Jeffrey Katzenberg Recalls How His Father’s Generosity Inspired Him To Give $100 To Strangers

Growing up in New York City when Jeffrey Katzenberg was a child, his father, Walter, “a very successful stockbroker of mankind”, always used carefully folded 100 dollar bills. During the day, Walter “quietly and silently” moved people in his orbit, whether “a carpenter, a waiter, a servant, someone on the street in need of help, a maid, a taxi driver, a guitarist on the corner.” .”

One day, Jeffrey asked his father to explain this generous habit to him. He asked me if I would look back. “I said ‘no,’ and he said, ‘Okay, next time we’re together, look back and tell me what you see,'” Jeffrey recalled from the stage Saturday night at the Motion Picture & Television Fund’s 100. Hollywood Years: Celebration of Service. “The next day, we looked back when, with grace and calm, he handed someone a note and asked me what I had seen. I see a very big smile and incredible happiness. Dad said, ‘I want you to remember this and, more importantly, why I’m doing this. I think it is important to take care of those who take care of us and those who cannot take care of themselves.”

The spirit of this generosity and concern for the community has inspired Jeffrey’s entire life of charity, and for the past 30 years, the mogul has made the MPTF a major beneficiary of that effort. He announced last year that he was leaving the organization and on Saturday took the last crest as he received a silver medallion during an event held in West Hollywood, The Lot on Formosa.

Jeffrey and his wife Merlin were the only well-deserved shows featuring well-known presenters, musical performances, and moving “I am MPTF” stories from industry professionals whose lives have been greatly influenced by the MPTF’s wide range of services. The presenters were Jodie Foster, Adam Scott, Harry Northup and MPTF champions Yvette Nicole Brown and Jim Janopoulos.

The musical show was attended by artists paired with notable songs. Tori Kelly starred in Celine Dion’s monstrous hit “My Heart Will Go On”, Lady released Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing”, Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear starred in “Pure Imagination”. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate FactoryAnd Chloe Arnold’s syncopated ladies made their way from Common and John Legend’s “Glory.” Selma.

Other guests at the event, represented by City National Bank, Delta Air Lines and UCLA Health, American Directors Guild, IATSE, PMC, Sherry Lansing Foundation, Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. they. . Lore, Trisha Cardoso, Kimberly Pierce, Amanda Klots, Cameron Monaghan, Carla Renata Jr.; Lee, Nicky Whelan, Omar Sharif Jr., Patrick Fabian and Tia Carrer and others.

Also of note: Veteran industry executive Peter Rice first appeared at the event after leaving Walt Disney Co. He met many colleagues and had close conversations with Janopoulos, Lansing, Katsenberg, veteran producer Lauren. Schuler Donner and business magnate Casey Wasserman, the latter of whom was honored with the Jeffrey Award.

The testimony marked the deep end of the torch as Casey’s grandparents Eddie and Liu Wasserman joined Jeffrey over three decades ago to take over management of the MPTF after being industry leaders for years. And Casey is now on the board and his foundation helps support the MPTF, which includes a network of health and safety services, including temporary financial assistance, case management and housing.

“Thanks Jeffrey and Marilyn. You are my friends. You are my family. I love you both, so I want to apologize for the call you guys got 30 years ago when my grandfather asked you, well, we know I told you, to take up the mantle of the MPTF council,” Casey said at the opening. . “Like everything you do for our community and country, you did it with the energy and diligence not to let a single person sleep in this crime-free city because you didn’t help the MPTF.”

Casey presented a video praising Jeffrey’s tireless work by George Clooney, Hugh Jackman, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas. Jeffrey has long said that Michael’s father, the late Kirk Douglas, was one of his charitable mentors, and on Saturday he shouted at him along with David Geffen and Wasserman, calling the group “some of the biggest donors in the world.” .

The second half of Jeffrey’s speech focused on “another really important mentor in my life”, although he admitted that it was a little weird to refer to his wife in that way. He praised her innate sense that she knew the difference between right and wrong and had the ability to focus on what really matters. “Marilyn may not make as much noise as I do, but there’s nothing I do that doesn’t reflect her support, her leadership, her intelligence, her heart, her generosity,” he told his wife, who was also honored with the medallion. . . However, he did not take the stage. “And if I don’t listen, it usually ends up in the trade and it’s usually not very good.”

Katsenberg ended his speech by first mentioning an anecdote about his father and thus giving some advice to the next generation. “I go back to what my father used to say about taking care of those who love you and who don’t know how to take care of themselves. “So I advise you to do what he told me to do, which is to look back and see a smile and happiness.”