::: George Christy ::: From the Beverly Hills Courier

At Sam Goldwyn Jr.Õs annual Christmas Eve dinner, his wife was rushed to the hospital, and Liz Goldwyn was born on Christmas morning. Three decades ago that was, and Norman Lloyd, a hale and hearty 93, was reminiscing, as were holiday guests, when a huge chocolate birthday cake appeared after NormanÕs toast for Liz to blow her 30 candles out. Fit as a fiddle, Norman, who acted with Orson Welles and whose documentary, Who Is Norman Lloyd?, is an audience favorite, continues to play tennis at the Goldwyn estate, as he has these past 50 years. Among the young go-getters in the fashion industry, Liz boosts youthful designers such as Juan Carlos Obando and the Rodarte sisters, who are based in Los Angeles. Last year, Regan Books published LizÕs praised, coffee-table tome, Pretty Things: The Last Generation of Burlesque Queens, researched for 10 years through letters and friendships with the grande dames of the strip tease. HBO green-lighted her Pretty Things documentary, and several years prior, she starred in a video, dancing erotically in the buff. Additionally, sheÕs a designer of one-of-a-kind jewelry, a major collector of vintage couture, and with Liz this Christmas Eve was husband Frank Longo, who art-directed Pretty Things Ð they reside in Koreatown, which Liz likes for Òits energy, very New York.Ó On Christmas Eve, Liz invited her El Rodeo schoolmate, Amanda Goldberg, whose first novel, Celebutantes, written with Ruthanna Khalighi Hopper (daughter of actress Daria Halprin and Dennis Hopper), chronicles the OscarÕs red-carpet madness and the higgledy-piggledy world of the Paris Hiltonesque celebutantes. ÒTry having every Hollywood connection in the world, and still being a total failure,Ó says the novelÕs heroine, Lola Santisi. Amanda informs that she and Ruthanna Òwrote every word together,Ó and that McG, who directed CharlieÕs Angels for AmandaÕs producer dad, Leonard Goldberg, has helmed a trailer about the novel, previously titled Star Whores: Tales From Oscar Week. St. MartinÕs Press is publishing Celebutantes in February, in time for the Oscars, which producer Gil Cates vows will go on, writers strike or no strike. (WeÕre informed that buzz is mounting against the Writers Guild for not granting a waiver to the Golden Globes and the Oscarcast since David WolperÕs critical letter appeared in Variety on Dec. 20, which may be accessed at variety.com. Is it true, as an insider reports, that the Writers Guild hired professional negotiators who know nothing about the industry and are cold and calculating? Thousands of those awards-related paychecks are being sacrificed. With salaries lacking for the unionÕs 10,500 members, the Actors Fund, says West Coast trustee Dale Olson, increased its weekly contributions by $10,000 to help those in need who are out-of-work with mortgage payments, etc., many terrified of losing their homes. Pundits believe the writers should come to some agreement on terms, with the proviso they will renegotiate later.) Granddaughter Emily arrived from Paris in time for SamÕs dinner with mom Colleen Camp Ð Emily had been in Paris for a week visiting dad John Goldwyn, and dining at elegant restaurants such as Voltaire. A freshman at Stanford, sheÕs favoring majoring in English, already winning awards in creative writing and music. Teaching non-fiction writing at Princeton University, Scott Berg admitted during dinner that teaching becomes addictive. He foresees his Woodrow Wilson biography, soon to be 10 years in the researching and writing, will be published by PutnamÕs by 2010. ScottÕs written those award-winning biographies of Sam Goldwyn Senior, Charles Lindbergh, novelist Thomas Wolfe. Good news from Kevin McCormick, who sat at our table. In early January, Warner Bros. announces his promotion as president of production, now that Jeff Robinov presides over the studioÕs Motion Picture Group. Kevin says Steve CarellÕs summer release of Get Smart has ÒhitÓ written all over it. And he discussed films that will be talked about. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is based on an F. Scott Fitzgerald short story that he wrote of an afternoon, stars Brad Pitt, who ages backward with bizarre consequences. Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton costar, directed by David Fincher from an adaptation by Eric Roth. Also this fall, Warner Bros. releases Ridley ScottÕs Body of Lies Ð Russell Crowe lost 30 pounds for his role as the manipulative CIA boss who teams with Leo DiCaprio, a CIA operative sent to Jordan to track down a master terrorist. Based on the novel by Washington Post columnist David Ignatius, the screenplay by William Monahan was revised by Steven Zaillian, who wrote American Gangster. With the scriptÕs politically sensitive nature, the nine-week shoot in Ouarzazate, Morocco substituted for Dubai. SamÕs mate, Pat Strong, was designated the eveningÕs candid photographer, assisted by her daughter Tricia. Cricket Goldwyn came with son Sam Burton, a martial arts devotee whose dad is jazz vibraphonist Gary Burton. SamÕs establishing martial arts centers in the West, and CricketÕs Sound Art project is succeeding, bringing music to inner city youngsters. Former California attorney general John Van de Kamp and wife Andrea were her mom Rosemary Strickel and houseguest, Anne Murray, the Metropolitan MuseumÕs lecturer on Greco-Roman and Islamic antiquities. Poinsettias were everywhere, and admiring the paintings of Picasso, Matisse, Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec, Braque, Lucian Freud, Kitaj were model Peggy Moffit, who launched Rudi GernreichÕs topless bathing suit, and photographer husband Bill Claxton with their jazz guitarist son Chris. Among those enjoying chef Patrick FervelÕs buffet of prime rib, salmon and plum pudding were architect Bill Krisell, a classmate of SamÕs at Beverly Hills High, wife Corinne, John Manulis, and Jonelle Allen with Lee Eaton. Jonelle was back from acclaim in Edinburgh, where she performed her one-woman-show about the Õ20s Harlem singing sensation Florence Mills. Audrey TatouÕs Priceless is among films that Sam will release early this year, along with Claude LelouchÕs Roman de Gare. Also, Jeremy PodeswaÕs Fugitive Pieces, voted a winner at the Toronto Film Festival, about a young boy escaping from Poland during World War II who ends up in Greece before coming of age in Canada. Tall, handsome, charming and best-dressed, SamÕs a warm and welcoming host that others may take lessons from, and he shares this evening with a coterie of loyal friends, with Carl Hall assessing, ÒHeÕs the kind of man IÕd like to vote for President of the United States.Ó (More than $50 million was spent by the candidates during the Iowa caucuses.) Many like Norman Lloyd remember SamÕs dad, who produced one of the best war films of all time, The Best Years of Our Lives in 1946, which won the Oscar for Best Picture. Sam SeniorÕs Goldwynisms are infamous: Give me a couple of years, and IÕll make that actress an overnight success É I donÕt want yes-men around me, I want everyone to tell the truth, even if it costs them their jobs É IÕm willing to admit that I may not always be right, but I am never wrong É Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day É I read part of it all the way through É A wide screen makes a bad film twice as bad É I wonÕt say yes, and I wonÕt say no, IÕm giving you a definite maybe.Ó And for 2008, a reflection from Brazilian author Paulo Coelho, a favorite of Julia Roberts, Russell Crowe and Laurence Fishburne: It is precisely the possibility of realizing a dream that makes life interesting. Online at www.bhcourier.com.