Emerson Makes Power Play at City Hall

Look for a new face and political power at City Hall. John Emerson, the deputy campaign manager for Sen. Gary Hart’s aborted presidential effort, will become chief deputy to City Attorney James K. Hahn, insiders say.

Emerson, the Westside attorney who also managed Hart’s 1984 California campaign and from it built an ongoing, state-wide political organization, had returned briefly to Manatt, Phelps, Rothenberg and Phillips following the disbandment of the Hart campaign in May. The move to Hahn’s staff is considered a smart one for Emerson, because the experience he receives as prosecutor will put him in a strong position to run for office--like city attorney, district attorney or even attorney general, although Hahn is seen as having first claim on the state A. G. job.

HIGH-TONE HOEDOWN--”It’s kind of like a modern San Simeon, isn’t it?” asked artist David Hockney, looking at the multi-million dollar art collection housed right on the ranch.

In a scene from the TV series that made him rich and famous, Douglas S. Cramer, his kids Courtney and Doug III, and his good friend Craig Johnson were hosting their second annual barn dance on Cramer’s lavish Los Olivos spread, La Quinta Norte. The fete gave friends a chance to see the brand-new gallery for contemporary art Cramer has built, housing his collection like that of some renaissance Medici--in a move one guest likened “from ‘Love Boat’ to Leonardo.”

Cramer--who with Aaron Spelling co-produces such sequined night-time soaps as “Dynasty” and “Love Boat”--certainly knows the glamour middle America hungers for. And in private life Saturday night, Cramer produced a well-scripted party touching everyone’s deep-seated desire to have it all--which, in California, somehow translates as being part of a zillion-dollar extravaganza and still getting to wear your blue jeans.

Guests drove past manicured tumbleweed to the art-crowded home at the center of the 500-acre mountain-top ranch--past movie-set-perfect vineyards and a pond marked by a sign reading “Duck Crossing.”

First, a pool-side cocktail and a chance to watch Shirlee Fonda snapping pictures of Joan Collins and her cordon of kids or Steve Martin and Victoria Tennant. Collins’ Western outfit, well, “I bought almost everything in St. Tropez years ago.” Publicist Jeffrey Lane, another British import, said he planned to wear his new cowboy attire continually, since with his hat and boots, he was now over 5-foot-3.

Piling into hay wagons were Laura Lee Woods and her husband Bob--she, of course, being one of the richest women in California and a strong if insistently anonymous patron of the arts; also Councilman Joel Wachs, wearing a “Sunland, Tujunga--God’s Country” button, and explaining that with his jeans and jean jacket, “It’s the first party I’ve been to that I wear what we like to wear in my district.” The beautiful Connie Sellecca was done up as an Indian princess with a long braid.

At the other side of the ranch--and there were, of course, sheep grazing and horses neighing on the way--were Cramer’s fellow trustees from the Museum of Contemporary Art--Bill and Keith Kieschnick, Fred Nicholas with wife Joan (two great dancers), Jane and Marc Nathanson and Lennie and Bernie Greenberg. Cramer explained he managed to get to the ranch every weekend, since by private plane it was only 18 minutes from Van Nuys.

First, a look at the gallery, then out to the party--a chuck wagon set up beside a large dance floor, a Country & Western band and even professional C & W dancers providing encouragement.

A Nice Touch

“Doug has such a good touch,” explained Collins to ABC veep Gary Pudney. “Except on ‘Dynasty’ when he wants me to come in dragging a fur coat or put out a cigarette in a poached egg.”

In Dynastic doings, designer Nolan Miller told the very fashionable Jane Nathanson that he was refusing the requests of Collins, Linda Evans, et al. to give Alexis and Krystal stylish short skirts this season. “Nothing dates a series quicker than a mini-skirt,” Miller said, pointing out that then the lucrative syndication becomes problematic. (And you think all this stuff comes easy!)

For Bonita Wrather, Martin Manulis and Connie Wald, it was their second barbecue of the day. Along with several dozen close friends who do it every year, they had celebrated Nancy Reagan’s birthday at lunch at the nearby First Ranch.

Bunny Wrather was wearing knock-out Indian turquoise jewelry, including a bolo she had given her late husband Jack shortly before he died. She chatted with Nick Vanoff, who, with George Stevens, produces the annual Kennedy Center honors--which she chairs. And doesn’t that show you just how this all works.

The charming Vanoff said his biggest job this summer was “collecting my check for Jackie Mason.” Vanoff produced the one-man show which has set a Broadway record, selling out every night to standing-room-only crowds.

Getting Into the Spirit

Steve Martin was wearing earplugs to drown out the C & W band but along with most of the crowd, got into the spirit and got up on the dance floor. A terrific dancer, Vanoff reluctantly did the two-step since his favorite partner, wife Felisa, was at their Sun Valley home. Best-looking couple had to be Alexis Smith and husband Craig Stevens, who looks like he did when he played “Peter Gunn.”

Collins asked Cramer what the meat was and he explained, “It’s a local specialty. It’s called a tri - tip .” The producer seemed more than surprised when told it was also known as brisket .

OK, Cramer was asked, standing at the edge of the dance floor with his son, watching Craig Johnson dance by with Ames Cushing, did you ever think life would be like this? “No,” he said smiling, “I thought the closest I would get would be ‘Dynasty.’ ”