Celebrities Kick off the Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk

Alzheimer's Association
Monday, 7 September 1998

Hollywood Call of Fame: Celebrities Compete in Phone-A-Thon to Recruit Walkers; Celebrities' Favorite Memories Auctioned

An all-star cast of celebrities, including David Hyde Pierce, co-star of the NBC sitcom Frasier; actor Paul Newman; Austin Powers and Studio 54 star Mike Myers; Shelley Fabares of Coach; Fox-TV sportscaster Tim Ryan; and NBC's Today Show ensemble, Katie Couric, Matt Lauer, Al Roker and Willard Scott, has contributed their favorite memorabilia in special "Memory Boxes" for a benefit auction to aid the fight against Alzheimer's disease. The auction will take place at Planet Hollywood restaurants in Beverly Hills and New York on Tuesday, September 15, 1998.

The bi-coastal Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk kick-off parties scheduled at the Planet Hollywood restaurants are designed to increase national participation in the 1998 Memory Walk, a walk-a-thon benefiting programs and services for people with Alzheimer's disease and their families. In addition to the auction, the star-studded event will feature the "Talk the Walk" phone-a-thon, a lighthearted competition among celebrities to see who can register the most friends for the 1998 Memory Walk to be held nationally on October 3 and 4. Sprint, the official national sponsor of Memory Walk, is donating cellular phones for use by celebrity callers. Proceeds benefit the Alzheimer's Association.

"I've enjoyed walking in Memory Walk for many years," said David Hyde Pierce, honorary chair of the 1998 Memory Walk. "I plan to call all my friends and family to register them for Memory Walk and help the four million Americans with Alzheimer's and their family cope with this awful disease."

Other stars invited to participate include:

- Sister Sister's Tia and Tamara Mowry (LA)

- Access Hollywood's Giselle Fernandez (LA)

- Another World's Linda Dano (NY)

- Costello's Susan Costello (LA)

- New York Met All-Star Keith Hernandez (NY)

- Access Hollywood's Pat O'Brien (LA emcee)

- The Birdcage's Nathan Lane (LA)

- President Reagan's daughter Maureen Reagan (Memory Walk participant)

"Memory Walk is the largest fundraising event for Alzheimer's disease," said Margaret Kirk, Association vice president for development. "We're hoping the celebrity kick-off parties will generate even more interest and enthusiasm in Memory Walk and help us reach our goal of $15 million."

Memory Walk has grown to include more than 125,000 walkers in over 300 communities around the country. In addition to David Hyde Pierce, other national honorary chairs include Shelley Fabares, Tim Ryan and Maureen Reagan. Memory Walk is the only nationwide event for Alzheimer's disease. "Talk the Walk" kick-off events are also being held at Planet Hollywood restaurants in San Francisco, Orlando, Honolulu, Chicago and Washington, D.C. To register for the 1998 Memory Walk, call 1-800-272-3900, visit the Association's web site at www.alz.org, or contact your local Alzheimer's Association chapter directly.

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative disease of the brain that causes confusion, memory loss, personality and behavioral changes, impaired judgement or difficulty finding words, finishing thoughts or following directions. Although it primarily affects people over 65, it also strikes people in their 40's and 50's. Unless a cure or prevention is found, 14 million people are estimated to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's by the middle of the 21st century. Recent medical breakthroughs offer encouraging signs towards finding a cure for the disease.

Planet Hollywood is a creator and worldwide developer of consumer brands that capitalize on the universal appeal of movies, sports and other leisure-time activities. The Company's worldwide operations offer products and services in the retail, leisure, entertainment, lodging and gaming sectors. The Company is organized under five operating divisions: Consumer Products; Food & Beverage; Lodging and Gaming; Retail & Merchandise; and Theaters & Entertainment. Planet Hollywood International, Inc.'s Class A common stock is listed under the symbol "PHL" on the New York Stock Exchange.

Sprint is a global communications company at the forefront of integrating long distance, local and wireless communications services and one of the world's largest carriers of Internet traffic. Sprint built and operates the United States' only nationwide all-digital, fiber optic network and is the leader in advanced data communications services. Sprint has $15 billion in annual revenues and serves more than 16 million business and residential customers.

The Alzheimer's Association is the largest national voluntary health organization dedicated to research for the causes, treatments, prevention and cure of Alzheimer's disease and to providing education and support services to the four million Americans with the disease, their families and caregivers. You can reach the Alzheimer's Association at (800) 272-3900.

For more information, or to contact Alzheimer's Association, see their website at: www.alz.org