Hockney Leaves the Driving to Others

The funniest social situation in the past few days occurred when the affable David Hockney, whose sensational art exhibit is moving on to New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, locked his keys in his Chrysler at the opening night of performances here by the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields.

No problem. He left the car with the valet, engine running, and dashed into the Ambassador Auditorium in time for the first beat of Prokofiev’s “Classical” symphony.

On More Whims

He had flown to Paris on a whim for a week of gallery-hopping and, on a whim, flew back in time to see Ambassador Foundation chairman Joseph W. Tkach give his friend Sir Neville Marriner, St. Martin’s founder and artistic director, the foundation’s first Award for Excellence.

According to a wine expert, the Dom Perignon 1980 Champagne the crowd sipped at the after-party runs $80 a bottle. The lively group munched on roast beef and scones.

The youthful orchestra members enthralled Southern Californians, including Jane Hemmings, Alice and Joe Coulombe (who had just celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary with three nights of dining in Lyons, France, with their offspring and Joan and Dr. James Caillouette), Pasadena Mayor John Crowley, Kay Bradley, the Hon. Robert and Carol Finch, Wayne Shilkret.

In presenting Marriner a limited-edition piece of Steuben crystal, Tkach stressed the foundation’s goal, which is to present the finest musical performers, and, he noted, “an activity like this enables us to build bridges.” The foundation is supported by the Worldwide Church of God.

ESCALATION: UCLA Chancellor Charles and Sue Young and Dean J. Clayburn and Barbara La Force of the John E. Anderson Graduate School of Management host a black-tie celebration dinner Friday evening at the chancellor’s residence.

In the spotlight will be James A. and Carol Collins and Eugene S. and Maxine Rosenfeld. Each couple has pledged $5 million to the graduate school.

WHERE WE STAND: Former U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union (1982-’87) Arthur Hartman addressed the John Greenleaf Whittier Society of Whittier College at a black-tie affair for 800 Tuesday evening. His subject: “Where U.S.-Soviet Relations Stand Two Years Into the Gorbachev Era.”

“Americans have the feeling that this man has descended from Venus on the half-shell,” he quipped. In reality, he said, Americans “have to take this relationship seriously--we have to know more about the Soviet Union; we have to know more about Soviet history. . . . We are dealing with sophisticated people, who have a strategic sense of tactics.”

Chairman of the Whittier trustees Rayburn S. Dezember and President Eugene S. Mills welcomed the audience before the ambassador was introduced by trustee Anthony R. Pierno. Attending were Whittier Society chairman Harold S. Voegelin; honorary dinner chairman Richard H. Deihl and his wife Billie; co-dinner chairmen Douglas W. Ferguson, Ruth Shannon (she and Ed were leaving for Kuwait and London the next day) and Caroline P. Ireland, as well as Manuel R. Caldera and William H. Marumoto.

CONFAB: Eight hundred National Charity League delegates from here, Utah and Texas met in Santa Barbara, electing Beth Eichel of Rolling Hills Estates president.

KUDOS: Bruce C. Corwin, president of Metropolitan Theatres Corp., a circuit of 80 theaters and drive-ins, was honored for his humanitarian achievements by the H.E.L.P. Group at its 11th annual spring luncheon at the Beverly Hilton. Corwin is founding president of the Los Angeles Children’s Museum, founding chairman of TreePeople and past chairman of the Coro Foundation.

Gary H. Carmona chaired the luncheon; H.E.L.P. president Barbara Firestone arranged the Anastasia by Francois Viannay fashion show and lined up hosts Nancy Dussault and Harvey Korman.

SPRING: It wasn’t the sunniest of days, but the mood was cheery for the Huntington’s annual spring luncheon and garden party planned by Chairman of the Board of Overseers Marion Jorgensen and Joan Caillouette.

Roses from the Botanical Gardens were brought in for table centerpieces. That called for a short talk by Clair Martin III, rose garden curator. Among the crowd were Joanne and Donald Albrecht, Darrell and Berton Banta, Onnalee and William Doheny, Katherine and Tom Pike, Barbara and Bill Steinwedell, Frances Larkin, Janet and Collis Holladay and Connie and Gordon Fish.

PAST PERFECT: The Blue Ribbon of the Music Center had coffee in the Athenaeum at Caltech, then moved to Ramo Auditorium for elucidation from pioneer immunologist Dr. Leroy E. Hood (chairman of the division of biology and director of the Cancer Center at Caltech). Also on the agenda were a tour of the grounds and an al fresco luncheon with Harlyne Norris, Annette O’Malley, Marcia Weisman and Jean Smith in the entourage. . . .

Laughter rang out in the hills of Bel-Air for John Thomas Dye School’s “Around the World” carnival and international cuisine party concocted by Delanie Borden, Gunilla Horacek and Vicki Kelly. . . .

USC Friends of Fine Arts circled a magical Maypole during the tour of Gamble House in Pasadena Sunday.

PERFECT TOO: Patrons, 1,000 strong, took in the Vista del Mar Associates benefit performance of Neil Simon’s “Broadway Bound” at the Ahmanson Theatre. The evening followed the opening night, when Simon and his brother Danny had been the center attractions for first-nighters at Stepps on the Court post-partying.

For Vista, Suzanne Sidy, Janice Nick and Sylvia Mathes (president of the Associates) arranged Tiffany and Co. perfume favors, champagne for a prelude and, for the postlude, a gourmet gala at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion with Murray Korda’s music. Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services is celebrating its 80th year of caring.

MAJOR MOTHER: Marion Malouf has been named by a panel of judges (Superior Court Judge Irwin J. Nebran, chairman) as California Mother of the Year for 1988.

As fanfare, she’ll be greeted by Gov. George Deukmejian, honored Sunday at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood by Dr. Lloyd Ogilvie, and will be feted at a tea in June by Jane Boeckman, past president of the California Mothers.

ANGEL MOTHERS: It’s apropos to bring up Abraham Lincoln’s quote: “All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.”

With that, salutes: To the Philoptohos Society of Saint Sophia Cathedral, presenting its annual Mother’s Day Luncheon and Fashion Show in the Grand Ballroom of the Beverly Wilshire Saturday. President Mary Gallanis has announced that Dionisia Ferraro, national president of the Philoptohos Society, will be honored. Kay Brotsis will be named Mother of the Year and receive the silver bowl award.

Mary Gallanis’ daughter, Bessie Gallanis, is committee chairman, along with other “younger-set” members--Kathleen Kyriacou, Susan Andrews, Georgia Kezios, Katrina Beers, Vickie Demos, Elaine Bissias, Eva Camperos, Patricia Gallanis, Suzanne Gialketsis and Patti Sideris.

UPSCALE: Friday evening 27 Arabian horses will be previewed at the David Murdock ranch in Thousand Oaks. Then, Saturday, the Arabians will be auctioned at the “Collection at the Century” gala at the Century Plaza with proceeds going to the American Foundation for AIDS Research.

Hosts Patrick Swayze and Morgan Fairchild plan to bring the horses on stage for the live auction before an all-star show for an audience of 800.

California State Controller Gray Davis chairs the event with co-chairs Fairchild, Dr. Steven Hoefflin, Arabian horse breeder Layla Khashoggi and New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor. William Devane will be commentator. . . .

Campbell Hall School in North Hollywood returns to its Scottish theme with “The Bagpiper’s Ball,” its fund-raiser on Saturday. The Caber Feidh Bagpipe troop replaces the dinner bell at the Century Plaza, says chairman Lynn Pittenger. . . .

Friends of Peter Adams will be in abundance for his “Asia and Afghanistan” series of recent paintings at the reception Adamson-Duvannes Galleries hosts Friday and Saturday from 7 to 10 p.m. . . .

Holy Cross Medical Center kicks off “Celebration ‘88” Friday evening at a dinner-dance. Chairman Val Silbernagel has booked Phyllis Diller and Danny Gans to entertain at the historic San Fernando Mission. . . .

Cystic Fibrosis’ “Kaleidoscope of Fashion” Saturday at the Universal Sheraton featured seven noted designers including Louisa Nevins and Kevan Hall. . . .