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Over the years, Lake Tahoe has been the setting for numerous movies and television shows that were filmed in this scenic Sierra Nevada locale. However, did you know that a donation from a Hollywood
production company led directly to the establishment of Barton Memorial Hospital’s first birthing suite?
Harriet Kerr (left), Barton Memorial Hospital Board of Trustees Chairman, receives a check from Bette Midler, as Len Taylor of Harrah’s Tahoe
looks on.
Casino scenes for the 1981 comedy “Jinxed,” starring Bette Midler and Rip Torn, were filmed at Harrah’s Tahoe over a five-week period. The production company – Camp Hill Productions – was so impressed with the hospitality extended to them by Harrah’s and the citizens of Tahoe, they offered to make a significant donation to an area non-profit organization.
Thanks to the quick thinking of Harrah’s General Manager Tom Yturbide, who suggested that “the donation should be made to Barton Memorial Hospital, as it will benefit the entire community,” Camp Hill Productions generously donated $10,000.
The $10,000 donation — the equivalent of $33,000 in 2022 — provided the initial funding for the birthing suite, which immediately improved the patient care available to mothers and babies at the hospital.
Midler is one of the all-time greatest performers and has earned four Golden Globe awards and three Grammy Awards. She is also a twotime Academy Award nominee.
Incidentally, the movie features scenes from Sand Harbor, Heavenly and Harrah’s Tahoe, where casino personnel served as movie extras.
Barton Memorial Hospital Birthing Suite, circa 1982
Bette Midler starred in the 1981 film "Jinxed"