August 18, 2005
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’740 PARK’ HAS SOME WORRIED
‘WELL, WHEN’S it coming out?” asked the fabulous designer Vera Wang of writer Michael Gross at Michael’s literary café earlier this week. “I am asking about his book on 740 Park!” she explained to onlookers.
Gross, a well-known editor-writer and a man who survived being called a “lesbian” when he went to Vassar, looked horrified. He said, “I can’t confirm that.” So the book from Broadway Publishing doesn’t actually come out until Oct. 18, but “740 Park: The Story of the World’s Richest Apartment Building” — about the famous co-op on 71st Street where apartments go for $30 million — is already lifting brows among the swells. Everybody from “wannabes” to “bes” can’t wait to read it.
Revlon’s Ronald Perelman, who left 740 when he gave up his marriage to his first wife, is just one plutocrat said to be worrying over what might be written about him. He’s not alone. Let’s add Jacqueline Onassis’ sister Lee Radziwill (their grandfather, James T. Lee, built the building and Black Jack Bouvier, their father, and their mother, once lived there!) . . . financier Saul Steinberg, his three wives, their children . . . the elegant Henry Kravis . . . liquor king Edgar Bronfman Sr. . . . the once wives of Steve Ross — Amanda Burden and Courtney Sale . . . David Rockefeller, son of John D. Rockefeller Jr. . . . that certain Saudi prince and members of families behind Standard Oil, Gulf Oil, Chrysler, Anaconda Copper, the New York Central, Havemeyer Sugar, International Harvester, Seagram’s, Campell Soups, Marshall Field, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bonita Banana and Avon products have all lived in this glamorous building.
Currently in residence are Mrs. Steve (Courtney) Ross, Stephen and Christine Schwarzman, David and Julia Koch, Spyros Niarchos, United Technologies chair George David, Countess Marie Douglas, New York Times scribe Alex Kuczynski and Charles Porter Stevenson Jr., Colombian billionaire Julio Mario Santo Domingo, heirs from the Mosler Safe, Loew’s, Estée Lauder and TV Guide families. Author Gross pulls no punches. Promotional material for the book promises stories about “the Friendly’s ice cream heir whose gay lover lived on one floor of the duplex he shared with his wife” and “a Palestinian billionaire believed to have been murdered by his third wife.” So lots of nice people with even less compelling histories may be worried!
Did Vera Wang, whose father also lives there, talk to the author? Gross won’t say, but did tell me, “It is fascinating who did and who didn’t talk. The people you’d expect to say no — Mayflower descendents, Vanderbilts, Rockefellers, Guggenheims, the Campbell Soup heiresses and lots of Jackie O’s Bouvier relatives — well, they were happy to give interviews. But some of the more recent and aspiring tenants, people with pictures in W and Vanity Fair all the time, either wouldn’t talk or asked to be anonymous.
“I think it must take a generation or two to become secure enough to understand that — as Alice says — a cat can look at a king!” The kings and queens seem a little bit nervous. But they have to wait until October to read the book.
TALK ABOUT hot; that’s how warm speculation is on Reese Witherspoon‘s coming turn as June Carter Cash in the movie “Walk the Line.” Add Joaquin Phoenix playing opposite her as the one and only Man in Black, Johnny Cash. This movie has big pre-buzz with both actors giving performances that are right up there with the classic Sissy Spacek as Loretta Lynn in “Coal Miner’s Daughter.”
Everything about the country-western phenomenon is even more so than ever these days. In “Walk the Line,” the two leading actors really and truly sing. And Reese tells Reader’s Digest that achieving her musical twang wasn’t too hard. Reese says her favorite singer is Dolly Parton: “She is an amazing songwriter and she has such a beautiful voice . . . she’s so kind and giving and open . . . she’s a nice country girl, with a lot of sense and a lot of pizazz!”
ACTOR Andrew McCarthy found fame back in the 1980s era of the old “Brat Pack” — “Pretty in Pink” and “St. Elmo’s Fire.” He rose with Ally Sheedy, Rob Lowe and Demi Moore. Recently he appeared off-B’way in the play “Fat Pig.” But now Andrew wants to direct and has signed with Creative Film Management International. He has already made his directing debut with an adaptation of Frank O’Connor‘s short story “News for the Church.”
CATHY RIGBY has flown high as Peter Pan for many years, but now will say ta-ta to the boy who won’t grow up. She appears as Peter for the last time during a holiday run of the show at Madison Square Garden’s theater Nov. 30-Dec. 30 . . . THERE’S A young actress on the rise who might be competition to Dakota Fanning. She’s Charlie Ray, 13, making her screen debut in the coming romantic comedy “Little Manhattan,” where she’ll be the amused object of desire when a younger friend finds himself smitten. (Cynthia Nixon and Bradley Whitford also star.) Charlie, a dance student since the age of 3, screen-tested for her role and told the director, “It would be great if I got this part, but if I don’t, I learned a lot and had fun!” Great attitude, kid — keep it up!
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