‘Duck’ Premiere a Feather in the UCLA Archives’ Cap

Ducky, it was simply, ducky. Those ducks that march across the Peabody Hotel lobby in Memphis each day at 11 a.m. to their pond and then march back at 5 p.m. flew in. Howard T. Duck, the star, was missing, but then he’s a composite. As Howard says, “Every duck has its limit.”

But other than that, the world premiere of the Lucasfilm Ltd./Universal Pictures “Howard the Duck” on Wednesday evening at the Academy of Motion Pictures’ Samuel Goldwyn Theatre in Beverly Hills benefiting the UCLA Film, Television & Radio Archives was duck soup.

Marilyn Ehrman and the loyal group of volunteers were in duck heaven, hoping to net $40,000 from the premiere and party later at the Beverly Hilton. They and Universal, which paid for the party, didn’t duck the issues. For all their fine-feathered friends, they had ice carvings of Howard on the buffet tables, large oval portraits of Howard attached to floral centerpieces, even duck desserts with images of Howard in meringue over chocolate mousse cups.

Earlier, at the premiere, first-nighters took Archives’ director Bob Rosen’s directions. “The script calls for me to do this,” he quacked as he pulled out a golden rubber duck bill and placed it over his nose. “Now,” he said, “if you’ll look at the end of your row, you’ll find a bag of duck bills. Pass them down your aisle. Put them on. We’re going to have a family portrait.” Only those in a foul mood rejected the idea.

Said Rosen, “Your coming here tonight is important to us. You are all important to us. It will help us do what we do--daily screenings for thousands of people, saving those films that are turning to dust.” He was referring to the fact that the Archives houses one of the world’s major film collections, second in size and scope only to the Library of Congress, and that nitrate, the film stock on which motion pictures were produced before 1950, rapidly deteriorates, that more than half of the films no longer exist in any form and that funding is urgently needed to save priority parts of the Archives’ collection.

At the party, star Lea Thompson--wearing the miniest of miniskirts in black leather with gobs of costume jewelry on her military jacket and who calls Howard T. Duck “Ducky” so tenderly in the film--arrived with her steady boyfriend, Dennis Quaid. The two kissed about every three minutes. Jeffrey Jones, who plays the scientist, brought his son, Julian Coutts/Jones of Toronto. Tim Robbins, who takes the role of the wacky friend, danced some of the night with pretty brunette model Carol Perkins.

Mesmerized by Hard Rock

The young crowd was mesmerized by The Untouchables’ hard rock, and Thompson, Quaid, Robbins and Jones were still at it at 12:30 a.m.

Accepting compliments were Willard Huyck, director, and Gloria Katz, producer. Of course, they’re a married pair--17 years--and have “American Graffiti” and “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” on their credits. As Rosen noted, “they’ve been wonderful supporters of UCLA and are founding members of Cinema 89 (a UCLA film support group).”

Frank Price, chairman of MCA Motion Picture Group, was there with two sons, David, a USC student who was with Therese McDonough, and Roy, who goes to Harvard. UCLA Dean of Fine Arts Bob Gray also attended. James Belushi was at the premiere holding hands with a pretty blond. Supposedly somewhere in the post-party crowd were Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Demi Moore, Charlie Sheen and Patti d’Arbanville.

The post-premiere committee--Theodora Cornyn, Susan Greenfield, Ruth Kraft, Dini Ostrov and Mimi Freedman--deftly moved about.

Totally Unruffled

They seemed totally unruffled when the clanging UCLA Marching Band spooked the Peabody Marching Ducks, and the drake (he takes the lead on the walk, and the four females follow dutifully) flapped almost into the beef pate (“There’s no poultry on this menu,” a committee member said) at the buffet table. At that point, the lady ducks lost their pluck and tumbled off the ledge of their marquee-like runway. “Well,” said Eubus Calhoun, their trainer who brought them from Memphis, “they had only one rehearsal. They’re used to people and flashbulbs, but music disturbs them. I think they did surprisingly well.” Just ducky.