Stars come out to button up good health

B.W. COOK

The largest mental health care provider in the United States,

statistically, is the Los Angeles County Jail. Not far behind is the

Orange County Jail, along with most every other prison facility in

the nation. It’s shocking, horrible and true. Most people don’t want

to hear it, let alone do something about it.

On Sunday evening, Hollywood glitterati joined forces with a

diverse crowd of citizens from Southern California communities --

coming from as far away as Santa Barbara, Newport Beach and Palm

Springs -- to celebrate the 49th annual Thalians Ball at the Century

Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles. The evening raised more than $500,000 for

the Thalians Mental Health Center at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in

Los Angeles.

The lifeblood of this near half-century cause, which takes its

name from the Greek goddess of comedy, are two indefatigable,

disarming actresses. Former Oscar nominee Debbie Reynolds (“The

Unsinkable Molly Brown”) and television’s Ruta Lee (more than 1,500

guest appearances on small screen shows including, “The Lucy Show,”

“The Golden Girls” and “Perry Mason”) have held court over the

Thalians for decades, raising upwards of $30 million for the mental

health center.

“I am extremely proud of my years of dedication to the Thalians

Center,” Reynolds said. “It is and will always be my first charity

cause.”

When asked how Reynolds has stayed involved since 1956, Thalians

donor Gerrie Kaplan of Brentwood said, “The need is great, and the

cause is too important. Money is so crucial to helping those who

suffer. Reynolds knows that to keep the funds coming in, she must

remain front and center.”

To accomplish this goal, Reynolds, the organization’s president,

and Lee, chairman of the board, work year-round with countless

volunteers and donors who are not afraid to stand up for the victims

of various forms of mental illness and their families.

For the past three years, Redken Laboratories founder Paul Kent

Meehan has underwritten the gala, enabling organizers -- including

2004 chairs Shelley and Gary Hahn -- to focus on the fundraising.

Among the Thalians’ supporters are Newport philanthropists John

and Donna Crean. This year, Orange County support also came from the

Kalbfel family and from Pilar Wayne Upchurch, the wife of the late

John Wayne, and her husband, Jesse Upchurch of both Newport Beach and

Dallas. Newport-to-Los Angeles transplant and moon explorer Buzz

Aldrin was also in the crowd.

The formula of mixing Hollywood glamour with corporate and

individual giving has been successful for the Thalians.

Bob and Margie Petersen of Petersen Publishing are among the

long-time givers. Robert Lorsch, Harold and Cynthia Gershman, Ken

Dibbs, Gloria and John Gebbia, Sandy Krause, David Paul Kane and

Linda Tallen are also counted among the most generous.

This year, actor/comedian Red Buttons was the ball’s honoree. The

Emmy and Oscar winner was named “Mr. Wonderful” at the event as he

was roasted by a star-studded jury of his peers, including Don

Rickles, Rich Little, Jack Klugman, Jo Anne Worley, Larry Gelbart,

Phyllis Diller and Jay Leno (via tape). Game show host Alex Trebek

shared emcee duties with Reynolds and Lee.

There were videotaped moments, including comedy segments from the

anchors and reporters of KABC-TV’s Eyewitness News relating fictional

Thalian-related bits. The live performances included the humor of

Norm Crosby, who began his 10 minutes by welcoming the crowd to an

“evening of extinction with Red Buttons.” Mamie Van Doren, Newport’s

own resident star, was on the celeb list, as was Newport auctioneer

Charles Dreyer, who helped raise six figures in donations from a live

auction. Dreyer began his act by auctioning off the Century Plaza

Hotel in jest for $1 billion to Orange County residents Diana and

Randy Hill.

Talk show host Dennis Miller drove in from his home in Santa

Barbara to lend his name to the cause and to share with Buttons and

the rest of the guests his love and admiration for the work ethic and

the image of idealism presented by the Hollywood past. Miller

delivered a short yet pointed speech, praising the work of Buttons

with the message that Buttons and many of his fellow comics in the

crowd somehow managed to reach a high standard of comedy without

resorting to a low level of taste.

One funny man in the audience retorted, “Dennis, I’ve known you

ever since you were a liberal.”

Thalian guests included Beverly Hills stock broker Craig Kaplan

and son Zachary, talk show host Gary Collins and his Miss America

bride Mary Ann Mobley Collins, Constance Towers Gavin, fashion

designer David Hayes, Stella Stevens and Lucie Arnaz, who sang “The

Best Is Yet To Come” from her new nightclub act.

In honor of Buttons’ Oscar-winning role in the film “Sayonara,”

organizers transformed the Century Plaza ballroom into a Japanese

teahouse. The Greenbrier floral designers sprayed each table with red

roses and white orchids to complement the many guests who chose red,

formal attire to honor Buttons.

In top-notch form, Buttons took the stage after a heartfelt

introduction from Carol Channing after the nearly two-hour roast. He

delivered rapid-fire barbs, mixed with sincere sentiment over some 60

years of show business memories. As Reynolds and Lee gazed from the

sidelines, supported by Thalians board members -- including John

Adsit, Joe Altzman, Samatha Altzman, Irwin Lehrhoff, Robert Bernard,

Steve Gerber, Stephanie Hibler, Adriane Rogers, Ben De Pinto, Ida

Myers, Leslee Scallon, Phyllis Friedman, Alyson Dutch, Barbara Cohen,

Barbara Smithey Brown, KABC entertainment reporter George Pennacchio

and Thalians Mental Health Center chairman of psychiatry Mark Hyman

Rapaport -- all rose to a standing ovation to salute Buttons and the

Thalians for 49 years of making a difference in the lives of victims

of mental health disorders.

* THE CROWD appears Thursdays and Saturdays.