Breeng a Loved Von!



This article appeared in Stardom Magazine in November 1959.


When Rona Barrett, Hollywood's No. 1 teenage columnist—and an eastern product herself—heard that New York's Bobby Darin was headed west, she sat down and had a talk with herself. "What can I do," said Rona, "for my singing, swingin' Broadway pal? How can I make him feel welcome? Outside of a fast appearance here a year ago when he sang at the Hollywood Bowl, he's new to the Doll City scene. Bobby doesn't know The Groovy Set. Maybe I'll toss a bash for him and get him off to a flying start."

Well, the more Rona thought about the idea the more sense it made and it wasn't long after that she got on the horn to hash it with such solid chicks as Tuesday Weld, Molly Bee, Dorothy Provine, Cathy Case, Jill St. John, Carol Lynley, June Blair and Connie Stevens.

Having cased Bobby on the TV shows of Milton Berle, Ed Sullivan, Perry Como and Dick Clark, and having heard his Atco LP: Bobby Darin, That's All, they threatened Rona with mayhem if she didn't go through with her blockbustin' plan. "We're all dying to meet this cat," they wailed. "We dig Bobby's action all the way."

So what did know-all, see-all Rona do? You guessed it. She wired Bobby and asked him to keep his first night in Hollywood open for her. She reserved Jack Denison's famous restaurant for the affair, then she settled down—and a la Zsa Zsa Gabor —wired the members of Hollywood's Younger Set the following message:

"Dahling: I'm hafing a party in von ov de buildings I don't own. It's to introduce you to my veddy, veddy vonderful friend, singer Bobby Darin, who's come to our vonderful city. It's a small gadereeng next Tuesday from 6-8 PM at Jack Denison's vonderful place on da streep. And ov course, dahling, breeng a loved von. Anyvon. Vit luv—RoZsa."

Kathy Nolan, Lorraine Bendix, Diane Baker, Christine Carere, Marianna Gaba and Judi Meredith promptly assured Rona they wouldn't let anything prevent their making the scene.

Alena Murray and Mitzi McCall replied: "Crazy!"

Jimmy Boyd, Ronnie Burns, Warren Berlinger, Buddy Bregman, Barry Coe, Rafael Campos, Michael Callan, Lindsay Crosby, Mark Damon and Troy Donahue, all Darin fans, phoned: "Sounds like a blast. Count us in, doll."

By the time Rona got through her guest list also included Ben Cooper, Tommy Cook, Chuck Courtney, Samson Debrier, Ron Ely, Clint Eastwood, John Gabriel, Ty Hardin, Will Hutchins, Michael Landon, Jack Jones, Roger Smith, Ray Stricklyn, Nico Minardos, Kenny Miller, Rod McKuen, Steve Rowland, Peter Brown, Gardner McKay and Van Williams.

As is her fashion when she entertains, Rona always includes a surprise element. Knowing Jerry Lewis was an idol of Bobby's, she quietly invited the Laugh King and once the guests had fallen in, she brought Jerry on. Darin's face? It hasn't been the same since. That smiling expression is still there—just won't go away.

Now the question. Who had the most fun? Rona, Hollywood's young swingers or the guest of honor? It'd be hard to say. But we got this quote from Bobby himself. "Rona really set me up. I met everyone and I had the time of my life. I'm going to spend a few weeks doing the nightclub circuit with George Burns and then I'm returning to Hollywood to make a movie Sammy Davis, Jr., will produce. I really dig this coast scene, dad, and I want to plant a few roots out here."

Well, we mused, going along with his enthusiasm, that shouldn't be hard to do when you've got Rona Barrett on your team—for she's really the Hostess with the Mostest these days. Right, Daddy-0?



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