Early years: 1904–1950 The organization traces its roots to 1904, when representatives of the Broadway theaters working with New York publicists organized the '''Press Agents' Association''' to exchange lists of people who were fraudulently receiving complimentary passes to shows. The group regularly met at
Browne's Chop House. Shortly thereafter it began its tribute dinners to theatrical celebrities, the first being
Clyde Fitch. Frederick F. Schrader is credited with suggesting "Friars" as the organization's name.
Clubhouse era (1957–2024) The Friars Club moved into a permanent headquarters in 1957, in an
English Renaissance mansion built for
Speyer & Company investment banker Martin Erdmann by architects
Alfredo S. G. Taylor and Levi in 1908. In 2013, the
New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission proposed designating the Martin Erdmann House as a New York City landmark. The clubhouse was designated as a landmark in November 2016. Friars Club roasts were first televised in the late 1960s, first as part of the
Kraft Music Hall series. From 1998 to 2002,
Comedy Central broadcast the roasts.
Comedy Central then began organizing
its own annual roasts. The club’s board of governors also elected
Barbara Sinatra,
Lucille Ball,
Carol Burnett,
Eydie Gorme,
Barbra Streisand,
Elizabeth Taylor,
Dinah Shore,
Phyllis Diller and
Martha Raye, to honorary membership. In May 2023, it was reported that the club was facing foreclosure on the Martin Erdmann House due to a building flood, the COVID-19 pandemic, and financial irregularities. In October 2024, a foreclosure auction was scheduled for the building; the auction was later rescheduled for November. The Erdmann House was sold that December for $17.2 million. In April 2026,
Extell Development Company paid $19 million for the Erdmann House. == Organization ==