Everybody Agreed--the Dress Was Him

The Scene: The Los Angeles premiere of “Mrs. Doubtfire,” 20th-Century Fox’s big holiday Robin Williams-in-drag vehicle, Monday night at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Who Was There: The cast, including Harvey Fierstein, Pierce Brosnan and Robert Prosky; producer/star Robin Williams and his producer/wife Marsha; guests Buddy Ebsen, Dolly Parton, Carrie Fisher, Dennis Hopper, James Wood, Daphne Zuniga, Lauren Hutton, Tim Curry and John Lithgow, and the usual assortment of agents, lawyers, producers, managers and publicists, among them Mike Ovitz; Ron Meyer; Sandy Gallin; the Gersh famille of agents-- pere Phil and fils Bob and David; Barry Levinson; Barry Haldeman; Paul Bloch; Lynda Obst; Al Ruddy; John Goldwyn; Joe Roth, and Mark Johnson; Fox honchos Bill Mechanic, Peter Chernin and Tom Jacobson.

Audience Review: A custom fit for Robin Williams, accompanied by “Robin Williams is brilliant” raves. Although many thought that the movie started out slowly, it didn’t matter because the star is staggering to watch. “Without him, you might as well burn it,” opined one amateur reviewer.

Self Review: “I think it played well. When it kicks in, it kicks in hard,” Williams said.

Overheard: “I told you on ‘Home Alone,’ don’t worry, don’t worry. This is like a shooting star. Just hold on to it and let it take you,” said Tom Sherak, executive vice president of 20th-Century Fox Films to the unworried looking “Doubtfire” director, Chris Columbus.

Media Frenzy: A TV reporter fishing for quotes on Williams’ performance asked famous types before the movie started, “Well, you’ve seen the trailer, how do you think he does?”

Shoe Watch: Aside from a few leftover mules from last year, women trotted out more black lace-up boots than you’d find on an English moor. Garry Shandling made a personal shoe statement by rejecting the crocodile moccasin trend favored by highly paid men in the entertainment business and opting for a brand-new pair of white Nikes with his greenish Armani suit.

Hit: It began to rain at 7:43 p.m., precisely one minute after all the guests entered the theater.