MGM Home Entertainment Makes Donation to The Marine Mammal Center Honoring TV Icon ”Flipper”
In celebration of Earth Day (April 22, 2007) and to honor the impact the classic TV series “Flipper” had in raising awareness of environmental issues in marine habitats, MGM Home Entertainment is pleased to announce a donation of $10,000 to The Marine Mammal Center, a non-profit veterinary hospital, research and educational center dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of ill and injured marine mammals that its volunteers and staff rescue. The donation was made to the center’s capital campaign fund to help expand its hospital headquarters and to commemorate the April 24th release of “Flipper” Season One on DVD. Blending serialized adventures and stunning color photography with a quintessentially lovable animal star, “Flipper” was a television mainstay and its star one of the most visible “celebrities” of the 1960s. “Flipper” regularly featured its likable protagonist combating pollution and other threats to the natural world and its denizens, making the series’ star dolphin one of pop culture’s earliest advocates of environmental awareness.
“We are honored to be able to receive this generous donation and are delighted that ‘Flipper’ will be listed among the donors to our capital campaign to rebuild our hospital headquarters,” said Mecca Nelson, development director at The Marine Mammal Center.
“Instead of getting Flipper a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, we thought it more appropriate to make this donation on behalf of one of the most popular animal celebrities in television history,” said Dorrit Ragosine, Vice President Public Relations for MGM Home Entertainment. “This donation to the leading marine mammal rescue, treatment and research center in his honor pays tribute to both the series’ messaging and the work the center is doing to protect our precious ocean inhabitants.”
The “Flipper” Season One four-disc DVD collection features all 30 action-packed episodes from the show’s television debut season, showcasing groundbreaking underwater photography and stunt work that was truly ahead of its time. An adaptation of the 1963 movie of the same name, the 1964 TV series quickly surpassed its theatrical predecessor in the hearts of viewers, who tuned in weekly to share in the underwater adventures of Flipper and his human friends and continues to capture audiences today through syndication. With serialized excitement and environmentally friendly storylines, the series chronicled the relationship between the lovable dolphin and his land-locked companions Sandy (Luke Halpin, Mako: The Jaws Of Death) and Bud (Tommy Norden), the sons of Park Ranger Porter Ricks (Brian Kelly, who later executive produced Blade Runner), as they worked together to enforce park rules and care for animal life at Coral Key Park in Florida.
About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc., through its operating subsidiaries, is actively engaged in the worldwide production and distribution of motion pictures, television programming, home video, interactive media, music, and licensed merchandise. The company owns the world’s largest library of modern films, which is comprised of more than 4,000 titles. Operating units including Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc., United Artists Films Inc., MGM Television Entertainment Inc., MGM Networks Inc., MGM Distribution Co., MGM International Television Distribution Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment LLC, MGM ON STAGE, MGM Music, MGM Consumer Products and MGM Interactive. In addition, MGM has ownership interests in international TV channels reaching nearly 110 countries. MGM ownership is as follows: Providence Equity Partners (29%), Texas Pacific Group (21%), Sony Corporation of America (20%), Comcast (20%), DLJ Merchant Banking Partners (7%) and Quadrangle Group (3%). For more information, visit www.mgm.com.
A recognized global industry leader, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC (TCFHE) is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming on VHS, DVD and Blu-ray Disc (BD) as well as acquisitions and original productions. The company also releases all products around the globe for MGM Home Entertainment. Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets from mass merchants and warehouse clubs to specialty stores and e-commerce throughout the world. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC is a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, a News Corporation company.
About The Marine Mammal Center
Headquartered in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in Sausalito, California, The Marine Mammal Center is a nonprofit veterinary hospital, research and educational center dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of ill and injured marine mammals – primarily elephant seals, harbor seals and California sea lions – and to the study of their health. Since 1975, The Center has accumulated a body of knowledge about marine mammal health from its patients. By educating the public about marine mammals, The Center hopes to foster ocean stewardship and conservation. The Center is supported almost entirely by public funds. For more information, visit www.marinemammalcenter.org.