Spacey and McKellen Among 2009 Variety Club Showbiz Award Winners

Stage and screen stars Kevin Spacey and Ian McKellen are among the winners of the 2009 Variety Club Showbiz Award winners. Spacey took home the award for Outstanding contribution to British Theatre, while McKellen won The Bernard Delfont Award for outstanding contribution to Showbusiness.

The full list of winners is as follows:

The Comedy Award Sponsored by Danepak: Michael McIntyre
Film Actor of the Year: Michael Sheen
Outstanding contribution to British Theatre: Kevin Spacey
Television presenter of the Year Award: Justin Lee Collins
The Classical Award sponsored by Classical FM: Faryl Smith
Outstanding Contribution to Popular Music: Spandau Ballet
The Caron Keating Breakthrough Talent Award: Pixie Lott
The Daily Mail Best British TV Judge Award: Simon Cowell
The Bernard Delfont Award for outstanding contribution to Showbusiness: Sir Ian McKellen

The awards are presented annually to help raise fund for the awareness of the Variety Club, the Children's Charity. Variety, the Children's Charity was founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on October 10, 1927 when a group of eleven men involved in show business set up a social club which they named the "Variety Club". On Christmas Eve 1928, a small baby was left on the steps of a movie theatre, with a note reading:

"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."

Since efforts to trace the mother failed, the members of the Variety Club undertook to fund the child's living expenses and education. Later the club decided to raise funds for other disadvantaged children.

For more information on the Variety Club and the awards, visit their website at www.varietyclub.org.uk.