"Into the Night"

by Betty Goodwin

The Los Angeles Times, October 25, 1989

 

The Scene:  Elizabeth Taylor's cocktail party at the St. James Club for Roddy McDowall, her co-star in Lassie Come Home (1943).  The occasion was the publication of McDowall's heavy (as in sheer weight) new book, Double Exposure/Take Two, a compilation of photographs of stars by McDowall with commentary by other stars about the subjects.

 

Who Was There:  Liz with Larry Fortensky; Bette Midler and family (well, they stayed about a minute); Dean Stockwell and family; heavy hitters Lew Wasserman, Richard Zanuck, Jim Bridges, Neil Simon and Swifty Lazar; plus a strong showing of Hollywood screen veterans including Esther Williams, Vincent Price, Dorothy McGuire, Joel McCrea, Ralph Bellamy, Karl Malden, Charlton Heston, Kirk Douglas, Jimmy Stewart, Piper Laurie, Nina Foch, Nancy Walker, Ann Blyth . . . and from the younger generation, Lynn Redgrave, Robert Wagner and Jill St. John, Teri Garr and Shelley Duvall.

 

The Buzz:  Practically everyone in the room has been colorized.

 

Quoted:  (for the next book jacket perhaps) – "I always  loved Roddy's pictures," said photographer/superstar Bruce Weber of Calvin Klein ad fame.  "He did this picture of Montgomery Clift in a white shirt sitting on a stairway, and I always remembered it.  It was so unpretentious and so straightforward."

 

Overstated:  "I'm 61.  I've been working since I was 5.  The most affectionate, cooperative people in the world are actors and actresses," attested McDowall.

 

Liz Watch:  Dressed in black sequins and a nice display of diamond jewelry, the legendary actress arrived at the party five minutes early, sat down with a small pink boudoir pillow supporting her back, stood up and mingled, ate a few hors d'oeuvres, and left an hour and 10 minutes later.

 

The Food:  If you could find them, pates in every flavor, from pork to salmon; fresh oysters, clams, shrimp, crab legs.

 

Nice Touch:  The book, at $60 apiece, was given to guests on their way out.

 

The End

 

 

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