Movie Fans Spend ‘Night With the Stars’

The invitation said “Business Attire or ‘Hollywood Glitz,’ ” and most of the nearly 150 movie fans who showed up Monday at the Movieland Wax Museum for the gala to benefit the Children’s Museum at La Habra took advantage of the sartorial license.

It was billed as “A Night With the Stars,” and vamps and moguls and autograph hounds, the glamorous and the just gaudy paid $75 each for the chance to “go Hollywood” while eating, drinking, dancing and watching “Dances With Wolves” waltz away with seven Oscars.

The bash in Buena Park raised about $10,000 for the hands-on children’s museum, a learning center that has been operating since 1977.

The Players

The few suits were outshone by Hollywood baubles and bangles. Nancy Zinberg of La Habra, secretary of the Children’s Museum, wore a shaggy blond wig, a black leather jacket and a name tag that identified her as Bimbo LaRue.

“I’m a trustee of the local school board,” she said laughing, “but not tonight.”

Marcia Giesler, co-chair of the event, arrived in a long, flowing gown with a hood, a la Garbo. Her husband, Karl, towered over the crowd dressed in the time-honored uniform of the movie mogul at leisure: gold silk robe (“the origin of which I wish I knew,” he said), ascot and cigarette holder.

Dressed for the weather was museum director Cathy Michaels in a yellow slicker and sou’wester, who was pleased to be recognized as Debbie Reynolds in “Singin’ in the Rain.”

The “life imitates art” award surely would have been given to event committee member Mary Ann Miller of Newport Beach, who wore a black leather bustier liberally covered with rivets and studding, immense dangling earrings and long, long black stockings--Madonna by any yardstick.

“I found this bustier in the Brea Mall,” she said. “It was on sale.”

Miller’s shining moment arrived when she posed next to a TV monitor as the genuine Madonna sang on the tube.

Madonna out-sang Miller, but Miller has something that Madonna definitely does not have: a grandchild.

Chow and Tunes

Lemon chicken and beef kebabs, blackened Cajun red snapper, scalloped potatoes, rice, several salads, eclairs and chocolate-covered strawberries were dished up by caterer Sally Ann of Placentia. The Charles LaRue band (no relation to Bimbo) played for the dancers.

Faces

Pianist Roger Williams (the honorary chair of the event) and his wife, Louise, committee member Marla Patterson and event co-chair Betty Belden-Palmer (as Eleanor Powell).

Overheard

From one smiling Oscar fan in a black sequined gown: “My husband said I looked like a stealth fighter with earrings.”