Night of 100 Stars

Elizabeth was one of two-hundred celebrities who lent their star power to the Night of 100 Stars, a benefit celebrating the centennial of the Actors Fund of America (now the Entertainment Community Fund). The Actors Fund “aids the needy in show business. Not just actors… but the entire entertainment community.” It was staged at New York’s Radio City Music Hall, “the showplace of the nation,” on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1982.

“Never before on one stage, in one theatre, in one evening, have this many world-renowned artists appeared,” a voiceover announced at the beginning of the program. “Two-hundred stars of film, television, stage, music, variety, ballet, opera, and sports. Celebrate with us tonight as we count the stars.”

Elizabeth was one of ten stars who took the stage throughout the program to, as her friend, Princess Grace, put it, “remind ourselves of some of the highlights of this century past.” Elizabeth covered the years of the Actors Fund’s second decade (1893-1902) as a candle on a cake was lit for each year. When she mentioned Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897, she flashed the Krupp diamond, to the delight of the audience.

At the finale, all of two-hundred stars, including Elizabeth, assembled together onstage and sang “Before the Parade Passes By” from Hello, Dolly!