The Kazanjian Foundation - Beverly Hills Sheet Official Website

Marilyn Lewis
Honored
The National Association of
Business Owners, honored
Marilyn Lewis by placing her in
their Hall of Fame. Never more
a deserving person. Marilyn
has been a mentor for so many
for 50 years. She not only has
been a great mentor, she has
served the community in so
many ways. She even guaranteed
a loan for over a hundred
thousand dollars for the
Southeast Symphony to buy their
first building, for the children to
have their rehearsals and
recitals. She has been a true
value to all communities. She
now prides herself with the joy
of her two sons running both
Kate Mantilini's and the
Gardens on Glendon, and of
course her better half, Harry.
Dennis Gilbert and daughter Hailey
RBI Dinner
Reviving Baseball in the inner City
Dodger Broadcaster Charley Steiner and Coco Crisp
(L to R ) Former Dodger Great Ron Cey, Terry and Ken Landreaux
Marilyn Lewis
Even Marilyn is a RBI Fan Darryl and Tracy Strawberry
Photos Earl Heath
Karen and Don Newcombe
DALE OLSON
Reading CHARLOTTE CHANDLER'S personal biography of JOAN
CRAWFORD, vividly reminded me of the impact left by Crawford both on and
off screen. Aptly titled "NOT THE GIRL NEXT DOOR," (Simon &
Schuster) it's pure Crawford, the distinct and unforgettable one of a kind epitome
of a movie star who always said, "If you want the girl next door, go next door."
I can't claim to have been a friend of Crawford, but I once was on the
receiving end of the famous personal notes on her little blue stationery Joan
sent to anyone she considered helpful to her career. Bravo, Joan, you sure
knew how to merchandise yourself in a business that historically chews up
those who never learned how to play the game. I saved those little notes (who
wouldn't?) in a hefty Joan Crawford file until my office was robbed by a very
selective burglar, who ignored dozens of clients and friends like Shirley
MacLaine, Rock Hudson, Steve McQueen and Laurence Olivier, snatching only
those of Crawford, Steve Allen and Gene Kelly - so, dear reader, if you find
a little blue note with Joan Crawford embossed at the top and a dedication
to "Dear Dale" as you surf E-Bay, let me know. It belongs to me. Meanwhile,
if you want to know what a real movie star is like, read Charlotte's new book.
True to the incisive personal style of the earlier earlier celebrated bios of
Bette Davis, Alfred Hitchcock, Ingrid Bergman, Fellinni, Groucho and his
zany brothers that have made Chandler the foremost movie biographer of
our day, she totally captures the personal Crawford, as well as the fiercely
competitive, driving personality that made sent her to the top. To do this,
Charlotte only writes about people she has known, tells her subject's story
in her own words, carefully gathered and saved from personal encounters
through the years. Interspersed are the observations of peers, friends and
family, in this case never before published memories from Crawford's
husbands, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Franchot Tone, Phillip Terry and
Pepsicola President Alfred Steele, who couldn't compete with her stardom,
but who all loved her passionately and understood her enough to remain
friends. To underline the Crawford reign as Queen of Hollywood, UCLA Film/
Television Dean Robert Rosen launched publication of the book with a
standing room only seminar featuring co-star Cliff Robertson ("Autumn
Leaves"); Los Angeles Times respected veteran film critic, Kevin Thomas;
legendary publicist Warren Cowan, credited with the first independent "Oscar"
campaign that resulted in Crawford's Academy Award for "Mildred Pierce";
longtime Crawford secretary, Betty Barker, archivist Sean Sobek, and even a
loving grandchild in a seminar tribute to the star that surely would have seen a
bevy of little blue notes fluttering from Crawford's prolific pen. . If you love the
movies and if you love people who are bigger than life, you'll love "Not the Girl
Next Door," which Joan Crawford certainly wasn't. I can't wait for Chandler's
next tome, which will be a closer look at another screen legend, the inimitable
Mae West* * *Everyone knows that entertainment publicists are always on the
run, but JULIAN MYERS, who turned 90 in February and is still out there
selling Hollywood with vim, vigor and enthusiasm, is certainly proving the point.
To celebrate his impressive natal day, Julian began a jaunt from San Diego that’s
ended up in March a Philippe's, the site of the original French dip sandwich, in
downtown LA. When his sweet bride, Patsy, invited 290 of his pals to greet the
end of his marathon. Julian called it an "AMIGO DAY" celebration, plugging
the organization promoting friendship that has been his passion for as long as
I've known him. By the looks of the crowd that filled all of Philippe's parking lots,
the stairs, top floor and the lines downstairs waiting for their French dips, they
all came, maybe the biggest collection of yesterday, today and perhaps
tomorrow Hollywood press agents, who collectively have been marketing
movies, music and TV and their stars since almost the time Hollywood began.
From the legendary Warren Cowan to reps from the studios, networks, indies
and music companies, I had fun reminiscing with people I've known for the 50
years I've been in this business (l958) and what a joy it was. Yes, Julian
is certainly the right person to be promoting Amigo Day because the day certainly
proved that he has made a lot of amigos in this business over the years and
they haven't forgotten him. I think I even saw his devoted clients like Dennis
Weaver and Richard Mulligan in the lines for French dips and baked apples.
Way to go, Julian. We all love you and Patsy and wish you another 90
years* * *Wasn't it grand, wasn't it lovely and wasn't it elegant when our
publisher, La Vetta Forbes, took over both the Regency Club and the penthouse
of the stately Murdoch Building and turned it into a cabaret starring the
inimitable NANCY WILSON AND CARL REINER benefit for the SOUTHEAST
SYMPHONY, at 60 years the longest continually performing multi-ethnic
symphony in the country. Regency staffers said they had never seen anything
like it and even one member couple of the exclusive club, who shall forever go
unnamed, was so taken with the unusual event, which an exclusive audience
of multi-ethnic civic leaders shelled out $3,000 per couple to attend, they
crashed the party. Wilson, who is celebrating her 71 th birthday, was in rare form
in a dazzling red La Vetta gown. She performed standards and special
material, and Reiner in equally top form with his witty bon mots, while radio's
popular "Music of the Night" host Chuck Southcott made all the right introductions.
Southcott also presided when the famed KAZANJIAN family and their
Foundation supporting young musicians was honored. Third generation
Douglas Kazanjian accepted the award, an amazing Swarovski crystal open
grand piano, while l7 year old Marvin Brown entertained the crowd with his
amazing virtuosity. Brown exemplifies the prodigies supported by the
Kazanjian's, whose unique display of current and celebrity estate jewels were
available to the affluent crowd with a hefty percentage going to the Symphony.
Sponsors and big spenders got to mingle intimately with Wilson, as well as such
guests as Lois and Buzz Aldrin, Daryl and Rhonda (Fleming) Carlson, Elizabeth
and Cat Pollon (who bought the amazing solid ruby frog band ), the following
night at the lavish art-filled Century Hill home of BARBARA AND Dr. PETER
FODOR, longtime supporters of the Southeast Symphony. Bravo to chair Terry
L. King, Co-Chairs Marilyn Lewis and Barbara Lockhart and one and all for one
of the most elegant events the town has seen in years* * * Former Women In
Film President PATRICIA BARRY and I joined many of the ladies of the
industry when PETER GUBER, certainly one of the moguls of today's
movie world, opened his lavish Bel Air home (or at least part of it) to welcome the
female Academy Award nominees. We wandered the lavish structure
housing Guber's awards, from "Oscar" to Golden Globe and everything
else, in the tasteful, masculine setting of Guber's home business and
entertainment center and lavish screening room, making me feel we were
in the modern world's San Simeon, the overly-gilt and audacious
castle-like residence of an earlier mogul we've all heard about.