Chanel Boutique Honors AFI

Chanel Boutique joins with Paramount Pictures chief Sherry Lansing to honor the American Film Institute at a preview next Thursday prior to the official opening of the boutique’s new four-story home . . . Hermes’ Rodeo Drive boutique and the Music Center Fraternity of Friends host cocktails this evening for Hermes master designer Henri d’Orignyer . . . Viscount Linley, nephew of Queen Elizabeth II, talks about art patronage to the Costume Council of the L.A. County Museum of Art Monday in Bing Auditorium . . . Artist Hiromichi Yamagata takes over his own L’Orangerie Friday evening to honor Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) and his wife, Vicky.

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FIRST CENTURY: Harrison Gray Otis and his family were in Santa Barbara in the 1870s. He took over the Los Angeles Daily Times shortly after his arrival in Los Angeles in 1881--the membership cut-off year for First Century Families, an organization that preserves the history of early Los Angeles families.

In those days, the press was water-powered and printing occasionally stopped when a fish got caught in the water wheel. Otis called The Times building the Fortress, the staff the Phalanx, his home the Bivouac and his vacation spot in Hollywood the Outpost.

Last week First Century Families paid tribute to the Chandler family. Harrison Gray Otis’s daughter, Marian, married Harry Chandler, one of those who crawled down the chute to remove misguided fish.

Chandler became not only publisher, but a major land owner and a leader in implementing water, hydroelectric power, oil and natural gas, railroads, harbors, architecture and highways in the early growth of Los Angeles. Thus, he was the topic of the luncheon’s three speakers--two of Harry Chandler’s great-grandchildren, Ann Kelsey Babcock and her brother John Carlile Babcock, and luncheon chairman Alyce de Roulet Williamson, wife of Warren Brooks Williamson, a grandson who sat at the head table.

Other prominent family members at the head table included Corinne Chandler Werdel, Norman and Cici Williamson, Doug and Eunice Goodan. More descendants and spouses: Harry and Denise Chandler, Michael and Wendy Chandler, Carolyn and Jeff Barr, Mia Frost, Susan Babcock, Patrick and Chandler Chandler, Robin Williamson, Katy Williamson, and Jonathan and Shannon Williamson. *

CHEERS, ANGELA: Angela Lansbury wore moss green paper taffeta to receive the American Ireland Fund’s Heritage Award, celebrating Irish women. Co-chairs Katherine and Frank Price congratulated her. Mayor Richard Riordan proclaimed American Ireland Fund Day. Restaurateur Jimmy Murphy played host to night owls who heard Constance Towers Gavin as songbird.

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DIRT: Dirt certainly was not a dirty word at the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita where Arcangues, a French 5-year-old stallion making his first start on dirt, scored one of the greatest upsets in American racing history, returning $269.20 to win the $3-million classic. He’s owned by 76-year-old Daniel Wildenstein, a Paris art dealer, who sped to the winner’s circle.

Among a pretty spiffy crowd were Bertrand Berlinguier, deputy chair of the French Jockey Club; Kentucky Gov. Brereton C. Jones and his wife, Elizabeth; former ambassador to Russia Robert M. Strauss; Madeleine and Allen Paulson; Breeders’ Cup founder John Gaines; Clement and Lynn Hirsch; California Sen. Ken and Norma Maddy; Breeders’ Cup president James E. (Ted) Bassett III and his wife, Lucy; Breeders’ Cup executive vice president D.G. Van Clief and his wife, Trish; Ogden Mills (Dinny) Phipps, chairman of the Jockey Club; Sheik Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum; Robert H. Tourtelot and Henry and Barbara de Kwiatkowski.

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ESCALATION: Elizabeth Taylor, Barbara and Marvin Davis and Sandy Gallin were at the forefront of the 1,025 “no-tie” crowd at the Beverly Hilton soiree honoring lyricist Carole Bayer Sager and grossing $400,000 for Big Sisters Guild of Los Angeles . . . Newly appointed women commissioners of Los Angeles city (now numbering 45% of board members) and county (35%) were feted at a reception in the L.A. Central Library Monday evening. . . .

The Projects Council of the Museum of Contemporary Art hosted its “MOCA on Tour” at the homes of Dallas and David Price, Ruth and Jake Bloom, Laura and Jim Maslon, and Cheri and Todd Morgan with a lunch at Riviera Country Club . . . Mike Lowe, Doug Tudor and Adrienne Lee chaired “Halloween at the Hangar” for the Performing Tree Junior Committee. . . . Oguz Celikkol, new consul general of Turkey, hosted a Hancock Park reception for 400 on the 70th anniversary of the Foundation of the Turkish Republic . . . Barbara Eden, Robert Guillaume and Jayne Meadows were center stage at the three Women’s Luncheons for the City of Hope 500 Club . . . Investor Robert Neiman received the San Fernando Valley’s lifetime achievement award for volunteerism.

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IMPERFECT: Franklin Johnson and Bob and Marion Wilson intended the UCLA College of Letters and Science Awards Dinner to launch a tribute to Charles E. Young’s 25th anniversary as UCLA Chancellor. But Young and his wife, Sue, were no-shows, only because they were on stand-by to evacuate their Sherwood Country Club home. (It didn’t burn). Yvonne Lennart and Dean M. Willard stayed in the limelight for honorary fellow awards.

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KEEPING UP: Julio Iglesias performed a concert for the U.S. Marshals Assn. awards gala (sold out at 800, netting $160,000) chaired by Arthur M. Kassel and Craig Meachem . . . Danish Ambassador Peter Dyvig was honored guest of the Scandinavian American Arts Foundation, whose members rallied for “The Golden Age of Danish Painting” exhibition at LACMA . . . Roberta Keester chaired the Jack O’Lantern Ball for the League for Crippled Children . . . Los Angeles Deputy mayor William E. Violante keynoted the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge luncheon.

Mary Lou Loper’s column is published Thursdays.