Celebs Point Aid Spotlight at El Salvador

Now that the elections are over, the rich and famous are gearing up to help victims of the Oct. 10 earthquake in El Salvador.

In New York on Monday night, two determined socialites--Lee Thaw and Delores Smithies--will be reaping the results of their hard work at a $100-a-head reception at Sotheby’s. More than $90,000 has already come over the transom for the International Rescue Committee with several days until the “fiesta and private viewing” of “Important Latin American Art.” Honorary co-chairs are the First Reagans, Secretary of State and Mrs. George Shultz, and Secretary General of the U.N. and Mrs. Javier Perez de Cuellar.

On the West Coast, celebs of the big- and little-screen kind will be at the Sunday send-off of the Medical Airlift to El Salvador at Santa Monica Airport. Part of a massive ongoing effort--under a board chaired by Bill Zimmerman and with members like Ed Asner and Bert Schneider--the Sunday send-off is for $1 million worth of medicines and supplies to the earthquake victims. Melissa Gilbert, Ed Begley Jr., and Lisa and Kris Kristofferson are sponsoring the party.

The $1 million in medical supplies will be distributed by the archdiocese of San Salvador--and that’s in addition to the $500,000 shipment that was sent down, at the archdiocese’s request, late in October. When this latest shipment arrives, that will put the total given by the Hollywood group at more than $3 million in medical supplies and assistance. Stars expected at the $100-and-up hangar party include Howard Hesseman, Michelle Pfeiffer and Martin Sheen.

In New York, a spokesperson for the Sotheby’s event said that the money raised would go to build an orphanage to take care of some of the children left orphaned by the quake. La Casa de los Ninos will be administered by the Sisters of St. Vincent de Paul.

PASS THE VINO --Everyone knows that it’s vino rosa or vino blanco at lunch in Roma. But downtown types are a little concerned that Pope John Paul II will be shocked at the 24-hour vino parade on Skid Row just next door to his scheduled L.A. residence, at St. Vibiana’s Cathedral. Just how many liquor establishments are on the Main Street block between 2nd and 3rd streets? Estimates vary between private and public counts--but the low is 10 liquor licenses on that one block, and the high is 13. Besides such establishments, about the only other notable places of interest are the cathedral and rectory--and the Rescue Mission.

BEV HILLS, BEV HILLS--The estate known to millions of TV viewers as the home of the “Beverly Hillbillies” has been sold to Hollywood producer Jerry Perenchio, a man who has made millions with TV. Known to L.A. as the Kirkeby Estate, the property went for $13.5 million. The 18th-Century French neo-classical estate was, according to the book “Estates of Beverly Hills,” built in the 1930s as a surprise for the wife of the then socially prominent Lynn Atkinson. Perenchio, Norman Lear’s partner, certainly does like real estate. He earlier reportedly bought five properties in the very expensive Malibu Colony area so he could have a larger back yard and more “guest houses.” . . . The current Bev Hills real-estate record is held by Marvin Davis, who purchased the home of Kenny Rogers last year for $21 million. And, from the looks of the large numbers of workers’ cars and trucks constantly parked nearby, it could be the most expensive fixer-upper in history. . . . Marvin and Barbara Davis and Jerry and Jane Weintraub will soon have a new neighbor, as Frank Sinatra has popped a reported $5.5 million for the former home of personal manager Sandy Galin (he manages Whoopi Goldberg and Dolly Parton). That price, thankfully, includes furnishings.

GOP GO-AROUNDS--The almost ex-Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole apparently knows he’s going to have a lot more time to run for president, now that he’s free of heavy Senate duties. That’s why Dole met this week with top supporters from around the country to discuss what to do between now and November ’88.

GREETINGS--The new Consul General of the state of Israel and Mrs. Etian Ben-tsur got welcomed here Monday night at a reception at Hillcrest given by Adrea and Victor Carter. Lots of good food and very short speeches, in which the Consul General commended Carter on his long-time support for Israel. As at all such functions, the informal chat was much livelier. Long-time politicos Carmen and Lou Warschaw, Ed Sanders and Larry Weinberg congratulated themselves on a Democratic Senate. Pat Rosenthal, the wife of Assemblyman Herschel Rosenthal, flashed a snapshot of the billboard he bought her to announce their 40th anniversary. And USC political scientist Herb Alexander talked about political money.