The Motion Picture & Television Fund is 95 years old.
“Not as old as my father (Kirk Douglas),” Michael Douglas quipped on Thursday night at the annual “Reel Stories, Real Lives” event held at the Milk Studios in Hollywood.
Douglas’ cocktail of humor livened up tales of the grim realities of showbiz careers that fade to black, which epitomized the colorful case studies presented by MPTF and delivered by stars like Cuba Gooding Jr., Danny DeVito, and Bryce Dallas Howard.
“As you get older, you realize not everyone’s career is going to be autographs and sunglasses,” Douglas told TheWrap on his way in to Milk Studios.
After a cocktail hour gaze at MPTF memorabilia like Elvis’ $8,500 costume bill, the show included documentary featurettes by Academy Award winners (Morgan Neville), well-wishes from “Star Wars” overlords (J.J. Abrams) and a subconscious reminder that those who need help are “in good hands,” when the soothing Allstate insurance voice of Dennis Haysbert introduced one of the stories.
Riveting stories like two octogenarians falling in love amidst the “happy hour at 3 p.m.” culture at the MPTF Campus preceded a gloomy love story of two men’s 50 year relationship where the widower missed out on mandated union pension benefits because they “could not prove the legitimacy of their relationship,” Matt Bomer relayed. The MPTF stepped in to help.
At the end of each story, cameras revealed one of the protagonists in the audience, earning the cheers of what Jeffrey Katzenberg and event producer Julie Darmody (talent manager by day) both referenced as the next generation of the MPTF, about 500 supporters decades youngers than many of the elderly beneficiaries.
The organization bills itself as celebrating “95 years in a supporting role.” The support tally went up by $5.2. million on the night before the Oscars this year at their signature event, the “Night Before” party.
Beyond Darmody (who got her mother involved as a palliative nurse), the event’s other industry producers included Guymon Casady (who has a massive “Game of Thrones” premiere hitting Hollywood this Sunday night), talent manager Eric Kranzler, producer Greg Sills, studio executive Courtenay Valenti, agent Warren Zavala, producers Kevin McCormick, Karen Rosenfelt and William Gerber.