Tashtego Films

Margaret Whitton, director of A BIRD OF THE AIR, hits local cable news to talk about Marion Dougherty's legacy. See the interview here and help support if you can. And if you haven't seen CASTING BY on HBO yet, you must!

Marion Dougherty, the legendary Hollywood casting director, is helping protect the lives of domestic violence victims and their pets, even after her passing. Her estate has donated $80,000 to the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals to establish the Marion Dougherty Safe Haven Fund to help victims of domestic violence and their pets to find safety, together.



The donation coincides with the HBO premiere of CASTING BY, featuring Dougherty as one of Hollywood’s most influential casting directors.

Dougherty died in 2011 at the age of 88.

According to Margaret Whitton, one of her closest friends, Marion Dougherty lived a paradox.

“By day, Marion was a powerhouse. By night, she was a victim of spousal abuse. At age 50, after 20 years of abuse, Marion fled her marriage and was forced to leave behind her beloved cats. But until the effects of repeated concussions and Alzheimer’s took away her memory, she remained haunted by the animals she left behind.”

The Marion Dougherty Safe Haven Fund will support the Helping Pets and People in Crisis program. It will fund the Alliance’s work finding shelter for domestic violence victims and their pets together, and will help pay for temporary shelter and care of pets who are separated from their owners in domestic violence situations.

Jane Hoffman, president of the Alliance, said, “This generous gift from Marion Dougherty will go a long way to protect vulnerable people and pets and help them remain together during times of crisis.”