Boys and Girls Club Marks ‘Magic’ 50th Year of Service

Actress Patty Duke, president of the Screen Actors Guild, is honorary chairman today when the Boys and Girls Club of Hollywood celebrates 50 years of service to youth. The dinner dance, “It’s Magic,” honors the Assistance League of Southern California, founder of the club.

The fete at the Beverly Hills Hotel, headed by Michael J. Rawson, will salute the opening/dedication of the club’s new unit, the Boys and Girls Club of Echo Park. President Joe Houser has announced that Kevin Dobson will be master of ceremonies. Among those involved: Mrs. Robert L. Hicks, Mrs. Thomas C. Leahy, Carl Terzian, Mark V. Chow, Robert E. Petersen and Mrs. C. Paul Vogel.

A SWITCH: The show must go on. And so when dynamic duo Lucie Arnaz and Laurence Luckinbill (real-life husband and wife), currently starring in “Social Security” at the Ahmanson, couldn’t make it for health reasons for the Center Theatre Group Volunteers installation celebration luncheon at the Regency Club, Arthur Tracy, the show’s elderly artist, stepped in to amuse: “I’m not as young as I look, but I’m not as old as you think,” he joshed. “Before you stands a boy 84 years young. . . . See the snow on my roof; I still have fire, and I still chase girls and I remember why.” With more than 50 years in show business, he regaled the group on what was said to be a half-hour’s notice.

President Roberta Haft didn’t so much as blink at the near-calamity; she asked her husband David, who’s chairman of the Center Theatre Group board of directors, to introduce Tracy and she had Martin Manulis (producer of “Playhouse 90”), new artistic co-director of the Ahmanson, for strong backup to announce the Mark Taper Forum six-play season, including “Hunting Cockroaches” and “The Piano Lesson,” and the Ahmanson’s presentations including “The Best Man” and “Coastal Disturbances.”

President Haft also revealed that Center Theatre Group Volunteers have raised more than $250,000 this year, in addition to lobbying, encouraging theater subscriptions and celebrating their 20th anniversary gala.

Now, she passes the gavel to Kelly Schiffer, whose board will include Beth Pressman, June Arden, Sharon Reisz and Ellie Goldman.

CHANGING OF THE GUARD: Nan Corman, wife of Gene, vice president of Twentieth Century Fox Television, is new president of Cinema Circulus, USC support group. . . . Betty Strub received the Los Angeles Orphanage Guild gavel from Ruth LeSage at a luncheon at Jimmy’s honoring new provisionals including Mrs. Paul J. Conn, Mrs. Craig Caldwell, Mrs. Martin May, Evelyn Mitchell McCarthy, Mrs. Arthur Frechette, Mrs. G. Warren Hassler, Mrs. Griffith Bolton and Mrs. Harris Boyne. . . . At a tea in Dolores and Bob Hope’s Toluca Lake gardens, Kitty Criswell was installed president of Saint Joseph Medical Center Guild. . . . Christine Hansen became prexy of Fashionettes of Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center at a Bistro luncheon. . . . Katie Osterloh hosted a farewell and thank you luncheon at Bel-Air Bay Club as outgoing president of the Paulist Women’s Club.

NOTABLES: Richard W. Carlson, director of Voice of America, addresses the Los Angeles World Affairs Council Friday at the Biltmore, following this week’s appearance of Gen. John T. Chain Jr., commander in chief, Strategic Air Command, at the Sheraton Grande. . . . Richard Hill, executive director of Pacific Lodge Boys’ Home, is popping his buttons about the grand opening Saturday of the $1.1-million Activity Center and Gymnasium in Woodland Hills. It means more classrooms and vocational and sports training for the 200 adolescent boys receiving residential and therapeutic care.

CIRCLE RED: In its earliest years, fund-raisers for St. Elizabeth Day Nursery, the oldest facility of its kind in Los Angeles after 80 years of continuous operation, sold pencils throughout the city. Now, most funding comes from the board’s benefit party. It’s to be “An Old California Evening” with dinner and dancing June 27 at the Gilmore Adobe of Farmer’s Market. Proceeds will go to educate 76 youngsters from low-income families. Involved are Betty Lokrantz, president; Peggy Bartenetti, party chair, and Eve Craig, Joan Caldwell, Carol Enright, Jennifer Chumbook, Pat Brennan, Sue Forgie, Cathy Cappel, Shirley Dalton, Betsy Mullin, Barbara Bernard, Marilyn King, Cicely Gargaro, Adelaide Smith, Connie Reese, Bonnie Laos, Lila Liechti. . . .

Neiman-Marcus hosts the premiere United States showing of historic and contemporary crystal from the French crystal house of Daum Inc., beginning next Thursday at an exclusive champagne reception in The Galleries on Level Four. Then the 21 pieces from the Art Nouveau and Art Deco eras will be exhibited until June 29. They’re to be auctioned in Tokyo Oct. 7 by the French auction house of Ader Picard Tajan. One piece to be shown is the vase, “The Nettle and the Spider: Homage to Victor Hugo,” c. 1910. It sold in Tokyo in 1984 for $250,000.

TRAVELS: Ingrid and Paul Mitchell of Rolling Hills have received an invitation from King Olav V of Norway for a visit later this month. Last spring they commissioned a bronze sculpture of his royal highness by J. Paul Nesse and donated it to Concordia College (founded by Norwegian immigrants in 1891) in Moorhead, Minn. Ingrid (Miss Minnesota of 1941) and daughter Heidi also plan to attend the Royal Ascot Races at the invitation of the Earl and Countess of Normanton. . . . Madame Sylvia Wu is back from New York and the wedding of her goddaughter Jeanette Sui, the adopted daughter of her longtime friend, the late Madame Sun Yat-sen.

PAST PERFECT: Father James Loughran, president of Loyola Marymount University, hosted dinner and dancing on the Westchester campus to say thank you to volunteers. Receiving recognition were outgoing chairmen Thomas F. Grojean of the board of trustees and Charles K. Von Der Ahe, board of regents. Welcomed were new trustees chairman Roland Seidler and new regents chairman Craig E. Caldwell. Among guests were chairman of the Fine Arts Council Suzanne Marx, Father Donald P. Merrifield, Charles Redmond and the Most Rev. Carl A. Fisher, new auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles.

RAH RAH: “A Class Act” and the Mustang Round-Up were filled with nostalgia. Some 250 from the John Muir High School classes of ’51 and ’52 found cheer and camaraderie in their reunion. Among the famed: Merlin Robertson, John Van de Kamp, Art Withrow, Helen Pashgian, Roy Reeves, Terry Clancy, Greg Doerschlag, Clark Feland, Ron Lane, Beverly States McKeon, Anne Stuart Wheatcroft and Barbara Bart Wright. A photographer was on duty to record the present.

PLAUDITS: To Robert M. McIntyre, recipient Tuesday at the Biltmore of the Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce’s highest civic honor, the Award of Merit, not given every year. . . . To Donald P. Loker as the California Medical Center renamed its Southern California Cancer Center the Donald P. Loker Cancer Center in a ceremony for 150 members of the USC School of Medicine community. CMC President William Haug also recognized the $500,000 gift to the Loker Center from Mr. and Mrs. Leonis Malburg; it helped fund remodeling of the center. . . . To John G. Peetz, recognized for a “heart of gold” at the 13th annual American Heart Assn. recognition dinner at the Biltmore. . . . To poet Sherley Anne Williams, physician Madison Richardson and retired Superior Court Judge Earl Broady (who recently gave Howard University a $1-million endowment), all honored at the annual Charter Day Awards dinner at the Stouffer Concourse Hotel, hosted by Howard Alumni Club of Southern California. Keynoter was Mississippi Congressman Mike Espy, a Howard graduate. . . . To Ray Bradbury, named Author of the Year by University Women of the University of Judaism and toasted and roasted by author Norman Corwin and humorist Stan Freberg.

MAJOR MOVERS: Travelers Aid Society of Los Angeles commemorates the 40th anniversary of commercial air service at Los Angeles International Airport at its summer celebration dinner/auction July 12 at the Beverly Hilton. Clifton A. Moore, executive director for the Los Angeles Department of Airports, is honorary chairman. More than 300 Travelers Aid volunteers staff the eight terminals at LAX as well as support offices in Downtown Los Angeles, Ontario International Airport and a drop-in center for runaway youth in Hollywood. Fred and June MacMurray, Gene Autry, Loretta Young and Cesar Romero are expected to attend. . . .

Sherwin Seyrafi’s ninth annual Bel-Air Bash Saturday salutes Hollywood’s 100th anniversary. A sponsor of the Film Advisory Board, Seyrafi will join with Elayne Blythe, board president, to present awards of excellence to the ABC Special “Happy Birthday, Hollywood” and the CBS program “Photoplay.” Jack Haley Jr., executive producer of both, will be there, as will Johnny Grant, chairman of the 100th anniversary and honorary mayor of Hollywood. More expected are John Hamlin, Ann Miller, Angie Dickinson, Pamela Mason, Sir Michael Teilmann and Ron Blomgren, as well as Dr. and Mrs. Khalil Seyrafi.

ESCALATION: With so many parties and benefits, the next generation’s gotta dance. And so the Regency Club in Westwood is announcing fall Cotillion classes. They start Oct. 19 for four weeks. Carol Walt Montez, past chairman of the USC dance department, will direct--folk, square, swing, cha cha, waltz, fox trot, polka, rock, rumba, samba, tango--and a tad of etiquette and a splurge of poise. It’s to be white gloves, coat and tie, and respect for your elders.

KEEPING UP: D.O.L.L.S., Inc. (Dedicating Our Loyal, Loving Service) honors 28 Southland students at a scholarship luncheon next Thursday at Fung Lum’s Restaurant. Bette Jeane Peterson heads the committee. . . . The Los Angeles branch of the English-Speaking Union fetes diplomats of Commonwealth nations posted in Los Angeles at a garden party Sunday at the Paul Williams-designed home of Ed Ridgway, according to Mrs. Luigi Gentile. . . . The six Sandpiper Debs honored at the 26th annual Sandpiper Debs Medallion Presentation Dinner Dance at Manhattan Beach Country Club were Francesca Hutchins, Linda Newcomb, Lisa Renyer, Sherri Scott, Stefani Stratton and Angie Folson.