Premiere Nets Healthy Return as Benefit

OK. This is the way to run a premiere. Have the stars show up, have the studio underwrite it, let the film be truly funny. That’s what made the success that it was of the the American Diabetes Assn. benefit Tuesday night with the premiere of “Three Men and a Baby.”

Muchos kudos to the organizers, who netted $425,000 with the film and the party afterward at the Century Plaza. That means thanks go to Marcia Caden, Iris Dart, Edith Familian, Claire Avnet, Brigette Medvin, Jackie Adams, Jackie Pearlson, Shirley Firestein, Annette Shapiro, Judy Simon and Dianne Carr.

Seen in the audience--the film’s co-producer, Ted Field with wife Susie, (co-producer Robert Cort was on location), Disney’s Michael and Jane Eisner, director Leonard Nimoy and stars Tom Selleck and Ted Danson. Disney exec Frank Wells told the group that year after year, they had gathered to raise money but that “sadly, there was still no cure for diabetes.” With benefits like these, it’s not that people aren’t trying.

AND UPCOMING--If you think you feel stuffed from Thanksgiving, take a look at the social schedule for the next few weeks. Now, that’s stuffed . . .

Placido Domingo and Ricardo Montalban will be honored Thursday at a black-tie dinner at the Century Plaza for their “outstanding humanitarian efforts” by the Hispanic Advisory Council of Orthopaedic Hospital and the Assn. of Friends of Placido Domingo. Constance Towers Gavin, Manuel Caldera and Robert Dockson co-chair what promises to be an extraordinary event and Linda Ronstadt will star in the evening’s entertainment . . .

David Wolper gets the “Rabbi Edgar Magnin God and Country Exemplar Award” on Thursday at the Beverly Wilshire. Columnist Art Buchwald is the emcee, Grant Tinker is the tribute chairman and the invitation says wear “appropriate evening attire.” The tribute dinner benefits the Boy Scouts of America Los Angeles Area Council . . .

The American Civil Liberties Union hosts its Bill of Rights dinner Dec. 5 at the Biltmore Hotel, honoring writer Fay Kanin, former California Supreme Court Chief Justice Rose Bird and Assemblyman Burt Margolin. George Slaff chairs the evening . . .

Adele Morse Platt will be honored with the City of Hope’s “Spirit of Life” Award by the Sportsmen’s Club on Dec. 5. The black-tie event at the Beverly Hilton cites the contributions of Platt, a general partner in the California Mart. She is the first woman to receive the award in the 50-year history of the Sportsmen’s Club. Honorary club president Isadore Familian said the honoree has “given generously of herself in every respect in helping meet the needs of the community” . . .

This evening, beautiful downtown Beverly Hills hosts its Second Annual Family Holiday Pageant and Lighting Ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, where Wilshire and Rodeo meet. (And, for those who have been missing hotelier Helen Chaplin from the Bev Hills scene, this might be a good chance to catch her for a chat) . . .

Prima Model Management hosts a benefit Wednesday at the Stock Exchange for AIDS Project L.A.’s food distribution program. About 1,500 folks (mostly from the fashion industry) are expected to respond to the invite--and to bring along the requested non-perishable food item (or items) to help . . .

Jill St. John will be honored and her new cookbook displayed at a party Monday at the Bistro, hosted by Deborah and Michael Viner . . . We love the Municipal Art Gallery at Barnsdall Park. So do Annie Gilbar and Judy Weinstein. And they have put together a special dinner Monday honoring Red Grooms and Michael McMillen on their collaborative show. Thanks Annie and Judy.

NOT ON THE ROAD--And who would want to leave. The $20-million McCallum Theatre of the Performing Arts at the Bob Hope Cultural Center opens in Palm Desert on Jan. 2. The guest list is crammed with stars--and President Ronald Reagan and the three living former Presidents have all been invited. Producers extraordinaire Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion (they put together the opening ceremonies for Liberty Weekend, etc., etc.) are doing the NBC-TV special, “America’s Tribute to Bob Hope.” The cast includes Lucille Ball, Kirk Douglas and Yakov Smirnoff, and the reserved seats go from $2,500 to $10,000 a couple. And then there is a party and then there is dancing.

Former Ambassador Walter and Leonore Annenberg are the evening’s honorary chairpersons--and since the party is just two days after their annual shindig for the First Friends, we guess there will be a lot of famous faces scattered through the crowd.