McCarthy Puts Campaign for Reelection Into Gear

Lt. Gov. Leo McCarthy, aiming to raise $3 million for his ’86 reelection campaign, will be off to a quick start with a trio of L.A.-San Francisco dinners this fall. The two San Francisco fund-raising bashes are set for L’Etoile, and the local site is the Bistro Garden in October.

Here’s the news--the tab is $2,500 a head.

With a hoped-for 60 attending each of the dinners up north and 100 supporters down here, $550,000 could be raised at these intime affairs.

WE LOVE LUCIE--Seems as though everybody does adore Lucie Arnaz. Her L.A. friends say they’ll be able to catch her when she takes over for Sandy Duncan in “My One and Only” for the final days of its Ahmanson Theatre run. Arnaz will take the show on the road.

DINING OUT--Wasn’t that Assembly Speaker Willie Brown with KCBS-TV reporter Pam Moore and a group of his friends at Antoine’s last week? . . . And, more news from the Sacramento-based surprise-birthday-party circuit: As political consultant Joe Cerrell was surprised last month at his 50th by Brown and Sen. Bill Campbell, so Cerrell and Brown helicoptered to the surprise party for Campbell’s half-century celebration in Newport Beach on Wednesday night. And, really, Campbell was surprised. . . . Speaking about birthdays, happy birthday, Max Palevsky. . . . It’s no surprise to see one of Hollywood’s happiest couples, Sidney and Joanna Poitier, dining this week at La Familia.

GOURMAND GIVERS--Michael Roberts will host the kickoff for the AIDS Project L.A. dinner with brunch Aug. 4 at Trumps, co-hosted by Mayor Tom Bradley and Sybil Brand. Burt Lancaster, Andy Warhol and Shirley MacLaine have added their names as honorary co-chairmen of the Sept. 19 dinner. . . . La Toque’s Ken Frank is picking up lots of new restaurants for his S.O.S. campaign against world hunger. Peter Morton’s Hard Rock Cafe has joined the list, and Marilyn Lewis signed up all her Hamburger Hamlets, which at $500 a restaurant means a contribution of $20,000.

GOING ABROAD--Rumors in the anti-cult crowd are that the believers surrounding Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh--now centered in Oregon--will move their headquarters to Australia.

GAMESMANSHIP--Due in September--”The L.A. Game,” done by Steven Hutchinson who did “The San Diego Game,” which sold 15,000 copies in ’83 in San Diego. Top-drawer Southland attractions--like Disneyland and Ma Maison--pay as much as $5,000 to put their spots on the freeway game board--and that provides financing for the game production. The object of the game is to hit as many hot spots as possible along the Charlie White-designed board--using the Porsche 911s that are the player markers.

A TIP OF THE HAT--When House Speaker Thomas P. (Tip) O’Neill Jr. (D-Mass.) retires next year, his open House seat could promote a race not unlike the search for a film Scarlett O’Hara. Everybody wants it--or is rumored to want it. Mentioned as possibles are two offspring of famous families--Teddy Kennedy Jr. and Jim Roosevelt, the grandson of the former President. Also, Vin McCarthy, senior partner at the prestigious law firm of Hale & Dorr and a leader in the Boston gay community, state Rep. Tommy Vallely (endorsed by U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.), and several other current officeholders. Washington political consultant John Rendon, a Massachusetts native, said the primary will be “the Battle of the Bands.” According to Rendon, table stakes will be $250,000 to open.

ERA OF GOOD FEELINGS--That’s it in L.A. Mayor Tom Bradley’s office these days, helped along with events like last weekend’s white-water rafting trip. One sour note--Special Assistant to the Mayor Fran Savitch questioned some staff’s not being included. Deputy Mayor Tom Houston, the spark plug who’s putting together the mayor’s new image and such events, quickly went to all non-rafting staff to make sure they hadn’t felt left out. . . . Donna Bojarsky, hired as Westside liaison by Bradley, did scheduling for state Sen. John Garamendi in his ’82 run for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination against Bradley.