A Party to Boggle the Biggies

The driveway at Norman Lear’s Brentwood home was crowded with several dozen established Democrats, entertainment demigods and literary stars.

“Gosh. What to say to this crowd,” said guest-of-honor Liz Carpenter, her Texas tongue dripping with good humor. “It’s mind boggling. I’m just usually a rubbernecker.”

Not so, Liz, was the going word, since friends from White House press secretary days--like Lew and Edie Wasserman, her ERA buddy Abby Van Buren Phillips and Times publisher Tom Johnson--joined Lear to celebrate Carpenter’s Los Angeles stop on the tour for her new book. The title, just like Carpenter, is “Getting Better All the Time.”

Not a frequent visitor to L.A., Carpenter could have the most interesting connections in town. There was her buddy Carol Channing--who sang “Hello Lyndon” for President Johnson in the 1964 election. Former Democratic National Chairman Chuck Manatt chatted with downtown power lawyer Ron Olson--”He’s a fellow Iowan,” Manatt explained. Walter Matthau tied his bow-tie knot with the help of a mirror--but, in a broad comedy bit, pulled over a young, bow-tied waiter to “get it right.”

Here’s part of the tasty party: author Joan Didion, her writer-husband, John Dunne, and their daughter, Quintana; attorney Shirley Hufstedler; agent Swifty and Mary Lazar; Ted and Rhonda Fleming Mann; Interscope’s Ted Field with fiancee Susie Bollman; Bob and Susie Burkett; United Artists’ Tony Thomopoulos; Stanley and Betty Sheinbaum; a broadly-smiling Jerry Weintraub; Bud Yorkin and Cynthia Sykes; Disney’s Marty Kaplan; Gordon and Judy Davidson; “L.A. Law” producer Steven Bochco with his wife, Barbara Bosson; and MCA’s Herb Steinberg.

Parties are not usually marked by sincere conversation, but it was clear that former Sen. John Tunney could not contain his enthusiasm when he spied Wasserman, back to work after surgery: “Lew, I am so happy seeing you looking so well.”

Geoff Cowan and Aileen Adams usually spend much of their summer on Cape Cod, but since they now own the Stockton Ports, they stayed with the team. “If you can go to Stockton, why would you go to the Cape?” asked Cowan. He’s signed a contract with Random House for a book on the 1910 bombing of The Times and trial with Clarence Darrow that followed.

While famous people milled about, Carpenter kidded her daughter, Christy, claiming she had no idea who the celebrities were: “I don’t know stars. I know Wallace Beery.” And, on the subject of aging well--a theme of Carpenter’s--she kidded “Norman last week qualified for discount movie tickets. He’s 65.” But, as she would say, getting better all the time.

SHARING POLO--The members of SHARE (Share Happily and Reap Endlessly) and their pals hit the opening night of the new Polo/Ralph Lauren store Thursday with charge cards blaring. Since 10% of everything sold would go to SHARE, Sandra Moss brought her Christmas list of 137 items--and bought gifts for all. Complained her date, Coastal Commissioner Mark Nathanson, to Arnold Klein: “I can’t get Madame Moss out of here.” Joan Rush bought a new bedroom ensemble (although Frank Liberman pointed to the shortened beds used for display and announced: “That is Mickey Rooney’s bed.”

Shopping and chatting were Maxine Smith, Corinna Fields, Pam Korman and Ruth Berle. Jackie and David Foster were off to Toronto to begin filming “Short Circuit II,” Jackie bemoaning that they lost “No. 5,” the robot star, who had been staying on hiatus in their home. And everybody went upstairs to look at the $85,000 chair. That’s amazing, even on Rodeo Drive.

SORRY, WRONG NUMBER--Marvin Davis’s Beverly Hills Hotel’s Polo Lounge is trying hard to keep its place as the Entertainment Eatery. So in the past weeks, regular customers have been receiving cute pink charge cards--with notes telling them that they have house accounts. Only problem is, whoever sent out the cards was a bit enthusiastic. Among those receiving the cards--three deceased studio heads.