Alan Eisenberg, the longest-serving executive director of the Actors’ Equity Association, died Saturday. He was 88 years old.
The actors’ labor union announced his death on Monday.
We are sorry to share the news of Alan Eisenberg's passing. Alan was Equity's longest-serving executive director, leading the union from 1981 to 2006. https://t.co/CSNkjxPbTZ pic.twitter.com/qI6JRyEJmf
— Actors' Equity (@ActorsEquity) October 9, 2023
Eisenberg led the union from 1981 to 2006, seeing it through huge growth in membership, leading it to workweeks and member earnings and navigating several controversies and events, from the 1990 Miss Saigon controversy to the industry shockwaves caused by Sept. 11, 2001.
During his tenure, union membership increased from 28,678 to 46,000 people; workweeks increased by more than 70,000 weeks annually; earnings for stage managers and actors increased from $118.6 million to $250.3 million; and Equity investments increased in value from $1.7 million to more than $22 million.
Prior to his time with the Actors’ Equity, Eisenberg was a labor lawyer and worked for four years as a staff attorney for the National Labor Relations Board, even arguing cases in front of the Supreme Court. He also represented the Newspaper Guild and was the lead lawyer during the 1975 Washington Post strike
“It has been an honor and a privilege to represent the council and American stage actors and stage managers,” Eisenberg said at the end of his run with the Actors’ Equity Association. “I have always tried to carry out this responsibility with dedication to, and pride in, the membership. I have always been and continue to be committed to helping all our Actors.”
In a statement announcing his passing, the union praised Eisenberg as “a shrewd negotiator driven by the goal of getting the best possible benefits for the greatest number of artists.”
Eisenberg is survived by his wife, Claire Copley, and his daughters, Mollie and Emma Copley Eisenberg.
