The Heart of Hollywood: Honoring the Legacy of the Motion Picture & Television Fund
Category: Events Calendar
Date and Time
- Saturday, Jul 25, 2026 11am - 3pm
Location
Hollywood Heritage Museum
2100 Highland Ave
Details
The Hollywood Heritage Museum, in partnership with the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF) and the Mary Pickford Foundation, presents The Heart of Hollywood, a special exhibition honoring the history and enduring mission of the MPTF, an institution that has supported members of the entertainment community for more than a century. Through photographs, archival materials, and videos, The Heart of Hollywood traces the Fund’s evolution; from its silent-era origins to its present-day role supporting actors, craftspeople, writers, directors, crew members and countless behind-the-scenes professionals.
On view June 20 through August 2, 2026 in the Victoria Horne Oakie and Jack Oakie Gallery at the Hollywood Heritage Museum, the exhibition not only highlights MPTF’s more than 100-year legacy of care, community, and compassion in the entertainment industry as well as artifacts from their archives not normally on view to the public. Some of the featured items include personal mementos of silent film star Mary Pickford, personally owned scripts and astrology reports that belonged to Steve McQueen, one of Paramount’s bankable stars who also once used the Lasky-DeMille Barn as a gym; a painting of Paramount favorite, Charlton Heston by African American artist and former football pro Ernie Barnes (who appeared alongside Charlton Heston in the 1969 Paramount football drama Number One before achieving international acclaim for his celebrated paintings).
Some items on display will be available to purchase* via MPTF to benefit the organization’s ongoing mission. The Mary Pickford Foundation continues to honor Mary’s wishes by donating her personal mementos to raise money for the organization, and others from the entertainment industry have followed that example by also donating memorabilia to help raise money for MPTF. On preview during the exhibit, these items include crew jackets, crew gifts, movie posters, awards and more!
\Please note: Member discounts do not apply to items sold to benefit the Motion Picture & Television Fund, as all proceeds directly support their mission.*
Founded in 1921 as the Motion Picture Relief Fund, the organization was conceived by silent screen legend Mary Pickford, alongside industry leaders including Joseph M. Schenck and Reverend Neal Dodd, to provide assistance to members of the motion picture community facing illness, financial hardship, or personal crisis. At a time when few social safety nets existed, the Fund was created from a simple but profound belief: that those working in the entertainment industry should support one another in times
of need.
Over the decades, the Motion Picture & Television Fund has grown into one of Hollywood's most respected charitable institutions, providing financial assistance, healthcare services, social support programs, residential living, and compassionate care for thousands of entertainment industry professionals and their families. MPTF is the only organization in history to receive the Academy’s Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, presented at the 93rd Oscars® ceremony in 2021.
Few institutions are more closely tied to Hollywood's history than the Motion Picture & Television Fund. The very artists and craftspeople whose stories are preserved at the Hollywood Heritage Museum, many of whom walked through the doors of the Lasky-DeMille Barn during their careers, have relied upon the Fund's assistance during times of illness, hardship, and retirement.
ABOUT MPTF
MPTF supports working and retired members of the entertainment community with a safety net of health and social services, including temporary financial assistance, case management, and residential living. From childcare to living and aging well with dignity and purpose, MPTF is there to guide the industry workforce through the enormous obstacles life presents. For over 100 years, the extraordinary generosity of the entertainment community has enabled MPTF to deliver charitable services to industry members in need.
