In 1921, entertainment industry pioneers Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks and others founded the Motion Picture Relief Fund to provide charitable assistance for "down on their luck" industry employees. The first act of assistance was when the founders gave $40 to a character actor who had become partially paralyzed. The money helped him and his wife rent an apartment, and the Fund made arrangements so that his wife could continue to work in the industry.
More than 80 years and thousands of similar stories later, the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF) continues the spirit of those founding members with a variety of programs for eligible members. They include five health centers located throughout the Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita Valley areas as well as the Motion Picture & Television Hospital, a fully licensed, state-of-the-art, acute care facility offering surgery, physical therapy, transitional care and more.
The Fund also provides temporary emergency assistance, special grants to maintain health premium payments during periods of unexpected unemployment, counseling for individuals and their families, outreach and wellness programs, confidential help and referral for substance abuse, physical abuse, AIDS and other issues, assistance for the homebound, assistance for children and/or caregivers of older adults through Elder Connection which provides referrals and information even if the caregivers are out-of-state, as well as a limited amount of charitable medical services.
The DGA has joined with the MPTF in unveiling a joint campaign to raise funds for the MPTF, part of which will feature a presentation by MPTF Foundation Board Chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg and MPTF President & CEO David Tillman, M.D., at the May 15 DGA Annual Membership Meeting in Los Angeles.
"What began 80 years ago as a safety net created by those who had the least need for one, has not only survived, but its many valuable services have grown and touched many members at some time in their lives — and that's thanks to the generous support of members at every economic level," said DGA National Executive Director Jay D. Roth. "The Guild is pleased and honored to continue its support of the MPTF which serves a vital function to individuals working in this industry."
Tillman noted that the most pervasive myth about the MPTF is that it is solely a retirement home but that, in fact, its services support entertainment industry members at "every age and at any stage of their lives. For instance, MPTF's Samuel Goldwyn Children's Center has day care for children from 6 weeks to 5 years old, and has a special program that provides health care for mildly ill children. We also have five health centers throughout the greater Los Angeles area that offer flexible hours to accommodate industry schedules. This year alone, it is projected that we will have more than 130,000 patient visits at the centers. In addition to primary care, we provide everything from physical therapy to mammography to gynecology to acupuncture and more."
According to Tillman and MPTF Foundation CEO Ken Scherer, the MPTF relies on three sources of income. First an income stream through its health centers and hospital, second the Fund's endowments and finally from fund-raising and charitable support.
"We've been incredibly fortunate to have benefited from the support of industry members," Scherer said. "For every Ray Stark, whose $10 million seed contribution to the Fund enabled us to build the Fran and Ray Stark Villa for independent and assisted living, there are many others: gaffers and grips, electricians, costumers, who have joined our payroll pledge program to support the Fund. It's remarkable. No other industry cares for its own the way this one does."
Jeffrey Katzenberg echoed those sentiments saying, "I am really proud to be part of an industry that cares for its own regardless of the circumstances or level of need. I truly believe that people who have the most must help those who have the least. In my mind, the MPTF should be the first place that any industry member thinks of and contributes to because this is the organization that is there for our friends and colleagues."
For more information about the MPTF including how you can lend your support, visit the Fund's website at www.mptvfund.org or call (818) 876-1900.
