesar” in the natural amphitheatre in Los Angeles. There were two Roman Legions and hundreds of dancing girls in the cast headed by William Farnum, Tyrone Power and Douglas Fairbanks.  $15,000 was sent to The Fund. The Actors’ National Memorial Day was organized in 1919 to thank the entertainment profession for giving so freely of their time and talent to sell war bonds.  $400,000 was donated to The Fund.

1927 brought the first Fund benefit under the Actors’ Equity Contract. The play was “Porgy.” In 1928, the Actors Fund home was relocated from Staten Island to Englewood, New Jersey.  By 1959 the home needed to be expanded. It was rebuilt as a modern structure, which was dedicated in 1961. The Percy Williams Home closed its Long Island facility and constructed a new wing at The Actors Fund Home in 1975, further expanding The Fund’s ability to provide services to the elderly. 

Changing Times

By The Funds’ Centennial there was a tremendous need for a nursing facility as well as for professionalizing the delivery of human services to the entertainment community. Thanks to two spectacular productions of "Night of 100 Stars" in 1982 and 1984, which featured hundreds of artists, The Fund raised $1,801,000 - most of the money needed to construct a new nursing wing in Englewood.  The new wing opened to great fanfare in 1988 as Philadelphia’s Edwin Forrest Home merged with The Actors Fund Home and contributed $1,750,000 for construction and endowment.

When the AIDS crisis hit in the 1980’s, The Fund was there to help people in the industry who were affected.  It helped found Broadway Cares in 1988, and established its own AIDS Initiative.  In 1990 the third edition of "Night of 100 Stars" raised $390,000 to help meet the needs of those suffering with HIV/AIDS.  Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS remains The Fund’s strongest partner in caring for people with this devastating disease and other health issues.

A Period of New Growth

The 1990’s was a dynamic decade for The Fund.  The Phyllis Newman Women’s Health Initiative was created. The Free Health Clinic was founded to provide health care to the uninsured and under insured. The Aurora in New York City and The Palm View in Hollywood were developed to provide affordable housing to needy clients. The Actors’ Work Program brought their mature program under The Fund umbrella in 1998 and AHIRC was created to provide a comprehensive Web-based informational guide to health insurance.

In 2003, The Actors’ Work Program launched the “Looking Ahead” program to advise younger performers on how to plan for their future. The Free Health Clinic in New York was expanded and renamed The Al Hirschfeld Free Health Clinic in honor of that great theatrical artist.

Today, The Actors Fund  is the national nonprofit human service organization that provides for the welfare of all entertainment professionals.  The Fund helps people in film, theater, television, music, opera, and dance. It assists performers and well as those who work behind the scenes. Its broad spectrum of programs include comprehensive social services, health services, supportive and affordable housing, employment and training services, and skilled nursing and assisted living care. The Fund also makes emergency grants for essential needs. Administered from offices in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, The Actors Fund’s mission is "to advance, foster and benefit the welfare of all professionals in the entertainment community who are in need of help, ensuring that these efforts are accomplished with compassion, confidentiality and preservation of dignity for the individuals concerned."

The Fund’s future is bright and the new projects and programs under exploration are exciting. To quote founder Harrison Grey Fisk: “Even in prosperous times, the need for an Actors Fund arises.”