Philanthropist Celebrates 70 Good Years

Noted philanthropist Alice O’Neill Avery proved her stamina at her 70th birthday party at the Los Angeles Country Club the other evening. She didn’t blow up all 5,000 balloons, but she did endure maybe 400 photo flashes, insisting that all her 230 black-tie guests be photographed with her in front of Stanley Kersten’s lavish adornment of flowers over the fireplace.

What sixth-generation Californian Mrs. Waldo Avery wanted for herself was a party just like those at the Orpheum Theater on Broadway that she remembered from her childhood--flame swallowers, magic tricks, tap dancers. And she wanted all her family, her old Marymount chums and the neighborhood kids. And a big birthday cake, and good food and wines, and a new dress, and music like that she loved at those wild Cocoanut Grove parties.

She got it all, except for the tap dancers. Orchestra leader Clark Keen, who coordinated the show, produced music from Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movies instead, and the music was full of tangos, a little cha-cha-cha, lots of swing.

The birthday girl had ordered no dancing during dinner: Everyone was supposed to savor the beef tournedos, the au gratin potatoes, the French string beans, the salad Mimosa and the 1985 Louis Jadot Beaujolais. But, dance demon George Vernon Russell, husband of her Marymount chum, Dorothy, kissed Alice Avery’s hand and asked for a twirl, and she couldn’t say no.

Then Curtis Kent asked Loretta Young to dance, and the dance floor was immediately filled. Back at the table, Kent pontificated on the history of the next song: “ ‘The Continental’ is from the 1934 movie, ‘Flying Down to Rio.’ Now, ‘Puttin’ On the Ritz’ is from. . . .”

It was definitely an evening of “you’re only as young as you feel.” Granddaughter Katrina Moiso, a senior at USC, dancing with her escort, real estate developer Mac Shattuck, asserted her college pals were pretty lively, “but not as good as this.”

The family was all there: son Jerome Moiso, and his wife, Mary, of Carmel Valley; Tony Moiso and his wife, Melinda (in Valentino), getting compliments for her recent photos in Town & Country, and their daughters, Katrina and Cristy, a sophomore at Stanford; and son Doug Avery of Brentwood and his wife, Diane; and brother Richard O’Neil and his wife, Donna.

And the Marymount chums: Dorothy Russell, Barbara Knott McCarthy with William Croxton, Natalie and Jess Benton, Jeannette and G. B. Hyland, Margaret and Douglas Gregg, and Betty and William Wilson (former ambassador to the Vatican).

And the neighborhood gang: Alice Avery’s escort, Jack Lindley, and Young, and their sister, Georgianna Montalban, and husband Ricardo.

And pals like--well, everyone else: the Jay McMahans, the Hoyt Leisures, the Delos McDonalds, the Frank Kannes, Emily Peck and Jack Cosgrove, the Walter Rawns, the Thomas Ridgways, the William Simpsons, the William Stineharts (celebrating their 44th anniversary), Robert Sargeant, the George Seitzes, the James Taylors, the Roger Lavertys, the Clifford Lords, the Bruce McNeils, the John Morgans, and the Thomas McClouds.

Mrs. Josephine Wayne attended with Angus McEachon, but she said all her “youngsters” were invited, too: Melinda Munoz, Michael and Gretchen Wayne, Patrick Wayne (with Jennifer Savidge), and Toni La Cava. More attending were the Robert Cannons, the John Dillons, the Charles Bergesches, the James Bernards, and Martha Behymer with Walter Coombs.

Everyone sang “Happy Birthday” amid the toasts. Bill Anderson lifted his glass, “May you live for a thousand years.” Quipped Alice Avery, “I’m almost there now.”

And before the white birthday cake with the lemon filling and the pink icing was served with the three sorbets, Alice Avery proclaimed, “The best is yet to come.”

GRAND GALA: The black-tie opening of the $50-million Sheraton at Redondo Beach has gone to the Peninsula Committee of the Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles, Nordstrom and the Sheraton Corporation. It’s March 7 and will benefit the hospital and fund pioneering research in molecular genetics.

John Kapioltas, president, chairman and CEO of the Sheraton Corporation, will preside over the ribbon cutting. Seafood buffets, caviar stations and carved barons of beef and lamb will be part of a moveable feast. Nordstrom will stage the fashion premiere at 8 p.m. and again at 9 p.m. in a tented area of the hotel’s Harbor Terrace. Lew Mallin’s Orchestra will play throughout for dancing. Robert M. Haynie is managing partner of the hotel.

NEW CAMPAIGN: Performing Tree works a little magic Feb. 21 at the Beverly Theater to kick off its three-year capital campaign. Members will be staging the Famous People Players (straight from a seven-week run on Broadway). The Players are young professionals, developmentally handicapped, who manipulate life-size fluorescent puppets of famous people in a medley of Broadway hits.

Benefit chairman Diana Jonsson promises fun fantasy theater, then supper. Harry Handler, Los Angeles Unified School District superintendent, is honorary chairman; Beth Lowe and Tam Dickerson are patron chairmen. More involved are Sharon Allen, Sandy Ausman, Tink Cheney, Valerie Holberton, Jan Kern, Pam King, Gwen Lundy, Danese Maldonado, Joan Palmer and Phoebe Vaccaro.

Performing Tree provides performances and workshops for a half-million children annually. Currently, each new $1 raised will be matched with $3 from the National Endowment for the Arts.

HEAVY AGENDA: The board of Governors of the Beverly Hills Country Club host their grand opening party Feb. 26. Black-tie, of course. . . . The final production of the inaugural season of the Los Angeles Music Center Opera will be celebrated with the opening of “Porgy and Bess” Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. at the Wiltern Theater. Later, Mrs. Ira Gershwin and the cast will greet guests at a party honoring the Gershwins in the Embassy Room of the Ambassador Hotel. . . .

Penelope J. von Kalinowski, dinner chairman for the Hugh O’Brian Youth Foundation dinner March 24, is giving the dinner committee the recognition it deserves. She and Bonnie Kyle, managing director of the Regency Club, will host a cocktail reception Feb. 17 at the club, and the acceptance list is major: Ray and Joyce Watt, the W. T. Chamberlains, Thomas E. Smith, Donald Hubbs, Lynn Loring, Bruce and Carol Nasby, John and Jean McNally, Mrs. Pete Wilson, Jonathan Dolgen and Hugh himself. . . .