John Wayne Dynasty, TV’s ‘Dynasty’ Add the Pizazz

Speaking of dynasties, John Wayne has one--lots of children and grandchildren who look just like him. They were with the other “Dynasty” crowd--Joan Collins, Linda Evans, John Forsythe--the other evening at Jimmy’s in Beverly Hills. Both groups were there to add pizazz to the special black-tie party honoring Friends of the John Wayne Cancer Clinic at UCLA. Friends is the clinic’s top support group limited to $1,000-and-up donors.

The Waynes, headed by party chairman Gretchen Wayne and her husband, Michael, the late actor’s son, were all there because John Wayne died of cancer. The cast of “Dynasty” was there to show appreciation to the clinic for its care and treatment of Mickey Rich, husband of “Dynasty” producer Elaine Rich. And the benefactors were there because they’ve raised more than $2 million since the group was founded eight years ago by Nancy and Carroll O’Connor.

At one point, Gretchen and Michael’s offspring were coaxed into a jovial grouping--Maria, Teresa, Josie and Chris Wayne and Alicia and her husband, Jim McFarlane. The late John Wayne’s pretty daughters Melinda Munoz and Toni La Cava were there. So were his granddaughters--Toni’s daughters Brigid La Cava and Anita Swift and her husband, Tim--as well as Patrick Wayne, the actor’s son.

Then when handsome Ethan Wayne, the late actor’s youngest son and a star on “The Bold and the Beautiful,” arrived, he got the bright lights, but not much more than sister Aissa Wayne, fluffy blond and saucy in white satin. More crowding under the pine-decorated chandeliers and devouring steak tartare before sitting down to dinner were Nolan Miller, Emma Samms, Jimmy and Anne Murphy, Heather Locklear and Tommy Lee, John James, LeAnn Hunley, Terri Garber, James Healy, Brenda Vaccaro and Guy Hector, Lisa Hartman, David Hasselhoff, Elaine and Mickey Rich, Danny and Donna Arnold, Jack and Bobbi Eliot.

BEVERLY HILLS EAST: Then, a few streets over on Canon in Beverly Hills, the Les Amies went to the Bistro Garden for music and dancing, raising quite a bundle on their $125-per-person Christmas party to benefit the Children’s Institute International program for abused and neglected children.

Luckiest when it started to sprinkle in the garden was the sixsome--Natalie Robinson, Gen. Gwynn Robinson, Barbara and Henry Thompson, Gwen Hornburg and Jack Strauss (all the women past presidents of Les Amies’ sister group, the Colleagues). They settled under a canopy for dinner, while a coterie, including Gloria and Glen Holden, Michael and Jeannie Sheller, Ian Hugh Gordon Rogers and Sherry Christopher, headed for shelter, and decorations chairmen Diana Murphy and Jeanne Sully fretted over the dampened white Christmas decor.

Naught, however, dampened the spirits of Les Amies president Nancy Heinz Russell, benefit chairman Ruth Cutten and her co-chairman Margo Hirsch; Roger and Billie Converse; Doris Fields Heller, Lupe Henkle (who wore her white fox boa just as the late designer Helen Rose told her to: “Never the same way twice, darling”). Carla Kirkeby was looking forward to Christmas in Hawaii. More in the holiday spirit were Justine Bloomingdale and dapper Gen. Michael Rogers and his ebullient wife, Virginia, in a mass of red feathers top to toe.

AMAZING FUN: Making a huge hit at the Blue Ribbon of the Music Center behind-the-scenes luncheon was Jonathan Miller, director of “Tristan und Isolde,” and Peter Hemmings, general director of the Los Angeles Music Center Opera. A swank crowd asked Miller question upon question about artistic endeavor and productions at the Music Center. Said Miller: “Life is getting up each day and being reborn each day . . . you have to turn your imagination over.”

It was way after 2:30 p.m. when Blue Ribbon president Keith Kieschnick suggested everyone should get on the freeway and dash to avoid traffic. Only then did the effervescent Virginia Milner, Leona Palmer, Hannah Carter, Joanne Kosberg (chatting knowledgeably of theater and television), remember yes, yes, it was a rush-rush holiday season.

The group was eclectic: Marjorie Volk, Flora Thornton, Julie Pizzinat, Nancy Weakley, Jane Wyatt, Mary Weir, Carrie Ketchum, Maggie Russell, Joan Seidel, Virginia Cushman, Carol Henry, Diane Morton, Joyce Penido. Patsy Ketchum and Jonnie Neville co-hosted a table that included Carol Bramhall and Danzey Treanor, and it was a chance for French Group member Ann Price to distribute holiday gifts to French student colleagues Bet McLaughlin, Mimi Martin and Doreen Hambleton. That irrepressible Keith Kieschnick is finishing up the last of her three-year term as Blue Ribbon president. She’s been a dynamo.

O’ TANNENBAUM: Tonight the Devereux Foundation honors Frederick R. Weisman at a black-tie dinner auction dance at Filmland Corporate Center in Culver City. Beautifully decorated trees will be auctioned during the evening, decorated with the contributions of Devereaux supporters of the treatment center for developmentally and emotionally disabled.

Benefactors Bernard and Judy Briskin, Dr. Bernard and Judy Corn and Max Factor Jr. are making the night possible. The steering committee includes Sam and Peggy Grossman, Millard and Murial Jacobs, William and Barbara Christopher, Wendy Borge Michel, Diane Mogan, Margaret Novak, Lynda Rae Resnick and Judy Zahler.

CREATIVE: The invitation from Patsy and Jack Edwards and their daughters Jill and Jan to celebrate Hollywood’s 100th evolved into a triple celebration with surprises for almost all. To begin, Jill and her guest, David Young, dressed as Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks to greet guests at the Academy Room of the historic Hollywood Roosevelt. Mid-party, Jack, as the phantom of the opera, stopped the music to announce he and Patsy were celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary. Then, before the congratulations could begin, he said he had another more important announcement--the engagement of Jan to John Kurzweil, son of Mildred and Arthur Kurzweil of Santa Monica.

Jan was radiant costumed as Janet Gaynor in her great-grandmother’s lace dress, and John, founder/executive of the California Public Policy Foundation, was a pin-striped ‘30s gangster. At that point Patsy, as Auntie Mame, gathered singing friends to serenade the engaged couple with “As Time Goes By.” Good friends were in abundance--Carolyn and Jack Ray, Jack’s brother Clark (best man 45 years ago), Mary and Lloyd Davis, Bev and Sid Adair (home from an African safari), Lindsey Stewart, Virginia Hunt of Santa Ana, Morgan Adams, Carol and John Richards, Fran Cleminshaw, Jane and Joe Messler, Cris Clark, Mary Louise Frawley, Nancy and Ray Phillips, Stan Mullin, Ruth and Doug Bothwell, Herb Philbrook and Nancy Dinsmore.

PLAUDITS: To Dr. Stirling L. Huntley, appointed interim director of the Southwest Museum, according to Dr. Norman F. Sprague Jr., trustees president; he’s been Caltech director of admissions and associate dean of graduate studies. . . .

To Michel Huchet, new executive chef of the Four Seasons Los Angeles. (He once was the chef on the Orient Express.)

VICTORIANA: We hear the mood is absolutely divine down at Banning Residence Museum in Wilmington. Friends of Banning Park were in abundance Sunday when Frani Ridder chaired the museum tour and Christmas gift sale. Mat Larson, grandson of Evelyn Romberg, longtime Banning volunteer, lit the Banning family candle for the tree ceremony. The first candle, according to Nancy Call, was lit in 1909 when a candle was brought home from Rome and thereafter always lit by the youngest member of the Banning family.

Donna Gibbs is chairing events including Sunday’s gingerbread house and wreath-making demonstrations from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. More in on the fun are Phoebe Vaccaro, Julie Russell, Jane Dart Campbell, Gene and Sally St. John, Don Gibbs as well as the McCullough family--Nancy, Ray, Joe and Tom.

UPCOMING: Lynn Redgrave emcees the 47th annual Golden Apple Awards holiday luncheon for the Hollywood Women’s Press Club Sunday at the Beverly Wilshire . . .

Jeffrey Foundation membership plans holiday cheer Saturday at an open house at the J. Marik home . . .

Angel Patrons of Wine have their Christmas Gourmet dinner dance tonight at the Bistro Garden Pavilion . . .

Hollywood stars join ICAN Associates and chairman Tina Yothers at the Christmas party for abused children at MacLaren Children’s Center Saturday.

PAST TENSE: Former Angeleno Dorothy Meyler was involved with Pat Olhasso and June Buhler in the Rancho-Temecula Area Woman’s Club “holiday home tour and boutique” featuring the homes of Lynn Hilde, Karel Lindeman and Peter Pacitto.