BEVERLY HILLS COURIER | SEPTEMBER 16, 2016 Page 22
A N O T H E R B I RT H D AY ! ?
Helen Rosen
Frances Allen
Pat Friendly
Evelyn Portugal
Ronnie Kassorla
Kathleen Spiegelman Debby Boone
BIRTHDAYS—Susan Ruttan (Sept. 16); Pat Crowley Friendly, David Bortman, Cassandra Peterson and The Courier’s Evelyn Portugal (Sept. 17); Ronnie Kassorla and Frankie Avalon (Sept. 18), Jeremy Irons, David McCallum and Geraldine Pingul (Sept. 19); Helen Grayco Rosen and Sophia Loren (Sept. 20); Curtis Tamkin and Bill Murray (Sept. 21); The Courier’s Frances AllenFridman, Debby Boone and Kathleen Spiegelman (Sept. 22); and belatedly BHFD Chief Ralph Mundell (Sept.15).
Joan Mangum The John Wayne Cancer Institute Auxiliary will honor Sheri Rosenblum with the “Angel Award” and Jason Jeralds with the “Public Service Award“ at its annual Membership Luncheon /Boutique on Thursday, Oct. 19, in The Beverly Wilshire.
Sheri Rosenblum
Jason Jeralds
Event chairs for the fourth year are Marisol Zarco and Katie Lewis. “This year’s honorees are remarkable members of the JWCI family,” said Anita Swift, president of the auxiliary.
FREEDOMS FOUNDATION–The new board for the LA chapter of Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge was installed Monday in the Beverly Hills home of its past president Diane Deshong (right). The meeting was presided over by second term president Tanya Caligiuri (center), who just returned from Valley Forge along with national director Gloria Dahl (left). The chapter is looking for 11th grade students interested in American history and leadership to attend the April 2017 Spirit of America Youth Leadership Program at the national campus in Pennsylvania. Any interested 11th grade students interested in applying for a scholarship to this program should contact Youth Chairperson Sharon Morris at SMorris@PeregrineLtd.com and check out the national website at www.freedomsfoundation.org.
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
“Each is dedicated to furthering cancer research. The impact of their contributions to furthering cancer research is immeasurable.” ”Co-honoree Rosenblum has been a dedicated member of the JWCI Auxiliary since 1986, and has served as president of Haven House, VP of the ABCs (Associates for Breast and Prostate Cancer Studies) and has raised funds for the Kidney Foundation. Co-recipient Jeralds, a longtime JWCI supporter, is owner of Tustin Brewing Company which has staged the Tustin Brewery Golf Tournament the past decade to raise funds and awareness for cancer research at the institute. Founded in 1982, the JWCI Auxiliary (www.JWCIgiving.org) has raised more than $19 million to fund a wide array of priorities such as groundbreaking research, vital new laboratory equipment and the nationally renowned Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program, which trains the next generation of surgical oncologists. For tickets ($150), call Amanda Flores at 562-221-8772 or email: jwciaevents @gmail.com. ****** The Larsen Brothers; “It’s Magic!” allstar show started in 1956 paved the way for magicians of the future. This highly anticipated annual tradition, entertaining SRO crowds at numerous and elite venues for the past 60 years will be renewed 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29, at its original location– The Wilshire Ebell Theatre, 4401 W. 8th St. This dazzling live stage show features top professional magicians from all over the world, with each act carefully selected to represent a variety in the art of magic. The audience will see internationally recognized and award-winning magicians direct from Las Vegas and Hollywood’s famed Magic Castle perform sleight of hand, full stage illusions and comedy. The all-new 2016 line-up includes Jonathan Pendragon, Goldfinger and Dove, Dimmare, Justin Wilman, David and Damia, Jeff McBride, Darren Romeo, and Tony-winning Jay Johnson. Tickets ($30-$95) may be ordered through TicketsR.com or by calling 818377-2101. Long before J.K. Rowling had dreamt of a boy named Harry Potter and a place called Hogwarts, Milt Larsen was pursuing a family legacy of magic, having already co-founded the Magic Castle, where the most celebrated magicians including David Copperfield, Siegfried and Roy, Lance Burton, Doug Henning, as well as amateur magicians such as Johnny Carson, Cary Grant, Orson Welles, Jason Alexander, and Neil Patrick Harris would eventually call home. The Magic Castle has been the location site for film and TV series such as Bedknobs & Broomsticks, Houdini, Hart To Hart, Murder She Wrote and Perry Mason to name a few.
Geraldine Pingul
Ralph Mundell
Matia Saeedian
Frances Allen’s Desert Roundup Twenty-five years is a miniscule fraction of time when compared to the long presence of Native Americans in the Coachella Valley. But time and events pass quickly, so 25 years ago the leaders of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians recognized a need to preserve their tribal heritage, including its collections of archival and material items. It is only appropriate that this year’s major fundraiser, “Dinner in the Canyons,” honors those tribal leaders whose foresight established an institution–the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum–to preserve that heritage and make it available to all. Being honored for their work and dedication on behalf of the museum are Mildred L. Browne, Debrah M. Purnel, Anthony Andreas, Jr., Dana Prieto, and posthumously Richard M. Milanovich, Barbara Gonzales Lyons (dec.), The Oct. 8 event begins with Native American music and sunset cocktail reception on a plateau overlooking Palm Springs several hundred feet below. Then, it’s a short walk to an adjacent oasis for a full catered dinner and entertainment provided by the group Dark Water Rising and its “rocky soul” sound. The museum with free admission is located at 219 S. Palm Canyon Dr. in downtown Palm Springs, and open Wednesdays through Sundays, September through May. Information about the museum or “Dinner in the Canyons” is at 760-778-1079. ****** As a general rule, this column does not write about a person’s passing. One reason: with the readership getting older there would be little space left in this column for anything other than obituaries. However, Leonard “Lennie” Green is an exceptional exception. With a life spanning more than 99 years, he began his journey a teen-age professional clothes-model, progressing to being a professional dancer, then a Latin dancer before turning his talents to that of theatrical agent and finally, as the proprietor of the legendary Basin Street East. Interesting, but dull; and, hardly capturing the essence of his life: his thoughtfulness, his ability to make everyone feel like his best friend after being speared by his 1,000watt smile.
HAPPY MEMORIES–The Courier’s Frances Allen and her husband Sherman Fridman (right) spent many memorable times with the late Lennie Green (left).
There are many Lennie Green stories, so many that it would take an ensemble of actors (all booked by Debbie Green, his beautiful agent-wife) to begin to do justice to the man. However, the 200-plus guests where in for a side-splitting, hilariously objective recanting of Lennie’s Celebration of Life last week as one-by-one they shared some of Lennie. It was an easy task, for he had so much to give and gave it willingly. Among those who shared their history about Lennie were Peter Marshall, who served as emcee; Andrew Green, Lennie’s son; Lucie Arnaz and husband Larry Luckinbill; Riff Markowitz, the still acerbic impresario of The Palm Springs Fabulous Follies; and, McCallum Theatre head, Mitch Gershenfeld. Lennie’s is gone now … he “took a cab” as they say in the business when someone passes. But, knowing Lennie, it was more than likely to have been a limo–a stretch one, at that!