Fox Network Trots Out Its Finest

There were lasers, klieg lights, balloons and ice-packed tables loaded with oysters and clams. There was Joan Rivers. And there was the HOLLYWOOD sign temporarily altered to read FOXYWOOD. All together, this was one vast night of Hollywood hype, as Fox Broadcasting Co. celebrated the launch of it’s prime-time programming.

Fox Chairman and CEO Barry Diller wandered through the crowd that packed the still-under-construction Fox Towers’ penthouse in Century City early Wednesday evening. It was a half-hour before the 100 klieg lights that stretched eastward toward the Hollywood sign were set to light up the sky, as prelude to the lighting of the “FOX” sign in the Hollywood Hills.

“It’s going nicely. We’re doing all the hype we can,” Diller quipped. “See our balloons. See our party. See our sunset,” he added, pointing out the windows.

Diller strolled off, getting hand-shakes and congratulations from the hundreds of mostly media types on hand to launch--and to late lunch, or at least graze between the “stations” of lamb chops and oysters that Rococo was ladling out with a heavy hand.

What is best at these events is, no doubt, the chat--especially from the hardened media types. “The reporters at the New York Post should see this party,” one Manhattan press veteran quipped, lining up for a lamb chop. Rupert Murdoch, the Australian newspaper magnate who owns the Post, also owns Fox Inc., which owns the Fox Broadcasting network, and also Fox Television, which makes shows for the other networks (like “L.A. Law”) and probably for the new Fox network.

Monitors kept up a constant flash of to-be-debuted Fox shows. Stars of the new series, like Anita Morris (Danny DiVito’s girlfriend in “Ruthless People”) was there with Hector Elizondo, who co-stars as her husband in the new series “Down and Out in Beverly Hills.” Stars wore open-necked shirts, while executives wore suits and ties. “Hey, let’s go see the baby moguls,” one suited fellow said to another.

Patty Duke (who stars in MGM’s “Karen’s Song”) was on hand, as was Chris Lemmon (Jack Lemmon’s kid and the star of the new Fox series “Duet”). A “huge star in the making,” one insider said about Lemmon, who looks like a taller version of his father.

And of course, Rivers--Fox’s nighttime talk-show host--was there. Talking.

Stars--and more likely stars-to-be--walked around, smiling. “Anybody famous here?” a press type asked a gray suit. “Hey,” he said. “Fame is relative.”

“DYNASTY” DOINGS--It was yet another “Dynasty” wedding, shot in the Carrington Mansion on a Hollywood sound stage Wednesday morning. Tying the knot: Adam Carrington and Dana Waring. How will the newlyweds fare? Well, it is the series’ 13th wedding and it was shot on April Fool’s Day. But, besides that, everything’s peachy.

UPCOMING--The Women’s Guild of Cedars-Sinai hosts its annual membership luncheon with couture from Elizabeth Arden and a retinue of former guild leaders. It’s April 28 at the Beverly Hilton and guild president Marcia Koch said she’s hopeful that the day will be an occasion for the guild’s founding members and past presidents to get together. It is, after all, the 30th anniversary of this landmark group--which has raised more than $7 million. . . . Sunday night, Liza Minnelli gets honored with the California Friars’ Club’s “Lifetime Achievement Award.” On hand at the Century Plaza--Milton Berle, Gregory Peck, Charles Bronson, Cyd Charisse and Tony Martin, Burt Reynolds and Loni Anderson--and gaggles of other stars. . . .

SAVE THE DATE--For the Howard University Alumni Club of Southern California’s Charter Day Awards Dinner, June 14, at the Stouffer Concourse Hotel. Rep. Michael Espy (D-Miss.) will speak and the day honors Sherley Anne Williams, Judge Earl Broady Sr. and Dr. Madison Richardson. . . . Sally Struthers does the emceeing, Robert Goulet and Robert Peters sing, and “Ed Sullivan Show” originator Marlo Lewis and wife Mina Bess Lewis get honored Sunday night with the Scopus Award by Hebrew University/Palm Springs. It’s all at the Palm Springs Plaza Hotel and Racquet Club.