Greeting Is Delayed but the Sentiment Is on Time

The Christmas card sent out by Conway and Peggy Collis (he’s a member of the state Board of Equalization) has a cute picture of them and their young son, Rocky. The cards from the Collises arrived at friends’ homes this week. With it was a note explaining that problems with the printers, UPS and, finally, a stolen delivery truck (“now recovered with its doors blown off”) meant their holiday greetings were a little delayed. “ . . . Best wishes for the New Year--even if it has turned out to be a belated Washington’s Birthday Card--probably the first you have ever received.” Yup.

UNTROUBLED WATERS--A last-minute move switched the OEF International (formerly Overseas Education Fund) dinner honoring Los Angeles Assemblywoman Maxine Waters from the rainy roof of the Bonaventure to the Catalina Ballroom on Saturday night. But the 200 supporters--urged to wear “splashy black and white”--made the transition with no problems. Common Cause Chairman Geoff Cowan sported a suit with a Mudville T-shirt. (Cowan and his fire commissioner wife Aileen have joined the Westside rush to own a baseball team, buying one in Stockton that will compete with Bruce Corwin’s Palm Springs nine.) County Assessor Alex Pope, preparing for the marathon the next morning, eschewed the veal chop for runner carbs--rice, potatoes and pasta. Chairs Kathy Moore Moret and Jim Woods, Community Redevelopment Agency chair, did the honors. At one point Woods introduced the “patron saint of downtown Los Angeles,” but before Councilman Gilbert Lindsay could stand up, Woods added “ . . . Fran Savitch,” the exec assistant to the mayor. Waters gave special notice to her “sisters in the Trusteeship (for Women),” and among the mover-shaker women in the audience were attorney Cynthia Maduro Ryan, Public Works Commissioner Maureen Kindel, Rams owner Georgia Frontiere, former Rep. Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, and Willie Campbell, the national OEF president. Waters recalled that years ago the women would brown-bag lunch and talk about wanting more power. “You’ve done really well,” Waters added.

NEAR HOLLYWOOD AND VINE--That’s the Palladium and that’s where partygoers from the premiere of “Crossroads” headed last weekend to celebrate. Stars Ralph Macchio and Joe Seneca seemed to be having the same good time in person that they did on the screen, and Meg Tilly clutched hubby Tim Zinnemann’s hand, as he took congrats for being the film’s exec producer. Emma Samms surveyed the spread of Southern, New Orleans and California style food prepared by her very close friend, Ambrosia’s David Corwin, then admitted, “During the week I don’t eat, but it’s Friday. . . .” Chowing down were stars like Beverly D’Angelo and David Lee Roth. Seneca said his performance was the product of what “I kind of accrued in life.”

WATCH OUT--For those exhausted from opening solicitations for campaign funds, some relief may be in sight. Look for a big push in the next week from insurance exec Walter Gerken and the blue-ribbon types supporting a ballot initiative overhauling the financing of legislative campaigns. Big business, the major target of fund-hungry assemblymen and state senators, and Common Cause, which since its founding 15 years ago has had campaign financing as a core issue, will be the initiative’s big supporters.

STEPPING OUT--At the Sunday Walkathon for the Downtown Women’s Center, look for longtime Center supporter Chad Everett, along with Angie Dickinson, Kevin Dobson, Bubba Smith and Penny Singleton. The Grand Central Market’s Ira Yellin opens the doors for a special Sunday walk-through by the walkers, the Music Center will provide entertainment, and the cathedral bells will ring from St. Vibiana’s. Mayor Tom Bradley will welcome everyone at 9 a.m. and at the end of the march, at the May Co. at Seventh Market Place, the walkers get a goodie bag and a discount at the new department store.

FIGHTING WORDS--Bothered by the Sunset Strip billboards praising other cities and states as possible location sites for movies? Check out the new one being set up across the street from Le Mondrian with its half-done message, “Shoot Los Angeles.” Hey, is the movie capital of the world fighting back?

PRETTY IN ANYTHING--”Pretty in Pink” might be for today’s teen generation, but the ‘50s-style outfits worn by the wacky character played by Annie Potts in the film manage to touch baby boomers. (Not that anyone really wore those beehive hairdos.) Now in town to film a CBS pilot, Potts gets to be “a fairly regular person” in “Designing Women.” Her worries that the young staff of the John Hughes film would ostracize her because she’s in her early 30s--”and too domestic to be hip”--proved groundless. She’s not that old, and doesn’t remember the ‘50s herself, but “Get up close, and I have a baby face with lines on it.”

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL--Just how many stories can a public relations man offer up about Bob Hope, whose birthdays, holidays, specials, golf tournaments, etc., are legion? His longtime P.R. man Frank Liberman, talking about a piece on the cultural center in Palm Springs being named for Hope, showed that never-say-die Hollywood spirit. “OK,” he suggested to a writer, only half-kiddingly, “How about doing a piece now on all the things named for Hope.” And included could be the flowers, the hospital units, and the “Bob Hope Hole, March Air Force Base (Riverside) Golf Course.” Now you know.