Constitutional Bicentennial Will Begin With a Pledge

The entire U.S. of A. is supposed to stop and recite the Pledge of Allegiance Wednesday as part of the 200th birthday of the Constitution. If that is not jazzy or patriotic enough for you, the Constitutional Rights Foundation hosts a Bicentennial Celebration on Oct. 4 at Walt Disney’s Burbank Studios. The event is being used by the foundation to spearhead a drive for corporate and larger personal contributions--all the better to fund programs in 93 California school districts and 33 other states.

SUB-TITLES--Lee Rich, just finishing his first year as chairman of MGM/UA, has moved the MGM lion from its traditional place atop the old MGM studios to a new spot, on top of the Filmland Center in Culver City. The MGM studios are now owned by Lorimar--which Rich founded. Before he moved the Leo the Lion sign, he got the folks to rename the Filmland Center the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Building. Rich says that in the near future, “the foreign market will be at least 50% of almost any picture’s revenue”--and points to the current figures on “Spaceballs” and “Inside Moves” to prove his point.

ALL IN THE FAMILY--Norman Lear’s good buddy Bud Yorkin hosts newlyweds Lear and Lynn Davis at a party tonight. They were wed quietly over Labor Day weekend in Northern California. . . . Physicians for Social Responsibility hosts cable king Ted Turner Sunday.

JUST REWARDS--Justice Antonin Scalia makes his first west-of-the-Mississippi appearance since his elevation to the U.S. Supreme Court when he speaks to the National Italian-American Foundation’s dinner here Dec. 12 at the Beverly Wilshire. It’s also the first West Coast dinner for the foundation. Chairing is Ray Polverini.

PUBLICIST NOTES--Rogers & Cowan senior veep Alan Nierob jetted back from Monaco--and a week of having his social calendar supervised by Prince Albert his royal self--in time to catch Victoria Principal’s party tonight. She’s being given the Jane Wyman Humanitarian Award by the Southern California chapter of the Arthritis Foundation at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Albert is busy being both a serene highness and is also in training for the Winter Olympics bobsledding event in ’88 in Calgary. . . . And if you are wondering why Lee Solters is missing from his usual haunt at the Polo Lounge, he’s in Japan with Michael Jackson. Now that’s a scene from a “Road” movie.

OPERA NOTES--It was Linda Ronstadt we saw in the back row of the Founders’ Circle at the premiere of “La Boheme” Tuesday night. But nobody, but nobody knew who the bearded fellow in the rumpled summer suit was with the fair Linda. . . . Benefit committee chair Georgianna Erskine will host her opera opener committee Monday at the Bistro Garden. They will need the reprieve from a week of taking bows. . . . When “Fiery Angel” opens at the Music Center Wednesday, the party following will be on the roof terrace of the Museum of Contemporary Art down the street. Look for a do-it-yourself-pasta spread. But wait--Prokofiev isn’t Italian.

PAPAL DISPENSATION--One political observer kidded that he is amazed--with less than a week before the Pope arrives in Los Angeles, that Alexander Haagen and the Coliseum Commission still haven’t figured out how to move him to another location--as they do with all other tenants, like the Raiders, the Rams, the UCLA Bruins, the Lakers, the Kings, etc.

STAR NOTES--Franco Zeffirelli is telling friends that La Liz Taylor will be doing a film for him in Rome. Filming of the still untitled work begins in October. Ah, the sweet smell of success--and of her new perfume, “Passion”. . . . David L. Wolper put together the Liberty Weekend festivities last year in New York City and the Olympics’ opening and closing ceremonies in 1984. Better late than never, the Daughters of the American Revolution has presented him the organization’s Medal of Honor for his outstanding contributions to the nation.