Dinner With Jimmy Carter Opens Huntington’s Bill of Rights Exhibit

Former President Jimmy Carter speaks to 350 at a black-tie dinner July 15 at the Huntington Library. The affair marks the opening of the Huntington’s Bill of Rights exhibition. Robert Erburu and Richard Stegemeier are co-chairmen.

The event is one of many by the Constitutional Rights Foundation to promote the Bicentennial of the Bill of Rights and CRF’s Bill of Rights in Action campaign. The culminating celebration is Dec. 12.

The CRF has $300,000 yet to raise toward a goal of $1 million. With the funds, it will stage seminars, publish 75,000 copies of the book “Foundations of Freedom” and present programs at 400 schools.

THE CARDINAL: The Social Service Auxiliary’s white-tie Presentation Ball is Friday evening at the Beverly Hilton. The invitations announce that presentees will be introduced “to His Excellency the Most Reverend Roger Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles.” Because the Vatican elevated the archbishop Wednesday to cardinal--Los Angeles’ third in history--the 24 young ladies to be presented, their parents and ball chairman Annelle M. Guss are bustling with extra excitement.

CAN’T MISS: Joan Irvine Smith’s and Athalie Clarke’s Grand Prix Luncheon and Jumping Classic is coming Sunday in San Juan Capistrano.

VALENTINO MAGIC: Everyone who is anyone in Italy (including Italian President Francesco Cossiga), as well as some Southlanders, will be in Rome June 6-7 for the two-day soiree honoring couturier Valentino and the premiere retrospective of “Valentino: Thirty Years of Magic.”

So far, acceptances are in from Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren and Alexander Godunov in addition to assorted Kissingers, Agnellis, Gettys and Basses.

They’ll see Valentino exhibit 300 costumes complete with their original accessories (including the wedding dress he designed for Jackie Kennedy’s marriage to Aristotle Onassis). We’re told the couturier has designed dazzling frocks for Elizabeth Taylor to wear for the retrospective.

TAKING CHANCES: Dinner chairman Connie Gavin (planning to be up at 4 a.m. the next day to fly to Washington, D.C., for son Michael McGrath’s graduation from Georgetown Medical School) noted R. E. (Ted) Turner’s “tremendous contribution to global harmony in the quest for peace.” Charlton Heston said that if Turner had lived earlier, “I could see him sailing--like Magellan, Drake or Capt. Cook.” UCLA chancellor Charles Young said Turner “strives to make the world a better place.”

Turner, chairman of Turner Broadcasting Systems, accepted the Neil H. Jacoby International Award from UCLA’s International Student Center at the Beverly Wilshire. He told the black-tie crowd: “We have to live together as friends, or we are going to perish as fools.” His fiancee, Jane Fonda, accompanied him.

The center serves UCLA’s 5,500 international students. Eating Italian ravioli and Polynesian chicken were dinner co-chair Sylvia Schulman, Joel Mogy, Max and Judy Epstein, Stockton Briggle (working on a Turner Network Television miniseries, “Maximilian and Carlota”), Sue Young, Marcia Israel and Arthur and Andrea Axelman.

KUDOS: To Lea Ann King, who received the Junior League of Los Angeles Spirit of Voluntarism Award. . . .

To Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, netting $100,000 (double last year’s proceeds) at its California Winemasters benefit at the Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey. Among supporters: Bill Tiley, Patricia Hitchcok O’Connell, Allen Balik, Marty Petersil, Norma and John Bowles. . . .

To the Ritz-Carlton, Huntington, on the opening of the Georgian Room with Michelin Star chef Bernard Bordaries.

PREXY POWER: Spring elections are establishing the hierarchy. Pat Lorne will head Juniors of Social Service Auxiliary; Leah Rotermunc, Los Angeles Philharmonic Affiliates; Mirella Ventress, Encore (of the Music Center); Sonia Randazzo, Coronet Patronesses, and Phyllis Cohen, Law Affiliates of Los Angeles. . . .

Pepperdine University President David Davenport has also become president of the American Assn. of Presidents of Independent Colleges and Universities.

PEOPLE POWER: Recently collecting honors are Dr. Ralph Sachs, Visiting Nurse Assn. chair emeritus; Rhonda Fleming, Operation: Children, Woman of the Year; Megan Williams, Lenore Kayne and Stephanie Beacham, Tripod Friends’ Awards at the JW Marriott; Rita Moreno, the Will Rogers Memorial Award at the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce and Civic Assn. ball at the Beverly Hilton.

Upcoming: Marilyn Lewis will be Women’s American ORT honoree June 9 at a champagne luncheon at Ma Maison Sofitel, and Edgar J. Scherick, Center for the Partially Sighted honoree June 8 at the Beverly Hilton.

SOUTHLAND: Launching the Ojai Festival ‘91, Acting British Consul Gen. Merwyn Jones hosted a reception at the home of Joan Kemper in Ojai Wednesday, and the Ojai Festivals Women’s Committee staged a SpringFest Auction on the sweeping lawns surrounding the historical Old Matilija Ranch in Ojai. . . .

Frances Brody invited West Siders for cocktails in her Holmby Hills home to fete Huntington Library president Robert Allen Skotheim and his wife, Nadine, and the new director of the Huntington Art Collections, Edward Nygren and his wife, Judy . . . .

Cathy Ridder and Grace Cameron spearheaded the trek of Phoenix (Long Beach Museum of Art Foundation Affiliate) supporters to the J. Paul Getty Museum for an evening of alfresco dining.