MUMBAI: US based The Motion Picture And Television Fund (MPTF) which works towards bettering the living conditions of workers within America's film and television industry held a Night Before benefit event in Beverly Hills.

The event which raised $ 4 million has been called the Night Before because it took place the night before the Oscars were held. In India the Oscars aired on Star Movies on 28 February.
 

Top names in the entertainment industry joined representatives of the sponsoring companies for the event. The event which is in its third year had Variety, Hewlett-Packard and Ford sponsoring the do.

The MPTF also welcomed first-time sponsors Target, JP Morgan Chase and America Online, who added to the fun and excitement for all the guests on hand. Celebrity attendees included Oscar winner Jamie Foxx Ray, Oscar nominees Leonardo DiCaprio The Aviator and Don Cheadle Hotel Rwanda as well as Desperate Housewife Teri Hatcher
 
 

Variety arranged for celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and his crew to have a demonstration kitchen in the midst of the party. The inimitable culinary wizard served up delectable dishes for the partygoers to sample and took the opportunity to pass on a few trade secrets during the course of the evening.

Variety also arranged for departing guests to have something to commemorate the evening, while giving them a lasting reminder of the reason for the benefit. Getting into their cars, attendees found a copy of the book Behind the Silver Screen: Stories From Residents of the Motion Picture & Television Fund Retirement Community, . This features photographs of some of the residents-then and now-and chronicles their widely varied careers and contributions to the entertainment industry.

HP meanwhile provided guests with its version of the Apple iPod. Additionally, guests were able to choose from one of several "tattoos" to personalise and dress up their iPods, which were designed for the occasion by the likes of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson and Courteney Cox Arquette and David Arquette.

JP Morgan Chase hosted a sweepstake. One guest received a ticket for a courtside box for six people at the Women's Final of the US Open Tennis Championships, scheduled to take place in September in New York.