L.A. Alive! Garners $1.2 million

The Music Center went a long way toward insuring its own vitality Saturday with the rousing success of the L.A. Alive! 1992 dinner party that raised over $1.2 million.

The star of the black-tie gala was host David Murdock’s 12-acre Bellagio House. The Bel-Air estate is so extensive that when a guest was told it was once Conrad Hilton’s home, he asked, “Are you sure it wasn’t one of his hotels?” Murdock’s assessment of his property was: “It’s very comfortable.”

The stunning setting was put to good use throughout the evening. Arriving guests were first greeted by Murdock and his wife, Maria, in their English Regency-style reception room with its 17th- and 18th-Century British furniture. Patrons proceeded to the back lawn for the silent auction.

As a half-dozen violinists played, Music Center patrons chose from dozens of auction items that included flights in a World War II fighter, tours of England and 11 dinner tables designed by local artists including Woods Davy, Lita Albuquerque and Laddie John Dill. There was such a variety of restaurant dinners and spa vacations that guest Allan Burns said most of his bidding was for “food and places to work it off.”

There were also a surprising number of bargains. For example, a round-trip flight for two to Tokyo, including a week at the New Otani Hotel, went for $1,100. The fact that some items went so inexpensively didn’t trouble the organizers. “The point is to get a bargain,” said co-chair Joy Fein. “Then they walk out happy.”

Happy or at least materially enriched when the auction closed, the patrons walked through the pool area, past two small rose gardens, down a winding stone walkway, to the basketball court-size formal rose garden. There, atop the tennis court, a tent with sidewalls of the court’s 16-foot high eugenia hedges had been erected for the dinner.

Things moved along quickly after the patrons were seated. Following the first course came the live auction of a dozen items. They included a thoroughbred from Madeleine and Allen Paulson’s Kentucky breeding farm ($16,000) and conducting the Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl (a relative bargain at $2,500.)

When the main course of veal medallions had been cleared, Murdock stepped to the stage to honor Marion and John Anderson. Murdock then announced that he was doubling his $200,000 contribution, and Anderson made his own $200,000 donation.

The evening’s finale came when Murdock announced that “my mother-in-law is going to perform.” This began a warm and elegant performance by Rosemary Clooney, along with an equally fine set by The Manhattan Transfer.

Among the 500 on hand to hear them before leaving with gifts from Neiman Marcus were Nancy Davis and Paul MacCaskill, Mary and David Martin, Christy and Sheldon Gordon, Mary Hayley and Selim Zilka, Debbie and Tom Tellefsen, Chris and Patricia Hemmeter, and Mary Milner, who was escorted by Brad Freeman.