‘Night in Atlantis’ Strikes Patriotic Note

During World Wars I and II, the Bachelors canceled their pre-Easter fancy dress balls when their men went off to war. The event also was canceled in 1932, 1933 and 1934 because of the Depression. This year, with ball contracts signed months ago, the Bachelors went ahead in spite of the Persian Gulf War.

The 86th-anniversary affair at the Beverly Hilton will be remembered not only for its unique theme, “A Night in Atlantis,” but for the fact that two empty tables were reserved for two absent members--Derek Bell, a helicopter pilot called up by the Army reserve, and William Moore, a Marine reservist who is in the Gulf.

Said ball chairman Chip Stuart: “We wanted to do something patriotic, but we didn’t know what was exactly right, so we decided to have our board of governors wear these small American flags. And we tied yellow ribbons to all the chairs.” Sure enough, tiny ribbons, without bows, were attached to every chair in the ballroom.

Favors for the 750 guests were pale green wine bottles, washed up from the sea, so to speak. Inside were scrolls inscribed in Latin, listing the Prafecti --the officers; the Patronae --the Patronesses; the Cives --the members; and the Tabula Victae --the menu. At the bottom was the listing Vir Militaris , listing Bell and Moore as “called to active duty.”

The affair, named for the legendary island or continent supposed to have sunk into the Atlantic, rated a 10. Party-goers danced under a canopy of fantasy fish amid a decor of sea urchins, sharks, white calypso palms, pink coral and anemones. A mermaid squirted water in the eyes of arriving guests. Debra Stevenson of Los Angeles Party Design cleverly designed grotto centerpieces of algae and glass containers of Beta fighting fish. On stage, a statue of King Neptune stood watch.

Beware. The guest who comes in black-tie or jeans to this ball--out! Fancy dress means fancy. Typically, the affair takes on the style of the year. At the Beverly Hilton, 15 Milli Vanillis headed by Bachelors members Paul Conn Jr. and Dennis Riley sashayed onto the scene, gyrating like a conga line through the crowd. There were three Dick Tracys in yellow trench coats and hats, two with Breathless Mahoneys and one with a blond Madonna (Barbie Schnieders, blowing bubbles). Bachelor Peter McDonnell brought an entire table of Patriot missiles in Colonial costumes with gray, foam plastic missiles attached to their hats.

Bachelor president Casey Francis Griffin was impersonating Gen. Robert E. Lee, accompanied by “Southern belle” Susan Dick. He announced they’ll be wed Oct. 26 in St. Andrews Church in Pasadena.

Other Bachelors members and their dates: John Alphson as Wayne Newton with Lisa Up de Graff, a glittery showgirl; Hugh Bateman as a pirate with Mindy Pfenning, a leprechaun; Arthur Rasmussen Jr. as a musketeer with Marijana Kral-Campbell, an Elizabethan lady; David Sargeant as an army surgeon with Dina Brooks, an equestrian; John Seitz as a butler with Jennifer Edwards, a maid; Grant Ivey as an authentic Westerner in chaps and a dusty Stetson, with Gail Spratt, a Western gal.

Bachelors Hugh H. Evans III and Chris Liebes headed four tables of beaded Indians; Scott Brittingham, with Elizabeth Shumway, put his table of guests in red polo shirts, white pants and black boots. Christian Markey’s polo crowd was in white and black, playing mock polo on the dance floor. Wick Ludwick was an Egyptian, Craig Lewis a Hugh Hefner, Bill Bessolo a pirate, John Corby was Rhett Butler, Bob Forward Jr. a Venetian and Bill Williams a Marine.

Vernon Monroe arrived with a live baboon that was sent home for feisty behavior. Scott Adair and Jody Matthews were a stunning Robin Hood and Maid Marian. But, the top kudos were going to Erik Houseman and Stacy King: All night they carried a picture frame and a real pitchfork, posing as Grant Wood’s “American Gothic.”

Lots of the younger married crowd were in on the party, originally begun as a group effort in 1905 to pay back social obligations. Spotted: T. K. and Judith Vodrey, Carlotta and Rusty Keeley (a pair of stunning bumblebees), Brown and Kim Windle, Robert and Martha Schuur (one of the ball Patronesses), Pierce in a white wig and toga (saying he was an albino Roman) and Joan Graves and Jim and Madeline Swinden.

ALL HEART: Dick and Eileen Eamer paid $16,000 for two seats for the final two days of Wimbledon July 6-7 and a stay at Richard Colburn’s Chester Square apartment in London.

The bid spiked high the take for the American Heart Assn./Greater Los Angeles Affiliate “An Evening With Dudley Moore” benefit at the Regent Beverly Wilshire. Chairman Pam Mullin (she and husband Peter and Lynn and Hugh Evans will also attend the tennis finals, and the Mullins donated the Eamers’ seats) expects the net to be $350,000, with $140,000 from the auction.

Moore starred at the piano, keeping the crowd happy: Carolyn and Chuck Miller, Robin and Gerry Parsky, Jaclyn and Randy Hill, Susan and Mitchel Covel, Joy and Jerome Fein and Sandra and Keith Comrie.

KUDOS: Mayfield Senior School celebrated its 60th anniversary with a salute to Sister Mary Wilfrid Yore and supporter Charles Norman at the Los Angeles Athletic Club . . .

Friends of Loyola Marymount University sipped the finest wines at a black-tie dinner at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Marina del Rey before their wine-tasting classes in Westchester . . .

Betty and Patrick James Kirby of San Marino have donated 7,000 acres of their beloved New Mexico property, Rancho Cerros de Taos, to the Huntington Library, according to president Robert Allen Skotheim. The ranch is 15 miles northwest of Taos.

ARTES: The Bilingual Foundation of the Arts has announced that Robert Erburu and Donald Beall will co-chair “Artes de Mexico,” its 11th dinner, May 16 at the Biltmore.

SOCIAL GLOW: Collectors’ magnets with antique cars have been mailed to early supporters of the Dinosaur Ball March 9 at the Natural History Museum. Co-chairs Rudy and Carla Rehm will highlight the museum’s classic cars for the theme fund-raiser.

At the kickoff party hosted by Roberta Herbison and Tiffany & Co., party-goers were told the bears will cut up and the Flying Cranes will be on their trapezes for the Moscow Circus benefit for the League for Children March 10 at the Great Western Forum.

Because Richard K. Eamer is underwriting, the league hopes to net $400,000 for the Children’s Bureau of Los Angeles. Eileen Eamer chairs the benefit dinner for 600. In addition, 7,200 of Eamer’s National Medical Enterprises employees and 5,300 children and senior citizens will attend the circus.