The Bachelors Have a Ball on Safari
Thatched roofs, volcanoes, warriors and exotic African animals with neon-like stripes spelled a “Midnight Safari” theme for the Bachelors Ball at the Beverly Hilton. This is the fancy-dress, young-crowd party where guests wear whatever gala costumes fit their fancies. Neither T-shirts, nor blue jeans, nor evening dress (white tie and tails), nor dinner dress (black tie) is appropriate. Everyone obliged.
President Andrew Woodward and his fiancee, Mari Kelleher Olsen, were in Chinese dress, passing out fortune cookies. Ball chairman (and vice president) Casey Griffin and his date, Elizabeth Kendrick, were in safari outfits; so were co-chairman Chip (James Jr.) Stuart and Jennifer Denman, with a plastic python around her neck, and both carrying nets with huge spiders. As the ball theme is a secret, the chairmen had an inside track. By coincidence, Brett La Shelle and Gunilla Lundstrom of Sweden also came in safari outfits. David Sargeant, dressed as a surgeon, came with Kristin Kevorkian, dressed as a nurse. John Corby was a wizard, with a medieval princess, Ann Hilker. Architect Edward Engs was in chef’s hat and Lyn Vandegrif was a dish.
Anthony Eichler was dashing in his father’s Eisenhower Army jacket. There were the historic types--Nelson Wheeler and Ellen Wise (George and Martha Washington), and Peter Inman and Laurie Bjorseth (a Confederate soldier and a Southern belle who knew how to bat her eyes); the imaginative--Winston Barrie and Marion Hill of San Francisco (an Arab and Carmen); the elegant--Amanda Farwell and Brad Farwell (a flamenco dancer and a ranchero ); the inventive--Greg Christensen and Mindy Morse (he was a picnic hot dog, and Mindy was his ant, with six white legs and two antennae).
Whole tables were in ensemble . Scott Albrecht, Bill Jameson, Madison Offenhauser, Rob Waller and Bobby Schwarzenbach arrived as sheiks, escorting a harem including Kathy Kendrick, Beth Albrecht, Jill Clayton and Julie Minton. Jenny Cutting, exercising women’s lib, refused to be a part of the harem. On the other hand, Bachelor Hugh Evans looked like Princeton of the ‘20s with actress Colleen Casey (about to leave for the Philippines to star in Roger Corman’s “The Golden Triangle”) as a white-fringed flapper. At the same table Jeffrey and Lockie Russell were a gangster and a flapper.
Jamie and Carolyn Bennett, guests of John Welborne, were inspired by “The Phantom of the Opera.” Riverboat gambler Bill Banks was with Robin Muller, a Southern belle. New members got the spirit--Chris Colbert was a palace guard, with Anne Donlon, a medieval queen. Richard Mogan IV, who entertained at home before the ball, brought Lady Parker, the two costumed as Raggedy Andy and Raggedy Ann. They were accompanied by Scott Brittingham and Cynthia Eastman, stalwart Vikings.
Soon-to-wed Steven Hinds and Amie Laugharn were a charro and senorita at Bachelor Hank Elder’s table. Bachelor Henry Van Dyke Johns was with his fiancee, Stephanie Breier; they’ll wed June 25. Terry Crosby and Bruce Lee were hobos, John Eichler and Leslie Summerlin came as jailbirds, Peter and Claire Eichler were an Indian chief and Annie Oakley, and Doug Bruckner of NBC News came as a gangster.
Members of the Spinsters and their escorts arrived in abundance. Melina Eversole, a Renaissance princess, was with her fiance, Phil Montoya. Spinster ball chairman Sonja Ledergerber, a belly dancer, was with Bachelor Grant Ivey, a sheik. Spinsters president Pamela Kearns was Supergirl to George Jaresko’s Superman.
Even Patronesses, the prominent women asked to lend ageless dignity to the ball, were costumed--Betty and Hugh Bateman, Elizabeth and Richard Hotaling, Janet and Ernest Johnson, Pauline and Roy Naftzger, and Joyce and James Stuart. The latter dressed Western, weighted with collector Navajo turquoise jewelry.
Unlike most Bachelors, the bear in attendance didn’t dance to the Bob Gail Orchestra and the Electric till 4 a.m. He (she?), on a leash, came only for cocktails, the guest of Rod Wilger and Kate Jackson and Vernon Monroe and Sheila Lamb. They were all stockbrokers touting a bear market and carrying copies of Barrons.
SHORT AND SOTHEBYS: The incomparable Bobby Short entertains at the Golden Key Foundation dinner dance March 24 at the Beverly Hilton. Party chairman Ruth March plans also to preview West Coast Sotheby’s preview of Impressionist and post-Impressionist paintings and magnificent jewelry.
LEADERS: The YWCA of Los Angeles is announcing honorees for its 1988 Leader Luncheon XIV on April 14 at the Bonaventure. They’ll be Betty Tom Chu, banker; Lonear Heard, entrepreneur; Linda Alvarez, communications; Esther Shapiro, creative arts; oncologist Alexandra Levine, science; Anita De Frantz, public service; Lynne Cox, marathon swimmer; and Dorothy Kirsten French, volunteer and Alzheimer activist.
MIRACLES: “Marathons, Mercedes-Benz & Miracles” comes together Friday at an evening of dinner, dancing and entertainment in recognition of the third annual City of Los Angeles Marathon. The Crippled Children’s Guild of Orthopaedic Hospital, the official hospital of the Marathon, plans to honor Mercedes-Benz of North America, presenting sponsor of the marathon.
Champagne flows beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Bonaventure. Tickets are $150. Honorary chairmen include Barbara Bain, Mayor Tom Bradley, William A. Burke, and Bob Hope. The Los Angeles Pops Orchestra and singer Jack Jones will entertain.
NUNSENSE: A special benefit performance of the international musical comedy “Nunsense” is scheduled March 8 with proceeds earmarked for the Serra Ancillary Care Corp., a project sponsored by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles to establish adult care residences for those with AIDS. The Most Rev. Roger M. Mahony, archbishop, is honorary chairman.
WARHOL: There was a crowd at Sotheby’s in Beverly Hills this week joining Sotheby’s directors and directors of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts at a reception highlighting the Andy Warhol Collection to be sold at Sotheby’s in New York on April 23-May 3.
UPCOMING: Past presidents of the Los Angeles Orphanage Guild will be honored March 8 at a luncheon in the home of Monique Back, and president Betty Strug will preside while Anne McKinley and Jody Bergin report on the upcoming benefit, “Full Moon Madness.” It’s May 1 at the Bistro Gardens. . . .
Huell Howser is honorary sheriff for the Adoption Guild’s 15th annual benefit, “Dodge City Stampede,” Saturday at the Wilshire Ebell. Margaret Papandreou, first lady of Greece, addresses the World Affairs Council on Monday at the Biltmore.
