Joanna … Joanna …
Joanna Carson!
The beautiful and beloved.
Bicoastal, too. Commuting between her mansionette in Bel-Air and “the oasis” with its sweeping aerial views of Central Park at the Pierre Hotel in Manhattan. Where we were invited to houseguest in the long ago. Capacaious accommodations, arranged with Joanna’s luxe decor.
Dining not far from the Pierre at Jules Podell’s Copacabana Club of an evening with Nat King Cole, we discovered it was Nat who coined New York streets “the jungle.” Consequently, considering the calm and peaceful quiet at Joanna’s Pierre suite, we named Joanna’s haven “the oasis.”
Wherever she is, New York or Europe, Joanna returns for the Boomtown SHARE Show, working full throttle with the annual gala.
Partaking of any help she may offer, SHARE being one of her dominant charities. More than $65 million has been raised during SHARE’s 64 years. With funds reaching out to hospitals, the Exceptional Children’s Foundation, Center for the Partially Sighted, Stuart House, and others.
Joanna was thrilled this year that the ballroom at The Beverly Hilton sold out, and credits the bringing-home-the-bacon enthusiasm of the newcomer SHARE ladies.
“Let’s Dance” was the theme, with Boomtown Show vice-president Christine Wallace saluting the 500 guests. While president Ellen Feder acknowledged Anita Mann Kohl with the “Member of the Year Award.” Then presented dance champion Glorya Kaufman with the coveted “Shining Star Award.”
Glorya’s an extraordinary philanthropist, dreaming of being such since her youth.
She never quits. Subsidizing innumerable dance programs at the Los Angeles Music Center, Julliard School of Music, the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, the Glorya Kaufman International Dance Center at USC. Also the Geffen Playhouse and Fordham University.
Her foundation grants dance classes to underprivileged children.
She underwrites an eye clinic at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. And donated her Paris apartment to USC for patients from infancy to age 18 to recuperate after eye surgery. Also established a mobile eye clinic with the Jules Stein Eye Institute.
More, yes, more. The Donald Bruce Kaufman branch of the Los Angeles Public Library in Brentwood, named in honor of her husband. Converting a 1920s Vista Del Mar building in Los Angeles into a 300-seat theater.
Glorya, generous Glorya, when do you sleep?
Entertaining after The Beverly Hilton’s three-course dinner were the Fifth Dimension with Florence LaRue, ventriloquist Jay Johnson, the give-’em-hell dancing ladies of SHARE.
Among them: Barbara Aaron, Terry Baldwink Gia Bay, Lois Bloom, Samantha Faulkner, Ellen Feder, Wendy Hammers, Joy Jolise, Anita Mann Kohl, also the choreographer Adele Langdon, Bonnie Lythgoe, Renee Marino, Dolores Nemiro (always a favorite!), Hannah Noval, Esther Rosenfield, September Sarno, Linda Schlesinger, Sandra Siegel, Christine Wallace. Along with songbird Lorena Peril.
In 1953, seven kind-hearted Hollywood wives met and decided to do something that would give back.
SHARE was born, an acronym for Share Happily and Reap Endlessly.
SHARE now celebrates its 64 years of an illustrious history that included past hosts and performers from Frank Sinatra to Johnny Carson, John Wayne, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Judy Garland.
Other good news this week was our meeting Anna Yan, the new face in the Katy Sweet Associates public relations office. She joins the popular Katy and her colleague Pam Giangregorio. Pros meriting constant praise for being there on the minute with news, fact checks, etc., as necessary.
Anna’s easy on the eyes. Graciously soft-spoken, smart, joining Katy and Pam as People You Should Know. Three winners.
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“For the first time in my lifetime, I see a real hope for change,” revealed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after meeting with President Trump in Jerusalem. Assessing that the Iranian aggression has united Israelis and Arabs, with a future of bringing peace in the Middle East more likely than ever.
President Trump made history this week as the first sitting U.S. president to visit one of Judaica’s holiest sites, the Western Wall.