Q & A : Making the A-List of L.A.’s Royalty

Whom do you consider L.A. royalty?

Kathy Offenhauser, chairman of the costume council of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art:

“It’s Terry Stanfill. Mrs. Dennis Stanfill. She enjoys a very respected social position. She is lovely to everyone. She lives a very well-rounded life. She’s very philanthropic, but she does other things besides charity work. She’s an accomplished writer and has varied interests.”

William Goldstein, composer and co-owner of Rondo:

“You don’t mean the Sultan of Brunei? I’ll give you a Talmudic answer. It depends on your orientation. To some people, it’s deal makers. To others, it’s movie stars or politicians. I’m on the board of the California Summer School of the Arts, and Wendy Goldberg and Susan Dolgen are the president and executive vice president. To me they’re royalty. Daryl Gates is definitely not.”

Omar Albertto, co-owner of It Models and Omar’s Men modeling agencies:

“Michael Ovitz. I adore Michael Ovitz. I never met him, but I think he’s a complete genius--the whole martial arts-aikido philosophy, the way his employees conduct business, they way they dress. Who isn’t famous and fabulous that they don’t represent? I love the way he runs CAA--I hope I have an OAA some day.”

Allan Mayer, editor-in-chief of Buzz magazine:

“There are a lot of baronies around this town. The movie industry barony has its warlords, the political barony has its warlords, the art world barony and all the professional baronies, the ethnic power structures, even the media barony. There’s no one over-arching power. That’s what’s so interesting about L.A. It’s so wide open.”

Chuck Pick, owner Chuck’s Parking Service:

“It’s Marvin and Barbara Davis and the Kitchen Cabinet--the (Earle) Jorgensens, the (Armand) Deutsches--pretty much in one breath. The Davises didn’t become part of society until the ‘80s, but no one does it better than Mrs. Barbara Davis. The others have epitomized society in this city since I parked cars at Romanoff’s in 1959. They enjoy life more than anyone. When they have 20 people for dinner and it’s black tie, the parties are so grand. The women blow me away they dress so magnificently. It’s like the movies. To me that’s royalty. I was fortunate enough to be working at a party when Nancy Reagan and the Queen of England were standing side by side, and one was no more royal than the other to me.”