Norby’s bash shapes up as as a big one

By Alex Ben Block

BEVERLY HILLS, CA. (Hollywood Today) 2/23/09 — Robert Forester recalls the morning in 1998 that he was nominated for an Oscar as best supporting actor for “Jackie Brown” as non-stop phone calls, being rushed to a studio to do 29 media interviews and then basking in the moment in the limo on the way home. “I got this feeling,” says Forester. “It was a warm, warm feeling and I realized that people didn’t just have to check your name off. They had to write your name in. And there were enough people that wrote my name in; and that gave me a gigantic sense of belonging.”
A decade later Forester is still working thanks to that career boost, but he wasn’t back at the Academy Awards. Instead he was among more than 200 movie and TV actors who gathered in the Crystal Ballroom of the Beverly Hills Hotel to be part of another type of community at Norby Walter’s 19th Annual Night of 100 Stars Oscar viewing party.
Walters is a former music agent who runs a celebrity poker game in his home throughout the year which keeps him in touch with many of the stars who attend his party. “We give them an opportunity to get together once a year,” says Walters. “They’re not at the Oscars but they still want to hang out with their peers and their friends.”
This year the guest list was a mix of old and new, including Jason Ritter, Kristy Swanson, Chevy Chase, Daniel Baldwin, David Carradine, James Cromwell, Cindy Margolis, Shirley Jones, Lance Hendriksen, Harry Hamlin, Doris Roberts, Sean Young, Robert Townsend, Powers Booth, Steven Baldwin and Peter Noth, along with some 40 former Oscar nominees and winners.
They dined a dozen to a table set with white and red roses on courses of French Basil Salad, Chicken Cordon Bleu, truffles, tar tar, Belgian Chocolates, praline crème brulets and fine wines. But what I was hungry for were the memories of some of Oscar’s past favorites.
Forester said the nomination had a “gigantic” impact and continues to pay dividends for him. “My career has had the same profile that many others do,” explains Forester. “Something in the beginning of your tenure leaps up and gives you some buoyancy. Then little by little, in bits and starts, it diminishes, and mine had diminished over 28 yrs to zero. And so the nomination gave me buoyancy….It continues in the same basic profile. It’s been fun. It’s been a terrific 4th quarter or 9th inning or you name the metaphor.”

Double nominee Charles Durning said he found it difficult to sit there on the night he lost and listen to someone else’s name being called. He remembers standing up each time as if he had won, only to sit again.
Nearly 20 years after his nomination for supporting actor in “Longtime Companion” Bruce Davison remembers how his nomination “changed my life.” Professionally he was “suddenly in a whole other category of actors who could do parts, who could have opportunities. I’ve had a whole career since then.”

Still, Davison calls it “a scary horserace. It just keeps coming so fast…We hop around in this business for 30 years, and then we are suddenly thrown into the (awards) arena. I was competing with people I enjoyed.”

Paul Williams has been nominated six times and won once, sharing an Oscar with Barbra Streisand in 1977 for the theme song from her remake of “A Star Is Born.” The diminutive singer songwriter says the joke at the time that he told was that he wanted to thank all the little people, but then he realized he is one of the little people.

“I was sitting there watching the stage,” recalls Williams. “Probably the most amazing moment is when you walk up and turn to face the audience. A lifetime of heroes are staring at you, like Gregory Peck, Kirk Douglas, John Wayne, and all these amazing people are sitting inches away. It’s a stunning moment.”

Another three time nominee, Martin Landau, won once in 1995 for his supporting role in “Ed Wood.” “It sounds like a cliché,” says Landau, “but actors nominate actors, and it’s nice to be recognized by people who do what you do.”

Three time nominee Diane Ladd said the Oscars are “a celebration of creativity,” adding: “Our culture is important. It inspires all of us to our best achievements. Culture can be as powerful a weapon as a bomb. I think if culture is killed, it sends us into mediocrity and mundanity, and then the civilization finds rot behind it. And I think right now we have a lot of dangers going on.”

Theodore Bikel, nominated for an Oscar in 1959 for “The Defiant Ones,” recalls that he was “actually excited to be there. I hadn’t been around for all that long….I’ve been to quite a few of them since and the sheen wears off a little bit after a while.”
Director-actor-author Peter Bogdanovich recalls how much fun it was to be a nominee and the positive impact it had on his career. “It helps,” he says. “It calls attention to you. And any positive recognition helps.”

Walters says interest in the Academy Awards endures because “It’s the grand old dame. It’s like why we do this event at the Beverly Hills Hotel. It stands out. It was here in 1920 and its still here so many years later. It’s still the hub of Hollywood. And Oscar endures like that. It’s over 80 years old. Other shows come and go, and even if they stick around, they don’t have the character, the depth, the sense of Hollywood history that the Oscars do.”

Backers say the event was a great success and presented this information: When Veteran agent Norby Walters produced his 19th Annual Night of 100 Stars Gala night of 100 stars .com in the luxurious Beverly Hills Hotel’s Crystal Ballroom- this time there was over 200 stars, This a big black tie red carpet formal sit down dinner viewing party. Academy members flock to Norby Walters as he has been called the heir apparent to the famous Swifty Lazar and HIS PARTY AT Spago.

The guests were treated to a red carpet gauntlet of over 300 accredited media outlets including Good Morning America, and The Jimmy Kimmel show who both set up production units right in the party. The gowns, and world couture were astounding. Gusts enjoyed an open bar with the Hotels best mixologist mixing exotic drinks with the names of the Oscar nominees. The 5 star cuisine of the Beverly Hills Hotel including French and California fine wines, Chicken Cordon Bleu, truffles, tar tar, French Basil Salad, multiple fresh baked breads, Belgian Chocolates, praline creme brulets, sherbets and ice creams and rare cheeses and after dinner cordials. The flowers were a sea of White and Red Roses with golden ribbons in the form of motion picture film stock.

The party was broadcast live on the worldwide Web by Fashion TV and was seen by over 70 million people and has done this online for the past 5 years.

Stars who were seen are serous Academy Oscar watchers many who voted and have had Oscars and Oscar nominations as well. “If your not presenting or nominated- this is the party you come too”, said Edward Lozzi, the events public relations coordinator. It’s a great place to get glamorous and watch the Oscar with serious actors” said Norby Walters, the host for the last 19 years.

Guest enjoying the fun were: Chevy Chase, Daniel Baldwin, David Carradine, Dominick Dunne, James Cromwell, Cindy Margolis, Laura Dern, FRances Fisher,Robert Forster, Shirley Jones, Lance Hendriksen, Harry Hamlin, Martin Landau, Sofia Milos, Jason Ritter, Kristy Swanson, Alan Thicke, Doris Roberts, Fred Willard, Sean Young, Robert Townsend, Peter Bogdonovich, Powers Booth, Steve Baldwin, Buzz Aldrin, Garcelle Beauvais-Nilan, Lucy Lawless, Peter Noth (Mr.Big), Stephanie Powers and over 150 more….Over 40 former Oscar winners and nominess were in the room.