The Lambs facts for kids
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The Lambs, Inc. (also called The Lambs Club) is a special social club in New York City. It's for actors, songwriters, and other people who work in the theatre world. It's actually the oldest club for theater professionals in America! The club has been known as The Lambs Club and The Lambs Theater since 1874.
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Club's Story
In 1868, The Lambs club first started in London, England. Actors, led by John Hare, wanted a place to hang out and talk with other people who loved theater. Hare was the first "Shepherd," which is what they call the club's president.
Later, some of these London members, especially Henry James Montague, came to the United States. During Christmas week of 1874, they started The Lambs of New York. The club officially became a company in 1877 in New York City. Not long after, the London club closed down.
The club's name honors a famous writer named Charles Lamb and his sister Mary. In the early 1800s, they hosted famous actors and writers at their popular gatherings, called "salons," in London.
In 1924, the club celebrated its 50th birthday, called a golden jubilee, at the Earl Carroll Theatre.
People sometimes get The Lambs, the New York Friars' Club, and The Players in New York mixed up. A writer named Earl Wilson explained it in 1964. He said that a clever person, thought to be George S. Kaufman, once said: "The Players are gentlemen trying to be actors, the Lambs are actors trying to be gentlemen, and the Friars are neither trying to be both."
Club Leaders: The Shepherds
The president of The Lambs is called "The Shepherd." The club proudly displays paintings of all its past Shepherds. These paintings were done by famous artists like James Montgomery Flagg and Everett Raymond Kinstler.
Club Homes Over Time
The Lambs Club has had many homes in Manhattan since 1874.
- In 1874, they had their first dinner at Delmonico's Restaurant.
- They moved to several different places in the early years, including the Morton House (Manhattan) and the Union Square Hotel.
- From 1897 to 1905, they were at 70 West 36th Street. This building was once, and later became again, Keens Chophouse.
- From 1905 to 1975, their main home was at 130 West 44th Street. This building was made bigger in 1907.
- In 1975, they were guests at the Lotos Club.
- Since 1976, their current home is at 3 West Club, on the 5th Floor of 3 West 51st Street.
The Building at 128 West 44th Street
Quick facts for kids |
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Prior Location of the Lamb's Club
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The former Lambs Club building at 128 West 44th Street.
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 Location in New York City
Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | 128 W. 44th St., New York, New York |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1904 |
| Architect | Stanford White, George Freeman |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 82003382 |
| Added to NRHP | June 3, 1982 |
The building at 128 West 44th Street was a very important home for The Lambs. It was designed by a famous architect named Stanford White. It was built in 1904–1905 and then expanded in 1915 to include 132 West 44th Street.
The club stayed in this building until 1974. When they moved, they sold the building to the Church of the Nazarene. The church wanted to use it as a mission in Times Square. The church also rented out part of the building for what became the Off Broadway Lamb's Theatre. This theater is not connected to The Lambs Club, except for sharing the name of the building.
This building was named a New York City Landmark in September 1974. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 3, 1982.
In 2006, the Church of the Nazarene sold the building and theater. A hotel, the Chatwal Hotel, renovated it. They have a restaurant in the hotel called The Lambs Club. However, this restaurant has no connection to the original Lambs Club, other than using the building's old name.
What The Lambs Club Does Now
The Lambs, Inc., is still very active today! It's located in its nine-story home at 3 West 51st Street, right next to Rockefeller Center.
Members of The Lambs have been very important in starting many big organizations for actors and artists. These include the ASCAP, Actors' Equity, The Actors' Fund of America, and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). They also helped create SAG-AFTRA by merging two groups. Out of the first 21 members of the Actors' Equity Council, 20 were members of The Lambs. Meetings to form Actors' Equity were held at The Players club. This was because there were too many producers who were members of The Lambs. The Actors' strike of 1919 was even settled at The Lambs Club.
Historically, The Lambs has been a place where new plays were created and where friendships and partnerships formed. Famous shows like Mark Twain Tonight (starring Hal Holbrook) and Stalag 17 were first performed at The Lambs before they became nationally successful.
The famous musical writers Alan J. Lerner and Frederick Loewe first met at The Lambs. They often tried out new songs and ideas for their fellow club members. Loewe even left a part of his earnings from the musical Brigadoon to The Lambs' Foundation.
Since it started, more than 6,000 people have been members of The Lambs. Some famous past members include Spencer Tracy, Fred Astaire, Irving Berlin, George M. Cohan, W.C. Fields, Will Rogers, Cecil B. DeMille, Eugene O’Neill, Eddie Cantor, John Philip Sousa, James Cagney, Conrad Nagel, Al Jolson, Fred Waring, Albert Hague, Edward G. Robinson, Sid Caesar, Cliff Robertson, Abe Vigoda, and Ken Howard.
Current members include Joyce Randolph from The Honeymooners, Jim Dale, Matthew Broderick, and Tony Award-winning conductor Donald Pippin. You can find a list of all past members on The Lambs' website.
See also
In Spanish: The Lambs para niños
