The Little Church and the Actors’ Guild

Over a century ago, there were prevailing feelings of prejudice against people in the theatre…an historical example: in 1870, Joseph Jefferson, the actor famous for his portrayal of Rip Van Winkle, had requested a funeral service at the Church of the Atonement, then on Madison Avenue and 28th Street, for his friend and fellow actor George Holland (1791–1870), where Holland’s children were members of the Sunday School. The clergyman refused on learning that the funeral was for an actor. After some prodding by the stunned Jefferson, he suggested that “There is a little church around the corner where they did that kind of thing.” Jefferson responded, with all the dignity he could muster, “Then I say to you, Sir, God bless the little church around the corner.” And, indeed, the Rev. Dr. George H. Houghton, who had founded the “Little Church” at age 28, accepted the funeral without question.

Across the country, newspapers of the day reported the incident, and even Mark Twain editorialized vehemently upon the matter.

For actors across America, the “Little Church” became a spiritual haven, and many leading members of the theatre community adopted it and began to worship there, including the great Edwin Booth, founder of The Players, whose own funeral service took place at the “Little Church” in 1893.