Dinosaur Ball Looms Large on Calendar

The Dinosaur Ball, one of the Southland’s “very black-tie” affairs, for the first time will move from the Age of Reptiles at the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park to the Ice Age in the museum’s affiliate George C. Page Museum on Wilshire. At the April 15 event, guests will socialize over cocktails in the semi-circular Page Museum and the lush central atrium and view the skeletons of the Ice Age mammals that once roamed the Los Angeles Basin. Then, the “T. Rex tango” will vie with the “woolly mammoth mambo” during the dining/dancing phase.

In recognition of Page, the ball will salute both museums. Proceeds will fund educational outreach efforts such as the Moveable Museum, the School Tours Program, the annual Folk Art Festival and the Ralph M. Parsons Discovery Center.

PEPPED UP: Meetings have been heavy for the Starnight Gala on Feb. 24 at the Century Plaza. June Haver MacMurray and her “Friends of Childhelp,” along with co-chairman Frances Franklin have asked Bob Hope to be Sports Fan of the Century that night. He’s accepted.

The gala officially is the fourth annual National Football League Players Assn. Awards Dinner and it kicks off Childhelp’s 30th year celebration.

Juliet Prowse and Norm Crosby will perform. Monty Hall will emcee. Ray Anthony’s orchestra will play for dancing.

NOVEL 10TH: The National Hospice Organization will celebrate its 10th anniversary at a gala Saturday at the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum in Griffith Park. It’s to be the first social function of the year at the new museum.

Chairman June Ebensteiner of Woodland Hills plans for guests to tour the museum’s seven “Spirit” galleries before dinner. On hand will be actress Susan Sullivan (“Falcon Crest”), national spokesman for Hospice.

For Western ambiance, celebrities expected include Jim Arness, Peter Brown, Harry Carey Jr., Iron Eyes Cody, Chuck Connors, Michael Wayne.

Charlie Darrell’s Band will feature Eddie Dean. Proceeds at $250 per person will aid hospice programs that emphasize pain and symptom control for the terminally ill.

PHANTOMIZED: More “Phantom of the Opera” benefits.

The Los Angeles chapter of the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation takes the entire Ahmanson Theatre for a preview May 27. Tony Randall is the evening’s chairman, and Ann-Margret, whose husband suffers from the disease, is expected to attend. Champagne will be served before the performance and at intermission. The post-performance supper will be limited to those with orchestra seats. The house is scaled from $250 to $75, according to A. Martin Bernstein, president of the chapter.

Family Service of Los Angeles also is doing a “Phantom” benefit. A matinee Aug. 6 will be the agency’s major fund-raiser for 1989, according to Tony Lufrano. Funds will support the suicide prevention program.

EARLY CHICKS: Christmas is over; Easter’s coming. Frank Sinatra already has decorated a special Easter egg for the March 11 Fazer Chocolate Wonder Egg celebrity auction at the Century Plaza. The Starlight Foundation will benefit.

Whoopi Goldberg will be honored that night with the Starlight’s Humanitarian of the Year Award.

Emma Samms founded the group to grant wishes to critically, chronically and terminally ill children.

BOWED OVER: Pretty pink and green moire ribbons announce Las Floristas has moved into prime time for its Premier Night on Feb. 4 in the commissary of 20th Century Fox Studios. That’s the night that Las Floristas presents floral designers and mannequin members who will later star in the Floral Headdress Ball on April 21.

Florist chairmen Linda Nies and Marlene Chumo will be presenting floral artists Don Honold, Sam Tagashira, Bob Martine, Wayne Gray, Mark Massad, Modesto Busto, Maxx Cooper and Gary Twemblow.

Las Floristas mannequins will be Jean Arnett, Cynthia Caswell, Jade Higgins, Carolyn Johnson, Mary Richardson, Barbara Robinson, Maggie Simms and Madeline Viole.

Jade Higgins is chairman of the evening.