Legendary crooner Frank Sinatra came to town on September 11, 1982, to give a very rare performance, all to help his friend Rich Little hold a benefit concert for the Civic’s new nursery for premature and sick babies.
The concert was a huge success, drawing thousands and raising more than $967,000 for the new special care nursery.
The city was so appreciative of Mr. Little’s support for the Civic — where he was born — that the mayor at the time, Marion Dewar, proclaimed Sept. 11 to be Rich Little Day.
The new 24-bed Rich Little Special Care Nursery was officially opened at the Civic by Mr. Little and his then-wife, Jeanne, and their five-year-old daughter, Bria, on March 11, 1983.
“It’s one thing to hear about where your money went, but it’s quite another to see it first-hand,” Mr. Little, the son of a surgeon, said at the time. “I feel very good about it and very proud.”
To this day, Mr. Little calls his benefit show one of the highlights of his life.
