‘Sunset Blvd.’ Will Be Busy in November

Dazzling preview performances of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Sunset Blvd.” at the Shubert Theatre in Century City (it opened this month in London) will light up November.

In getting a performance for charity, connections help. Brooke Young of Hancock Park happens to be the granddaughter of the late Gloria Swanson, star of the 1950 film classic. Young rang up the Webber people in London on behalf of Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles and got a nod for the first American benefit preview Nov. 23. Save-the-date cards are already out for the pre-show supper and intermission party. At the bottom is the message, “Thanks, Mr. Webber!”

Barbara and Marvin Davis are promising another “Sunset” dazzler, albeit without some of her stunning $10 million in jewels that were stolen from the couple on the French Riviera earlier this month.

Before she left for France, Davis was ecstatic about her patron supper at the Century Plaza, accompanying the benefit preview Nov. 30. The fund-raiser is for diabetes--the Davises’ long-time primary charity. Funds will go to the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes in Denver, to the Royal College of Physicians in London and to four groups in Los Angeles--the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation International, the American Diabetes Assn. California Affiliate Inc., the UCLA Diabetes Center and the Diabetes Unit at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Barbara Davis hopes to bring back the glitz of the 1920s with her “Glamorous Hollywood” theme, vintage cars and a replica of the famous gates of Paramount Studios.

“We feel exceedingly fortunate to already have 25 corporate sponsors at $25,000 each,” Davis said, reeling off all 25. Just a few, though they’re all equal: Creative Artists Agency, MGM, NBC, Occidental Petroleum, Revlon, Sony, Toyota, Walt Disney, Warner Bros.

There are more “Sunset” evenings for charity: Vista Del Mar Associates and its President Gayle Rogers and benefit co-chairs Suzanne Sidy and Carol Mann expect a sellout for their dinner benefit Nov. 28 to aid emotionally disturbed children. And The Regents Council of Mount St. Mary’s College is planning its benefit night Dec. 3, the day after the show’s official gala opening.

*

HOPE: Delegates to the City of Hope’s 80th-birthday party at the Beverly Hilton on Saturday turned out in black-tie to hear Dr. C. Everett Koop, former U.S. surgeon general, elucidate on health care. The party was part of the medical center’s three-day biennial convention held Saturday through Monday.

The problem, Koop said, is “there’s a gap in what we would like to see happen and what we can afford.” Stating that he had concluded that “20 to 30 of what we do (medical care) is unnecessary,” he then jabbed at HMOs: “One of my concerns is that there is no longer anyone acting for the patient.” He said poverty lies at the root of most of the nation’s health problems.

Richard S. Ziman, City of Hope’s chairman of the board, headed the dais. Norm Crosby and Carol Lawrence entertained and Connie Stevens read the medical center’s founding articles. Delegates blew out candles on cakes, knowing they had a 6:30 a.m. wake-up call the next morning to tour City of Hope in Duarte.

Leaders in the crowd: Hope’s president Dr. Sanford M. Shapero, Iris and Gene Rothstein, Michael and Terri Kaplan, Claire Rothman and Dr. Ed Hill, and Isadore and Shirley Familian.

Some also dropped in on the western “Steppin’ Up for Hope” party organized for 500 of the younger crowd by Jules Freeman, son of Izzy Freeman, convention cabinet chairman.

*

IN COURT: Sherry Lansing and Lilly Tartikoff are polishing up a terrific summer evening. With Ronald Perelman (chairman and CEO of Revlon) they chair “An Evening at the Net,” the opening of the Volvo Tennis/Los Angeles Tournament at UCLA’s Tennis Center on Aug. 2.

Funds go to the Revlon/UCLA Women’s Cancer Research Program, which concentrates on improving diagnosis and therapy for breast and ovarian cancer.

Already Lansing and Tartikoff have Celine Dion and Garry Shandling for entertainment. The pro/am doubles will feature Chris Evert in a celebrity match.

*

TRACK-SIDE: Down at Del Mar Racetrack, excitement surrounds the unveiling of the track’s new $80-million grandstand at Wednesday’s season opener. There’s plenty of excitement, too, about the $1-million Pacific Classic on Aug. 21. Del Mar Thoroughbred Club’s board chairman John C. Mabee and the club’s president and general manager Joseph W. Harper will join E. Allan Royster, president of the 22nd District Agricultural Assn. board, Tuesday evening for opening-night fanfare.

*

FAMILY TRADITION: John Wayne’s children are producing a second generation of support for the John Wayne Cancer Institute. Teresa, Maria and Christopher Wayne, offspring of Gretchen and Michael Wayne (he’s the late actor’s son) have helped found Chapter II, a nonprofit group, to raise money and awareness for psychosocial support programs for cancer patients.

Friday evening, with Andy Sands at the helm, the group kicked off its activities with a Casino Night party at the Olympic Collection. Founders: Colleen Calkins, Marcie Croutch, Steve Gelon, Neal Green, Jill Grey, Brigid La Cava, Jode Mann, Janine Perkal, Three M. Tyler, Brad Sokolow, Susan Thacker, Jane Urman and Sandra Zimmerman. Many are the sons and daughters of longtime supporters of the John Wayne Cancer Institute Auxiliary.