Moore, the Merrier : Dudley’s Piano Performance Enlivens Laguna Benefit

Put Dudley Moore at the piano, Jeff Parker at the stove, and Al and Deeann Baldwin at the head of the table and what have you got?

A party that is a Perfect 10.

It was no less for the 70 guests who attended the $500-per-person bash for Futures for Children in Emerald Bay on Saturday night.

Moore tickled the ivories with some easy-listening classics (“Hello, Young Lovers,” “With a Song in My Heart” and yes, some of his own creations), Parker of Pennington caterers whipped up petite filet with rosemary sauce and pear tart with almond cream, and the Baldwins--her in an espresso lace cocktail suit by Pauline Trigere--held court at a candle-lit table spread with fresh pomegranates, berries and pine.

“All this because my wife wanted to meet Robert Redford!” piped developer Al Baldwin, explaining how Futures for Children--an Albuquerque-based leadership program for American Indian children and their families--has become his and Deeann’s favorite charity.

Three years ago the Baldwins attended a Futures benefit in Santa Fe, N.M., attended by Redford. “And now, I’m on the board of directors,” Al Baldwin said.

(With four children of their own, the Baldwins were touched by the cause that provides American Indian children with self-help and leadership skills.)

Since then, the Baldwins have attended other bashes--a recent party at the home of Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, among them--on behalf of Futures.

“We do a big benefit in Santa Fe every year,” said Futures president Ruth Frazier. “And we like to do these satellite parties, too. We’re so happy to have Dudley Moore here. He is a strong supporter of children.”

Moore was late, but worth the wait. “I had a few problems finding the house,” explained Moore, who drove from Los Angeles in his black Lexus.

Sitting down to a Yamaha baby grand, Moore told guests he loved to start his day playing the piano. “It’s my glass of orange juice when I come downstairs in the morning,” he said, fingers poised above the keys.

“Play ‘Bolero’!’ ” came a (loud woman’s) voice out of nowhere.

“Em, I make it a point never to play ‘Bolero,’ ” said Moore (who, coincidentally, had said earlier in a private moment that the Baldwins’ ultra-modern digs reminded him of a scene he’d played with Bo Derek in the movie “10.”)

After performing selections by Richard Rodgers--which Moore introduced as the “kind of beautiful, naive music that I seem to love,”--the actor/musician played works by Bach, a piece of his own called “Three Blond Mice” (“it sounds a little bit like ‘Three Blind Mice’ ” he joked) a musical parody from the show “Beyond the Fringe” and some English music hall tunes executed a la Chopin.

Of course guests begged for an encore, applauding until their hands turned the color of the poinsettias which dotted the ocean-front room.

“Bolero!” came the same foggy voice.

And so, good-naturedly, Moore played a few bars of Ravel’s haunting melody for the woman in black at the back of the room.

And then he played, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,”--”that sweet little song Judy Garland sang in ‘Meet Me in St. Louis,’ ” he said.

It was a “10,” all right.

Also among guests were Tom Levine, development director for Futures; Tom and Elizabeth Tierney; Pat and Alan Rypinski; Pat and Dick Allen (on the committee for the upcoming “An Evening With Placido Domingo” benefit for Opera Pacific at the Westin South Coast Plaza hotel on Jan. 12); Sheila and Ygal Sonenshine and Sue DiMaio, owner of GaleriaCapistrano in San Juan Capistrano, site of a recent benefit for Futures.

Don McLean at Barclay Bash: Singer Don McLean--composer of “American Pie” and “Vincent (Starry Starry Night)”--joined members of the audience for a meet-the-artists reception after his concert on Saturday night at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. “I’ll play here anytime,” McLean told guests who had gathered back stage to munch on gourmet pizza, spicy chicken wings and brownies. Among guests were: Lorne and Traute Huycke, Harry Bozigian, Ken Cozart, Hal and Melody Schultz and Irvine Mayor Sally Sheridan with her husband, Don.