A Few Stars Get Lucky

Superstitions may have played a role in at least two Oscar winners’ good fortunes Monday night. Anthony Hopkins, who won for best actor, was wearing his lucky evening shoes. “I’ve had them maybe 15 years and they’ve been repaired a few times,” he said backstage. Mercedes Ruehl, who won for best supporting actress, said she hid a green scarab on her person for good luck. Unfortunately, the plan didn’t work for Michael Lerner, who wore the same weathered green deck shoes, without socks, that he had on when he received his best supporting actor nomination. Lerner lost out to Jack Palance, whose only good-luck charm seemed to be his health.

* SOMETHING BORROWED: Ogling the Oscar night diamonds was enough to make you wish you were rich and famous. But now it can be told, most of the loot was out on loan from Van Cleef & Arpels and Harry Winston. Annette Bening’s diamond clip earrings and bracelet, Geena Davis’ diamonds and pearls, and Susan Sarandon’s necklace with the South Sea pearl drop were among the V&C; stash. Sarandon told Bryan Cambridge of the store that she’d name her soon-due baby Oscar if she won. Lucky for the kid, she didn’t. From Harry Winston’s vault came Jodie Foster’s discreet diamond earrings, Shirley MacLaine’s vast diamond hoops, Bette Midler’s and Demi Moore’s sparklers and Whoopi Goldberg’s pearl necklace, among other items, says store director Roberta Herbison. Total value: $12 million.

* REDRESS: After taking the heat for her overly exuberant Oscar dress, Geena Davis recouped Tuesday night at the Hollywood Wax Museum. There, amid the lifeless, she showed her true colors, in a simple, spring-green linen pantsuit. She looked her elegant self, that is until Tom Hanks, dressed in his pajamas from “Big,” jumped out of one of the dioramas, shouting, “Surprise.” The surprise party was a tribute to Davis, complete with a this-is-your-life slide show.

* THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT: There seemed to be two very different trends in men’s hair at the Oscar ceremonies. Short was the order of the evening for best director Jonathan Demme, who wore his shorn to the scalp on the sides, as well as for the crew-cutted Kevin Costner and Joe Pesci. “Wayne’s World’s” Dana Carvey and “Thelma & Louise” bad boy Brad Pitts did an about-face, sculpting their long locks into a mop top and slick-back do, respectively. “It’s very British,” quipped Carvey. “It took me seven hours.”

* BACKLESS COMMENT: KABC-TV Oscar commentator Tawny Little got a taste of her own medicine when Women’s Wear Daily reporters asked her who had designed her pale-green crushed-velvet gown. “I really don’t know . . . Mark somebody, I think,” said Little, surprised at the question she had asked two dozen stars that evening. Not wanting Little to be, well, belittled, a publicist reached down her back and pulled out the label. “Mark Bowman,” she revealed.