Save the Motion Picture Home!

Once again I can hear Mary Pickford rolling over in her grave. First the greedy Oscar folk wouldn't let her Oscars be sold for charity (believe it or not that's all STILL up in the air...reportedly they are trying to privately work out a deal now)...and now the same pardon me but it must be said in all its unjournalistic-ness...douchebags...want to close the Motion Picture and Television Home and Hospital.

Created in 1921 by Mary and some fellow great actors the fund was set up to help actors in their hour of need. In 1932 Mary came up with the 'pledge program' which asked workers to deduct one half a percent of their paychecks to the fund much like social security and such these days. The program worked so well it became standard with SAG membership.

In 1939 a bunch of celebs started a radio show, donating their entire appearance fee to the fund, to benefit the charity. In 1940 Jean Hersholt (the guy who stuck up for Karl Dane) spearheaded the opening of the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital (well...television was added later). The house/hospital opened in 1948 and ever since many greats have gone there and many ended their lives there. Both silents and talkies. Then the jerks came into the picture.

In 1993 the Motion Picture and Television Foundation was established and Jeffery Katzenberg was appointed chairman. But then the world went to hell, and in very late 2008 Katzenberg announced they HAD to close to homes and hospital...they were quote, "Losing $10 million a year". Hmm true the health care in this country is extremely third world (and that is a rant I could go on forever...lets just say aged 21 I owe around $20,000 in medical bills from an emergency surgery last year) but unfortunately Katzenberg's claims don't sync up.

In fact a site called thewrap.com found that for the last available tax returns (2006 and 2007) show no $10 million losses...in fact they made net gains both years! However Katzenberg was part of that Madoff scam and was said to have lost millions, many suspect he may have put the fund in hot water as well...through no fault of the patients or donors!

Look I have long accepted Hollywood has a very short term memory. I once again didn't watch the Oscars but I'm told Anita Page was left out of the in memoriam (she died September 2008)...just for the record she was the last living person to have attended the first Oscar ceremony. And she actually was one of the last major stars to have appeared in silents. But nope...forgotten. HOWEVER these people are still alive, and they have been told there was a place for them to go when they were old and no longer had the means. The motto of this place was, "WE TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN". I guess they meant "*unless we get swindled then fuck you old people we're taken the money and running!"

People have begun to protest. So far the home and hospital and staff are all still there. A website http://www.savingthelivesofourown.org/ was started to help raise awareness and protest. There is also a facebook group: Save the Motion Picture Hospital. Other ways you can help (and for the love of God SPREAD THE WORD!!!):

Volunteer:

Sign to help the Saving the Lives of Our Own Campaign by clicking here. Leave a message of support here. Join up here and keep up to date.

Write to the AMPTP

And express your feelings about their lack of support for our elderly co-stars.

AMPTP

15301 Ventura Blvd.

Sherman Oaks, CA 91403

Write to SAG:

and tell them how you feel

http://www.sag.org/

Write your Congressman:

And tell them to throw a few bail out dollars their way (if you don't know who your congressman, or CA's congressmen are click the link above). A letter is best, an email is good too.

http://uspolitics.about.com/od/usgovernment/a/contact_congres.htm

And lastly...boycott the idiots who got us in this trouble to begin with! I'm sure Mary Pickford would say it was the right thing to do! Until this is resolved, I'm dubbing this an honorary FTT Honor Project. SPREAD THE WORD!