Motion Picture & Television Fund

The Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF) is a charitable organization that offers assistance and care to those in the motion picture and television industries and their families with limited or no resources, including services such as temporary financial assistance, case management, and residential living.

Origin

Mary Pickford conceived the idea of a fund to help those in the motion picture industry who were out of work and struggling and, in 1921, the Motion Picture Relief Fund was founded with Joseph Schenck as president, Pickford as vice-president and the Reverend Neal Dodd as administrator.

During the 1930s, the untimely deaths of several former Hollywood stars who ended up destitute shook the community. These included Roscoe ("Fatty") Arbuckle, John Bowers, Karl Dane, Florence Lawrence, Marie Prevost and Lou Tellegen.

In 1940, Jean Hersholt, then president of the Motion Picture Relief Fund, found 48 acres (19 ha) of walnut and orange groves in the southwest end of the San Fernando Valley which were selling for US$850 an acre ($0.21/m2) ($40,800). The fund's board purchased the parcel that same year to build the Motion Picture Country House. To offset the costs for the first buildings, which were designed by architect William Pereira, 7 acres (2.8 ha) were sold. Pickford and Hersholt broke the first ground. The dedication was on September 27, 1942.

The Motion Picture Hospital was dedicated on the grounds of the Country House in 1948. In attendance were Buddy Rogers and Loretta Young, among other stars. Services were later extended to those working in the television industry as well, and the name was altered to reflect the change. The retirement community, with individual cottages, administrative offices, and a hospital, is located at 23388 Mulholland Drive in the Woodland Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.

History since 1990

In 1993, the Motion Picture & Television Fund Foundation was established with Jeffrey Katzenberg as Founding Chairman. The Foundation, as it was formerly known, existed as the conduit to fulfill the vision of its donors and their philanthropy to the growing human needs of the entertainment community it serves. The MPTF Foundation puts on annual events that help raise millions of dollars in funds to continue to assist those entertainment industry members in need. These events include the Michael Douglas and Friends Golf Tournament, The Night Before and The Evening Before, the Heartbeat of Hollywood golf tournament and its Heartbeat Lite companion event, and Reel Stories, Real Lives.

In 2004, filmmaker Barry Avrich directed and produced, Glitter Palace the first documentary on the Motion Picture Country Home that was narrated by Brian Linehan. The film featured many of the residents living at MPTF.

In 2006, the groundbreaking for the Saban Center for Health and Wellness featuring the Jodie Foster Aquatic Pavilion was held on The Wasserman Campus. The center was named after donors Haim Saban and his wife, Dr. Cheryl Saban. It opened its doors on July 18, 2007, and features aquatic and land-based therapies as well as MPTF's Center on Aging, a best-practice model that provides a variety of programs that are geared toward improving the lives of the entertainment industry seniors throughout southern California. A new and emerging need to address quality-of-life issues for older adults in their own homes was identified and led to the creation of such MPTF programs and initiatives as Palliative Care, Elder Connection, Rebuilding Together, and the MPTF Age Well Program. In 2014, MPTF opened the Samuel Goldwyn Jr. Center for Behavioral Health, specializing in adults over 55 with acute mental health needs.

There was a turbulent period starting in early 2009 when the MPTF announced that rising costs amid the recession would force it to shutter its long-term care unit, which had 136 patients at the time, as well as its acute-care hospital. That decision created a barrage of criticism, with some questioning the fund's commitment to its stated goal of “taking care of our own." The MPTF restructured, brought in Bob Beitcher in 2010, and launched an aggressive $350 million fundraising campaign in 2012 headed by Jeffrey Katzenberg and George Clooney. Beitcher said the fundraising push was to provide a safety net for the 75,000 baby boomers who would be retiring from the industry over the next 20 years. At that point, $238 million had already been raised with key contributions from Clooney, Steve Bing, Tom Cruise, Barry Diller, Fox Entertainment Group, David Geffen, Michael Lewis, Jerry Perenchio, Joe Roth, Jeffrey and Marilyn Katzenberg, Todd Phillips, Patrick Soon-shiong, Thomas Tull and John Wells, among others. As of 2014, $325 million has been raised for this campaign. For its health care centers, MPTF partnered with UCLA Health, which today operates five MPTF health care centers in Los Angeles. These health centers are still exclusive to entertainment industry members.

The brainchild of Jeffrey Katzenberg, the annual “Night Before the Oscars” launched in 2003 and remains one of the main MPTF fundraising events. The 14th annual "Night Before" party, held February 27, 2016, raised a total of $5.2 million to benefit the MPTF. More than $70 million has been raised since the event was launched

Through June 1, 2014, the MPTF's operations include a 250-bed multilevel care hospital, seven primary care health centers, a 186-unit retirement community on The Wasserman Campus in Woodland Hills providing independent and assisted living, and a free-standing child care facility.[

The Samuel Goldwyn Foundation is the single largest donor in the foundation's 93-year history, with the family's total contributions to the MPTF upwards of $55 million.

On October 1, 2016, MPTF commemorated its 95th anniversary with a live entertainment event on its campus hosted by Hugh Jackman. Among the highlights were live musical performances by resident Helen Reddy, Derek Hough, Jane Lynch, Johnny Mathis, and Norm Lewis, with speakers including Chris Pine, Loretta Devine, Bryan Cranston, and Matt Bomer. A 100th birthday cake was presented to actor Kirk Douglas, who was in attendance with wife Anne and son Michael Douglas.

In 2020 and 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, MPTF was the administrator or co-administrator for multiple relief funds including the DGA, IATSE, ViacomCBS, Cast & Crew, the cast and crew of Westworld, and The Comedy Store, as well as its own dedicated COVID-19 relief fund for industry members at large. During the pandemic, MPTF Studios (the on-campus video production facility) began broadcasting live programming from its recently remodeled campus theater several days per week with residents and supporters video conferencing in to participate in a variety of shows and activities.

MPTF's memory care facility, Harry's Haven (named after Kirk Douglas’ father, Herschel “Harry” Danielovitch), was relocated from its original standalone building to the second floor of the hospital in 2019 after an extensive remodel and upgrade. Also in 2019, the long-term care unit in the hospital was dedicated as Mary Pickford House, which contains 40 beds. Adjoining it is Hersholt Place (named after Jean Hersholt) with an additional 10 beds.

On January 14, 2021, MPTF was announced as the recipient of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, to be presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at the 93rd Oscars ceremony on April 25. This marked the first time in Academy history that an organization was chosen for the award, which was also presented that year to Tyler Perry. The award also coincided with the 100th anniversary of MPTF's founding.

2020 COVID-19 outbreak

The hospital experienced an outbreak amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, resulting in the deaths of at least seven residents. All of the infected residents were transferred to the former acute care unit, J-Wing, which was set up as the dedicated COVID-19 unit of the hospital. The first fatalities at the retirement community were John Breier, a long-term care resident who died on April 7, 2020, and actor Allen Garfield, who also died on April 7. By April 22, 2020, 14 residents (out of a population of 162 residents) and nine of the facility's 400 employees had tested positive for COVID-19. Including Breier, at least five residents had died from COVID-19 by April 22, 2020. In January 2021, MPTF began a campus-wide program to vaccinate all residents.

Notable residents

† Died in residence (dates are birth to death).

• Bud Abbott (1897–1974), comedian
• Rodolfo Acosta (1920–1974)
• Mary Alden (1883–1946)
• Eddie Anderson (1905–1977)
• Gilbert M. Anderson (1880–1971)
• Richard Angarola (1920–2008)
• Jack Arnold (1916–1992)
• Johnny Arthur (1883–1951)
• Iris Ashton (1899–1985), actress, wife of writer Arthur St. Claire
• Gertrude Astor (1887–1977)
• Mary Astor (1906–1987)
• Donna Atwood (1925–2010)
• Parley Baer (1914-2002)
• Carla Balenda (born 1925)
• Bob Banner (1921–2011), producer
• Walt Barnes (1918–1998)
• Emory Bass (1925–2015)
• Jeanne Bates (1918–2007)
• Charles Belden (1904–1954)
• Monta Bell (1891–1958)
• Sally Benson (1897–1972)
• Leah Bernstein (1921–2020)
• Willie Best (1916–1962)
• Clem Bevans (1879–1963)
• Helen Beverley (1916–2011)
• Whit Bissell (1909–1996)
• Billy Bitzer (1872–1944)
• Mari Blanchard (1927–1970)
• Betty Blythe (1893–1972)
• DeWitt Bodeen (1908–1988)
• Fortunio Bonanova (1895–1969)
• Aldrich Bowker (1875–1947)
• John Breier (1956–2020)
• Eileen Brennan (1932–2013)
• Evelyn Brent (1901–1975)
• Johnny Mack Brown (1904–1974)
• Pat Crawford Brown (1929–2019)
• Phil Brown (1916–2006)
• Vanessa Brown (1928–1999)
• Carol Bruce (1919–2007), actress and singer
• Virginia Bruce (1910–1982)
• Fritzi Brunette (1890–1943)
• Richard Bull (1924–2014)
• Walter Burke (1908–1984)
• Bruce Cabot (1904–1972)
• Michael Callan (1935–2022)
• William Campbell (1923–2011)
• Rafael Campos (1936–1985)
• Mary Carlisle (1914–2018)
• Eddie Carroll (1933–2010), voice of Jiminy Cricket
• Walter Catlett (1889–1960)
• John Chambers (1922–2001)
• Mae Clarke (1910–1992)
• Anne V. Coates (1925–2018)
• Phyllis Coates (1927-2023)
• Richard Collier (1919–2000)
• Jerry Colonna (1904–1986)
• Pinto Colvig (1892–1967)
• Chester Conklin (1886–1971)
• Corinne Conley (born 1929)
• Joe Connelly (1917–2003)
• Ellen Corby (1911–1999)
• Wendell Corey (1914–1968)
• Robert Cornthwaite (actor) (1917-2006)
• Lloyd Corrigan (1900–1969)
• Maurice Costello (1877–1950)
• Nick Cravat (1912–1994)
• Donald Crisp (1882–1974)
• Robert Cummings (1910–1990)
• Stuart Damon (1937–2021)
• Viola Dana (1897–1987)
• Ruby Dandridge (1900–1987)
• Jane Darwell (1879–1967)
• Allen Daviau (1942–2020)
• Dorothy Davenport (1895–1977)
• Yvonne De Carlo (1922–2007)
• Fred de Cordova (1910–2001)
• Carter DeHaven (1886–1977)
• Joe DeRita (1909–1993)
• Raymond DeTournay (born 1935)
• Dena Dietrich (1928–2020)
• Brian Donlevy (1901–1972)
• Fifi d'Orsay (1904–1983)
• Diana Douglas Webster (1923–2015)
• Billie Dove (1903–1997)
• Charles Dudley (1883–1952)
• Douglass Dumbrille (1889–1974)
• Minta Durfee (1889–1975)
• Herb Edelman (1933–1996)
• Cliff Edwards (1895–1971)
• Anthony Eisley (1925–2003)
• Stephen Elliott (1918–2005)
• Muriel Evans (1910–2000)
• Tom Ewell (1909–1994)
• John Fante (1909–1983)
• Franklyn Farnum (1878–1961)
• Dorothy Fay (1915–2003)
• Maude Fealy (1883–1971)
• Norman Fell (1924–1998)
• Edith Fellows (1923–2011)
• Stepin Fetchit (1902–1985)
• Larry Fine (1902–1975)
• Max Fleischer (1883–1972)
• Richard Fleischer (1916–2006)
• Bess Flowers (1898–1984)
• June Foray (1917–2017)
• Harrison Ford (1884–1957) (silent film actor)
• Helen Forrest (1917–1999) (singer)
• Douglas Fowley (1911–1998)
• Eddie Foy Jr. (1905–1983)
• Joe Frisco (1889–1958)
• Annette Funicello (1942–2013)
• Zsa Zsa Gabor (1917–2016)
• Lillian Gallo (1928–2012)
• Allen Garfield (1939–2020)
• Peggy Ann Garner (1932–1984)
• Lila Garrett (1925–2020), writer
• Anita Garvin (1907–1994)
• Hoot Gibson (1892–1962)
• James Gleason (1882–1959)
• Harold Gould (1923–2010)
• Lita Grey (1908–1995)
• Virginia Grey (1917–2004)
• Edmund Gwenn (1877–1959)
• Anne Gwynne (1918–2003)
• Sara Haden (1899–1981)
• Jean Hagen (1923–1977)
• Creighton Hale (1882–1965)
• Jonathan Hale (1891–1966)
• Bridget Hanley (1941–2021)
• Julius Harris (1923–2004)
• Ken Harris (1898–1982)
• Del Henderson (1877–1956)
• Irene Hervey (1909–1998), mother of singer Jack Jones
• Curly Howard (1903–1952)
• Rose Hobart (1906–2000)
• Harry O. Hoyt (1885–1961)
• Gareth Hughes (1894–1965)
• Arthur Hunnicutt (1910–1979)
• Wilfrid Hyde-White (1903–1991)
• Frieda Inescort (1901–1976)
• Richard Jaeckel (1926–1997)
• Glynis Johns (1923-2024)
• I. Stanford Jolley (1900–1978)
• Marcia Mae Jones (1924–2007)
• Allyn Joslyn (1901–1981)
• DeForest Kelley (1920–1999)
• Patsy Kelly (1910–1981)
• Fred A. Kelsey (1884–1961)
• Edgar Kennedy (1890–1948)
• Madge Kennedy (1891–1987)
• Michael Kennan (1939–2020)
• Kathleen Key (1903–1954)
• Andrea King (1919–2003)
• Mabel King (1932–1999)
• James Kirkwood, Sr. (1875–1963)
• Fuzzy Knight (1901–1976)
• Patric Knowles (1911–1995)
• Gail Kobe (1932–2013)
• Stanley Kramer (1913–2001)
• Otto Kruger (1885–1974)
• Charles Lamont (1895–1993)
• Elsa Lanchester (1902–1986)
• Allan Lane (1909–1973)
• Laura La Plante (1904–1996)
• Mitchell Leisen (1898–1972)
• Nat Levine (1899–1989)
• Ruby R. Levitt (1907–1992), 4-time Academy-Award-nominated set designer
• Geoffrey Lewis (1935–2015)
• Monica Lewis (1922–2015)
• Vera Lewis (1873–1956)
• Joanne Linville (1928–2021)
• Babe London (1901–1980)
• Edmund Lowe (1890–1971)
• Marion Leonard (1881–1956)
• John Litel (1892–1972)
• Ida Lupino (1918–1995)
• Ken Maynard (1895–1973)
• Katherine MacGregor (1925–2018)
• Diane MacGregor (1941–2022)
• Pat McCormick (1927–2005)
• Joel McCrea (1905–1990)
• Hattie McDaniel (1895–1952)
• Ralph Meeker (1920–1988)
• Bess Meredyth (1890–1969)
• Lee Meriwether (born 1935)
• Lillian Michelson (born 1928)
• Nolan Miller (1933–2012)
• Thomas R. Mills (1878–1953)
• Nico Minardos (1930–2011)
• Dolores Moran (1924–1982)
• Karen Morley (1909–2003)
• Mae Murray (1885–1965) (a founding trustee)
• George Nader (1921–2002)
• Marshall Neilan (1891–1958)
• Lois Nettleton (1927–2008)
• Tommy Noonan (1921–1968)
• Gertrude Norman (1848 or 1851–1943)
• Harry Northup (born 1940)
• Virginia O'Brien (1919–2001)
• Arthur O'Connell (1908–1981)
• Donald O'Connor (1925–2003)
• Gerald S. O'Loughlin (1921–2015)
• Harry Oliver (1888–1973)
• Susan Oliver (1932–1990)
• Maria Ouspenskaya (1876–1949)
• Jean Parker (1915–2005)
• Louella Parsons (1881–1972)
• Hank Patterson (1888–1975)
• Virginia Pearson (1886–1958)
• House Peters Jr. (1916–2008)
• Edna Purviance (1895–1958)
• Robert Quarry (1925–2009)
• Norman Reilly Raine (1894–1971)
• Jobyna Ralston (1899–1967)
• Herbert Rawlinson (1886–1953)
• Anne Ramsey (1929–1988)
• Irving Rapper (1898–1999)
• Bernard B. Ray (1895—1964)
• Helen Reddy (1941–2020)
• Madlyn Rhue (1935–2003)
• Warner Richmond (1886–1948)
• Hal Riddle (1919-2009)
• Robert Riskin (1897–1955)
• Blossom Rock (aka Marie Blake) (1895–1978)
• Joel Rogosin (1932–2020)
• Leonard Rosenman (1924–2008)
• Mark Rydell (born 1929)
• Marin Sais (1890–1971)
• Theresa Saldana (1954–2016)
• Philip Saltzman (1928–2009)
• Ann Savage (1921–2008)
• Connie Sawyer (1912–2018)
• Richard Schaal (1928–2014)
• Vito Scotti (1918–1996)
• Dorothy Sebastian (1903–1957)
• Mack Sennett (1880–1960)
• Gustav von Seyffertitz (1862–1943)
• Truly Shattuck (1875–1954)
• Robert Shayne (1900–1992)
• Bette Shayne (1921–2010)
• Norma Shearer (1902–1983)
• Allan Sherman (1924–1973)
• Vincent Sherman (1906–2006)
• Geoffrey Shurlock (1884–1976), director of the Production Code Administration from 1954 to 1968
• Henry Silva (1926–2022)
• Jay Silverheels (1912–1980)
• Ronald Sinclair (1924–1992)
• Gerald Oliver Smith (1892–1974)
• Hal Smith (1916–1994)
• Kent Smith (1907–1985)
• William Smith (1933–2021)
• Marguerite Snow (1889–1958)
• Abraham Sofaer (1896-1988)
• Gale Sondergaard (1899–1985)
• Ralph Spence (1889–1949)
• Spivy (1906–1971)
• Jan Sterling (1921–2004)
• George E. Stone (1903–1967)
• Harold J. Stone (1913–2005)
• Madame Sul-Te-Wan (1873–1959)
• Ann Sullivan (1929–2020)
• Hope Summers (1896–1979)
• Grady Sutton (1906–1995)
• Richard Sylbert (1928–2002)
• Benny Thau (1898–1983), studio executive
• Ruthie Tompson (1910–2021)
• Regis Toomey (1898–1991)
• Audrey Totter (1917–2013)
• Forrest Tucker (1919–1986)
• Richard Tucker (1884–1942)
• Lawrence Turman (1926–2023)
• Florence Turner (1885–1946)
• Edgar G. Ulmer (1904–1972)
• Van Wakely (1919–1998)
• H. B. Warner (1875–1958)
• Johnny Weissmuller (1904–1984)
• Ben Welden (1901–1997)
• Lyle R. Wheeler (1905–1990)
• Dick Wilson (1916–2007)
• Henry Willson (1911–1978)
• Edward Winter (1937–2001)
• Estelle Winwood (1883–1984)
• Than Wyenn (1919–2015)
• Alan Young (1919–2016)
• Clara Kimball Young (1890–1960)

External links

• Official website

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