Doodles for the Benefit of Back Alley

The Back Alley Theatre is putting an Alistair Cook drawing on the block for its Fourth Annual Doodle Auction of unique and framed celebrity doodles Sept. 10.

Doodles by Sir John Gielgud, Michael J. Fox, Mell Lazarus, Loretta Young, Dudley Moore and Lesley Ann Warren will also be auctioned at the garden party at the home of Dr. Marc Friedman in Encino. The silent auction begins at 3 p.m. and the formal auction at 4:15 p.m.

Proceeds will help the theater with production expenses and artists’ salaries, say Laura Zucker and Allan Miller, co-chairs.

ARTS AND FASHION: The National Arts Assn. is taking over the Bistro Gardens in Beverly Hills on Sept. 15 for the Neiman-Marcus presentation of fall 1988 couture. It’s a natural match: The arts group and its leaders Jayne Mapes and Helena Schlemenson support aspiring young artists by providing scholarships, and they admire the fashion.

SO EXCLUSIVE: The Sonance and House Ear Institute party on the terraces of David Murdock’s estate (formerly Conrad Hilton’s abode) in Bel-Air the other evening was ever so exclusive--fewer than 140 guests--and it had all the accouterments of a private party.

Murdock opened his home with its museum-quality porcelains, paintings and antiques for the Adolfo fashion preview. Guests had cocktails under the 15-foot ceilings while admiring the art, then moved to the lawn where a stark white Adolfo signature setting and ramp had been set up for the Saks Fifth Avenue show engineered by all the Saks stars--Martin Fischer (there with his pretty Andrea), Suzanne Cavlovic, Patti Fox.

Right on cue, the crowd then moved to the terrace for the terrine of sun-dried tomatoes, risotto with Santa Barbara shrimps, veal medallion with artichokes and the poached peach with hazelnut ice cream.

Murdock was at the microphone: “Having had a hearing problem of my own for many many years, this is not something I am not aware of,” said the real estate magnate. He underwrote the entire evening for Sonance.

He also praised Adolfo: “Having had the opportunity in years gone by to buy many of his clothes (a reference to his beautiful late wife, Gabriella), I can certainly appreciate the anxiety tomorrow to go out and buy his clothes.” Then he introduced Helene Irvin, “who wears Adolfo with great beauty.”

The diminutive Helene Irvin (who jogs miles every day) was with her husband, Richard, and lots of other Irvins, like Calle and Greg Irvin. She did all the finagling to tie up the show; she thanked Murdock’s staff (“who run Bellagio House with a firm and meticulous hand”), then revealed that Sonance had netted $75,000 on the evening.

That was good news for Dr. Howard House, Dr. John House and his wife Pat, and all the generous supporters, including Bill and Linda Blackburn, merchant banker Alex Capello with New York model Tracey Morton, Pepperdine law professor Paul and Kee Flynn, and Arnold and Carol Kapan, who danced the night away.

More in the couture crowd were Judy and Don Tallarico, Taren and Bill Davis, Pat Moller, Penny and Julian von Kalinowski, Glen and Gloria Holden, Bunny Wagner, Terry Lyon, Rick and Marilyn Tarbel, Elizabeth and Howard Hirsch, William and Barbara Michael, Linda and Robert Attiyea (he’s a co-head of the House Institute’s $31-million capital campaign), and Betty and Kenneth Morgan, just back from Montana, with Betty thrilled about her 17-inch brown trout catch.

TIFFANY & CO.: Is anything in Beverly Hills not renovating or expanding (the Beverly Hilton, the Beverly Wilshire)? Now Tiffany Beverly Hills relocates across the street in October, 1989, to the Tiffany Building, a structure in the new Two Rodeo Drive Complex, right at the gateway of Rodeo Drive and Wilshire. Construction begins this month.

Moreover, Orange County Tiffany opens Oct. 10 in the South Coast Plaza, making California the only state to host three Tiffany locations. (The other is in San Francisco.)

Breakfast, everyone?

HAIL, THE DONORS: Except for a few anonymous secret types, most donors appreciate a little recognition. With that in mind, the board of directors of the Freeman Hospitals Foundation hosts its donor recognition dinner Sept. 9 at the Four Seasons Hotel. Black tie.

DONORS DUO: Two major celebrations--Mike O’Hara’s power polo world debut and the send-off party to the 1988 Seoul Olympics for the U.S. water polo team--have been benefits for Vital Options, the psychosocial support group for young adults with cancer.

The party for the Olympic team took place at the Bel-Air home of philanthropist Jonathan Michaels. They celebrated power polo at the L.A. Equestrian Center and on another night at a pool-side buffet at Michaels’ home.

PLAUDITS: AT&T; has donated more than $70 million in cash and $95 million in equipment to nonprofit organizations over the last two years. Last year, California was among six states receiving more than $1 million from the AT&T; Foundation, according to Robert E. Allen, chairman.

New York got $6 million, California $2.7 million, New Jersey $1.9 million, District of Columbia $1.9 million, Illinois $1.5 million, and Massachusetts $1.4 million.

FLYAWAY: A Parisian Getaway winner will be announced Sept. 17 at the Hollywood Bowl. He or she will win the International Committee of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Assn. flyaway chances benefiting the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Gertilda Conti, Marcella Hutson, Philharmonic Affiliates chairman Mireya Jones and a corps of student volunteers coordinated by Michael Flynn are involved.