Scholarship a Tribute to Anne Baxter

The major thrust of the starlight evening Roman Holiday that The Group (in support of Otis Art Institute) plans June 14 will be the tribute to actress Anne Baxter. The Group is establishing the Anne Baxter Memorial Scholarship, and the response of contributions to the endowment fund from her friends in and out of the film industry has been gratifying, Babe Eagle said. Gregory Peck and James Brolin will present the scholarship to a chosen student.

Missy Chandler Stuart and Nancy Call Dowey so far have responses from Vincent Price, Douglas Cramer, Aaron Spelling, Connie Selleca, Angela Lansbury, Bob and Rosemary Stack, Eva Marie Saint, Jeff Hayden, Pat and Walter Mirisch, Shari Belafonte-Harper, Jean Simmons, David Wayne, Hume Cronin, Jessica Tandy, Maria Cole, Bette Davis, Robert Duvall, Phyllis Diller, Sir Alec Guinness, Eleanor Parker, Mrs. William Powell, the Fred Astaires and the Ralph Bellamys.

Dr. and Mrs. Alberto Boniver are honorary chairmen, and Nancy Dowey and Vonnie Flowers are co-chairmen. Others in on the arrangements are Billie Converse, Eunice Forester, Marie Humphreys, Carrie Ketchum, Martha Norman, Virginia Rogers, Jeanne Sully and Marilou Yoell.

The Fourth of July is approaching, and the excitement over the Statue of Liberty celebration is growing. Virginia Braun, Lady Dodge and Suzanne Marx were in the East last week for the architectural committee meeting for Ellis Island. In July, they’ll be there again, this time with families.

Speaking of the Fourth, the International Hostesses, Les Dames de Champagne, will be celebrating “Happy Birthday USA” on the big day. Their hosts, the William Ahmansons, are opening their 5,000-acre California rancho in Calabasas for an old-fashioned country fair with corn stands, homemade baked yummies, ice cream and a sing-along. The group’s pert adjuncts, the Young Californians, are planning the fare. Honored guests will be members of the Southern California consular corps, according to Wanda Henderson and Toni Webb. Mrs. Alex Villicana is Les Dames chairman; her daughter, Ann-Marie, is president of the Young Californians.

It took translators to communicate the toasts. But they weren’t needed to relay the spirit of the dinner Joseph W. Tkach, chairman of the Ambassador International Cultural Foundation, hosted before the premiere of the Kirov Ballet of Leningrad at the Shrine Auditorium.

Walter Hubert of Silver Birches transplanted all manner of exotic bulbs into the adjoining Shrine hall for centerpieces. Gwen La Ravia put the woman’s touch on the dinner coordinated by Roman Borek--salmon quenelles with sorrel sauce and lemon zest garnish, medallions of veal with lime and ginger sauce, the fresh raspberries and creme fraiche with the black walnut crisps followed by almond tea. Thus, it was a happy crowd that melded for the “Swan Lake” performance following the toasts.

Tkach and Viktor Lopatnikov, deputy chief, minister of culture, Leningrad, made toasts back and forth. Others at the head table included Oleg Vinogradov, artistic director, Kirov Ballet; Arthur and Mariam Groman of Occidental Petroleum (the Armand Hammers went to Washington at the last minute); Gwen and Ellis La Ravia (he’s vice president of the foundation); Harold M. Williams, president of the J. Paul Getty Trust, and his guest, Nancy Englander; Henry and Ginny Mancini and the Lev Zaitsevs (he’s consul for the Soviet Consulate in San Francisco), and Valeria Valazinskay, translator.

More in the crowd were Jeanine Cushman (John also flew off on a trip unexpectedly), Ron and Jane Olson, Wayne and Kathy Shilkret, Alice and Joe Coulombe, the Richard Colburns, Pasadena Mayor John C. Crowley and Barbara; Anna Bing Arnold, Ronald Jernigan, Dr. Adrien and Sylvia Aiache, Elizabeth Ballentyne, David and Judith Brown, Italian Consul General and Mrs. Alberto Boniver, Alexander Castonguay, Belgian Consul General Andre Adams and Danielle, Frank and Valerie Fish and Steven Adler. At the ballet, Mayor Tom Bradley presented a commendation to the corps. It was a vodka-less evening, with Moet & Chandon extra-dry champagne for cocktails, de Ladoucette Pouilly Fume 1983 with the salmon, Domaine Daniel Rion nuits-St. George 1982 with the veal.

Lucy McBain, president of the Auxiliary of Hathaway Home for Children, welcomed a record number of members for the spring luncheon at the Hotel Bel-Air. Now Judy Langdon takes over the board as president. Other officers include Ellen Donaldson Kaiser, Margo Armbruster, Caron Brandlin, Janet Webb, Betty Rochefort, Marilyn Schulte, Annabelle Myuers, Liz Sides, Ellen Kessler, Hillette von Tscharner, Kim Harrison, Mary Robin Redd, Geraldine G. Chutuk and Donna Wolff.

Three-time Emmy winner Ralph Edwards will host a “This Is Your Life” tribute Wednesday evening when the Beverly Hills Family Y honors Margery C. (Mrs. Norman) Tyre for her lifetime of community involvement. She’s to receive the Y’s Citizen of the Year Award at a black-tie dinner in the International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton. Gary Sherwin is coordinating the event. The Edwards/Tyre connection goes back to the days when Margery and Norman Tyre and Edwards were UC Berkeley classmates. Bernice Hutter, president of the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce, is honorary chairman. Executive dinner chairman is Albert C. Farrell. More raising funds are David Orgell, Fred Hayman, Bruce Meyer, Steve Broidy, Albert (Cubby) Broccoli, George Fenimore, Bernard Heumann, David Haft, Jack Hupp, Joseph K. Lipson, Nat Dumont and James Dale. Mrs. Tyre helped develop Cedars-Sinai Medical Center’s volunteer program, served as president of the Women’s Guild for six years, and has been president of the PTAs of both Hawthorne Elementary School and Beverly Hills High School.

The Southwest Museum Board of Trustees hosts a reception for the opening of two major shows Sunday evening. One is “The Pasadena Collectors (gifts to the museum 1915-1945)” and the other is “Four Centuries of Latin American Art” (the Mr. and Mrs. Peter G. Wray Collection).