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Speaker 1: I don't know what that says about my personality, but

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Speaker 1: I have no qualm standing on a stage with the

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Speaker 1: microphone and point to someone and guilting them into giving

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Speaker 1: us a couple extra bucks.

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Speaker 2: Welcome to Daily Variety, your daily dose of news and

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Speaker 2: analysis for entertainment industry insiders. It's Wednesday, November twenty sixth,

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Speaker 2: twenty twenty five. I'm your host, Cynthia Littleton. I am

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Speaker 2: co editor in chief of Variety alongside Ramin Setuda. I'm

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Speaker 2: in LA He's in New York and Righty has reporters

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Speaker 2: around the world covering the business of entertainment. In today's episode,

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Speaker 2: we'll hear from Ike Barenholtz, the multi hyphenate star of

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Speaker 2: The Studio and many other TV shows and movies. He's

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Speaker 2: out tub thumping on behalf of the Motion Picture and

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Speaker 2: Television Fund. He has a personal connection to the organization

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Speaker 2: that he will share. And then we'll dive into the

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Speaker 2: wayback machine to show off just how long Variety has

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Speaker 2: been around. We've been around so long that we covered

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Speaker 2: the first stirrings of the MPTF when it was birthed

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Speaker 2: as the Motion Picture Relief Fund of America in the

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Speaker 2: early nineteen twenties. But before we get to that, here

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Speaker 2: are a few headlines just in this morning that you

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Speaker 2: need to know. David Zaslov isn't giving his corporate team

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Speaker 2: anytime off this weekend. The next round of bids for

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Speaker 2: Warner Brothers Discovery are due on Monday. It looks like

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Speaker 2: they really do want to get this decided by Christmas.

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Speaker 2: Stay tuned and check out the Warner Brothers Discovery sale

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Speaker 2: landing page on Variety dot com that my extremely talented

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Speaker 2: colleague Dan do Perelski put together. It's one stop shopping

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Speaker 2: for anything you need to know about the Warner Brothers

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Speaker 2: Discovery sale, and you can find it on Variety dot com.

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Speaker 2: Tel Avisa Univision channels are back on YouTube. The sides

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Speaker 2: ended a nearly two month blackout on Wednesday. That is

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Speaker 2: surely a sigh of relief for Univision. Zootopia two is

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Speaker 2: zooming out of the gate for Disney. The long awaited

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Speaker 2: animated sequel grabbed ten point two million dollars in preview

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Speaker 2: screening on Tuesday. This sequel and weekend two of Wicked

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Speaker 2: for Good is going to be the big funnel that

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Speaker 2: drives a lot of foot traffic at the Turnstiles this weekend.

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Speaker 2: All of these stories and so much more can be

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Speaker 2: found on Variety dot com. Right now. Now it's time

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Speaker 2: for conversations with industry leaders about news and trends and

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Speaker 2: show business. It's not news that the Motion Picture and

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Speaker 2: Television Fund needs support from the industry, especially from those

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Speaker 2: who have done well in film and television. Healthcare isn't

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Speaker 2: getting any cheaper. Ike Barnholtz is a firm believer in

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Speaker 2: the Motion Picture and Television Funds ethos of we take

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Speaker 2: care of our own, and he says he has no

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Speaker 2: problem being annoying and asking people for money, as you

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Speaker 2: heard in the Cold Open. So Baron Holts is out

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Speaker 2: representing the mptf's second Act campaign to sell naming or

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Speaker 2: dedication rights to apartments and cottages on the mptf's Woodland

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Speaker 2: Hills campus. Baron Holts is taking up this mantle a

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Speaker 2: full century after Silence Movie superstar Mary Pickford and others

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Speaker 2: started this charity. They were ahead of their time in

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Speaker 2: seeing the need, and this industry has been better for

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Speaker 2: it ever since. Here's our conversation, Barenholtz, thank you so

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Speaker 2: much for joining me today.

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Speaker 1: It is my pleasure I have a little bit of

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Speaker 1: free time before I start prepping a lot of food,

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Speaker 1: So this is actually a joyful.

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Speaker 2: I noticed that you were involved. You were part of

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Speaker 2: a new wave of industry folks, bold face names that

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Speaker 2: are getting behind the motion picture and television fund and

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Speaker 2: doing some fundraising, doing some old fashioned backslapping. And that

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Speaker 2: really struck me because I know one thing that the

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Speaker 2: MPTF is always concerned about, is the next generation going

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Speaker 2: to care? Are they understand the whole we take care

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Speaker 2: of our own ethos the MPTF.

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Speaker 1: I joined the Board of Governors this year, and right

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Speaker 1: away they told us about the Second Act, and I

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Speaker 1: told them, literally, whatever I can do for you, guys,

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Speaker 1: I am your humble servant. I really really believe in them,

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Speaker 1: and I'm so grateful for them. So I told them

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Speaker 1: anything I can do that I have very very little

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Speaker 1: power in this business, but whatever power I do have,

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Speaker 1: I would love to help this amazing organization which their

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Speaker 1: whole residetra is just to help our people, and our

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Speaker 1: people need help.

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Speaker 2: Does fundraising does them seeing hosting an auction? Does that

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Speaker 2: come natural to you or is that something you have

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Speaker 2: to gear yourself up to do. I'm curious.

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Speaker 1: No, it's funny. It comes very natural for me to

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Speaker 1: be annoying and ask people for money. I don't know

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Speaker 1: what that says about my personality, but I have no

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Speaker 1: qualm standing on a stage with the microphone and pointing

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Speaker 1: to someone and guilting them into giving us a couple

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Speaker 1: extra bucks. I've done it for the MPTF, and I've

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Speaker 1: done it for some other organizations in and around town.

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Speaker 1: And I'm just a real nud.

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Speaker 2: That is a great skill, especially this time year. You

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Speaker 2: came up the ranks as like all things at once, writer, actor, comedian.

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Speaker 2: When did this great industry association come on your radar?

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Speaker 1: I had heard about them a little bit throughout the years,

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Speaker 1: and then maybe about ten years ago, I think was

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Speaker 1: the first time I went to They have a couple

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Speaker 1: parties every year before the Oscars, the evening before the Emmys,

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Speaker 1: and I went to one of those parties and I

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Speaker 1: just learned a little bit more about what they do.

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Speaker 1: And then a couple of years ago, my cousin, my

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Speaker 1: much beloved cousin, Michelle Rifkin, who was a writer and

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Speaker 1: a member of the WGA for many years. She has

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Speaker 1: since sadly passed away towards the end, she like a

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Speaker 1: lot of people in this business, needed help, and she

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Speaker 1: reached out to the MPTF, and the MPTF was there

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Speaker 1: and she actually spent some time at the residences. And

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Speaker 1: so really, once I learned exactly what they do, I

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Speaker 1: said to Courtney Bailey and Bob, I said, what do

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Speaker 1: you need from me? What can I do for you guys?

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Speaker 1: And I learned that it's much more than just the residences, right.

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Speaker 1: The MPTF is there for people in our business if

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Speaker 1: you need some help, if you need some counseling, if

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Speaker 1: you need emergency financial assistance. We have a lot of

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Speaker 1: members who are much older, and the MPTF has people

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Speaker 1: to help them navigate things like the VA system. And

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Speaker 1: so when they came to me this year and said, hey,

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Speaker 1: we're starting our second Act program, will you join the

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Speaker 1: board of Governors, I could not have said yes quickly enough.

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Speaker 2: And really, it's just mind blowing to think about it.

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Speaker 2: Before Social Security was in place, people like Jeane Herscheldt

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Speaker 2: and Mary Pickford were thinking we need some kind of

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Speaker 2: safety in it. And your m SEEING is going to

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Speaker 2: help make people understand why giving a couple of bucks

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Speaker 2: a paycheck to the MPTF is a good idea and

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Speaker 2: supporting their telethons. They often have one on KTLA that

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Speaker 2: I always watch.

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Speaker 1: I got to do that last year with my dad

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Speaker 1: and my brother and it was amazing bringing my dad

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Speaker 1: into all that. And it really is just to harp

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Speaker 1: on what you said, It really is just like a

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Speaker 1: couple of bucks, you know what I mean. Really is

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Speaker 1: a thing where it's like, and I hate to be cliche,

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Speaker 1: but it's like, instead of buying a couple coffees in

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Speaker 1: a month, just take that money and send it to

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Speaker 1: the MPTF. And if all the union members alone just

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Speaker 1: took a buck or two every month, we would make

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Speaker 1: our yearly budget every year and we'd be able to

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Speaker 1: do so much more. I think sometimes when people give

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Speaker 1: there's a thought, Oh, I have to give ten thousand dollars.

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Speaker 1: I have to get thousands of dollars. No, we will

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Speaker 1: take any amount.

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Speaker 2: Okay, ike, let me ask you so. Bob Betcher, one

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Speaker 2: of the leaders of MPTF, walks into sal Sepristine's office

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Speaker 2: and says, Okay, I need a capital campaign. I need

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Speaker 2: you to get out there. I need you to see

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Speaker 2: the first million. What does Sal respond well.

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Speaker 1: Sal, by his nature, is a yes man. But one

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Speaker 1: thing I will say about Seal Sepristine is despite all

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Speaker 1: of his flaws, he truly loves show business. He really

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Speaker 1: really loves it and it's a huge part of him.

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Speaker 1: And you know, there's lots of organizations out there that's

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Speaker 1: their mission statement is to help people, but the MPTF

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Speaker 1: is the biggest one that helps the show based people,

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Speaker 1: and not just actors. We're talking writers, We're talking costume designers,

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Speaker 1: we're talking builders, all kinds of people, and Sal understands that.

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Speaker 1: I think Sal does understand his obligation to this business.

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Speaker 1: And so Sal would say to Bob, whatever you need, Bob,

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Speaker 1: and would instantly start reaching out to his famous, rich

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Speaker 1: friends in the industry. You know, I could see Pedro

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Speaker 1: Pascal given fifty grand, I could see Leo given fifty grand,

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Speaker 1: I could see all the guys that Sal has worked

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Speaker 1: with and made money for. He would have no problem

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Speaker 1: reaching out to them and asking them to donate. Maybe

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Speaker 1: he takes a tiny finder's fee, but at the end

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Speaker 1: of the day, I think Sal loves show business so

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Speaker 1: much that he understands the importance of the MPTF.

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Speaker 2: I think I think he got the outline of a

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Speaker 2: studio episode, think of the guest star possibility.

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Speaker 1: My god, this is how season three should open. I

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Speaker 1: believe it's an all MPTF episode.

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Speaker 2: And oh, my god, with the residents out there in

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Speaker 2: Woodland Hills, they have stories, they have charm, they have

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Speaker 2: the anecdotes, they have the receipts as it were, such

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Speaker 2: a wealth out there. I thank you so much for

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Speaker 2: your time, and thank you for putting your energy towards

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Speaker 2: this great cause.

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Speaker 1: I so grateful that you are entertaining me. We are

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Speaker 1: so so proud of this organization. And we just really

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Speaker 1: want people to know two things. One, if you can

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Speaker 1: donate anything, please do. And also spread the word. A

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Speaker 1: lot of people in our business don't know about the

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Speaker 1: MPTF and they're struggling right now, and so it's really

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Speaker 1: important for if you're listening to this and you know

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Speaker 1: someone in the business who needs help, send them our way.

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Speaker 1: That's what we're here to do.

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Speaker 2: Mpt dot org. It's not hard to find.

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Speaker 1: Wonderful Thank you so so much, Cynthia.

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Speaker 2: And now let's look a little deeper at the roots

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Speaker 2: of the Motion Picture Television Fund, as covered in the

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Speaker 2: pages of Variety, more than ten years before FDR would

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Speaker 2: implement social security. Mary Pickford and a few others realized

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Speaker 2: that the factories that served Hollywood had an obligation to

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Speaker 2: support some form of retirement and healthcare plan for older workers. Pickford,

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Speaker 2: of course, was one of the founders, with Charlie Chaplin

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Speaker 2: of United Artists for the Motion Picture Fund. Pickford worked

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Speaker 2: with United Artist executive Joseph Schenk. They recognized Hollywood's need

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Speaker 2: for a collective safety net that is still greatly needed

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Speaker 2: and much used today. The MPTF dates its origins to

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Speaker 2: nineteen twenty one. The first mention in Variety of the

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Speaker 2: industry wide effort to set up a charitable fund came

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Speaker 2: fully one hundred years ago. On December thirtieth, nineteen twenty five,

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Speaker 2: Variety devoted two sentences to a burgeoning effort in Hollywood

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Speaker 2: to establish a charity to help the needy and the infirm.

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Speaker 2: Here's the full story.

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Speaker 3: Picture charity forming the Motion Picture Relief Fund of America,

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Speaker 3: a charitable organization for the needy among the picture colony,

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Speaker 3: has voted for the establishment of a temporary home for worthy, indigent,

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Speaker 3: and incapacitated members of the profession. It is expected that

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Speaker 3: immediate arrangements will be made to start the institution.

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Speaker 2: Another big force in the early years of the MPTF

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Speaker 2: was Gene Herscheldt. Herschelt was a Danish American actor who

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Speaker 2: was a big star and very popular in the industry

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Speaker 2: in the nineteen twenties and thirties. Herscheldt used his clout

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Speaker 2: to help the MPTF achieve a dream that was articulated

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Speaker 2: by Mary Pickford, building a retirement home for hard working

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Speaker 2: industry iites. Herschelt was creative in finding ways to fund

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Speaker 2: the construction of the retirement home. One very important initiative

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Speaker 2: was the radio drama series called Screen Guild Theater. It

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Speaker 2: aired on the national CBS Radio network from nineteen thirty

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Speaker 2: nine to nineteen fifty two. Actors don't do the fees

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Speaker 2: that they were to be paid for the show to

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Speaker 2: the capitol campaign to support the home. Herschelt was not

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Speaker 2: only a busy actor and active in the civic life

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Speaker 2: of Hollywood, but he also had a good eye for

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Speaker 2: real estate. He personally found the forty eight acre plot

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Speaker 2: that became the Woodland Hills campus of the MPTF. Here's

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Speaker 2: a story that ran in Variety On December second, nineteen forty.

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Speaker 3: Screen Guil Theater renewed by Gulf through nineteen forty to

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Speaker 3: nineteen forty one. Screen Guilt Theater has been renewed by

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Speaker 3: Gulf Oil Sure in its continuance the nineteen forty forty

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Speaker 3: one season. With a completion of the current series, the

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Speaker 3: Motion Picture Relief Fund will be used for construction of

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Speaker 3: a home for indigent industry workers. Geene Herscheldt, Prexy of

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Speaker 3: Relief Fund, said sites are being studied and decisions soon

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Speaker 3: will be made. It has been indicated that the institution

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Speaker 3: will be located in the San Fernando Valley.

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Speaker 2: In that same December second, nineteen forty issue, the back

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Speaker 2: page is devoted to an advertised that has a message

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Speaker 2: for the town in giant letters, whatever you do, don't

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Speaker 2: let Louis be mayor down side Note the Community Chest

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Speaker 2: is not just a thing from Monopoly. It was a

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Speaker 2: regional and national charity structure that was a precursor to

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Speaker 2: the United Way. Here's the full advertisement.

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Speaker 3: Tomorrow's a red letter day in the Motion picture industry.

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Speaker 3: At twelve o'clock, a big meeting will be held at

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Speaker 3: the Biltmore Hotel and in the presence of officials of

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Speaker 3: the community, Chess City, officials, important businessmen, and executives of

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Speaker 3: the Motion picture industry. Mister Louis B. Mayor will make

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Speaker 3: his report to the Community Chess. This event will broadcast

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Speaker 3: through the facilities of KFWB and NBC. At this time,

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Speaker 3: the Motion Picture Committee hopes to announce the largest combined

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Speaker 3: subscriptions ever shown in a charity drive in this industry.

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Speaker 3: Have you contributed? If you haven't, do it today mediately

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Speaker 3: so we may add to the gross and you will

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Speaker 3: be proud of the industry you are a part of. Remember,

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Speaker 3: the Motion Picture Relief fund gets ten percent of the

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Speaker 3: first three hundred thousand collected and twenty percent of the

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Speaker 3: amount over this sum So be liberal and give in.

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Speaker 2: Some variety has been there every step of the way

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Speaker 2: to chronicle the MPTF. It is one of this industry's

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Speaker 2: most substantial charitable endeavors, and truly, as Louis B. Meher said,

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Speaker 2: something for the picture colony to be proud of. As

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Speaker 2: we close out today's episode, here's a few things we're

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Speaker 2: watching for On Thursday, We'll be watching the Macy's Thanksgiving

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Speaker 2: Day Parade on a loop in the morning of course,

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Speaker 2: but at some point we'll zoom over to zee for

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Speaker 2: a bit to watch that company's experiment with an alternate

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Speaker 2: parade cast hosted by comedian Mike Young and some of

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Speaker 2: his touring comedian friends as they also try to make

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Speaker 2: a meal in a Times Square studio. It'll be streaming

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Speaker 2: live from eight thirty am to noon Eastern Time on

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Speaker 2: zeem dot com. That's zea m. Next week comes Variety's

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Speaker 2: annual Hitmaker's Issue and celebration. We highlight the people behind

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Speaker 2: the biggest songs with the most spins. In twenty twenty five,

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Speaker 2: Sabrina Carpenter is our cover star. She's been Variety's best

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Speaker 2: friend for a while, readily available and gained to do

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Speaker 2: fun things with us. She's a pro and it shows.

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Speaker 2: Happy Thanksgiving listeners. We hope the holiday finds you well

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Speaker 2: and well fed and enjoying some rest. It's surely going

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Speaker 2: to be a busy December for this business. We love

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Speaker 2: to hear from our listeners, so please send thoughts, scripes,

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Speaker 2: and other feedback about Daily Variety to Podcastsatvariety dot com

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Speaker 2: before we go. Congrats to VJ. Carbone. He's joined Muby

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Speaker 2: as VP of communications in the US. Carbone is going

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Speaker 2: to steer us campaigns for the French film distributor that

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Speaker 2: is on the Move. Before Moby, he was a consultant

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Speaker 2: to Amazon MGM Studios and he spent fourteen years at

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Speaker 2: Focus Features. My colleague Elsa Casassi has the scoop. Thanks

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Speaker 2: for listening. This episode was written in report sworded by

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Speaker 2: me Cynthia Littleton, with contributions from Clayton Davis, Stick Snicks

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Speaker 2: hick Picks. Please leave us a review at the podcast

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Speaker 2: platform of your choice, and please tune in tomorrow for

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Speaker 2: a special Thanksgiving Day episode of Daily Variety.