Happy Birthday Ian McKellan! #FoundInTheArchives: A photograph of a young Sir Ian McKellen (@ianmckellen) engaged in an action with the theatre performers union, the Actors’ Equity Association, in New York City in 1981. The world-renowned actor was living in New York City and performing nightly in his Tony Award winning role as Salieri in the play “Amadeus.” He was also devoting his time to picketing on the streets of New York as part of the Actors’ Equity campaign “Save Our Theaters.” The campaign was organized by Joseph Papp, local New Yorkers, and Actors’ Equity to try and halt the destruction of historic theaters on 46th Street in Manhattan’s Theater District. The action was, sadly, unsuccessful and the theaters were demolished in 1982 to make way for the Marriott Marquis Hotel. However, the action did rally support to preserve the rest of the Theater District, which is now a protected, landmarked neighborhood. . Post contributed by our technical services archivist, Elizabeth Parker! [UTU News photograph #6040p Railroad Collection Photographs, #KheelCenter #ILR #CornellRAD] #laborarchives #laborhistory #actorsequalityassociation #sirianmckellen https://www.instagram.com/p/CPTdd9nsGQ-/?utm_medium=tumblr
