Chamber of Commerce to Honor S

Los Angeles’ Busy and Bustling haven’t even vacuumed the dried pine needles from the carpeting before starting the deep involvements of 1987.

The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce celebrates its 99th Inaugural Ball in black tie Jan. 23. Chairman Charles D. Miller and vice chairman John C. Argue are planning a salute to Southern California’s savings and loan industry. Each year a major industry is honored.

Thus, the tributes will be accepted by the chairmen of the biggest five: Robert R. Dockson, Cal Fed, Inc.; Ross M. Blakely, Coast Savings & Loan; Raymond D. Edwards, Glendale Federal Savings; James F. Montgomery, Great Western Financial Corp.; and Richard H. Deihl, Home Savings of America.

Dionne Warwick has been tapped for entertainment. Ron Rubin’s Orchestra will draw the CEOs to the dance floor.

MAPS II (Museum Auction of Palm Springs) is a big January hit. Surging forth on every auction item detail in order to raise funds for the Women’s Committee of Palm Springs Desert Museum are president Erna K. Schulhofer and chairman Helene Galen. This year, auction items will be available for preview Jan. 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the museum. That means that those other than MAPS benefit ticket holders--in fact, the entire community--will be able to view and absentee bid on the items.

Marvin Newman, executive vice president, Butterfield & Butterfield of Los Angeles, will conduct the live auction at the party Jan. 24. Mrs. Gerald R. Ford is honorary chairman. Already the night is assured success, judging by a list of auction benefactors: the Harold Eisenbergs, Mrs. Adolph Fine, the Louis Galens, the Jerome Goldsteins, the Irving Koerners, the James Paul Linns, the Walter N. Markses and the James Rosenbaums. J. Ralph Stone is museum president.

ANNUAL MEET: The Hon. Robert S. McNamara, former secretary of defense, and former president of the World Bank, speaks on “Blundering Into Disaster: The First Century of the Nuclear Age” to the World Affairs Council on Monday in the Corinthian Room of the Biltmore. Then members will meet and cast ballots to elect or re-elect one-third of their board of directors.

HOT NUMBER: The Entertainment Council of the Music Center, in its first indulgence of 1987, will preview the world premiere of Lanford Wilson’s “Burn This” at the Mark Taper Forum on Wednesday evening. Council chairman Susan Strauss and vice chairs Anne Johnson and Kathryn Davis-Sugarman are coordinating the cocktail buffet in The Founders of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

The council was formed recently to give members of the entertainment community an inside peek at the Music Center and its activities. A few on the council are Shakira Caine, Bettina Chandler, Wendy Goldberg, Joanne Kozberg, Nancy Livingston, Sandra Moss, Rhonda Fleming Mann and Joanna Poitier.

PREVIEW, TOO: The Davis T. Pillsburys will host cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at their San Marino home Jan. 28. It’s a preview of the American Cancer Society’s 1987 Victory Ball, “Beauty and the Beast” honoring Avon Products, Inc.

STYLISH NEW YEAR: Award-winning couturier Michael Novarese always creates a stir. He’ll stitch up “A Symphony of Fashions”--his latest creations--to ring in the New Year for Pasadena Symphony supporters. The fashion show/luncheon is Wednesday in the Tiffany Room of the Los Angeles Biltmore.

Benefit co-chairs Alyce Williamson and Ellie Jones plan a gourmet luncheon with a poached salmon entree. They’ll also spotlight furs by Joe Noblia of Giba-Noblia Furs, as Clark Keen taps out tunes. Maestro Jorge Mester and his wife, mezzo-soprano Kimball Wheeler, will be there. Early reservations have come from Mrs. Eugene Bell, Mrs. Adam Bianchi II, Mrs. James C. Caillouette, Mrs. Verne Orr and Mrs. Nathaniel Paschall, according to benefit committee members Mrs. Edwin A. Barnes Jr., Mrs. Edwin M. Clark, Mrs. Roy Gould, Mrs. Renee Hanson and Mrs. John Lusche.

MILLIONS: CalArts President Bob Fitzpatrick called from Megeve, France, where he’s skiing with his family, with news of the special CalArts Institute recognition dinner Feb. 8 to honor those who have given $1 million or more. The party also will mark the occasion of a multimillion-dollar gift from Roy and Patty Disney and members of the Roy Disney Family Foundation.

CalArts always does its parties glowingly: This one begins with informal cocktails, followed by dinner in the modular theater. Alumnus Bill Irwin, clown extraordinaire and MacArthur Foundation “genius” award recipient, is scheduled to perform an original piece, “Return to Alma Mater,” according to Dan Pavillard, vice president, development and planning.

GOLD DATES: The board of the UCLA Art Council hosts its annual exhibition dinner, “Selections From the Grunwald Center/Gifts of the UCLA Art Council,” Monday at La Maison du Caviar in Beverly Hills. . . .

The Guardians of the Jewish Homes for the Aging and their guests will hear Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel speak at their 48th annual installation dinner Tuesday evening in the International Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton. It’s $100 per person. . . .

Mrs. Charles C. Reed of San Marino is chairman of the steering committee forming an auxiliary for USC’s Kenneth Norris Jr. Cancer Hospital. Thus, the luncheon Wednesday on the health sciences campus, with Marilyn Atha, Wendy Beckendorf, Jan Cherrie, Jo Ann Conley, Ann Hayes, Judith Henderson, Diana Jones and Velma Steckman as key organizers. It’s happy news for Dr. Brian E. Henderson, medical director, and C. Peter Shggostak, administrator of the hospital, the only one in California created exclusively to treat cancer.

IVY TWINED: Suzanne Marx happens to be chairman of both the Princeton Parents Assn. and the Harvard/Radcliffe Parents Assn. And, we hear, both universities will be hosting receptions this month in Los Angeles. Jan. 21, Harvard/Radcliffe parents will hear Prof. Tazuko Ajiro Monane, director of the Japanese Language Program, at the home of Frank and Katherine Price. Then, the Princeton Club of Southern California will honor its president, William G. Bowen, with a reception for alumni and parents Jan. 29 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

GIVE TO LIVE AWARD: Fewer than 15% of potential organ and tissue donors actually donate. And because patients suffering from liver disease are seriously in need of organ transplants, the American Liver Foundation is making a huge effort to increase donors. The Dow Chemical Company has committed $2 million to a nationwide public education program stressing the need. On Jan. 22 in the ballroom of the Century Plaza Tower, the company and Paul Oreffice, its chairman and chief executive officer, will receive the first “Give to Live” Award of the Southern California Chapter of the foundation. He’ll be recognized by First Lady Betty Ford and Southern California medical, business and community leaders.