The late Queen Mother at the opening of the Variety Club Children's Hospital at Kings in South London.
Winston Churchill receiving his special Gold Heart from Variety Club in 1953.
Cliff Richard receives his "Showbusiness Personality of the Year" award at the Variety Club Showbusiness Awards, 1961
History
The roots of the Variety Club of Great Britain go back to 1927 when, in Pittsburgh, a group of 11 men involved in showbusiness set up a social club. They rented a small room in the William Penn Hotel for their new club, which they named the Variety Club, as all its members were drawn from various branches of the showbusiness world.
On Christmas Eve 1928 a one-month-old baby was abandoned in the Sheridan Square Theatre in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with a note pinned to her dress, which read:
"Please take care of my baby. Her name is Catherine. I can no longer take care of her. I have eight others. My husband is out of work. She was born on Thanksgiving Day. I have always heard of the goodness of showbusiness people and pray to God that you will look after her. Signed, a heartbroken mother."
When all efforts by the police and local newspapers failed to locate the parents, the 11 club members decided to underwrite the infant's support and education.
The child was named Catherine Variety Sheridan. The 11 'godfathers' were proud that a distraught mother had entrusted her child to showpeople. The subsequent publicity surrounding Catherine and her benefactors attracted many other showbusiness people anxious to help. Before long Catherine had more clothes and toys than any child could possibly need.
As a result, by the time Catherine was adopted at the age of five, the club that she had effectively started was well on the way to becoming a recognised children's charity.
It was not long before the Variety Club decided to raise funds for even more disadvantaged children. The club's first fundraising event was held under a circus big top, which is why the circus vernacular is used within the club structure worldwide.
The birth of Tent 36
The Variety Club of Great Britain - or Tent 36 - was set up by two Americans: Robert S Wolff, chairman of RKO, who became the club's first Chief Barker, and C J Latta of ABC Cinemas/Warner Brothers. It was formed at an inaugural dinner at the Savoy in October 1949 and by the end of 1950 had already raised nearly £10,000.
From the start, Tent 36 - like Variety Club as a whole - consisted of a group of charitable individuals and companies. It had a formidable array of film producers, agents and celebrities within its ranks, all of whom were eager to give their time and services - free of charge - to ensure fundraising events were as successful as possible.
What happened to Catherine?
In 1980, at Variety Club International's request, Catherine went public and attended the Variety Club Convention in Los Angeles, accompanied by her husband, three sons and daughter.
Upon learning of her death in 1994, at the age of 65, the then International President John Ratcliff said: "She will always be remembered with great fondness for her ceaseless and outstanding devotion and willingness to help Variety Club's cause on behalf of children in need."