Actors’ Benevolent Fund of NSW (ABF) Is In Need of Public Support

For years they entertain us, the actors on stage, television, film and radio, and those behind the scenes are always there. Yet, as an audience and consumers of mass entertainment, little thought is given to what happens when these artists get ill, or fall through the cracks, often working without the safety nets that are available to most of us in the community. That’s where The Actors’ Benevolent Fund of NSW (ABF) comes in.

The ABF extends a vital albeit limited helping hand for those artists. Now celebrating 80 years of working in the industry across the scenes, the all-volunteers run ABF seeks public support as they face an unprecedented demand for assistance.

How the ABF supported actors during COVID

Diana McLean, a familiar face on stage and television, first made appearances in Division 4, Boney and Number 96 and recently toured Australia in the lead role of the stage production of Florence Foster Jenkins.

McLean says that it has been quite difficult for those in the industry since COVID, a time during which the general population had government support, but the majority of the entertainment industry got nothing.

“A lot of people weren’t coping,” Diana Mclean said. “It was a shocking time when a lot of casting offices shut their doors and had moved into their homes, and a lot of production companies have gone under.”

Oddly enough McLean’s regular voice-over work continued during COVID as agencies renewed contracts but since the recovery, the work is now drying up.

“Usually when things are bad advertising picks up, but this year it hasn’t,” McLean said.

The ABF Board is ‘diverse and resilient’

Veteran actor Bruce Spence handed over the chairman’s role to fellow actor Valerie Bader, who emphasised the board’s diversity.

“We (the board) are made up mostly of actors, directors, producers, a lighting designer, and we try to be as diverse as possible,” Valerie Bader, Chair said.

“Even though theatre is coming back, most of the theatres I have seen recently haven’t had full houses, but we are resilient.”

Actors thankful to ABF for support in tough times

Secretary Camilla Rountree, a well experienced actor and producer for theatres including Riverside, sees a danger for young actors entering the business, particularly in the often unpaid independent sector.

“For a lot of young actors who work in the independent sector, they find that they have to give up day work in order to do rehearsals, and then the show, leaving them short of cash,” Rountree said.“They often have to choose between their part-time work and doing the play.

Malcolm (last name withheld) was a former long-time head electrician, including at the Regent Theatre, before becoming a consultant. A number of years ago, Malcolm was left wheelchair bound after suffering heart failure.

“They (ABF) helped me buy a wheelchair as I was unable to walk and I was very lost and in a bad mental state as well,” Malcolm said.

Ron Blanchard , much-loved character actor who has appeared on stage and screen for over more than fifty years recently found himself needing urgent medical assistance. Blanchard found refuge in ABF who helped pay for his much needed surgery as well as ‘some dental work’.

The ABF can help with assistance,  food vouchers and emergency grants for things such as rental bonds, or any essential surgery. The organisation is entirely volunteer run and keeps the structure agile so that it can act quickly on requests.

Rountree stresses that the ABF relies purely on donations, which for the major part are collected by buckets at theatres across Sydney during the month of October.

 

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ABF to hold Cause Celeb cabaret night in 2025

Only one other regular income stream comes every second year when the ABF run their fabulous Cause Celeb cabaret night at the Joan Sutherland Rehearsal Room located at the Opera Centre on Elizabeth Street.

The next Cause Celeb event will be held in August 2025, to mark the end of their 80th anniversary.