A N O T H E R B I RT H D AY ! ?
Arleen Grace
Jan Block
Karen Schuber
Warren Beatty
Joan Leopold Brown Elliott Feinman
Roger Corman
Eddie Murphy
Joan Mangum
A FULFILLING FOUR DECADES–Hollywood turned out big time to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Fulfillment Fund. Above (from left): Bradley Cooper, Christine Devine and Robert De Niro were on hand to personally salute Cherna and Dr. Gary Gitnick (pictured top right), who founded the organization empowering youth in 1977. Photos by David Sobel and Nina Prommer
The Fulfillment Fund held its “A Legacy of Changing Lives” gala, honoring the contributions of Cherna and Dr. Gary Gitnick, who founded The Fulfillment Fund in 1977. The event, held at Hollywood’s Ray Dolby Ballroom, raised more than $1.3 millinn and featured two very special guest presenters, Robert De Niro and Bradley Cooper... who both spoke about how Dr. Gitnick personally impacted their lives and shared their passionate support of education. Among the celebs who came out to salute the Gitnicks and the Fulfillment Fund’s 40th anniversary were: Ashley Argota, Lilan Bowden, Cameron Boyce, Jenna Boyd, Christine Devine, Meg Donnelly, Daisy Fuentes, Erica Gimpel, Louis Gossett Jr., Nadia Gray, Ronni Hawk, David Hull, Carla Jeffery, Phillip Keene, Mouzam Makkar, Richard Marx, Emilia McCarthy, Kerri Medders, Rory O’Malley, Lou Diamond Phillips, Sidney Poitier, Anika Noni Rose, Gabrielle Ruiz, Ignacio Serricchio, Nikki SooHoo, Darby Stanchfield, Raven-Symone, Diego Tinoco, and Trevor Tordjman. We enjoyed entertainment by Charles Fox, Rita Wilson, Steven Bishop, and special guests from the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Teri Polo and Sherri Saum were the evening’s hosts and did a terrific job as did auctioneers Grant Snyder and Joshua Rush from the Disney Channel. Among the co-chairs of the celebration were Frank and Kathy Baxter, Edyth and Eli Broad, Susan A. Buffett, Megan and Peter Chernin, Bradley Cooper, Jan and David Crosby, Robert De Niro, Stedman Graham, Frann and Jim Gray, Hawkins Mikita, Kate Hudson, Amy Pascal, Gelila and Wolfgang Puck, Rich Ross, Anne M. Sweeney, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Justin Mikita, and Sally Whitehill and Mark Gordon. The Fulfillment Fund has empowered youth through education for four decades. Their mission is to make college a reality for students growing up in educationally and economically underresourced communities. They want to open young people’s eyes to the possibility of college, change their beliefs about what they can achieve and support them on their path toward a college education.
310.275.0579 • 434 N. CANON DRIVE MON. - THURS. 11:30 AM - 10:00 PM FRI. & SAT. 12:00 PM - 10:00 PM I TA L I A N R E S TA U R A N T
Cheryl Medow
Ruthie Grahm
Richard Stone
Aliza Gur Schrager
BEVERLY HILLS COURIER | MARCH 30, 2018, Page 18
Beverly Cohen
Sid Moray
Tom Levyn
BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS–Sid Moray, John Astin, Warren Beatty, Jan Block, Richard Dysart, Peter Marshall, Celine Dion, and Paul Reiser (March 30); Richard Chamberlain, Liz Claiborne, William Daniels, Joan Leopold Brown, Shirley Jones, Jenny Marks, Rhea Perlman, Cheryl Medow and Christopher Walken (Mar. 31); Alizia Gur Schrager, Ali McGraw, Annette O’Toole, Arleen Grace, and Jane Powell (Apr. 1); Beverly Cohen, Emmylou Harris, Karen Schuber, Chloe Hobbs, and Tom Levyn (Apr. 2); Wayne Newton, Doris Day, Jane Goodall, Jennie Garth, Richard Stone, Elliott Feinman, Alec Baldwin, Eddie Murphy, David Hyde Pierce, and Tony Orlando (April 3); David Cross, Ruthie Grahm, Marley Hobbs, and Anthony Perkins (Apr. 4); Roger Corman, Max Gail, Christine Lahti, Frances Allen’s and Gen. Colin Powell (Apr. 4)
Desert Roundup
It’s been my policy not to mention the death of Desert residents. But, when the passing is that of James R. Houston, one of the true pillars of our local philanthropy, it’s only proper to take note of this remarkable man and his legacy. Jim and Jackie-Lee, his equally philanthropic wife who passed seven years ago, became fulltime Desert residents around the turn of the century and immediately immersed themselves in supporting the community. When the McCallum Theatre was so strapped for cash it could not pay its payroll, Houston and a handful of local beneficiaries gave millions of dollars to the theater, keeping it alive and becoming the ultra-successful venue for live shows and concerts it is today. Another beneficiary of the Houston’s largess is the Palm Springs International Film Festival where Jim continued the Houston tradition of hosting the awards gala, even after Jackie Lee’s death. Jim was a true supporter of Desert charities, not only by his generous donations, but in providing business acumen as well. He gave us the greatest gift of all … his love. ****** If it seemed that the streets in Beverly Hills were a bit less crowded last week, it may be due to the fact that David Lee, grandson of Renee Kumetz, got married. But, this was no ordinary MORE CELEBRITIES-Also at wedding. Although the groom and his party the Fulfillment Fund benefit came from Beverly Hills and the Westside, the were (above): Yvonne (Boismier) wedding party took over the Spanish-themed La and Lou Diamond Phillips; (top Quinta Resort. right): film executive Anne M. Why La Quinta? Certainly the town near the Sweeney; (bottom right) actress eastern end of the Coachella Valley is no closer Teri Polo who was co-emcee at from the Seattle-area of the bride’s family. the event. However, as David will be quick to tell you, he would travel to the ends of the earth to woo his ravishing bride, Ali. The festivities, held on the hotel’s beautifully manicured lawn, were officiated by Rabbi Sarah Bassin. Other members of the wedding party were Dominique and Dana Smith, parents of the bride; Roberto Arnold; Nancy and John Lee, parents of the groom; and her grandparents Colleen Downey and Dean Thetford. The three-day celebration, which included everything from traditional dance to hip-hop, also welcomed a special spirit. The chuppah (canopy), essential in a Jewish wedding, was installed, with the prayer shawl, used over the years by the groom’s late grandfather, Aaron Kumetz, served as the ceiling. As the guests took their seats the air became completely still and a gasp was heard. The prayer shawl, and only the prayer shawl, was swaying in the nonexistent wind. LA QUINTA WEDDING–David Lee and Ali Smith went An omen, perhaps; may David and Ali to La Quinta Resort for their wedding attended by a spend the rest of their lives in love as they search host of Beverly Hills people. Frances Allen contgratu- for the answer. lates the groom’s grandmother Renee Kumetz (right).
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