Ex-Presenter Liz to Be AIDS Project Honoree

Last year she did the presenting, but this year Elizabeth Taylor gets to pick up the award for herself. It’s the second annual Commitment to Life Award from the AIDS Project L.A. But this time, instead of making it a black-tie dinner, APLA will take over the Wiltern Theatre on Sept. 20. for a show produced by Jack Haley Jr. Producer Barry Krost is lining up stars. Peter Scott, the former APLA chair, has signed on to direct government and public affairs for the organization, which provides services to AIDS victims and education to the community at large . . . Signing on as board members for the American Foundation for AIDS Research (a board headed by Taylor) are Barbra Streisand, Warren Beatty and talk-show host Phil Donahue.

DEAREST ABBY--Everybody’s favorite letter-answerer, Abigail Van Buren, gets honored for 30 years of syndication at a benefit May 30 for the Institute for Studies of Destructive Behaviors and the Suicide Prevention Center. June Allyson is the chair of the celebrity committee (her daughter, Pam Powell, is on staff at the center) and she’s lined up supporters like Gary and Mary Ann Mobley Collins, Cary and Barbara Grant, California Atty. Gen. John Van de Kamp, Henry Winkler and Buddy and Sherry Hackett to ensure a good time at the Century Plaza event. Another famous syndicated lady, Erma Bombeck, comes in as emcee, and Marvin Hamlisch makes a special guest appearance, along with what the invite promises are “Abby’s favorite songbirds, Ted and Rhonda Fleming Mann.”

AND ALL THAT JAZZ--Ella Fitzgerald will be honored May 24, cited for her dedication to Neighbors of Watts at their Speakeasy Night. Myra Mannheimer and Phyllis Wayne are co-chairing the benefit at the Park Plaza. Neighbors of Watts provides day care and, through the Impac Program, counseling for abused and neglected children and their families . . .”Tango Argentino” opens Tuesday night with a benefit for the Dance Gallery. Barbara Bain has put together an evening that includes the show at the Pantages, and then a catered dinner by Rococo.

POLI SIGH--The ads for Assemblyman Gray Davis and his campaign for controller include shots of two formerly missing children, thanking the Westsideassemblyman for his efforts in finding them. This despite Davis’ continual reassurances during his “Missing Children” campaign that it had no political angle . . . Supervisor Mike Antonovich has a new pitch for potential money-givers to his campaign for the GOP senatorial nomination. The invite to his dinner Wednesday at the Beverly Wilshire urges supporters to “Tithe for Television.” The committee gets the title “Anchormen,” even though there are some obviously female names.

WALK ON--Now established as a looked-forward-to annual event, the Venice Family Clinic Art Walk is set for June 1. Last year’s walk brought in more than 2,500 supporters and netted more than $212,000 for the clinic, providing free medical care for the low-income and unemployed as well as the growing homeless population. The walk concludes with a gala dinner at the Miramar-Sheraton honoring Sister Marie Madeleine and Sister Mildred Irwin of St. John’s Hospital. Dr. Sanford Bloom receives the annual Dr. Morton K. Rubinstein Award.