Rare Award to Be Given to Riordan

The Democratic Heritage Award has been presented only once--in 1983 to the late Rabbi Edgar Magnin. Now the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Jewish Committee will bestow it again Jan. 18 when it honors Richard J. Riordan, a prominent business leader and civic innovator.

Riordan, a Catholic, is being honored for playing a big role in bettering the community and building bridges of mutual respect, president Cathy R. Mendelson said.

Riordan is a director of nine corporations, including Convergent Technologies Inc., Mattel Inc. and 1st Business Bank. He has been in the news recently for negotiating a compromise between the Regional Transportation District and the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission. He serves on numerous boards including Greater Los Angeles United Way. He is a trustee of the Natural History Museum, the R. & R. Foundation and the University of Santa Clara.

Two years ago, Riordan formed a foundation to provide computers for inner-city schools. Last year, he established a program at UCLA’s John E. Anderson Graduate School of Management to familiarize minority high school students with management careers.

Paul A. Miller is dinner chairman, assisted by Richard M. Ferry, Irwin S. Field, Walter B. Gerken, Peter W. Mullin, Bruce M. Ramer and Sanford C. Sigoloff.

65TH FOR CHARLIE: Charlie Munger, prominent entrepreneur and lawyer, turned 65 in the spotlight New Year’s Eve at Chasen’s. And the slides portraying his life from childhood on stitched a subtle thread--Charlie holding up a fish as a child, Charlie holding up a fish as an adult, and progressing along, Nancy Munger, his wife, holding up a fish.

Close friends and family were abundant. Early in the evening, Nancy introduced their children: Molly and Steve English; Maribeth and Hal Borthwick; Wendy and Lenny Gumport; David Borthwick; Charles Jr. and his fiancee, Mandy Lowell (who will marry in February); Barry, Philip and, finally, Emilie, and her fiance, Douglas Ogden, who surprised all at the party by announcing their engagement. They will marry in September in Los Angeles. (Are there seven or nine lawyers among the aforementioned?)

Joining in the toasts, roasts and songs highlighting Munger’s life were Dody and Otis Booth, Martha and Roy Tolles, Susie and Warren Buffett, Marcia and George Good, Margie and David Barry, Eileen and George Gillespie, Carol and John Loomis from New York, Janet and Jeff Meyer from Hillsborough, Martha and Glen Mitchel, Peggy McLeod, Mary and Phil Hawley, Jonnie and Jim Neville, Nancy and Frank Wheat, Joan and John Hotchkis, Carrie and Stuart Ketchum, Janice and Bob Carpenter, Mary and Gordon Crary, and Pat and Jim Maloney.

BUSY SEASON: February will be a brisk month for Los Angeles Planned Parenthood Guild. Two major events: The Men’s Dinner, co-chaired by Diane Bishop and Karen Berk, falls Feb. 5 at Spago. Under the tutelage of premier chef Wolfgang Puck, several of the members’ husbands will serve as sous chefs for the dinner, limited to 170.

Then, on Feb. 9, Fantasy Food Fare co-chairs Adria Coweitt and Carolyn Gold have plans for Fantasy Food Fare Five at the Riviera Country Club. Besides presentations by well-known cooking teachers, caterers and restaurateurs, the guild plans a country store stocked with food and accessories for purchase. Sue Allen, president, says the Fare morning session will be from 10:30 to 3; the evening session from 6 to 10.

DIFFERENT GOALS: With opposite views from Planned Parenthood, the Right to Life League has save-the-date cards in the mail for its cocktail dinner March 6 at the California Club.

CELEBRITY NIGHT: The guest list is getting downright special for McCallum Theatre’s first birthday Feb. 23 at the Bob Hope Cultural Center. President and Mrs. Reagan are expected to attend, along with former President and Mrs. Ford, former Ambassador to Britain Walter Annenberg and his wife, Malcolm Forbes, the King and Queen of Thailand, and a host of Hollywood stars including Paul Newman, Carol Burnett and Whoopi Goldberg.

Gregory H. Willenborg, who five years ago helped put together the financing and strategy to create the theater, is returning to be executive producer of “America’s Hope Award,” the ABC-TV extravaganza to benefit the theater. Marty Pasetta, director of 15 Oscar shows, will produce and direct the show that night.

RED-LETTER DATES: The Huntington Library Society of Junior Fellows hosts a members-and-guests opening on Thursday of the first public exhibition of drawings from the collection of E. Maurice Bloch, “Faces and Figures in American Drawings,” including works by Benjamin West, John Singleton Copley and William Sidney Mount.

MARK THE CALENDAR: The Golden State Minority Foundation and Harry G. Bubb, chairman and CEO of Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Co., urge patrons to “mark your calendar” for June 6 at the Beverly Wilshire. The foundation then will honor John Slaughter, president of Occidental College, plus 34 students, in its 15th anniversary, “Salute to Minority Education” dinner.

ON VIEW: Nine Soviet museums, including the Hermitage, have lent priceless objects to the Natural History Museum’s (co-organized by the Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R.) exhibition, “Nomads: Masters of the Eurasian Steppe,” which opens with a gala Feb. 2 recognizing Dr. Armand Hammer and Occidental Petroleum. “Nomads” opens to the public Feb. 4.

UPCOMING: Las Candelas, which voluntarily helps serve emotionally disturbed children, has nabbed designer David Hayes to star for its benefit fashion show luncheon Feb. 9 at the Beverly Hilton, says Judy Ruzicka. . . .

A Peter Max original, “Two Trees,” will be presented to Los Angeles’ TreePeople at the Max reception and opening of his exhibition Wednesday at the Hanson Gallery on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. . . .

The Eddie Cantor Charitable Foundation hosts cocktails at the Phyllis Morris Showroom on Jan. 18. Aliza Kahi will entertain, and celebrities including Norm Crosby, Monty Hall, Ruta Lee and Cornelia Guest are expected. . . .

Marion Malouf, 1988 Mother of the Year, will be feted at a tea Wednesday at the Jane Boeckmann residence in Northridge.