Ambassador’s Visit Is Sentimental Journey, Too

When Jacques Andreani, ambassador of France to the United States, arrived in Los Angeles, he and his wife Donatella buzzed to Orange County. They wanted to visit Orange High School, where she was an American Field Service exchange student in 1962.

This week, the couple (she in Dior black and white polka dots with a clump of the Dior emblematic lily of the valley flowers on her shoulder) attended the party French Consul Gen. Gerard Coste and his wife, Naomi, gave in their Beverly Hills home.

Earlier the ambassador had addressed the Los Angeles World Affairs Council, and later the couple was feted at a sit-down dinner hosted by Howard Ruby. Prominent at the consular residence were Dr. Franklin and Judith Murphy, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce President Ray Remy, Los Angeles County Museum of Art Director Rusty Powell, author Annie Cohen-Solal (head of French Cultural Services in the United States), Marcia Weisman and Elin Vanderlip, wearing her Commandeur des Arts and Lettres , and en route to the Soviet Union.

STAR: World-renowned paleoanthropologist Richard E. Leakey, new director of the Kenya Wildlife Services, was in demand last week. The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Assn. brought him to town to speak on the rapid decline of Kenyan elephants (a drop of 140,000 in 1970 to 20,000 now, says Leakey) and rhinos at a Century Towers dinner.

Leakey became controversial last July when he made the dramatic decision to torch 13 tons of elephant tusks his department had confiscated in order to promote a ban on ivory. The zoo affair was a benefit for its endangered species fund.

The evening before, Bob and Donna Tuttle and their friends--Brad Freeman, Bill and Tallie Mingst, Joe and Sally Keon, Bill and Nadine Tilley, and Richard and Beth Rogers--invited a coterie to meet Leakey at their new home in Beverly Hills.

The evening was also a polite invitation to write checks directly to Leakey, who is traveling worldwide to raise millions to hire rangers and equip them with automatic rifles, helicopters and aircraft to eliminate poachers and protect parks.

Among the listeners: Stuart and Carrie Ketchum, Virginia and Mary Milner, Alec and Jocelyn Wildenstein, Kathleen and Tom McCarthy, and Tam and Donald Dickerson. Leakey told them he hopes to borrow $250 million from the World Bank and other financial institutions, and is promising 25% will go to rural development to improve schools, housing and roads.

KUDOS: Peter and Pam Mullin entertained at a black-tie dinner at Los Angeles Country Club for Cardinal Tomas O Fiaich, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of all Ireland . . . . Walter and Lee Annenberg (he’s former ambassador to England; she’s former U. S. chief of protocol) will be spotlighted when University of Pennsylvania President Sheldon Hackney and Southern California alumni toast the 250th anniversary of the university March 9 at the Beverly Hills Hotel . . . .

Former President Ronald Reagan receives an honorary doctorate from the American Friends of Tel Aviv University next Sunday at the Century Plaza . . . .

Della Koenig hosted friends at her home to announce Sammy Davis Jr. will be the second recipient of the State of California Lifetime Achievement Award in the Arts from the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts Foundation at a gala April 29 at the Beverly Hilton.

GLEAM: At the Diadames (the gourmet society) “Gem of a Luncheon” chaired by Pauline Naftzger, Joni Smith, Sarah Yort, Margaret Spillane, Mary Skouras and president Mary Davis at the Regency Club, New York jewelry designer Christopher Walling was getting raves on his X-shaped (with pave diamonds) Biwa pearls and charming guests with his tales of sky-diving.

Joni Smith selected the menu with an elegant taco. Social stalwarts spotted: Topsy Doheny, Rita Barrett, Marilyn Cavanagh, Marion Jorgensen, Diane Anderson, Katy Shattuck, Geri Frawley, Chase Mishkin.

HEARTS: Ruth Mann, 91, a founder in 1931 of the Women’s Auxiliary, California Pediatric and Family Medical Center, was honored at a fund-raiser at Bel Age Hotel for her lifetime community commitment to aid inner-city families. It was also the center’s 70th birthday. Celebrating were Robert Girard, benefit chairwoman Heather and James Shuemaker, Timi and Gordon Freshman . . . .

The Heart Ball for the American Heart Assn., Greater Los Angeles Affiliate, Inc., netted more than $330,000 (about $130,000 over last year), and Natalie Cole (nominated for two Grammys) was a sensation with “I Live for Your Love.” At the Regent Beverly Wilshire, Dick and Maude Ferry and Peter and Pam Mullin (the men were dinner co-chairmen), and ball chairwoman Carolyn Miller and husband Chuck, as well as silent auction chairwoman Aileen Henry and husband Guy, were deserving of all those hugs going around . . . . The Cultural Society gala co-chairwomen Gloria Thompson and Barbara Davis built a Valentine “Stairway to the Stars” at their benefit at Warner Center Marriott in Woodland Hills and netted $50,000 . . . .

Reachout and Club 100 at the Music Center brought in Leo F. Buscaglia to talk on “heart” and Joan Boyett, Music Center Education Division director, to talk on “art” for a Valentine’s Day treat for 300 . . . .

Los Angeles Dodgers 65 Roses Club with chairman Orel Hershiser pitching in not only celebrated its 10th anniversary, but the 100th anniversary of the Dodgers. The crowd danced black-tie to friend-raise for Cystic Fibrosis . . . .

Sponsored by L’Ermitage Hotel, Athletes and Entertainers for Kids and Rodney Peete and J. D. Roth provided 75 disabled children games and fun at a Kids’ Valentine’s Day.