GEORGE CHRISTY

Page 6 | December 12, 2014 BEVERLY HILLSBEVERLY HILLS

George Christy

Broadway rocked in1964 with Hello, Dolly star-ring Carol Channing … MyFair Lady with Julie Andrews… Barbra Streisand ranaway with Funny Girl.Locally we were rockingwith

news of the launch of the her-alded Music Center in LosAngeles.

This was a dream and avision of Dorothy

Buffum Chandler,a Long Beachd e p a r t m e n tstore heiresswho marriedinto the power-ful Chandlern e w s p a p e rdynasty (LosAngeles Times,etc.). She was

aware that every greatcity is remembered for itscultural “face.”

Los Angeles rockedwith oil and real estateand auto dealerships –yet, other than the filmindustry – the city wasdeveloping into a mega-lopolis without any cul-tural identity.

“Buff” to the res-cue.

“ I fyou giveus thel a n d ,we’ll findt h em o n e y, ”she askedthe cityf a t h e r s ,a n d ,i n d e e d ,the landwas deed-ed, with Buffand her min-

ions scouting

California and internationalarts supporters for the multi-millions ($18 million, more

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Ed Ruscha’s poster for the 50thanniversary of of The Music Center

in Los Angeles1964-2014

Mayor Eric Garcetti and wife AmyWakeland were among the earlyarrivals during the 50th anniver-

sary gala at the Dorothy ChandlerPavilion at The Music Center in

Los Angeles.

Dorothy Buffum Chandler flanked byconductor Zubin Mehta and WeltonBecket at the 1964 opening of the

The Music Center

Board Member MaxRamberg with LizFamilian

Board Member NigelLythgoe with Michelle KingRobson

Center Theatre Group’sArtistic Director MichaelRitchie with wife Kate Burton

PhilanthropistGlorya Kaufman

Board Member Marc Sternwith wife Gala Committee Co-chair Eva Stern

Neve Campbell Gala Committee Co-chair Brindell Gottlieb

Susan Graham Paula Abdul

Carla Sands

Volunteers for the Buck in the Bagcampaign which raised a million dollars

Gala Committee Co-chairJudy Beckmen with husbandThomas Beckmen

Catharine Soros andJeffrey Soros

Warren Williamson andGala Committee Co-chair Alyce Williamson

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than $138 million in today’smoney market). In truth, agreat cultural complex bene-fits our state and the Westwith a magnificent attractionthat lures the worldly and thecurious from around theworld.

Born in 1901 and agraduate of StanfordUniversity, Buff wed NormanChandler, heir to the newspa-per and real estate empire,allowing her powerful baseto work from. Focused onthe arts, she encouraged theaddition of a Picasso andhigh-end contemporary art todress the Times-Mirror build-ing, and promoted a culturalexchange between the SovietUnion and the U.S.

Proud she was of break-ing the color and ethnic bar-riers, refusing to host anymeetings at the exclusiveJonathan and CaliforniaClubs. Legend became her,when she tore up checksfrom the very rich, insisting,“You can do better!”

She organized The BlueRibbon group of powerfulwomen, more than 1,000,dedicated to raising money.All admiring her gusto to

build a home for her favoriteL.A. Philharmonic. Thosewho knew her, notablyLorena Mayer Nidorf (wife ofM-G-M’s L. B. Mayer andamong Buff’s inner circle ofmillionairesses), recalled Buffasking crowds for a donationof “a buck in a bag,” fetchinga million bucks. Big bucksarrived from the foundingfamilies: the Ahmansons, theChandlers, the Disneys, theTapers, along with Jules andDoris Stein, the Mirisches,Nat King Cole.

“We have given itthe bricks and mortar,” Buffproclaimed after construc-tion was completed. “Nowwe must give it a soul.”Zubin Mehta conducted theopening Beethoven pro-gram, with Jascha Heifetz assoloist. Buff continued topursue fundraising for therest of her life.“Unstoppable,” we weretold by the late arts patronFelisa Vanoff. Buff becamethe embodiment of today’ssuper woman.

The “soul” was in evi-dence during the 50thAnniversary tribute thisweek at the DorothyChandler Pavilion when theworld-class resident compa-nies celebrated their illustri-ous residence. The Center

Theatre Group, LA Phil, LAOpera, the Los AngelesMaster Chorale, and GloryaKaufman Presents Dance atthe Music Center showcasedperformers from memorableprograms throughout thepast.

“Tonight we brought tolife on our Music Centerstage many highly admiredactors, singers, musiciansand dancers,” noted LisaSpecht, chair of the Music

Center Board of Directors, “aforerunner of more creativeand inspirational arts experi-ences awaiting us in theyears ahead.”

Patina’s JoachimSplichal created the dinnermenu of lemon poachedshrimp salad (refreshing anddelicious) and flatiron steakgrilled with brown butter thatfollowed in a gargantuan,four-storey marquee erectedespecially for the gala.

The following night cel-ebrated The Next 50 Party atthe Dorothy ChandlerPavilion with internationalart team players of all ages.

Online atwww.bhcourier.com/category/george-christy

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December 12, 2014 | Page 7BEVERLY HILLSBEVERLY HILLS

GEORGE CHRISTY

David Henry Hwang and Tzi Ma

William Friedkin and Sherry Lansing Nancy OlsonLivingston

Former Los Angeles County Supervisor ZevYaroslavsky and Barbara Yaroslavsky

The Music Center Board Chair Lisa Specht withhusband Ron Rogers

Ginny Mancini

Judith Light and JohnGlover

Phylicia Rashad Debbie Allen Edward James Olmos

Jennifer Leigh Warren, Davis Gaines, Dale Kristien Cheryl Boone Isaacs Ambassador John Gavin with wife Connie Towers Gavin, andJoan Hotchkis