The Lambs Theatre Club

From its origins in 1874 as an intimate actors'' dining club, The Lambs by 1925 had become the most famous theatrical club in the world. Fred Astaire said, "When I was made a Lamb I felt as if I had been knighted." The roster of its 6,000 members over the years includes Irving Berlin, W.C. Fields, John Barrymore and Will Rogers, with honorary members like John Wayne and Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Drawn extensively from The Lambs'' official archives, and including many anecdotes from oral histories, this is the definitive record of the venerable club. It traces The Lambs'' roots in London and its initial development in America, their famous touring "Gambols" in the early 20th century, rivals like The Players and The Friars, patriotic efforts during both world wars, Prohibition and the Great Depression; bankruptcy in 1975; and relocation and resurgence today. The book includes numerous rare photographs, bibliography and four appendices.