Confession of a FILM FOX

Confession of a FILM FOX

Now that Mary Hartman is just a memory, Louise Lasser is said to be busy writing a book all about the trials and tribulations of working with Master Norman Lear. (Can you stand the wait?)

Donny, Marie and the rest of the Osmond clan (who can keep count?) have moved their facilities out of dirty, disgusting California to clean, pure Provo, Utah...

Frankie Stallone and his group, Valentine, have reportedly cut a record that has received the approval of big brother Sly (aka "Rocky").. .who's gonna argue?

Jack and Jill seek secluded hill.. .Jack Nicholson, since parting company with longtime steady Anjelica Huston, is said to be biding his time with actress Jill St. John these days. The first kinetic window sculpture display (by MikelVon) brought out some of Hollywood's most colorful recently. Observers included Gregg Allman (was that a Cher lookalike on his arm?), Ollie Brown, Kim Fowley and Candy Clark (who sported a Star Wars button which read, "May the Forces Be With You"). Hollywood be thy name, amen.

Neil Diamond is not leaving his wife, nor is he moving to France. Those frequent meetings with actress Jeanne Moreau were to discuss the screenplay she's writing that he's considering starring in.

Bianca Jagger celebrated her birthday with a predictably extravagant party at a top New York disco (yawn). The big question of the evening was the guest of honor's real age. .Bianca claims to be 27, the reference books say 32, while hubby Michael Philip was heard to yell above the hubbub that it was "38 years ago!" that the little lady made her first grand entrance. You figure it out. Detroit's own Aretha Franklin will be stepping in front of the cameras soon when she begins production on the movie version of Broadway's Purlie. Remember Mousketeer Margene Lackey? Of course you don't.. .she wasn't as well-endowed as Annette. Despite that fact, she's all grown up now and spending her time working as a guard in California's Soledad Prison. Margene was said to be referred to (around the cellblocks) as "the mouse who became the rat. "

The long awaited, much publicized Sextette, starring Mae West and assorted rock 'n' rollers, rounded off its production with the movie score b6ing arranged by Mr. Hustle himself, Van' McCoy. (Don't miss the scene where Mae sings "Great Balls Of Fire.") Speaking of Ms. W., she's reportedly the subject of a movie project of All In The Family's Sally Struthers, who's said to do such a great impression of the lady that she's taking it to the screen. Got nothin' to do one night this summer? Check your not-so-nice local theatres for the showing of an oldie-but-goodie X-rated flick Entitled Sandstone., .the soundtrack was reportedly penned by Toni's darling captain, Darryl Dragon.

Barry Manilow is supposedly so skinny these days that he's had to hire a tailor to add special padding to his pants to make his derriere look more rounded (and you thought you had problems!).

David Soul, more loved in Great Britain for his records than his TV show, was detained after a successful concert tour there recently. The singer/actor, who will be readying his first TV special for television this fall, had to spend a few weeks in a London hospital after collapsing from what turned out to be pneumonia.

Dino Martin still keeps company with Olympic skater Dorothy Hamill, but most of his time these days is devoted to his career—he's a U.S. Tennis Touring Pro.

Now that Jane Russell is writing her biography, it's said she may be out of her yearly income of $50 thousand from the Howard Hughes estate if she breathes even a word about life with big daddy.

Desi Araaz, Jr. might as well have been whistling "Walk On By", for all the good it would do him when he reportedly passed ex-lover (and mother of his son) Patty Duke Astin on a Los Angeles street recently. Desi managed a greeting, while Patty marched on.

Although the producers of TV's now defunct Rich Man, Poor Man filmed two endings (to gauge audience response), the show's star, Peter Strauss, decided to go on to bigger and better offers.

The life and career of tennis ace Billie Jean King will be presented on the movie screen, and the list of ladies in consideration for the lead role include Sally Field, Stockard Channing and Kim Darby.