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

Is it asking too much of Brad Pitt, Matthew McConaughy and Javier Bardem to wear a tie at black-tie events? They looked as if they came off the night shift, especially Brad, who plays down his good looks with his scruffy hair, during the Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium, where Òblack tieÓ was the requested dress for the evening. We applaud smart dressers like James Spader, Steve Carell, Emile Hirsch, Denis Leary, Ben Foster, Burt Reynolds Ð even our Mafiosi Sopranos wore ties. Actresses turned out in beautiful, billowing gowns, accessorized with multimillion dollar baubles, and those open-shirted actors, by contrast, appeared half-dressed. Enough of showing off hairy chests (designer Tom Ford exhausted that look), and if one hasnÕt mastered knotting a bow tie, buy a clip-on. A four-in-hand appears to be a compromise, adopted by Tom Cruise and others, but thatÕs a cop out. Men look best next to the bejeweled ladies with that classic style (since time immemorial) of crisp white shirts and black bow ties. Marion Cotillard was best-dressed in her pleated, pale silver Nina Ricci gown, while Tina Fey (in Alberta Ferretti) and January Jones (in Armani Prive) needed help with their wraparound draperies. Guests, by the way, at the Shrine report they were bewildered to find a dearth of studio executives. Anything to do with the Writers Guild strike? Jay TunneyÕs hair turned white from the myriad problems he encountered when he went to Seoul to open ice cream shops. Luckily, they became whopping successes, even though Koreans at that time had no love or taste for ice cream. Additionally, they were hostile about opening markets to outsiders. ÒAfter he returned to the States, his hair -- miraculously! -- went back to its natural dark color,Ó says his daughter, Screen GemsÕ Teresa Tunney. JayÕs the entrepreneurial brother of former California Senator John Tunney Ð their dad, Gene Tunney, was the championship boxer, admired and befriended by Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, who loved the sport and fought as an amateur during his youth. A great ÒthinkingÓ fighter, Gene was the son of a New York longshoreman, and pursued boxing at night after working all day as a typist for a shipping company. Unlike other boxers, he was an intellectual, who loved literature and classical music. The mainstream ÒmachoÓ press ridiculed him. As the heavyweight champ of the world, Gene was invited to lecture at Yale University, and bowled over his audience by speaking for 45 minutes on ShakespeareÕs Troilus and Cressida, which Shaw himself had analyzed earlier. ÒIÕve not been given to close personal friendships, as many know, but Gene TunneyÕs among the very few for whom IÕve established a warm affection,Ó Shaw noted. ÒI enjoy his company, as I have that of few men.Ó Gene returned the compliment, ÒIf nothing else, IÕm grateful to the profession of boxing for enabling me to know the witty, wise, and altogether kindly George Bernard Shaw.Ó Their friendship remained throughout ShawÕs life. Jay, now based in Connecticut with his writer wife Kelly, is completing a memoir, The Playwright and the Prizefighter, about his dad and the Dublin-born vegetarian, who railed against education, marriage, religion, and government. Teresa Tunney was among the premieregoers at the Pacific Design Center for Screen GemsÕ Untraceable, co-starring Diane Lane, who holds the spooky film together, and Billy Burke, who shamelessly admits to Variety that he doesnÕt read or care for books. We caught up with Teresa during the reception at Wolfgang PuckÕs Red Seven, planned by the indefatigable Chris Benarruch, who was heading to Las Vegas the next day with photographer Eric Charbonneau for the Rambo premiere, returning then to Los Angeles to orchestrate The Eye premiere. We visited with Endeavor AgencyÕs Brian Swardstrom, who represents Diane, and Joan Hyler, whoÕs managed Diane for 30 years. ÒHer dad Burton Lane was an acting coach, brought Diane to me when she was 13, and we launched her acting career.Ó Among our finest actresses, Diane can carry a movie, and should be rewarded with major roles. Upcoming are her romantic drama, Nights in Rodanthe, directed by George C. Wolfe, and Doug LimanÕs sci-fi Jumper with Hayden Christensen. She arrived at the premiere with husband Josh Brolin, who was robbed of Oscar nominations for his memorable performances in American Gangster and No Country for Old Men. (As were American GangsterÕs Denzel Washington and Ridley Scott.) Josh is filming Gus Van SantÕs Milk, playing Dan White, the San Francisco Supervisor who assassinated gay rights activist Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone. HeÕs attached to star as George W. Bush in Oliver StoneÕs Bush about the presidency. ÒThe Beverly Hills real estate market is stabilized,Ó avers Coldwell BankerÕs Jerry Jolton, who guided my Canadian friends interested in buying property in Los Angeles. ÒPeople are buying and selling for the same reasons -- they either want a larger space, or something smaller. Then thereÕs divorce or death. Beverly Hills, Holmby Hills, Bel-Air, Brentwood are buffered, impervious to the ups and downs.Ó JerryÕs assisted numerous notables, who request privacy, for their needs, and adds that international money from Europe, Asia and Russia is investing in the community. He agrees with our mantra that wherever you go, those two Golden Words are Beverly Hills. As the parking attendant drove to the curb with a guestÕs new Bentley, CPA Harold Katz, with wife Jan, chuckled, ÒBentleys are now the Buicks of Beverly Hills, weÕve seen more than a dozen in our apartment building.Ó The Katzes attended the Van Cleef & Arpels drinks reception at the Rodeo Drive shop to meet the president, Emanuel Perrin, who flew in from Manhattan to introduce the firmÕs LÕAtlantique Collection of High Jewelry, inspired by the search for the island of Atlantis. Emanuel, store manager Helen King, and the staffÕs tall, tanned and handsome Patrick Levrat, welcomed Barbara Davis, Suzanne Marx, Liz Goldwyn, Jena Malone, currently appearing in Sean PennÕs Into the Wild. Louise Danelian went on to dine at the nearby E. Baldi, where the young, chef-owner Edoardo Baldi prepares those excellent Italian specialties favored by Katie Holmes and Leo DiCaprio. Edoardo and dad Giorgio Baldi are Tom CruiseÕs chefs of choice, flown by Tom to wherever to prepare meals for celebrations. ÒOn the island of Atlantis, kings built a great and marvelous empire,Ó wrote the Greek philosopher Plato. ÒThe kings had such an abundance of riches, as was never before possessed by any royal house that came before them, and is not likely ever to be again.Ó So informs Emanuel Perrin: ÒOur designers revisited the search for Atlantis, where Neptune reigned with his queen Cleito, surrounded by a multitude of nymphs, nervids, and other sirens.Ó Van Cleef & Arpels morphed these magical creatures and sea life and fauna into never-before-seen shapes and motifs blazing with precious jewels. To quote our beloved Carol Channing, they are Ògawjus.Ó Online at www.bhcourier.com.