Huntington Fellows Celebrate the Season at Library

The traditional tent on the South Terrace of the Huntington Art Gallery, always festive with greens and twinkling lights, was nixed by the San Marino Fire Department this year.

So the Society of Fellows Christmas party was moved to the Friends Hall. This meant the crowd was divided into two rooms, but everyone was together for cocktails in garland-festooned Huntington Library. “Yes, the art gallery location was more aesthetic,” said Judge David Thomas, chairman of the Board of Overseers, “but that’s the way it is.”

Trustee Chairman Robert F. Erburu and his wife, Lois, extended warm greetings to the crowd, and welcomes also came from Robert Allen Skotheim, president of the Huntington, and his wife, Nadine.

Warming up on Chasen’s big chicken pot pies and cooling down with ice cream snowballs with fudge sauce were Henry Huntington’s great-granddaughter, Claire McCloud, and her husband Kimball.

Prominent in the beautifully gowned and groomed crowd were Otis and Dody Booth, Nancy and George Moss, Jane and James Ludlam, Pamela and Shannon Clyne, Joan and Dr. Jim Caillouette, Cherry and David Bianchi, John Welborne and Nancy Baxter, Stanton and Ernestine Avery, Nancy and Charles Munger, Chuck Thornton and Geneva DeWitt, Cici and Norman Williamson, Laura-Lee and Robert Woods, Cynthia and Henry Yost, Gordon and Liz Anderson, Isabel and Jeff Arnett, John and Patsy Austin, Patricia and Tom Ellison, Camilla and Dan Frost, Doug and Eunice Goodan, Preston and Maurine Hotchkis, Carrie and Stuart Ketchum, Johanna and Robert Kroger, Bette and Edward McLaughlin.

CHEER: It was hard to tell at Suzanne Marx’s and Helene Irvin’s holiday luncheon at the Regency Club whether the ladies were more pleased with the Tiffany glass box favors the hostesses had engraved with the seal of the U.S. Treasury or with their dog cards from speaker/honoree Carol Hallett, commissioner of the U.S. Customs Service.

The dog cards may not be in Fido’s Milk-Bone treat boxes this Christmas. But the commissioner says they will be soon. She’s counting on the cards--featuring color photos and facts about canine heroes that sniff out drugs--becoming the rage, just like baseball cards. One card features Beto, a 7-year-old golden retriever, whose best discovery was 2,200 pounds of cocaine at Port Everglades Seaport.

Former Undersecretary of Commerce Donna Tuttle sat on the honoree’s right, and Jean Smith, wife of the late William French Smith, on her left. Prominent in the room were Connie Gavin, Aviva Kovitz, Kitty Moses, Susan Shumway, Mary Milner, Joyce Hameetman, Mary Alice Tudor, Bonnie Kyle and Anne Johnson.

WITH PRIDE: At the same luncheon, Smith had two books to brag about. Her husband’s “Law & Justice in the Reagan Administration (Memoirs of an Attorney General)” is out in both hard- and softcover. And her son-in-law, Jerry Dunn, has a new book called “Tricks of the Trade” with advice from 79 experts such as how to dress for success by Bill Blass, how to decipher a wine label by Robert Mondavi, how to do a pratfall by Chevy Chase. . . .

Talking of pride. . . . Tournament of Roses float judge Edward Turrentine’s daughter, Tannis Ann, is Tournament of Roses Queen. That’s why enormous invitations for black-tie festivities at the Turrentine villa in Pasadena honoring Tannis and her royal court were printed “Tiara Admired.”

RUNAWAY SUCCESSES: The Friends of Hollygrove had to put up extra seating to accommodate the 900 who attended the “Santa on Ice” family ice show. The event at Pickwick Ice Arena in Burbank benefited Hollygrove Home for Children. . . .

The lively crowd of 1,000 at the Beverly Hilton cheered and whistled as the 150-member First African Methodist Episcopal Freedom Choir sang for Think Globally--Act Locally to benefit the Hunger Project. Event chair Lorenda Phillips swayed to the beat and planned the centerpieces--baskets, each laden with food for a family of four. The baskets were distributed to food banks after the event.

PAST PERFECT: Songs of peace and goodwill turned the Heart Institute at Saint John’s Hospital and Health Center “Voice of Christmas” fund-raiser into a melodic success--$40,000, says dinner chairman Chrys Stamatis. . . .

Hal and Cynthia Gershman received the “Spirit of Hope” Award at the Associates for Breast Cancer Studies gala. Debbie Reynolds was named “Mrs. Hollywood.”

DECK THE HALLS: Orphanage Guild Juniors jingled the bells at their Christmas party for teen-age girls from Maryvale, the Los Angeles orphanage. . . .

Yvonne Flowers and Cathy Rea chaired the Braille Institute Auxiliary luncheon. . . .

Marita Robb, June Teal and Nancy Helm collected a crowd of 400 for the festive USC Town and Gown Christmas lunch. . . .

Judy and John Bedrosian hosted the League of Children at a cocktail buffet at their Bel-Air home. . . .

Kathy Gray and Tricia Cobb had the trees sparkling and the poinsettias blooming for the Loyola High School annual holiday dance for 500. . . .

Suzan and Gordon Cooper (an original Mercury astronaut) and composer Bill and Shelby Conti supported the festive Anne Banning Auxiliary fund-raiser for Operation School Bell. The charity provides clothes for needy schoolchildren. . . .

Kathy Hilton (bejeweled in Oscar de la Renta) launched the grand opening of her boutique, The Staircase at 8645 Sunset, with a cocktail reception for 300.

GOOD DEEDS: California First Lady Gayle Wilson dedicated the Prenatal and OB Access Project, a public/private partnership providing low-income pregnant women with prenatal care. The dedication was hosted by the National Health Foundation and Maternal and Obstetrical Medical Services (MOMS) at Bellflower Doctors Hospital. . . .

Citrus Restaurant partner Marvin Zeidler and chef-owner Michel Richard underwrote the cost of a 200-person dinner at Citrus to benefit the Inner-City Arts Center.