American Theatre Hall of Fame

The American Theatre Hall of Fame in New York City was founded in 1971 by Earl Blackwell, Gerard Oestreicher, James M. Nederlander, and Arnold Weissberger. Eligible inductees come from many disciplines including actors, playwrights, designers, directors and producers who have had a career on Broadway spanning at least twenty-five years with a minimum of five major theatrical credits. Selections are made by approximately 400 voting members from the Theatre Hall of Fame and the American Theatre Critics Association.

Induction takes place at a ceremony at the Gershwin Theatre in New York City, where the plaques containing the names of the inductees are hung. [ [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08030/853132-42.stm "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette" article, Jan. 30, 2008, "Hall of Fame: theater veterans get a night in limelight"] ] The most recent inductees were announced on October 10, 2008, for the induction ceremony to be held on January 26, 2009. [Gans, Andrew. [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/122247.html "Hamlisch, Lane, Birch, Tunick and Azenberg Among Theater Hall of Fame Inductees",] playbill.com, October 10, 2008]

The Inductees (This is a partial list, for a complete list, see below):

*George Abbott
*Maxwell Anderson
*Judith Anderson
*Julie Andrews
*Ethel Barrymore
*John Barrymore
*Lionel Barrymore
*Barbara Bel Geddes Fact|date=February 2007
*Michael Bennett (1986)
*Eric Bentley (1998)
*Leonard Bernstein
*Eubie Blake (1995)
*Shirley Booth
*Robert Brustein
*Richard Burton
*Mrs. Patrick Campbell
*Len Cariou (2004)
*Kitty Carlisle Hart
*Mrs. Leslie Carter
*Carol Channing
*Ruth Chatterton
*Ina Claire
*Noel Coward
*John Cullum (2007)
*Jose Ferrer
*Zelda Fichandler (1999)
*Harvey Fierstein (2007)
*Minnie Maddern Fiske
*Geraldine Fitzgerald (1986)
*Lynn Fontanne
*Brian Friel (2006)
*George Gershwin
*Ira Gershwin
*William Gibson (2005)
*George Grizzard
*A. R. Gurney
*Mel Gussow (2007)
*Uta Hagen (1981)
*Julie Harris
*Rosemary Harris (1986)
*Oscar Hammerstein II
*Moss Hart
*George Hearn (2006)
*Katharine Hepburn
*Jerry Herman (1986)
*Gregory Hines (2004)
*Dana Ivey (2007)
*Willa Kim (2006)
*Eugene Lee
*Alan Jay Lerner
*John Lithgow (2005)
*Frank Loesser
*Dorothy Loudon (2005)
*Alfred Lunt
*Patti LuPone (2006)
*Raymond Massey (1986)
*Ian McKellen (2004)
*Ethel Merman
*Judith Malina (2003)
*Liza Minnelli
*Brian Murray (2004)
*Jack O'Brien (2007)
*Estelle Parsons (2004)
*Bernadette Peters (1995)
*Christopher Plummer (1986)
*Michael Redgrave (1986)
*George C. Scott (1986)
*Marian Seldes (1995)
*Peter Shaffer (2007)
*George Bernard Shaw
*Robert E. Sherwood
*Lois Smith (2007)
*Stephen Sondheim
*Jean Stapleton
*Maureen Stapleton (1981)
*Joseph Stein (2007)
*Roger L. Stevens (1986)
*Barbra Streisand
*Elaine Stritch (1995)
*Dorothy Stickney
*Sada Thompson
*Wendy Wasserstein (2006)
*Mae West
*Oscar Wilde
*Tennessee Williams
*August Wilson (2006)
*Elizabeth Wilson (2006)

There is also a special "Theatre Hall of Fame Founders Award", established in 1993 in honor of the 3 founders and awarded for an individual's outstanding contribution to the theatre.

"Awardees"
* 1993 James Nederlander
* 1994 Kitty Carlisle Hart
* 1995 Harvey Sabinson
* 1996 Henry Hewes
* 1997 Otis L. Guernsey, Jr.
* 1998 Edward Colton
* 1999 (No award)
* 2000 Gerard Oestreicher
* 2000 Arnold Weissberger
* 2001 Tom Dillon
* 2002 (No award)
* 2003 Price Berkley
* 2004 (No award)
* 2005 Donald Seawell
* 2007 Roy Somlyo

References

External links

* [http://www.bestplaysonline.com/HOF2007.pdf Complete List of ATHOF Inductees]
* [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/114595.html playbill.com article, Jan. 28, 2008, "Fierstein, Ivey, O'Brien and More Inducted Into Theater Hall of Fame Jan. 28; Tune Hosts"]