Actors Benevolent Fund of NSW is proud to announce our 80th year of supporting members of the performing arts sector. Since 1944 we have been providing urgent financial help to artists in times of illness, accident, age related problems and severe adversity.
For the next year ABF will be celebrating with a series of special events with the dual purpose of raising our profile and raising funds. This will include an on-line auction of iconic items donated by some of our stars of theatre and film plus a great night with Cause Celeb, our legendry indoor picnic and cabaret events. There will be lots of other things to excite and involve our supporters so look out for announcements via email and on social media.
We are also proud to announce that ABF will be presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Sydney Theatre Awards in January 2025. For the first time this will be marked by a handsome trophy designed especially by the renowned stage designer Brian Thomson.
ABF began on January 11, 1944 during the second world war, when a group of actors came together to find ways to provide financial support for the families of performers who had died or those returning home injured or incapacitated, many of them in desperate need.
The first Actors Benevolent Fund committee consisted of Marshall Crosby, Ernest Woods, Harcourt Garden, Myra Dempsey, Lynne Foster, Gwen Plumb and Hal Alexander. Initially modelled on the English fund of the same name founded in 1882 by the actor Sir Henry Irving, it quickly developed a more Australian larrikin spirit. The first fundraising event, a Mr Ugly competition, included Peter Finch in the line-up of contestants. One of the more controversial fundraising methods were Stage Management fines on casts for lateness, rudeness, inappropriate dress and bad language.
Despite its name, today the Actors Benevolent Fund covers a diversity of theatre workers including directors, designers, stage managers, technicians, singers, dancers, playwrights, cabaret and circus performers and now members of the film industry.
We receive no government funding and rely on donations from theatre audiences, fundraising events, bucket collections in theatres and philanthropy for survival. The generosity of these sectors has in recent years, enabled ABF to greatly expand operations resulting in the fund now offering several grants programs each providing different levels of financial support. This ranges from help with medical, dental and mental health bills to assistance with rent, household costs and utility bills and food vouchers.
We also administrate several dedicated funds including the STA Fund which provides financial help to theatre workers and The James Laurie Senior Assistance Fund which is designed to help senior artists to remain in their homes longer or transition to care facilities. We have also established The Mallos Fund which awards study grants to culturally diverse artists and creatives.
During the years in which Covid closed all our theatres, Actors Benevolent Fund raised and distributed over a million dollars to help our artists survive.
Since it began ABF has been supported by some of the most famous names of stage and screen, a tradition which continued through the decades. Among the earliest donors were English stars Sir Laurence Olivier who became the first patron along with his wife Vivien Leigh, comedian and singer Stanley Holloway the original Alfred P Doolittle, Sir Lewis Casson, Dame Sybil Thorndike and Robert Morley.
The better-known locals included “Our Glad” Gladys Moncrieff, pioneering filmmaker Charles Chauvel, Doris Fitton, Bobby Limb, Gwen Plumb, Ron Frazer, Mavis Bramston star Maggie Dence, Stuart Wagstaff, Gordon Chater, Jonathan Biggins, Sandy Gore, Playwright Nic Enright, John Bell, Anna Volska, artist Martin Sharp, Philip Quast, Director Ros Horin, Cate Blanchett and Hugh Jackman. Former Chairs include Noeline Brown, John Gregg and Bruce Spence. Russell Crowe became a patron in 2006 and was soon joined by Jacki Weaver. There are also a number of important Ambassadors who continue to provide valuable assistance.
Many of our best-known artists have held fundraising events and bucket collections post shows and many musical theatre stars have given their time and considerable talents to be part of our events. Particular thanks goes to Opera Australia who have continued to provide the fabulous Joan Sutherland rehearsal room for our Cabaret nights.
Past entrepreneurs such as Michael Edgley, Kevin Jacobsen and Harry M Miller donated tickets to their productions to raise money for ABF. In recent years John Frost now a patron, Michael Cassell and Carmen Pavlovic, GBW and others have assisted with fundraising efforts and bucket collections as have Sydney Theatre Company, Belvoir, Griffin, Bell Shakespeare and The Ensemble Theatre among many more. We are immensely grateful for their help and would not be where we are today without them.
ABF is looking forward to sharing our 80th Anniversary Celebrations with our friends over the next 12 months.
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