Motion
Picture & Television Country House and Hospital
The Motion
Picture & Television Country House and Hospital is a retirement community,
with individual cottages, and a fully licensed, acute-care hospital, located at
23388 Mulholland Drive in the Woodland Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles,
California. It is a service of the Motion Picture & Television Fund
("MPTF"), and provides services for members of the motion picture and
television industry.
Origin During
the 1930s the untimely deaths of several former Hollywood stars, now destitute,
shook the community. These included Roscoe 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. Mary Pickford and Jean 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.
Operations Scores
of movie notables spent their last years here, as have far less famous people
from behind the scenes of the industry. Those with money paid their own way,
while those who had no money paid nothing. Fees are based solely on the
"ability to pay." Individuals in movies, TV, and other aspects
of the industry, are accepted, such as actors, artists, backlot men, cameramen,
directors, extras, producers, and security guards. To qualify for a cottage,
applicants (or their spouses) must have reached a minimum age of seventy, and
must have worked steadily for at least twenty years in entertainment industry
production. The waiting time is usually a few months, with no preference given
to celebrities or those who can pay their own way, officials of the fund have
said. The facility has an annual budget of $120 million.
In 1993, the
Motion Picture & Television Fund Foundation was established with Jeffrey
Katzenberg as Founding Chairman. The Foundation continues to exist as the
conduit to marshal 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, to continue
its mission 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. In 1998, the Woodland Hills campus was renamed
The Wasserman Campus of the Motion Picture & Television Fund in honor of
the long-time commitment and support of Mr. and Mrs. Lew Wasserman. In February
2000, William Haug resigned as MPTF CEO. The position was filled on May 16,
2000, by Dr. David Tillman, who was at
that time one of the highest paid CEOs of a health care center. His current
annual salary, including perks and bonuses, is approximately $750,000. 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. Besides offering temporary financial assistance and
operating the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital,
MPTF's services operate six outpatient health centers throughout the greater
Los Angeles area as well as the Samuel Goldwyn Foundation Children's Center. In
October 2008, MPTF's Corporate Board of Directors voted unanimously to close
its acute-care hospital and long-term care facility by October 2009. In
December 2008 the MPTF Board of Trustees voted unanimously to support the
October decision of the Corporate Board. This vote was done without the
knowledge of residents or families that would have been affected by the
closure. As late as November 2008, after the October 2008 vote to close the
acute-care hospital and long-term care facility, residents were admitted to the
Long Term Care center under the impression that they would be there 'for the
rest of their lives', only to learn a few months later that the LTC unit would
be closing. In 2002, director Barry Avrich produced and directed a documentary
about the MPTF called Glitter Palace. The film featured an inside look at MPTF
and its famous residents.
Announced
closure of LTCU On January 14, 2009, residents and families of the
long-term care unit (LTCU) were notified by mail of the closure and imminent
re-location of elderly and disabled residents under the care of the MPTF. In a
meeting held by former CEO Dr. David Tillman with concerned family members, it
was revealed that the LTCU and Acute Care Center would be closing. The meeting
became extremely contentious as it became known that the reasons for closure
had been simmering for five years without the knowledge of residents who had
been admitted to the facility under the false promise of having a 'home for the
rest of their lives'. The main reason given to the families was that the LTCU
was losing $10 million per year, and that this would ultimately bankrupt the
fund. It was noted by actors John Schneider and David Carradine, who attended
the meeting in support of the families, that the MPTF was indeed not living up
to their credo of "taking care of their own" and had failed to notify
the families and the entertainment industry of the closures in a proper, humane
way. Foundation CEO Scherer had been profiled in 1996 as a rainmaker whose
fundraising acumen was allowing the Motion Picture Home to dramatically expand
its services. At the time of the announcement, 138 individuals were
receiving long-term care at the facility. Jeffrey Katzenberg, current chairman
of the MPTF Foundation Board, said the fund realized they had no choice but to
close the facility, stating "the acute-care hospital and long-term-care
facility are generating operating deficits that could bankrupt MPTF in a very
few years." There were over 500 hospital admissions and
approximately 100 long-term residents alone in 2008. The fund administrators
projected their shortfall would only grow as a result of the deteriorating
economy.
Primary sources
of funding for long-term care and the hospital are Medicare and Medi-Cal. The
facility claims it receives approximately $20 million a year in reimbursements,
though operating costs were $30 million a year. The MPTF receives approximately
$10,500 per patient per month from Medi-Cal. The California Healthcare
Foundation found that the MPTF receives 80% of its patient funding from
Medi-Cal. Soon thereafter, a grass-roots organization Saving the Lives of Our
Own (STLOOO) was created to organize residents, family members, and supporters
to fight the closure of the LTCU. A Facebook group was generated that quickly
became over 3,500-strong, to also support those residents and families who were
facing eviction by the MPTF. Soon thereafter, the law firm of Girardi + Keese
came aboard to represent residents and family members who were guardians ad
litem for their elderly family members.
In the ensuing
months, the MPTF had to deal with a barrage of claims that revealed
inaccuracies in claims of the fund's alleged financial peril, and the absence
of any exposure of the elderly residents to transfer trauma. According to a
STLOOO member, the daughter-in-law of one resident reached out to him over the
Internet stating that her mother had refused to eat on the second day in her
new residence. Two weeks later the woman had died following complications due
to pneumonia. Claims of bullying by social service workers and more deaths that
could be attributed to transfer trauma were reported to family members by other
family members. Additionally, in an act that could allege intentional
infliction of emotional distress, the MPTF placed a fake studio prop cop car
that was painted to resemble a Los Angeles Police Department cruiser in the
parking lot. That had an intimidating effect on the elderly residents who knew
they were facing 'eviction' from the property.[citation needed] Again, Ken
Scherer in an interview was quoted as saying the idea of the prop police car
was 'wrong', his admission surprising families. Articles published in the Los
Angeles Times, the Daily News and online by The Wrap.com and Nikki Finke's
Hollywood Daily continually hammered the Motion Picture and Television Fund
with new-found facts, reporting of resident deaths, and other facts that flew
in the face of what the MPTF was claiming. In October 2009, when it was
originally set to close down the LTCU, the MPTF renewed their operating license
of the LTCU and Acute Care Unit for another year.[citation needed] CEO David
Tillman later resigned and was replaced by ousted Panavision CEO Bob Beitcher.
Future Through
the tenacity of its advocates, the MPTF was navigated through the storm of its
2009 fiscal crisis. As of 2016 the MPTCHH is still fully operational and has
plans of expansion, including a for-profit 400-unit luxury community for
independent-living seniors on an 18-acre adjacent field (now growing tomatoes
and basil) that would pump money back into the organization. For his 99th birthday, actor Kirk Douglas
endowed the MPTF with a $15 million gift to enable the creation of an
80-resident Alzheimer facility. The facility, which is to be named the Kirk
Douglas Care Pavilion, has not yet been officially announced.
2020
coronavirus outbreak The hospital experienced an outbreak amidst the
COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020,[12] resulting in the deaths of at least five
residents. 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, including Allen
Daviau, cinematographer, Allen Garfield, actor, Joel Rogosin, television
producer and screenwriter, Ann Sullivan, animator.
Notable
residents Note: dagger Died in
residence (dates are birth to death).
Bud Abbott
(1897–1974)† Lila Garrett (1925–2020)† Bob Banner (1921–2011)† Walter Burke (1908–1984)† Allan Lane the voice of Mister Ed, the
talking horse (1909–1973)† Fritzi
Brunette (1890–1943)† Pat Crawford Brown
(1929–2019)† Rodolfo Acosta (1920–1974)† Mary Alden (1883–1946)† Eddie Anderson (1905–1977)† Richard Angarola
(1920–2008) Gilbert M. Anderson (1880–1971)† 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)† Clem Bevans (1879–1963)† Irene Hervey (1909–1998)†, mother
of singer Jack Jones Donna Atwood
(1925–2010)† Walt Barnes (1918–1998)† Emory Bass (1925–2015)† Jeanne Bates
(1918–2007)† Charles Belden (1904–1954)† Monta Bell (1891–1958)† Sally Benson
(1897–1972)† Willie Best (1916–1962)† Helen Beverley (1916–2011)† Whit Bissell
(1909–1996)† Mari Blanchard (1927–1970)† Betty Blythe (1893–1972)† DeWitt
Bodeen (1908–1988)† Fortunio Bonanova (1895–1969)† Aldrich Bowker (1875–1947)† Eileen
Brennan (1932–2013) Evelyn Brent (1901–1975) Johnny Mack Brown (1904–1974)† Phil
Brown (1916–2006)† Vanessa Brown (1928–1999)† Carol Bruce (1919–2007)† Virginia
Bruce (1910–1982)† Richard Bull (1924–2014)† Bruce Cabot (1904–1972)† William
Campbell[24] (1923–2011)† Mary Carlisle (1914–2018) Eddie Carroll (1933–2010)† Walter
Catlett (1889–1960)† John Chambers (1922–2001)† Mae Clarke (1910–1992)† Anne V.
Coates (1925–2018)† Jerry Colonna[3] (1904–1986)† Pinto Colvig (1892–1967)† Chester
Conklin (1886–1971) Joe Connelly (1917–2003)† Ellen Corby (1911–1999)† Wendell
Corey (1914–1968)† Lloyd Corrigan (1900–1969)† Maurice Costello (1877–1950) Nick
Cravat (1912–1994)† Donald Crisp (1882–1974)† Robert Cummings (1910–1990)† 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)† Joe DeRita (1909–1993)† Raymond DeTournay (1935–) Dena
Dietrich (1928—) 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)† 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)†[30] Allen Garfield
(1939–2020)† Peggy Ann Garner (1932–1984)† 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)† Julius Harris
(1923–2004)† Ken Harris (1898–1982)† Del Henderson (1877–1956)† 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–) I.
Stanford Jolley (1900–1978)† Marcia Mae Jones (1924–2007)† Allyn Joslyn
(1901–1981)† DeForest Kelley (1920–1999)† Patsy Kelly (1910–1981)† 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)† Stanley Kramer (1913–2001)† Otto Kruger (1885–1974)† Charles
Lamont (1895–1993)† Elsa Lanchester (1902–1986)† Laura La Plante (1904–1996)† Mitchell
Leisen (1898–1972)† Nat Levine (1899–1989)† Geoffrey Lewis (1935–2015) Monica
Lewis (1922–2015)† Vera Lewis (1873–1956)† Joanne Linville (1928–) 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)† Pat McCormick (1927–2005)† Ralph Meeker (1920–1988)† Bess
Meredyth (1890–1969)† Nolan Miller (1933–2012)†[37] Nico Minardos (1930–2011)† Dolores
Moran (1924–1982)† Karen Morley (1909–2003)† Joel McCrea (1905–1990)† Hattie
McDaniel (1895–1952)† Gerald S. O'Loughlin (1921–2015) Mae Murray (1885–1965)† (a founding trustee) George
Nader (1921–2002)† Virginia O'Brien (1919–2001)†Arthur O'Connell (1908–1981)† Donald
O'Connor (1925–2003)† Harry Oliver (1888–1973)† Susan Oliver (1932–1990)† 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)† Irving Rapper (1898-1999)† Norman Reilly Raine (1894–1971)†
Jobyna Ralston (1899–1967)† Anne Ramsey (1929–1988)† Helen Reddy (1941–2020)† Madlyn
Rhue (1935–2003)† Robert Riskin (1897–1955)†[39] Blossom Rock (aka Marie Blake)
(1895–1978)† Leonard Rosenman (1924–2008)† 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)† Truly Shattuck (1875–1954) Robert
Shayne (1900–1992) Bette Shayne (1921–2010) Norma Shearer (1902–1983)† Allan
Sherman (1924–1973) Vincent Sherman (1906–2006)† Jay Silverheels (1912–1980)† Ronald
Sinclair (1924–1992)†Gerald Oliver Smith (1892–1974) Hal Smith (1916–1994)† Kent
Smith (1907–1985)† Marguerite Snow (1889–1958)† Gale Sondergaard (1899–1985)†Spivy
(1906–1971)† Jan Sterling (1921–2004)† George E. Stone (1903–1967)† Harold J.
Stone (1913–2005)† Madame Sul-Te-Wan (1873–1959)† Hope Summers (1896–1979)†Grady
Sutton (1906–1995)† Richard Sylbert (1928–2002)† Ruthie Tompson (1910–) Regis
Toomey (1898–1991)† Audrey Totter (1917–2013)Forrest Tucker (1919–1986)† Richard
Tucker (1884–1942) 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)†
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_Picture_%26_Television_Country_House_and_Hospital
