Not 52 Card Pickup

If only Michael Douglas had used the Calling Card in the movie “Fatal Attraction,” he might have saved himself a heap of trouble.

Viewers will remember that Douglas’ one-night stand with Glenn Close has an unpleasant aftermath when she phones him relentlessly and drops by unannounced to cook up a rabbit stew.

What Douglas should have done--after making love with Close everywhere, including the kitchen sink--was hand over his Calling Card. On the front would be a color photo of himself along with his first name and an identification number. On the back would be such information as his likes (Madame Butterfly) and his dislikes (pushy women).

There also would be a telephone number. If Close wanted to see Douglas again, she would dial the number and get Vivien West, the 25-year-old Reseda entrepreneur who has created the Calling Card. West would find out a bit more about Close and pass the information on to Douglas, letting him decide whether to call her back.

“This combines the visual advantage of a video dating service with the detailed information in personal ads and the safety of a matchmaking service,” West says. “You don’t have to leave your telephone number with someone you don’t even know.”

She envisions a person’s cards being passed around town, “safely reaching hundreds of people, something that’s not feasible to do by oneself.”

Cost of the Calling Card is $300, which includes a photo session, 100 cards and six months of call screening. For the person who doesn’t meet a perfect match right away--it can happen, ask Michael Douglas--the screening service can be extended for $10 per month.