Founders Celebrate the Music Center’s Heritage

“We are part of that exciting heartbeat that marches into the future,” proclaimed Gloria Renwick, and with that the Heritage of the Music Center--a group for founders and early supporters--was born Wednesday at a special luncheon chaired by Renwick in the Grace Ford Salvatori Room.

The pitch was nostalgic as volunteers and donors essential to the creation of the Music Center were honored. Said honorary board member Charles Schneider, “You all are, indeed, the hearty stock of which our pioneers were made.

“In the very beginning, it was your vision, faith, confidence and generosity--the ingredients that built our magnificent culture core.”

Over and over, tributes went to Dorothy Buffum Chandler, wife of the late Norman Chandler, publisher of the Los Angeles Times. Mrs. Chandler was unable to attend.

It was she who saved the Hollywood Bowl in the 1950s when it was threatened financially.

Her wisdom, aspirations and tenacity of spirit (including a Buck Bag drive in which volunteers canvassed the town with brown paper bags to raise $1 million) resulted in meshing public entities with private enterprise to raise the funds that built the Music Center.

At the luncheon, Frances Brody recalled standing in dirt on the Plaza with the late Henry Dreyfuss and Fred Wight, getting an OK from sculptor Jacques Lipchitz on locating his Plaza art.

Bonnie Green remembered her late husband, Johnny, conducting the opening of the famous Eldorado Party at the Ambassador Hotel that raised the first $400,000 for the goal.

Sitting at a table with Edward and Hannah Carter, Walter M. Marks and Stanton and Ernestine Avery, Charlie Ducommun recounted how he, Harry Volk and the late Mrs. Salvatori were vice chairmen under Mrs. Chandler before ground was broken.

He also related how the first attempt to build was at 5th and Flower, “and that fell flat on its face,” and then the effort for an “opera place at Lafayette Park, and that fell flat.”

Russell Smith had memories of being on the Philharmonic board at the time. Weta Mathias and Rary Simmons recalled the first Philharmonic Showcase House.

Jack Heidt claimed to have put the Italian name on the Bocci Ball, a fund-raiser for the Opera Associates; Stephen Gavin, Elizabeth Up de Graff and Tamra Dickerson laughed over early opera endeavors.

In the crowd: Stanton and Ernestine Avery, Alyce Williamson, Bill and Susan Keck, Marj Fasman, Marlene Billington, Roberta Grady, Marion Malouf, Richard Seaver, Betty Strub, Toni Webb, Marcia Israel, Adelaide and Alec Hixon, Jane Ward, Marilyn Stuart, Harold and Betty Hecht, Ginger Ludwick, W. M. and Barbara Marcussen, Judith Murphy, Vi Nason, Barbara Schneider, Joan Seidel, Mari West and Clara Yust.