Deukmejian to Head Bicentennial Ball

California celebrates the Bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17. The California Bicentennial Foundation for the Constitution has proclaimed the Governor’s Ball, and Gov. George Deukmejian and his wife, Gloria, will join a jubilant crowd at Independence Hall at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park.

Five super Southland citizens will be lauded as “Spirit of America Award Recipients”: George L. Argyros, Margaret Martin Brock, Athalie Irvine Clarke, Rafer Johnson and Danny Villanueva. Raymond D. Edwards, chairman of the board of Glendale Federal Savings & Loan Assn., has been singled out for the Bicentennial Citizen Award.

Major movers involved: Ross M. Blakely and Bonita Granville Wrather, co-chairs of the foundation board; the political kingpins of the California 200 Council, which includes the governor as honorary chairman; astronaut Buzz Aldrin; and California Bicentennial Commissioners Jane A. Crosby, Marguerite P. Justice, Coanne Cubete and Jackie E. Ramos.

Johnny Grant will be master of ceremonies; Rev. Robert H. Schuller will do the invocation.

Party co-chairmen are an illustrious lot: Henry Salvatori, Donald M. Koll, Fred W. O’Green, Paul Ziffren, Maxy Pope Alles, Paul and Virginia Knott Bender, Ross M. Blakely and Carl N. Karcher, for starters.

Gold tables are going fast at $5,000 (for 10).

OFFICIAL FIRST: The Associates of Caltech are especially pleased because their Oct. 1 dinner will be the first major social appearance of Caltech’s new president, Thomas E. Everhart, former chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana. He’ll be introduced by Associates president Robert Henigson of South Pasadena.

That evening Nobel laureate Murray Gell-Mann will discuss “Simplicity and Complexity in the Description of Nature.” An erudite topic always precedes the dinner in Caltech’s gracious Italian Renaissance-style faculty club, theAthenaeum. Physicist Gell-Mann won the Nobel Prize in 1969 for his “Eightfold Way” classification of elementary particles.

IN VOICE: The Paulist Choristers of California so impressed the Pope last summer when they were in Rome that he invited the small group of boy singers (third through eighth grades) to sing a High Mass at the Vatican. On the evening of Sept. 18, Choristers supporters stage an evening of dinner and entertainment at the Century Room of the Century Plaza, hoping to raise funds to eventually establish a school.

The affair honors the Hon. William A. Wilson, former Ambassador to the Vatican. Susan Milford is chairman with Tricia Ver Halen. The Choristers will also be singing with Placido Domingo at the Coliseum when he performs for the Pope. Benefit honorary chairmen include Betsy Bloomingdale, Fiorenza Courtright, Gerry Frawley, Virginia Milner, Marion Jorgensen, Pam Mullin, Katie Osterloh, Chardee Trainer, Mignon Winans and Bonita Wrather.

PAST PERFECT: “Is It Love?” played on the jukebox. They had a pretty good time in September, 1963. Jack Kennedy was alive. “Blue Velvet” was the No. 1 song. “But, more importantly,” said Jim Galbraith, “Peggy Rodi transferred to Pomona College, and 21 years ago tonight Peggy and I were married.” Then, having gathered multitudes of pals for a surprise party at the Chronicle in Pasadena, he plopped a big kiss. Everyone applauded.

The Chronicle’s parking lot was tented. Since Galbraith, Randy Stockwell and James Cheney have all joined Lud Renick as owners in the well-known restaurant, there was clout for a pretty tent. It was bursting with well-wishers: Bill and Eileen Zimmerman, Penny and Adam Bianchi, Steve and Kay Onderdonk, Olin and Ann Barrett, Elayne and Tom Techentin, Rosemary and Jon Schroeder, Janine and Bill Myers (she’s Jim Galbraith’s assistant and planned all the party details), Melinda Winston, Jay and Barbara Niblo and the Galbraiths’ trio--Laura, Katherine and Robby--who almost gave the secret away with their enthusiasm. Oh, yes, and a four-tier wedding cake.

ESCALATION: British Consul-General Donald F. Ballentyne and his wife, Elisabeth, hosted a reception this week to introduce Michael Clark and Company, participants in the Los Angeles Festival. . . .

L. A. Master Planner, the comprehensive listing of social/cultural/political events, gears up to celebrate its first anniversary Thursday at the Hollywood Diner. Patrick Terrail, Diner owner (former owner of Ma Maison), hosts. Publisher/president Elisabeth Familian is anticipating a large crowd of friends.

BUSY TOWN: Pat Ellison and Margot Milias, benefit co-chairmen, are elated that during the past year Kidspace, the participatory museum for young children, has boasted attendance of more than 100,000 visitors. That gives lots of impetus to celebrate at “An Endless Summer” party Saturday at Lawry’s California Center. A silent auction, cocktails and buffet are in order, and so is summer attire. Marilyn Roberts is president of the board. Major supporters include Catherine and David Partridge, Kris and Jane Popovich, Stewart and Patti Smith, Earl and Barbara Hoover, Phelps and Beverly Wood, Susan and Stephen Chandler. . . .

Zsa Zsa Gabor will put pizazz into the March of Dimes “Bid for Bachelors” do Thursday at Bel Age Hotel. Guests will have a chance to bid for 15 of the most eligible bachelors in town for escorts on dream dates.

CITY LIGHTS: Picking up on the California Music Theatre’s next musical presentation, Sigmund Romberg’s “The Desert Song” Oct. 8-18, the board of directors, National Advisory Council and FirstNighters go Moroccan on Sept. 19 for their “Romance Under the Stars” benefit at Mishima Plaza of the Pasadena Center. FirstNighters Nicolette Harvey Abernathy, Christle Balvin, Bonnie DeWitt, Kathy Arntzen Roat, Helen Spencer, Judy McDowell and Janet Hayes are among those ordering up the lamb kabobs, baked capons and tabuli with hummis and olives. . . .

The Beverly Hills Chapter of the American Cancer Society and the Melrose Place Assn. collaborate for an evening of worldly pleasures on the Place at 6 p.m. next Sunday. First Lady Nancy Reagan is honorary chairman, Jill Ireland is mistress of ceremony, Arlene Kraines is chairman; and the plan calls for an international celebration of arts and antiques with an auction conducted by Sotheby’s International. . . .

The Lettermen are booked for Holy Cross Hospital’s Celebration ’87 dinner dance Sept. 19 at the historic San Fernando Mission in Mission Hills. Beverly Hills caterer Arthur Simon stages the dinner.