Fred MacMurray to Have His Night to Shine at Jewel Gala
Things are moving right along for Jewel Gala III, honoring Fred MacMurray (the “Mr. Nice Guy” who’s played Dad in so many movies and who’s also hit four holes-in-one). The gala is Friday at the Beverly Hilton International Ballroom. Friends of Fine Arts at USC have named President and Mrs. Ronald Reagan honorary chairmen. After what’s labeled “Opening Surprise,” guests will dine on a five-star gourmet dinner and savor an all-star show produced by Jack Haley Jr., featuring Florence Henderson, George Gobel and other special Friends. Monty Hall is master of ceremonies. Ray Anthony and his orchestra will play for dancing. Gala chairman Mrs. Happy I. Franklin, who has June Haver MacMurray as her co-chairman, is suggesting “very black tie.”
BIG STAKES: Straight off the Breeders’ Cup race track at Santa Anita where’s he’s president of the Los Angeles Turf Club, Robert P. Strub is on a different track as auction chairman for the Los Angeles Boy Scout Gala black-tie dinner and auction Nov. 15 at the Sheraton-Universal. Radio personality Roger Barkley will be auctioneer. Involved too are Ron Cedillos, John Davies, Richard Davis and William Simpson.
FOR CANCER: Mrs. Gabriel C. Duque, president of Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles, is honorary chairman for the Alpha Delta Pi Southern California Area Council benefit luncheon Tuesday at the Music Center, supporting Ronald McDonald Camp for Good Times and the cancer services at the hospital. Mrs. Fred Schiller and Mrs. Kenneth Cox are co-chairmen. Actress/author Mala Powers is booked to speak.
ESCALATION: Gene Kelly comes for “Tea at 3” Tuesday at the Beverly Hills home of Mike and Millie Hersch. It’s the beginning of a new series of special events launched by the Women of the Diamond Circle for the City of Hope to stimulate fund raising.
ON THE MOVE: J. Thomas McCarthy and Ivan J. Houston sponsor “An Afternoon With Alex Haley” Friday on behalf of Junipero Serra High School in Gardena. He’ll speak on “The Survival of the Family” at the school’s annual luncheon supporting minority education. . . . Herman Ryman, the original concept designer/artist for Disneyland (Roy Disney took his sketches to New York to get bank backing), will be honored at a champagne reception Tuesday when the Heritage Upstairs Gallery, 8540 Melrose Ave., inaugurates a retrospective of his film years. . . . Eleven popular restaurants and 30 California wineries are enhancing Fall Food & Wine Festival ‘86, hosted by the Parkway Grill Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. to benefit Huntington Memorial Hospital’s Rehabilitation Center.
PERSONALITIES: Ambassador John Gavin (former U.S. ambassador to Mexico) received the “Life Spirit” Award from Santa Marta Hospital and Foundation this week at the Beverly Wilshire, and Sir Daniel J. Donohue, papal knight, received the Founders Award . . . Loyola Marymount’s Father Maurice Chase introduced Mrs. William French Smith a few days ago to the Downtown Women’s Center at Fourth and Los Angeles streets, and they lunched with Bettina Chandler, chairman of the board, and Jill Halverson, founder-director. The center has a fund-raising dinner upcoming.
FUN TIMES: Joanna Carson and the House of Harry Winston host cocktails today at the jeweler’s Trump Tower Petit Salon in New York to celebrate publication of “The Golden Circle,” a new novel by Ferne Kadish and Kathleen Kirtland about the behind-the-scenes of the elite art world. . . . Michael Novarese fashions will be tempting Ladies Society of the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church of Northridge Nov. 15 at the Beverly Wilshire. Funds will go to the poor. Peggy Lagos is taking reservations. . . . Jane Popovich and Betty Kearney celebrated the opening of their new Armoire at the Commons in Pasadena, 142 S. Lake, with cocktails Wednesday evening. Now Barbara DeForest and Janet Fitzgerald have nabbed Jane to do a fashion show luncheon at the nearby la Couronne restaurant Nov. 15 to raise funds for the Westridge chapter of the American Field Service. . . . Supporters of the Foundation for the Prevention of Drug Abuse by Children assemble 100 friends at the Bistro Garden Pavilion Wednesday evening. They’ll introduce Project Prevent, a pilot project being used in the Santa Monica junior high schools and soon to be available to other communities. Attending for sure will be co-founders Dr. James E. Gardner and Rodney Berle, and their wives--Rosalind and Diane--and supporters including Home Savings President Mario Antoci and his wife, Diane; Stephen and Kitty Moses, Ira Distenfield, Stephen and Diane Reissman. . . . The night before the Cal-USC football game, Cal alumni will party at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Vodhanel in Hancock Park. Chancellor Ira Michael Heyman will be leading the Cal forces. The affair is designed by the Donald Keenes and the Duncan Shaws Jr. to raise funds for the Cal Band, which will be serenading round the pool.
BUSY CITY: The National Center for Hyperactive Children’s sixth annual Gift of Love black-tie dinner auction Saturday at the Sheraton Grande honors Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera, the proliferators of hundreds of cartoon characters, including the Flintstones and Yogi Bear. Martyn Weinberg of Taft Entertainment is corporate chair and the goal is $200,000. . . . The National Charity League Los Angeles Chapter will have a veritable toyland stocked with more than 600 animals and dolls Saturday morning at the “Raggedy Ann Affair.” Mrs. Charles Eley is chairman of the mother-daughter event to view dolls they’ve restored in workshops before distribution at Christmas. . . . The Brenton Ogdens host a 75th-anniversary reception for Pine Manor College Friday and will welcome Rosemary Ashby, Pine Manor president. . . . Barnard College Alumnae Club of Los Angeles entertains at a theater and supper party Sunday at the Back Alley Theater in Van Nuys. Members will view “Days and Nights Within,” produced by Laura Zucker, Barnard graduate. They’ll also fete R. Christine Royer, director of admissions, and Irma Moore, director of alumnae affairs.
UPDATE: Dorothy Shrier and Muriel Shapiro plan “A Night at the Opera” for the Opera Associates Sunday at Verdi Restaurant in Santa Monica. . . . Eva Marie Saint addresses the Los Angeles chapter of the Brandeis University National Women’s Committee today at its Author and Celebrity Award Luncheon at the Beverly Wilshire. . . . Kalman and Bernelle Krause of Santa Ana receive kudos Friday at the Century Plaza at the 21st annual “Humanitarian of the Year” dinner, sponsored by the Home Furnishings Industry Chapter for the City of Hope. . . . Friends of STEPup on Second Street (a center for adults recovering from mental illness) stage a wine tasting Sunday afternoon at the Chronicle Restaurant in Santa Monica.
