UCLA Plans Spring ‘Rhapsody in Bruin’

The UCLA Student Alumni Assn. will hold its Spring Sing ’86 at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Royce Hall, with 14 campus musical groups competing in five categories.

Entitled “Rhapsody in Bruin,” the contest will be judged by Los Angeles Times columnist Jack Smith, “Star Trek” movie producer Harve Bennett, actor Brian Patrick Clark of “General Hospital,” actor Gordon Jump of “WKRP in Cincinnati” and Academy Award-winning composer Bill Conti.

Before he became President, Ronald Reagan served as master of ceremonies six times during the history of the 40-year-old event, which is the oldest collegiate song competition of its kind, university officials said.

Other former judges and masters of ceremonies are Fred MacMurray, Jack Lemmon, Henry Mancini, Jaye P. Morgan and Les Brown.

This year’s show will be dedicated to Waldo W. Phelps, UCLA professor of English and rhetoric. Phelps has been a faculty member since 1949.

According to the alumni group, UCLA students started the Spring Sing in 1945 to settle an argument about who were the best singers on fraternity row. Participation has grown and in past years the event has sold out the Hollywood Bowl.