Museum of Natural History Gala Set

Jimmy and Gloria Stewart surely are among the most industrious of Los Angeles’ responsible public citizens. Gloria has served as a trustee at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History since 1976. Jimmy’s distinctive voice guides viewers on a videotaped tour of the museum’s Great Bird Hall and the tape is being used to conclude a $3.5 million campaign to fund the hall.

So, this legendary pair (also great supporters of the Los Angeles Zoo) have been chosen to star at the museum’s special gala Dec. 11, celebrating the grand opening of the museum’s 75th anniversary year and the official grand finale of events celebrating Hollywood’s 100th birthday--the “Hollywood: Legend and Reality” exhibition that will run Dec. 5 to Feb. 21 at the museum. The show is the Smithsonian exhibition of more than 400 famous film artifacts including the piano from Rick’s Cafe in “Casablanca” and Scarlett O’Hara’s barbecue dress from “Gone With the Wind.”

HAPPY MARCH: There was enough excitement at the March of Dimes Gourmet Gala for a dozen soirees. To begin, gala chairmen Sheldon and Sandy Ausman and dinner chairmen Michael and Phyllis Hennigan gave a year of their lives, it seemed, for this multifaceted benefit, which matches celebrity chefs and their recipes in a kitchen designed by an artist, financed by a sponsor and judged by celebrity judges like Craig Claiborne of the New York Times, Michael McCarty of Michael’s restaurant, Regency Club chef Joachim Splichal and author Martha Stewart.

Link that with donations of $50,000 from Barbara and Marvin Davis. Serve a dinner from previous winning recipes (Rudi Gernreich and Joan Hoien’s red-pepper soup for starters). Throw in a temper: Zsa Zsa Gabor tore the photo of Marilyn Monroe from the wall of the kitchen, and kitchen designer Maxine Smith laughed and obliged with a velvet cover for Monroe’s picture.

More: The judges couldn’t agree; the categories didn’t fit the foods; they changed the rules. The result seemed to toss the prizes to Wendy Goldberg and Robert Wagner for the chocolate truffle torte, Dorie and Joe Pinola for their butternut squash soup with ginger and lime; Meredith MacRae and Ray Irani for the creme brulee; Tova Borgnine and C. V. Wood Jr. for chili; and Jane Weintraub and Frenda Franklin for “Jerry’s favorite tacos.”

On an ebullient cloud, Jaclyn Rosenberg created eating baskets (one pairing a $2,000 diamond with an opportunity to go to the head of the line at Nate ‘n’ Al’s). Then, she found herself bidding against her husband, Sid. He won at $5,000. The baskets brought $60,000.

Keith Kieschnick almost didn’t make the party. She locked herself in the ironing room when pressing her fringed stole, and had to wait for extrication by the police. And, Debby Manning almost lost her two-carat diamond, but Wilhemina Diener saw it sparkling on the floor.

ARCS RECORDS: It’s rather amazing. Thirty years ago the Soviet Union launched the world’s first satellite, Sputnik, beating the United States into space. A month later, the Russians launched Sputnik II with a dog aboard. This led to the formation of ARCS (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists), an organization dedicated to helping fill the country’s needs for scientists by fostering excellence through scholarships.

This week ARCS president Gay Goerz announced a record $383,000 for 75 scholarships. Chairman Doris Coleman invited Harrison “Jack” Schmitt, former New Mexico senator and the first scientist to walk on the moon (the Apollo 17 mission in 1972) to speak and entertain young college recipients at lunch at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Since 1958, ARCS Los Angeles Founder Chapter has given more than $4 million and the 13 chapters of ARCS Foundation, Inc. nationwide have given $9 million.

Said Schmitt: “In the classrooms of our schools or playing around your homes are the parents of the first Martians.”

MURPH AT THE TAPER: Marvin L. Goldberger, nine years president of Caltech before becoming director of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, N.J., came into town this week to be the center attraction on stage at the Mark Taper Forum and to receive the Interfaith Center to Reverse the Arms Race Leonard I. Beerman Peace and Justice Award.

The center’s four co-founders--Rabbi Leonard I. Beerman (first recipient), Jane Olson (Taper benefit chairman), George F. Regas and Harold Willens--and its president, Pierce O’Donnell, saluted the scientist before an audience of nearly 600. The event netted $50,000.

Said Goldberger, after tributes from O’Connell, Gordon Davidson, Beerman, physicist John Hopfield, Stanley Sheinbaum and comedian Emily Levine: “I’m rather more optimistic than I have been for some time. The fact the world is spending a trillion dollars a year in the arms race is becoming more intolerable.”

PERPETUAL MOTION: The Fellows of Contemporary Art hosted one whirl of a weekend to launch “Perpetual Motion,” the current exhibition of California artists at the Santa Barbara Museum. Exhibit chairman Gail Berkus and her architect husband, Barry, invited 100 Fellows to their Hope Ranch home for dinner and a view of their Frank Stellas.

Saturday over champagne, the group toured Doug Cramer’s private gallery in Santa Ynez and watched the installation of his new Guy Dill. In on the fun: Peggy Phelps, George and Pearl Yewell of La Jolla, Dick and Lou Newquist of Santa Ana.

Saturday evening, some of the Fellows danced at the museum’s black-tie benefit, including chairman George Epstein. The finale was brunch at Mary and Bob Lookers art-filled home.