Night of 100 Stars 42 years old

All-star variety special celebrating the centennial of the Actors' Fund of America.

The most glittering, expensive, and exhausting videotaping session in television history took place Friday February 19, 1982 at New York's Radio City Music Hall. The event, for which ticket-buyers payed up to $1,000 a seat (tax-deductible as a contribution to the Actors' Fund) was billed as "The Night of 100 Stars" but, actually, around 230 stars took part. And most of the audience of 5,800 had no idea in advance that they were paying to see a TV taping, complete with long waits for set and costume changes, tape rewinding, and the like. Executive producer Alexander Cohen estimated that the 5,800 Radio City Music Hall seats sold out at prices ranging from $25 to $1,000. The show itself cost about $4 million to produce and was expected to yield around $2 million for the new addition to the Actors Fund retirement home in Englewood, N. J. ABC is reputed to have paid more than $5 million for the television rights.

Credits

Night of 100 Stars Cast

Name Character
Bette Davis She was 73, 81 years old when she died as Herself
Lauren Bacall She was 57, 89 years old when she died as Herself
Jane Fonda She was 44, now 86 years old as Herself
Diahann Carroll She was 46, 84 years old when she died as Herself
Lillian Gish She was 88, 99 years old when she died as Herself
Bea Arthur She was 59, 86 years old when she died as Herself
June Allyson She was 64, 88 years old when she died as Herself
Carol Channing She was 61, 97 years old when she died as Herself
Cher She was 35, now 77 years old as Herself
Ann Miller She was 58, 80 years old when she died as Herself
Liza Minnelli She was 35, now 78 years old as Herself
Lucie Arnaz She was 30, now 72 years old as Herself
Pearl Bailey She was 63, 72 years old when she died as Herself

Night of 100 Stars Crew

Name Department
Hildy Parks as Writer. She was 55 (78) years old when She died Writing
Night of 100 Stars poster
Night of 100 Stars (42 years)

All-star variety special celebrating the centennial of the Actors' Fund of America.

  • Release day: Monday, March 08, 1982
  • Runtime: 182 minutes