For Immediate Release                                     Contact:           Steve Honig

                                                                          The Honig Company, Inc.

                                                                          818-986-4300

                                                                          press@honigcompany.com

ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY TO GATHER FOR ANNUAL “NIGHT BEFORE” FUNDRAISER TO SUPPORT MOTION PICTURE & TELEVISION FUND
AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Feb. 8 – Hollywood will be out in full-force the night before the Academy Awards^® for the sixth annual “Night Before” fundraiser to benefit the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF).  The event will be held at the Beverly Hills Hotel the evening of February 23.

The first Night Before event was held in 2003, and instantly became one of the most coveted invitations in town kicking off what is now a much-anticipated awards season tradition.  Since its inception, the Night Before fundraiser has raised more than $30 million for MPTF. 

Sponsors of this year’s event will include AOL, McDonald’s, HP, L’Oréal Paris, Target, Variety, Marilyn & Jeffrey Katzenberg, and Panavision and Deluxe Entertainment Services Group.

“This event raises more money to help the entertainment industry than any other single event we do,” said Ken Scherer, CEO of the Motion Picture & Television Fund Foundation.  “The money raised here during the past six years has changed the lives of countless people in the entertainment industry, through the various services and programs offered by MPTF.” 

MPTF Chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg added “this year, more than any other, we are asking the entertainment industry to come out and help those in the business who are facing some type of hardship, financial or otherwise.  There are people who are losing their cars and homes; the need has never been greater.  The money raised from this event will enable MPTF to keep up with the increasing requests for help and hopefully we wont have to have to say ‘no’ to anyone.”

Celebrities on this year’s hosting committee include: Jennifer Aniston, Tanya Haden Black & Jack Black, Kate Capshaw & Steven Spielberg, Don Cheadle, George Clooney, Luciana & Matt Damon, Cameron Diaz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, Jake Gyllenhaal, Katie Holmes & Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt, Jennifer & Tobey Maguire, Jada Pinkett Smith & Will Smith, Christine Taylor & Ben Stiller, Justin Timberlake, Rachel Weisz, Rita Wilson & Tom Hanks, Kate Winslet & Sam Mendes, Reese Witherspoon, Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones & Michael Douglas.  

The non-profit Motion Picture & Television Fund, headquartered in Woodland Hills, Calif., was founded in 1921 to provide “relief" for those in the film industry who had fallen on hard times.  Today, 85 years later, MPTF is a major service provider supporting the health and well being of the entertainment community.  Healthcare, childcare, retirement living and social/charitable services are offered with compassion and respect for the dignity of the whole person.  Care is offered through the MPTF 250-bed hospital, five outpatient health centers, charitable financial assistance and community outreach programs, a full-scale retirement community and a children’s day care center.  More information is available at www.mptvfund.org.

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