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Discussion of the Feb 18, 2010 Event for Marsha HuntBy David Tuckman and Roger Memos
As a means to call awareness of the humanitarian efforts of activist and actress Marsha Hunt, a special screening of “Call from the Stars” was held at the historic Hollywood Studio Museum, Feb 18, 2010. Producer and Director Roger Memos, along with Richard Adkins are producing a Documentary, called “Marsha Hunt, Sweet Adversity”, on Marsha’s life of service through the United Nations Assn.-USA and U.S. committee for Refugees. She received the "Eleanor Roosevelt" Award for her contribution to the organization. The showing of “Call From the Stars” was put on as a fundraiser for their documentary “Marsha Hunt: Sweet Adversity” project. Selected clips from this film were shown. Her many supporters came to hear Marsha speak of her struggle as an unfairly blacklisted actress whose life journey led to being an activist to aid refugees worldwide and aid those in the plight of abject poverty. Marsha was a busy actress at Paramount and MGM before she was unfairly blacklisted. In 1955, she made a trip around the world that opened her eyes to extreme poverty in countries like Egypt and India. It affected her such that when she came home, she joined her local San Fernando Valley United Nations Assn. Chapter and, also, founded the Los Angeles Chapter. Marsha gave over 25 years of service to UNA, locally and nationally as a board member. As you can see from the beautiful pictures displayed in this article, she could have easily rested on her talent and glamour but this was not enough for her. In 1960 Marsha’s efforts to gather famous stars including Paul Newman, Bing Crosby, Joanne Woodward, Harry Belafonte, David Niven and Jean Simmons for the TV documentary “A Call From the Stars” raised awareness for the plight of refugees that numbered 15 million still, 15 years after World War II. It aired locally on KCOP to benefit the U.S. Committee for Refugees and to raise $$ for the Committee. Marsha made sure America and the World would listen. The film has NOT been seen in 50 years. At the Hollywood Studio Museum event, there were Raffle tickets sold for an autographed copy of Marsha’s “hard to find” coffee table book, “The Way We Wore: Styles of the 30s and 40s” and “40s and Our World Since Then”. Many longtime friends, fellow stars and UNA-USA members from UNA-USA chapters across Southern California came to the event to show strong support for the documentary: “Marsha Hunt: Sweet Adversity.” To standing ovations and praise from an entire audience, including local citizens of Hollywood, UNA-USA leaders and several members of YPIC: Young Professionals for International Cooperation in the audience—it is apparent her work will continue and inspire the next generation. Maybe a UNA/Marsha Hunt film fundraiser could be organized: To find out more about the “Marsha Hunt: Sweet Adversity” or
if you can help, the info. is below:
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