Designing Woman

Ali MacGraw hasn’t been on screen since the ‘84-85 season of “Dynasty,” but she’s not scratching around for jobs. She’s been hard at work as the interior designer of Malibu Adobe, the star-financed boite due for its invitation-only kickoff bash Saturday (see Restaurant Notebook, Page 108). Is her thespian career kaput?

“I’m still an actress,” she told us. “But there’s a very strange misconception here that if you’re not in front of the camera, your life is over. I’ve always thought there are any number of creative ways to spend my time.”

Her “Dynasty” experience taught her that she’s not “best suited” for “episodic glamour TV” and other recent offers haven’t been suitable. “The nature of the business is that being over 40 and a woman is the most competitive group right now. I’m not waiting breathlessly with 20 (other) over-40 actresses to fall all over a part. I’d be stupid if I did.”

Meanwhile, she’s awork on her memoirs for Bantam. No, not kiss and tell: “Dirt for dirt’s sake is something I’m not willing to publish.” Not even on her famous ex, producer Bob Evans? “I would only treat him with respect. There’s a great deal about his life that’s nobody’s business, including me.”