Gifts of Intellectual Property, Royalties and Residuals

The Actors Fund recently received a special gift from the late actor and playwright Albert Hackett. He bequeathed to The Actors Fund one half of the royalties from the award-winning play The Diary of Anne Frank which he co-authored with his wife, Frances Goodrich. The Actors Fund is honored to be associated with a play of such power and thrilled that the income from this world-reknowned work will assist members of the entertainment community for years to come.

Donations of royalties or residuals to The Actors Fund are not uncommon. Many notable professionals have made similar gifts. They include Rick Besoyan, the composer and playwright of Little Mary Sunshine; the multi-talented composer. playwright, actor, singer, dancer and producer, George M. Cohan, who wrote countless shows including The Tavern and Little Johnny Jones; the talented lyricist Nancy Hamilton who wrote the lyrics for How High the Moon and the musical Peter Pan; and the famous singer, actor and composer Al Jolson, well known for California, Here I Come and Mammy.

Others include playwright Anne Nichols, whose Abie's Irish Rose was one of the longest running hits in Broadway history; Basil Rathbone, the most famous Sherlock Holmes of all time; and the actress best known for her portrayal of Mrs. Thurston Howell 3rd in the hit television series Gilligan's Island, Natalie Schafer.

For more information, contact Barbara Toy. Also, join our email newsletter list.

Return to the Bequests and Planned Giving page.