The
Motion Picture Hospital was dedicated on the grounds of the Country House in 1948. In attendance were
Ronald Reagan,
Shirley Temple, and
Robert 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.
Scores of movie notables spent their last years here; so have far less famous people from behind the scenes of the industry. Those with money paid their own way, while others, 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, from actors, artists,
backlot men, cameramen, directors, extras, producers, security guards and stars. To qualify for a cottage, applicants (or their spouses) must have reached a minimum age of seventy, working 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.
