Ball, Wolper in C of C Awards Spotlight

Two major talents will be recognized March 1 by the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce and Civic Assn. At a black-tie Silver Anniversary Ball at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, the chamber will present its Will Rogers Memorial Award to Lucille Ball, the red-haired cut-up, and its Citizen of the Year Award to master showman David Wolper, who lit up the Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

In a nice coincidence, David Orgell, the English silver expert, is president of the chamber on this its silver anniversary. Orgell says that traditionally one of the late Will Rogers’ sons, Will Rogers Jr. or James Rogers, presents the award named for their father, which is given for “individual achievement in the entertainment industry.” Warren Ackerman is chairing the Silver Anniversary Ball.

In this year of the Ox, that bulky bovine takes precedence over the traditional Chinese dragon at the start of the Chinese New Year (4683). But don’t feel sorry for the dragon. He can hold his own in any year.

The dragon who sailed around the party room at Madame Wu’s Garden on Sunday night followed the smiling ox who was being led around by young Alex Wong. But even in second place this fierce dragon (he’ll be making appearances all week at the restaurant) made his mark. Riding high (and supported by two agile men) he shook his head wildly, rolled his eyes madly, snaked around the guests and made a smashing impression on everybody.

This Chinese New Year celebration, hosted by Madame Wu and the Marymount High School Alumnae Assn., was number five in the annual series benefitting the Loretta Wu Wong (Marymount Class of ‘62) Scholarship Fund. Susan Tellem Grody, president of the Alumnae Assn., explained that 14% of the high school’s students are on scholarships. That was just before she introduced honorary co-chairmen Fred MacMurray and his wife, June Haver, who were at the party with Katie, one of their twin daughters and a 1974 Marymount graduate. The MacMurrays introduced King and Sylvia Wu, their sons Patrick and George, grandsons Jonathan and Alex Wong and the boys’ father, Dr. Marcus Wong, and his wife, Ann. There were thanks, too, for Mrs. Morton Phillips (Dear Abby), who sent her contribution to the evening in the form of a check.

Then it was 10-year-old Jonathan’s turn to thank his grandparents for honoring his late mother. His delivery and poise was A-plus. Jonathan’s brother, Alex, 8, turned over a list of additional donors and Fred MacMurray read off their names, among them Dr. and Mrs. G. G. Chu, Vidal Sassoon, George Shaw and Alex Eu of Singapore. Co-honorary chairs Joan and Jack Quinn, parents of twin daughters currently enrolled at Marymount, wound up the speeches.

Father Maurice Chase, who was at Dale and Charles Snodgrass’ table, delivered the blessing and then it was on to a grand Peking duck feast. Lily Lee Chen, former mayor of Monterey Park and now a councilwoman, was with her husband, Paul. Marymount was represented by its principal, Sister Colette McManus. The Snodgrasses were accompanied by daughter Marie Tramz, Guadalupe Hank and her son Hector and her fiance Darwin Shannon, Frank and Suzy Cross and the Larry Irwins. Around the Quinns’ table were her mother, Mrs. J. C. Agajanian; Contessa Cohn, Nat Dumont, Margo and Michael O’Connell and Tom and Margaret Larkin. At other tables were Marymount graduates Gail Clifford Hutton and Mary Frances Gage, the Henry Bergers, Jacques Camus, Suzanne Marx and her son Eric, Judge and Mrs. Edward Brand, Craig and Georganna Clifford.

Irene Dunne’s annual Valentine’s party turned musical this year with the addition of Joe Moshay and his violin and two more musicians. Frances Bergen wrote new lyrics for Irene and sang them to the tune of “It Had to Be You.” And, with Earle Jorgensen, Frances also led the community sing. Later, Irene sang and her choice was “Lovely to Look At,” the song the late Jerome Kern wrote for her.

There were some new faces this time--Harriet and Armand Deutsch, Jane Dart, CBS’ Huell Howell, Scripps College president John Chancellor. Some familiar faces were missing-- Jimmy and Gloria Stewart (they were in New York), Bob and Betty Adams (she had the flu and they sent a singing telegram in their place) and Loretta Young (another victim of the flu). But quite a few of the regulars were happily around--Lorena Nidorf, Bill Frye, Northrop’s Tom Jones and his wife Ruth, Virginia Milner, Marion Jorgensen, Jim Hoover, Alfredo de la Vega, Connie Wald, Jim Wharton, Frank McCarthy, Tucker and Chardee Trainer, Laura Mako and Father Maurice Chase, who took pictures and gave the blessing before dinner. The menu featured Mako’s recipe for chicken prepared with brio by Irene’s long-time chef Melvin. And although the hostess always urges her ladies to wear the same red evening gown each year, this time she was wearing a new red gown designed for her by Jean Louis.

The Social Scramble: Pilar Wayne Stewart drove up from her home in Newport to lunch at the Bistro Garden with Lee Minnelli and Frances Bergen and to confide to her two pals that she is seeking an annulment from Orange County former Judge Stephen Stewart, whom she married last November. When the annulment is granted, Pilar will go back to being known as Mrs. John Wayne. Saturday night the Regency Club was packed with a good-looking crowd.

In the dining room three of Clark Keen’s musicians were playing pretty music and out on the dance floor were Teddy and David Orgell, Doris Mendenhall and a dark-haired date, Geri (Firks) and Dick Brawerman and quite a few other couples. And at tables were the Whittaker Co.’s president and CEO Joseph Alibrandi with his wife and son; Dee and Dick Sherwood; attorney Maurice Harwick and his wife Sue; Harry and Ruth Roman with the Brawermans, Kurt and Betty Niklas and the Orgells.