Thursday, May 4, 1972

The V.I.P.’s
Marvene Jones

     Whooping it up at Paramount’s screening of their newest hit, “Play it again Sam,” were Andy Williams and his shiny specs, and Harold Robbins and his shiny smile. Afterwards, we saw Gene Hackman and his shiny wife, Fay, bar-perched at Au Petit Café’s new subterranean dining cave, saying they’re leaving Saturday for San Francisco McGovern fund-raising dinners and four parties honoring Gene. On a nearby banquette was President Nixon’s pal, Fred Antkies, confessing to Arlene Charles how he spied for the prez during a preview of Hilliard Elkins’ “An Evening with Richard Nixon”, had a secretary take notes, and called the White House four times during it saying, “Don’t worry. There’s no such thing as bad publicity.” On opening night, Antkies fixed up Henry Kissinger with a blind date (!), Louise Mitchell, “a girl from nowhere” who stole the spotlight from Mr. Eligible as she looks just like Natalie Wood, only three times prettier, and Henry stood in the shadows while SHE signed autographs galore!