Sent by Bob Fraser
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UPDATE ON THE MOTION PICTURE HOME SITUATION
http://www.savingthelivesofourown.org========================================
Things are starting to heat up in the battle to keep The
Motion Picture Home's Hospital and Long Term Care facility
from being closed by a heartless fiscal policy.
First, there's a new website where you can sign up and be
a part of the chorus of voices asking for a full accounting
of things - and an explanation of why this decision was made.
No matter where you are in the world you can make your voice
heard by visiting the site, watching the video of last week's
protest - and signing up for updates. Be sure to sign the
guest book too.
Join today and add your voice.
Another thing you can do is alert your local media to this
terrible situation and sic a few reporters on the board of
directors. When this becomes a media story, things will get
going.
The galling thing about this situation is that if 130 some
Al Queda prisoners were being treated this way, the New York
Times would have it on the front page. That our brothers and
sisters are being pushed around in this manner is beyond the
pale.
The only answer is to shame those in charge into reconsidering.
I hope you'll help.
Have a superb weekend and, as always ...
Much Success,
Bob
You Must Act!
www.youmustact.com
**while this information is a bit dated, it is still very helpful....
As you may have heard that the Motion Picture Home is in some
financial trouble and that the Board has decided to close
the element of the facility that cares for those show folks
who are elderly and ill - the acute care hospital and the
long-term care residence.
Jeffrey Katzenberg, the chairman of the foundation's board,
has said that the regular yearly deficits are endangering
the entire facility. The solution seems to be to move about
100 patients to other facilities and close down that part of
the hospital's operations (and fire about 300 employees).
If you're like me, you are probably royally ticked off that
the MPTF (Motion Picture and Television Fund), formed in
1921 by Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks
and D.W. Griffith - has (apparently) been managed so badly
that this vital care facility is now on the cusp of being
shuttered.
This is one show that shouldn't close.
That this is happening in an era of half a billion dollar
blockbusters, soaring star fees, and constant award giving
is - in my not so humble opinion - the 'bread and circuses'
behavior that led to the well deserved fall of the Roman
Empire.
While some show people who are so public in their support of
any sort of 'iffy' cause - at the drop of a mention in the
columns - are strangely quiet about our own emergency, it is
incumbent upon the rest of us to do and say what we can.
As President Obama just said, this is not the way forward.
As an industry, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves
off and start taking a hard look at the way things are being
managed here in LaLaLand. If there was ever a reason to take
a second look at what 'management' has done - and intends to
continue to do in the future - this is it.
So, please, write letters, get involved, and let's do our
part to make outrage very very public - and perhaps we can
shame the 'movers and shakers' in our business to cough up
some time and money to prevent this terrible 'solution.'
Keep in mind that this is essentially a financial situation
created by the same sort of "money managers" that brought our
economy to its current sorry state.
I hope we can all 'step in' at the last minute and make a
real difference.
I really do, because, my friend, Robert Guillaume is now in
residence at the Motion Picture Home. He and all those show
biz folks who have entertained the world for many generations
may need these critical care facilities in the days to come -
and they deserve better than this.
... I'm sure we CAN make a difference.
THINGS TO DO ...
Join the Facebook group Save The Motion Picture Hospital,
that has just been formed in an effort to make this situation
very very public.
Just type "Save The Motion Picture Hospital" into your
Facebook search ...
... and please tell them Bob Fraser sent you.
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
Contact your local SAG office and tell them how you feel about
this travesty - and ask what the officers of our union are going
to do to reverse the decisions being made by non-performers.
Contact your congressperson and suggest that perhaps this
might be a circumstance that requires a few of those 'bail out'
bucks that have up to now been earmarked for idiot bankers,
Wall Street thieves, and failing car company executives.
And perhaps we might even consider not supporting the networks
and the major movie companies until they acknowledge this foul
up ... and start doing something about it.
Please, as a favor to me, make your voice heard.
Have a great day and, as always ...
Much Success (and compassion),
Bob Fraser
You Must Act!
The #1 Virtual Acting CAREER Course
www.youmustact.com