The ‘Future Part II’ Arrives--With a Bonus

Futuristic. Fabulous. Foxy. Fun. Funny. Friendly. The world premiere of “Back to the Future Part II” last week, drawing 1,500 guests to the Cineplex Odeon Universal City Cinemas (four theaters), was all that. The bonus was that it benefited TRIPOD to help families with hearing-impaired children.

Chairman Mary Ellen Trainor Zemeckis said: “We’ve got $400,000 tonight. Net. TRIPOD’s a great organization. It’s about the future of children, and this is about the future.”

The crowd couldn’t get close enough to star Michael J. Fox and wife Tracy Pollan (in slinky black) and to Robert Zemeckis, the director. With three party tents connected by black time tunnels, Fox was hard to find.

But there he was, in the roped ‘50s area, surrounded by Universal president Tom Pollock, Bob Gale, Steve Starkey, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Thomas Wilson. Close by were James Woods, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, Michael Douglas, Michael Valenti, Chevy Chase, Woody Harrelson, Mark Cowan and Mary Shea, Peter and Robin Barker, and Michael Shamberg and his wife, Megan Williams, who helped start TRIPOD seven years ago.

Most parties have one tent. Ambrosia Caterers vice president David Corwin created three. The “past” became a pleasure palace with gaming tables; the ‘50s tent sported a mermaid and band with dancers bopping through balloons and tinsel to “Hit the Road, Jack.” The futuristic setting took the form of steel grids and a bar in an atmosphere too dark to see stars, but providing anonymity for pigging out.

Beamed MCA president Sid Sheinberg: “This movie’s like a Swiss watch.” So was the party.

PAST PERFECT: The business tycoons ventured into archeology the other evening when John and Marion Anderson opened their Bel-Air home to the Board of Visitors of the John E. Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA (which the Andersons endowed with $15 million).

The prominent group became the first to see Christopher B. Donnan’s newest slides of the royal tombs from the Moche civilization discovered recently in Peru. Donnan, professor of anthropology and director of the UCLA Museum of Cultural History, said the tombs have yielded some of the greatest pieces of jewelry ever found in the Americas.

Oohing over the gold warrior priest and intricate spiders were J. Clayburn La Force, dean of the Graduate School of Management, and wife Barbara, Jim and Carol Collins, Dick and Susan Roll, Jim and Inge Miscoll and political economist James Q. Wilson.

DONORS: Celebrating the continued building of a significant permanent collection for Los Angeles and the Museum of Contemporary Art, MOCA, headed by Richard Koshalek, recently dedicated the Collection Donor Galleries at Bunker Hill and opened two exhibitions including “Selections from the Beatrice and Philip Gersh Collection.”

About 300 friends of the Gershes including Jeff Kastenberg, Steve Martin, Marcia Weisman and Ed Ruscha were there; 50 moved on to late-night dining at Rex restaurant.

ELEGANCE: Mary Smith (Mrs. William French Smith) and Bullocks Wilshire cast floral elegance on the luncheon to meet London’s floral decorator Kenneth Turner, in town to open his new boutique at Bullocks Wilshire and to tout the Southern California Committee for Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.

Guests included Michael York (quoting Shakespeare), I. Magnin CEO Rose Marie Bravo, Constance Gavin (just returned from Las Cruces), Iona Brown, Joan Hotchkis, Jennifer Diener, Flora Thornton and Marion Jorgensen.

TO HONOR: Mayor of Cannes Michel Mouillot was in the spotlight last week. Chardee and Thomas Trainer feted him in their Beverly Hills home, inviting former President Ronald and Nancy Reagan. French Consul Gen. Gerard and Naomi Coste hosted another reception Wednesday at their home.

Chardee Trainer is a trustee of Pine Manor College, which is co-sponsoring a program of French studies at the International College of Cannes, where the mayor is chairman.

BACCHUS: The ancient Greek and Roman god of wine and revelry was revered the other evening at the California Wine Patrons at the Regent Beverly Wilshire.

Before dinner, hotelier Alain M. Longatte saluted 13th annual Bacchus Banquet awardees: restaurateur Michael McCarty, Domaine Chandon CEO John Wright and Los Angeles Times wine writer Dan Berger.

News of the night was the opening of the California Wine Exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry to pay tribute to Hernando Courtright, late owner of the Beverly Wilshire. Among those in the spotlight were Fiorenza Courtright, Jack P. Hennessy, chairman of the California Wine Patrons, Raoul Balcaen, Patrons president, and Bob and Margie Petersen.

PLAUDITS: To Frank and Barbara McNamara, celebrating a 40th anniversary with dinner and friends at Annandale Golf Club. . . .

To Pitzer College President Frank Ellsworth and supporters, raising funds at the Universal benefit screening of “Dad.” . . .

To the Bob Hope Cultural Center Muses and their “Best of Paris” fashion extravaganza in Palm Desert co-chaired by Marilyn Tennity and Robin Ceriale. . . .

To Janet and Bob Christy and members of Applause, fund-raising for the Norris Theatre for the Performing Arts (Palos Verdes Peninsula) with a tour of corporate jets. . . .

To Alli Solum, chairing Trojan League benefit for USC Law Center.