Feminists’ Show Gets Ready to Hit the Road

Eleanor Smeal has quickly found a producer and backer for her “feminization of power” concept and is about to take the message national via a multimillion-dollar roadshow that kicks off Oct. 14 in Los Angeles.

Smeal, former president of the National Organization for Women, has signed on Los Angeles producer Peg Yorkin (who produced NOW’s 20th anniversary show) to finance the campaign and put together a politics-and-entertainment spectacular that will make stops in at least 14 states by the end of the year.

Don’t expect big stars at all stops, but do look for a convention-like setup and advance teams that stay on to do follow-up organizational work after the big show. Included in the participatory part of the evening will be a request that the members of the audience take the pledge, promising to neither support nor contribute to candidates who don’t support a feminist agenda.

The goal is to “inspire record-breaking numbers of feminists to run at all levels,” Smeal said last week, stressing that the term “feminist” includes male candidates.

The plan, according to Yorkin, is to target only big cities and big states. Among the likely target states are Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Massachusetts, Texas, West Virginia, New York, New Jersey, Georgia, Tennessee--and two prime presidential states, New Hampshire and Iowa.

Los Angeles County sends to Sacramento one-third of the total membership of the state Senate and Assembly, so concentrated efforts here could produce strong results, Smeal and Yorkin said. Any changes in state legislatures in 1988 and 1990, they said, are more important because of the reapportionment that will follow the 1990 federal census.

NOTA BENE--Councilwoman Joy Picus reminded us that our New Year’s resolutions included don’t-forget-the-Valley. And, thanks to her, here’s news from Woodland Hills, where the Artspace Gallery Sept. 18 takes off the wraps on a $3-million retrospective of artist Rufino Tamayo. Operated by the Cultural Foundation adjacent the Warner Center Marriott Hotel, the gallery and its support group, Professionals for the Arts, hosts Tamayo along with Mayor Tom Bradley and former Ambassador to Mexico John Gavin at the gala opening.

NUPTIALS--In California, one can have it all--and even share it with friends, especially if one is Interscope owner Ted Field. An “extraordinarily happy” Field and his new bride, the former Susie Bollman, hosted 200-plus friends Saturday night in a pleated, satin-like tent on the grounds of their new home, the former Harold Lloyd estate in Beverly Hills.

Among those dining on beluga caviar and Dom Perignon were Field’s close friends, novelist Jerzy Kozinski and his wife, Kiki. (They revealed to their table that they had finally gotten married this year after living together 21 years. “When he said to me I want to get married,” Kiki said, “I said to him, ‘To whom?’ ”) Kozinski told Ellen and Norman Cousins (who has just completed a novel about nuns) that he, Kozinski, felt he had little more to say in the novel form. Away from serious conversation, entertainment mega-lawyer Skip Brittenham and a pink mini-clad Heather Thomas danced to rock ‘n’ roll music.

UPCOMING--The Young Musicians Foundation holds its Command Performance Oct. 9 at the Century Plaza Hotel. Barry Manilow does the entertaining, while Carl Reiner hosts. Pierre Cossette produces the evening, which includes the appearances of four noted composers--Elmer Bernstein, Jerry Goldsmith, Pat Williams and David Raskin--each conducting a major hit he’s spun out for TV or films. Chair for the evening is Lorraine Lee, with Shelby Conti and Jean Hazard as co-chairs. . . .

Tickets for the Ray Charles Gala Birthday Celebration set for Sept. 23 at the Hotel Bel-Air and benefiting Ear International, originally priced at $500, are now $250. . . .

Kudos to the Beverly Hills Bar Assn. Barristers, which will share the profits from its Sunday vintage wine auction with Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times, for children with cancer, and with the Bev Hills Bar Assn. Foundation. . . .

The Jonathan Jaques Children’s Cancer Center holds its third annual Children’s Festival Saturday at the Elephant Lot of the Long Beach Convention Center. It’s a real, old-fashioned good time--game booths, a petting zoo and a chili cook-off. . . .

Marjorie Pressman chairs the Beverly Hills-Theatre Guild-Julie Harris Playwright Award Sunday at Greystone Mansion. Honored is The Times’ Charles Champlin, arts editor and columnist. . . .

Actor Dennis Hopper signs his photo-book, “Out of the Sixties,” at the Museum of Contemporary Art Saturday afternoon. . . .

Well-known for her stints at Broadway and Robinson’s in public relations and special events, Suzanne Lewis has been named Director of Public Affairs for The Music Center. (The capital “T” means she is working not for the building, but for the organization, formerly called the Performing Arts Council. Now you know.)