Antoinette Perry, the only child of an affluent Denver attorney, was born June 27, 1888.

As a girl, she studied piano and voice, and was sent to New York's exclusive Miss Ely's School to prepare for a concert career. Her heart, however, was always in the theatre.

In 1905, at the age of 16, she made her stage debut in Chicago in a play called "Mrs. Templeton's Telegram." By age 20, Perry had already become a stage star.

Over the course of her lifetime, Perry became not only a noted actress, but also a director and philanthropist. She became active in the American Theatre Wing, helping to form the American Theater Wing War Service, which held benefits to raise money for the British war effort.

When she died at age 58, the members of the American Theatre Wing were determined that some type of memorial be established to honor her. They decided on a series of annual awards for distinguished acting and technical achievement. They named them the Tony Awards.