Funds, Voices Raised for Planned Parenthood

By 2000, Planned Parenthood, Los Angeles, hopes to build 21 new clinics. At its 25th anniversary gala at the Beverly Hilton honoring Betty Ford and Katharine Hepburn, whose mother and father helped Margaret Sanger in her fight for women’s rights, nearly 1,000 supporters raised cheer and more than $500,000 toward a new clinic.

Gala co-chair Ann Petroni--and many of the dinner chairs, including Barbara Davis, Judith and Franklin Murphy, Nancy and Charles Munger, Deborah Landis and Donald Petroni--were in the audience to hear Betty Ford announce: “As long as I am able, I will raise my voice on the side of every woman’s right to choose.”

Though Hepburn did not appear, she was seen on video in clips of her famous movies and in a clip saying: “The cause of Planned Parenthood is the most important cause today.”

Jill Eikenberry and Michael Tucker, comedian Charles Fleischer and singer Vic Damone put punch in the night. The dinner was underwritten and auction items brought a bundle.

SPOTTED: Gloria Holden, whose husband is the new U.S. ambassador to Jamaica, vowed she wouldn’t be home for a year, but there she was in Beverly Hills’ Robinson’s, on a shopping jaunt with her mother, Edna Olson. “I miss my family so much--I can’t tell you,” she said.

FAST: United Hostesses’ Charities run the fastest luncheons in town. They lunched at the Beverly Hilton, watched “Travilla’s Hollywood” retrospective fashion show, and had left for car pools at 2 p.m., thanks to the detailed planning of Nancy Brachman, Ilene Nathan, Roni Heller and others. Proceeds go for equipment for diagnosis and treatment of coronary artery disease at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and for mental health.

PARADE: Sandy Wessel, balancing Don Honold’s “Ziegfeld Girl” floral concoction, brought down the house as Sweepstakes Winner for Las Floristas Floral Headdress Ball at the Beverly Hilton. But what elated president Sue Jarvie and ball chairs Julie Lee and Marlene Chumo was Harlyne and Kenneth Norris Jr.’s announcement that the Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris (his late parents) Foundation was contributing $100,000 to the Las Floristas Handicapped Children’s Clinic and the Las Floristas causes at Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center. That means the ball will probably net the usual $350,000.

FLASH: After kind words from everyone at the Bistro black-tie dinner-dance in her honor, the super-thin Carolyne Roehm joshed: “I could easily move to Los Angeles.”

Joni Smith, chairwoman of the Fashion Circle, and Anne Johnson, chairwoman of the Costume Council of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, put an intimate focus on the New York couturiere after her turn-away-crowd appearance earlier in the afternoon at the museum.

Saks hosted the dinner, and New York Vice President Helen O’Hagan and Senior Vice President Harvey Rosenbloom and his fiancee, Jeannette Telias, got kudos. Mary Jones was introducing her new fiance, Boyd Marshall, over the magnificent bouquets of roses from Terry Stanfill’s garden.

Roehm, who attended the event in short champagne lace and taupe chiffon, now troops off to Spain with husband Henry R. Kravis, Oscar and Ann de la Renta and Jayne Wrightsman. She’ll chair the New York Public Library benefit when she returns.

KNIGHTED: A carefully selected crowd of local wine connoisseurs has been inducted into the first North American chapters of the International Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne. Hosted by Champagne Louis Roederer, the induction ceremonies were conducted by Commandeur Georges Prade. New chevaliers tapped at the California Club include John Siciliano, Stephen Gavin, Donald W. Crowell. Among those inducted at the Four Seasons, Patrick Terrail, Joachim Splichal, Henry Schielein, Lud Renick and Kurt Stielhack.

PAST PERFECT: Cindi Yost and Mary Crary at the Doheny Mansion tea, thanking the Luminaires of the Doheny Eye Institute for their work. The crowd included Dee Maechling, Alice Avery, Nancy Payne, Tam Dickerson, Jackie Hill. . . .

Marion Malouf’s orchids (her private cymbidium garden is probably the largest in the United States), creating elegance for the National Arts Assn. Orchid Ball saluting Vincent Price and chaired by Marjorie Kolliner and association president Marilyn Rudley. . . .

The Sandpipers “April in Paris” party, launching their Design House at 964 Paseo La Cresta, Palos Verdes Estates (continuing through May 20) . . . .

The UCLA Chancellor’s Associates gathering at Clark Memorial Library, co-hosted by library director John Brewer and Provost Raymond Orbach and honoring Prof. V. A. Kolve, first holder of the UCLA Foundation Chair in English Literature. . . .

The Childrens Hospital fashion show at the Beach Club given by Tink Cheney, Jane Gosden, Joan Graves, Laurie Griff, Bonnie McClure, Nancy McCullough, Susan Miller and Tally Mingst. . . .

The Braille Institute Auxiliary Light Award Dinner at the Beverly Hills Hotel chaired by Cathy Rea . . . .

Vikki Carr named Founder of Hope at the Esperanza Ball at the Beverly Hilton by Founders for Diabetic Research.