Bean cancels, but vaudeville show goes on

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Even though Orson Bean has stepped out of the spotlight, the

vaudeville show must go on, say Alex Film Society organizers.

Society President Randy Carter said Bean had to bow out of the

“Vaudeville Extravaganza” on Sept. 20 at The Alex Theatre in Glendale

because it conflicted with a play he is performing in.

“He was doing our event pro bono, and he has a performance for

that play on that same Saturday night of our event and had to

cancel,” Carter said.

The show marks the kick off for the film society’s 2003-04 season.

Now in its fourth year, the show pays tribute to The Alex Theatre’s

roots as a vaudeville/movie palace. On the program are musicians Ian

Whitcomb and the Bungalow Boys, magician Danny Cole, balloon man Skip

Banks, math wizard Arthur Benjamin and visual comedian Chipper

Lowell.

Culminating the evening is a screening of a rare print from the

Library of Congress of Laurel and Hardy’s “Sons of the Desert”

(Paramount, 1933).

Tickets are $17.50, $10 for children and $15 for society members.

Visit www.alexfilm society.org online, or call 243-2539 for tickets.

*

Four artists give their impressions of nature in the exhibit

opening Friday at Descanso Gardens’ Boddy House Gallery in La Canada

Flintridge.

Trish Kertes returns to the gallery with “Flowers and Fields,

Mountains and Streams -- The Painted Landscape,” a collection of

landscapes and still lifes in oil.

Leona Sanderson exhibits watercolors featuring floral renderings

with still-life objects including antiques. Her work also includes

landscapes, prints and cards.

Jim Heuston, an artist skilled in many media, will show his

ceramics in this exhibit. Heuston has taught four years at the Roger

Barkley Community Center in La Canada Flintridge.

Chris Hogan also is skilled in many artistic media, but

concentrates on transforming gourds into colorful, contemp- orary

reflections of Navajo artifacts.

At least one of these artists will be at the gallery during open

hours. The gallery is on the main floor of the 22-room mansion built

in 1937 as a family home by Descanso Gardens founder E. Manchester

Boddy. It is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily and admission is free with

gardens admission. This show continues through Sept. 25.

Descanso Gardens is at 1418 Descanso Drive, La Canada Flintridge.

Hours are from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. Parking is free. Admission

fees are $6, $4 for seniors and students, $1.50 for children 5 to 12

and free for members and children 4 and younger. Class and

special-event fees include gardens admission. For information, call

949-4200 or visit www.descansogardens.org.

* JOYCE RUDOLPH’s column appears Wednesdays. For events happening

this weekend, read her 48 Hours column Saturdays. Reach her at

637-3241.