For $10,000, a California Visit With President, Top Staffers
It’s a high-priced homecoming for the First Reagans when they skim through California on their way to Mexico on Feb. 12. That’s Lincoln’s birthday--traditionally a day for Republicans to raise money for party coffers. No different here--just a little more expensive. To stop by and say hello at the home of David Murdock will cost a couple $10,000. You haven’t heard about this because it’s being kept very hush-hush, even though the pols are hoping for 60 couples or so.
Another part of the pull: White House staffers and VIPs will be in heavy attendance. The money goes to the state Republican Party and has been put together by state chair Robert Naylor, along with such big-name GOPers as Margaret Brock and Arco’s Lod Cook. Oh yes, it’s not a dinner for the $10,000 price tag--just an afternoon reception with heavy hors d’oeuvres.
MORE POLITICAL MONEY--That’s for sure, when that master fund-raiser Jack Valenti, the president of the Motion Picture Assn. of America, is around. Valenti has two fund-raisers upcoming. One at the home of 20th Century Fox’s prexy Barry Diller honors Sen. Pat Moynihan (D-N.Y.)., and it’s set for March 7. The other, April 5, at the home of Paramount’s Frank Mancuso, will honor Sen. Jack Danforth (R-Mo.). And, Sen. George Mitchell (D-Me.), one of the major stars of the Iran-Contra Hearings, will be breakfasted at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Feb. 9. Hosting is an impressive array of studio heads, including Universal’s Lew Wasserman, Lorimar-Tele Pictures’ chairman Merv Adelson, Warner Brothers’ Robert Daly and Interscope’s Ted Field.
EXCEPTION--To the rule, that is, since Hollywood prizes youth and people seem to make a habit out of staying young. But not George Burns, who is well on his way to making a career out of getting older. Burns turns 92 this week. And also stars in an April release, “18 Again!”
Yes, yes, it was a publicity party, with dozens of cameras and crews and some old friends crowding the party room at the Bistro Garden. Milton and Ruth Berle were there--she says she is responsible for Burns’ finally letting his hair go white and doesn’t he look much younger. Vanna White came by to turn a few of George’s letters, as did his old Vegas partner, Carol Channing. People rushed both the birthday boy and the buffet tables, especially doing in the trays of Gina’s quesadillas . Oh yes, back from getting his heart tuned up and looking more fabulous and dapper than ever--the Garden’s Kurt Niklas.
STARS, STARS, STARS--Another generation of celebs showed up for the Tuesday-night premiere of “Promised Land,” led off by three young stars of the film--Meg Ryan, Jason Gedrick and Kiefer Sutherland. Michael J. Fox stood in for the film’s fourth name, Tracy Pollan.
The film was developed at Sundance--but the hoped-for arrival of one of it’s executive producers, Robert Redford, just didn’t happen. After the party, dozens of guests went to the nearby Stratton’s Grill for all-American food. And hardly any of them had to worry about keeping the gray out of their hair.
CONGRATULATIONS--Kudos to all our Swedish friends, getting ready to celebrate “Year of New Sweden.” That’s the congressionally-legislated celebration that commemorates the founding of the New Sweden Colony along the Delaware River in 1638 (bet most of you didn’t know that). To kick everything off, the Swedish Consul General Margareta Hegardt and L.A. “New Sweden ‘88” tells the world the details Monday afternoon. . . .
And, Ted and Rhonda Fleming Mann will be helping the John Douglas French Foundation for Alzheimers and their good friend Dorothy Kirsten French to kick off the ticket selling for the upcoming gala with a party at Jimmy’s Feb. 9. . . .
And to Dona Bronson, chairperson of the board of the Young Musicians Foundation. She’s the first woman to hold the post since the YMF was founded 33 years ago.
KUDOS, SISTER--One of Los Angeles’ favorite people, Sister Marie Madeleine Shonka, the president of St. John’s Hospital, will be honored Tuesday night at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. She’ll be receiving the Anti-Defamation League’s 1988 Humanitarian of the Year Award. Chairing the event--Robert T. Campion and former Ambassador to the Vatican William Wilson. That certainly qualifies as a Kitchen Cabinet alert.