USC’s Henry Kissinger Roast Planned

Henry Kissinger puts himself on the line, but not for Valentine kisses. He’s agreed to be roasted (good-naturedly, he hopes) March 9 at the USC School of Public Administration fifth annual Ides of March Dinner in the Ballroom of the Beverly Wilshire.

Prominent attorney John Argue is dinner chairman; former President Gerald Ford is honorary chairman. Johnny Grant will monitor the barbs. Among dinner co-chairmen are Pamela Anderson, John Attwood, Margaret Brock, Robert Dockson, Carl and Mrs. Franklin, William Keck II, Fred Wasserman and Lodwrick Cook.

Steering committee members include Dennis Alfieri, Gerald Giaquinta, Walter Hoefflin, Thomas E. Smith, John Stathatos and Earl Webster.

The tab: $250 per seat. And a $10,000 donation will entitle patrons to receive an invitation to a private reception for the former secretary of state.

Last year’s fund-raiser was a salute to Sen. Robert Dole and his wife, Secretary of Transportation Elizabeth Dole.

ON TRACK: At least 40 members of the Strub family will be in the Directors Room at Santa Anita Park Sunday for one of the most important races of Santa Anita’s 50th year of racing--the $500,000 Charles H. Strub Stakes. Of course, the race is named for the late Dr. Strub, track founder. His son, Robert P. Strub, president and CEO, and his wife, Betty, will host the prestigious luncheon. Among sons and daughters attending will be Marianne and Gerald Cline of Thousand Oaks, Katherine and John Reed of La Jolla, Sarah and Michael Frawley of West Los Angeles and Camie and Robert Strub of Pasadena. Dr. Strub’s daughter, Mary Louise Strub Crowe, will attend with her husband, Arthur Lee Crowe (he’s a Santa Anita director) and their offspring--Susan, Larry and Charles. Another daughter of the late founder, Virginia Strub Kelly, will come from Glen Cove, N.Y., with her husband, Francis E. Kelly Jr. And their children--Virginia, Ted, Andrew, Charles, and Linda and Daniel Mennis of Pasadena--also will be there. More family includes Peter Strub’s (Robert’s brother) widow, Adele, and her son Charles H. Strub II.

HINT, HINT: It seems timely that just before Valentine’s Day, the House of Harry Winston should acquire the world’s largest natural fresh-water pearl, valued at $300,000. Tie it with a red bow, give it with a red rose: it weighs 601.24 grains (150.31 carats), and it is about 1 3/4 inches in diameter. Winston designers are figuring out how to set it. We haven’t seen it, but the other day we lunched with Count Enrico Carimati di Carimate. The count, who directs Winston’s Southwestern sales, is addicted to tuna fish sandwiches. He has one a day, usually at the Polo Lounge, with a chopped-up jalapeno. It took the tuna to bring us down from heaven after looking at the wonders in the new Harry Winston salon in the Beverly Hills Hotel.

For instance, the Italian count (his family dates back to the 10th Century, he holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Rome and spent years in the family heavy-machinery business before pursuing an avocational interest in fine jewels) allowed us to touch a heart-shaped yellow sapphire and a green emerald cabochon heart of the most magnificent portions, while he was negotiating the sale of a $1-million necklace by phone. The rubies (most valuable and rarest of stones currently) were nice, too--Rock of Gibraltar-size pendants, the heart earrings, even the ruby-encrusted whistles to ward off too-amorous types.

FOREIGN BENT: As part of its membership drive for the International Film Society, the AFI Associates of the American Film Institute are sponsoring three major invitational Los Angeles premieres of foreign motion pictures. Each will be followed by a buffet supper hosted by the counsel general of the country featured.

Ava Dexter Ostern, Associates president, and Pola Miller and Jacqueline Monash, co-chairmen of the International Film Society, are collaborating.

Particularly timely, with the America’s Cup fanfare Down Under, the Australian entry, D. H. Lawrence’s “Kangaroo,” starring Oscar nominee Judy Davis, will be screened Sunday. A buffet supper follows, hosted by Consul General of Australia Basil J. and Mrs. Teasey at their residence.

France’s entry, “The Scene of the Crime,” starring Catherine Deneuve and Danielle Darrieux, is scheduled for screening March 8. Afterward France Consul General Bernard and Mrs. Miyet will be hosts at their home.

Then, March 29, “My Life as a Dog,” Sweden’s entry, is combined with Swedish Consul Gen. Margareta Hegardt’s party at the Swedish residence. All screenings begin at 5:30 p.m. at the AFI/Mark Goodson Theater, 2021 N. Western Ave.

The committee for the innovative events include Connie Austin, Barbara Berg, Molly Dolle, Rose Freeman, Dolly Gillin, Aileen Iannucci, Nel Jaffe, Mary Lansbury, Susan Leider, Kay Rehme, Rosalind Rogers, Marcia Ross, Jean Schaffner and Helene Tobias.

Invitations are fun: Satin ribbons, the color of each country’s flag, are lined up against details on each event.

MAJOR AGENDA: The Los Angeles World Affairs Council never takes a breath. About everyone you know will be attending at least one of its affairs: Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs Rozanne L. Ridgway at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Biltmore Gold Room; Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy Richard N. Perle, at noon Feb. 18 at the Biltmore; Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir at noon Feb. 20 at the Century Plaza (Mrs. Shamir is coming too), and Ambassador of Switzerland to the United States Klaus Jacobi, at 12:20 p.m. Tuesday at the Biltmore Gold Room.

ON BOARD: Expect the Bernard Combemales to be very active on the social/business scene. He’s chairman of the board of Trusthouse Forte, moving his company into Southern California with an aggressive acquisition and construction program. Trusthouse recently acquired the Queensbay Hilton, next to the Queen Mary, and plans to upgrade the facility, also build a second hotel on the property and build a luxury hotel in Beverly Hills. Trusthouse, the world’s largest hotelier, already owns the Plaza Athenee and Westbury Hotels in New York. Their acceptances for the party they hosted at 20th Century Fox Studios were impressive: the Gordon Gettys, the Prentiss Cobb Hales, the Bernard Miyets, the Dimitri Skourases, the William French Smiths, the Robert Stacks, the Nick Vanoffs, the Russel Kullys, on and on.

ELATED: The USC Mexican American Alumni Assn. is the largest Latino university alumni association in the United States, and alumnus Lupe Valdez happily informs us that the association is halfway toward its endowment goal of $1 million.

Driving forces behind the campaign are Dr. Edward Zapanta, USC board trustee; Frank Cruz, vice president of KVEA-TV Channel 52 and Oscar Parra, attorney, plus a lot of others.

Now they celebrate at the annual fund-raising scholarship dinner next Thursday at Town and Gown. The affair is black tie.

MUSEUM DATES: Seventy-one Japanese enamels from the 14th through the 20th centuries will be on view at Los Angeles County Museum of Art in “Shippo: the Art of Enameling in Japan” starting today. . . . A selection of 150 photographs created for print advertisements in Japan is being exhibited at the Art Center College of Design through Feb. 28.

CIRCLE IN RED: The Costume Council of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and I. Magnin will present a 10-year retrospective of couturier Bill Blass’s work plus a private showing of his Spring ’87 collection Monday morning. Also, we hear the affable Blass will donate a design to the museum: a 1985 red wool pants and red silk crepe blouse with a floor-length double-breasted wool coat.

CIRCLE, TOO: Katie Osterloh, president of the Paulist Women’s Club, is announcing the St. Paul the Apostle School in Westwood benefit Wednesday--a Valentine Fashion Luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hotel with fashions by Whispers of Pacific Palisades. Co-chairmen Mrs. Chapin Hunt (she’s a good friend of Ambassador to Finland Rockwell and Marna Schnabel) and Mrs. John Isakensen have reliable help from Mrs. Gary Cooper (Mary Pat), Mrs. Sandy Ellism, Mrs. William Rehder, Mrs. Roger Rhoads and Mrs. Joseph Ursino. Principal Sister Stella Maria Enright and the new pastor, Father Robert Rivers, will also attend.

MOST HAPPY: Fun-loving Bobbie and Jay Niblo are among those hosting pre-theater parties for the official opening night of the California Music Theater (Southern California’s major new resident theater company) premiere season Feb. 21. at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. Frank Loesser’s award-winning musical, “The Most Happy Fella” (hits like “Standin’ on the Corner” and “Joey”), runs through March 1. John Raitt is returning to his hometown of Pasadena to star as “Tony,” and artistic director Gary Davis and managing director Lars Hansen have been introducing stars at brunches and over cocktails.

UPDATE: Ambassador of Austria Dr. Thomas Klestil of Washington, Consul Gen. Dr. Nikolaus Scherk, trade commissioner Herwig Renner and Austrian Tourist Bureau director Peter Katz will be presented by the Viennese Culture Club of Los Angeles at its Gala Viennese Opera Ball Saturday in the Grand Ballroom of the Beverly Wilshire. . . . American pianist Jeffrey Siegel will join the American Youth Symphony director by Mehli Mehta Feb. 15 in a Tchaikovsky Spectacular at the Los Angeles Music Center Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.