INC. hears that the strained relationship between Prince Charles and his father, Prince Philip, may have something to do with the fact that they don`t see eye to eye on oil tycoon Armand Hammer. Charles ”worships” Hammer, who is very, very generous to all Charles` pet charities. Philip doesn`t think an ”outsider,” especially one with so many Soviet connections, should have such a strong hold on a member of the royal family. Jeepers.
— Watch Jesse run. INC. hears that Jesse Jackson is creating a black political action committee in preparation for a 1988 presidential bid. ”Jesse also hired someone from the Democratic National Committee to become his top aide,” adds an INC. source. P.S. INC. hears that Jackson just got a $350,000 advance from Simon & Schuster for his promised book. Wonder if S&S has compared notes with Viking Press? It never got a book from Jackson, though it gave him a $25,000 advance. Maybe Jackson is just a little more motivated this time around; a publication date around convention time probably couldn`t hurt. THE CRANE CONTROVERSY . . .
Psssstt! INC. just got the early word on the results of a poll that was conducted by the Republican Senate Campaign Committee in the hope of spurring U.S. Rep. Phil Crane of Illinois to challenge U.S. Sen. Alan Dixon, a Democrat. The early results are not hot. They show that Crane doesn`t have a ghost of a chance, and he`ll be sighing with relief. He doesn`t want to leave his safe north suburban seat anyway. Gov. James Thompson, who wanted Crane to head the ticket and bring in those conservative votes, will have a conniption. When he recovers from that, he may go into apoplectic shock on hearing that State Rep. Judy Koehler of Henry will hit the campaign trail Monday to announce that she`ll absolutely, positively go after Dixon`s seat. But, according to a GOP source, ”Judy`s got broad shoulders and doesn`t care about criticism.”
MCCORMICK PLACE CAPERS . . .
The hot rumor circulating at McCormick Place is that Gov. Thompson wants his board members to demand the resignation of board chief Jim Sheerin, Mayor Harold Washington`s appointee, which would force the mayor to try negotiating with Thompson on who should be the new head of the interim board. The Thompson side: INC. hears that during a private meeting with Washington this week, Thompson insisted that former Gov. Richard Ogilvie is still his choice for the top spot. The Washington side: He met privately with Ogilvie this week and told him that though he respects him very much, he doesn`t really want him to head the board. Is it true that Washington wants to put board member Al Johnson, a good buddy, in the top spot and fill Johnson`s seat with Walter Netsch, the man he can`t get on the Chicago Park District board? Just asking. THE DEPARTMENT STORE . . .
The Is-There-Life-After-Being-Barry-Manilow`s-Drama-Coach Department:
Nina Foch will star in ”Shadow Chasers,” an ABC-TV midseason replacement comedy-drama about paranormal phenomena. . . . The Darling-You-Look-Absolutely-Fabulous Department: Hollywood`s top cheek-kissing masters of hype are shaking in their Guccis over ”Power City,” former big-time publicist Beth Herman`s novel scheduled for publication by Bantam next spring. The characters are reported to be based on real, and reel, people in La-La Land. . . . The Whither-I-Go-He-Will-Go Department: It looks like Madonna won`t be starring in ”Ruthless People” for Walt Disney Productions after all. A studio source tells INC. that Mrs. Sean Penn insists her next project be with Mr. Penn, and there`s just no part in the movie for him. . . . The Close-But- No-Diamond-Pendant Department: After losing her reservation at a high-priced New York hotel to Nancy Reagan, a Chicago socialite was forced to schlep her luggage into her limousine and to conduct all her business from the limo phone while riding around town to find another hotel. Moaned the socialite to INC.: ”Now I know what bag ladies feel like.” Hardly, dear.
THE CASTING BOARD . . .
Glenview`s Jami Gertz is in Spain, playing the female lead in ”Solar Babies” for Mel Brooks. The movie also stars Charles Durning and Dom DeLuise, with other roles played by ”Dom`s son” and ”Jackie Gleason`s grandson,”
according to Jami`s dad, Walter Gertz. The movie, definitely not a Brooks comedy, deals with life after a nuclear holocaust. . . . In a variation of the old story of Lana Turner being discovered on a stool at Schwab`s Drugstore, 5- year-old Jason Cole was ”discovered” in a Clark Street diner for his role as Tiny Tim in the Goodman Theatre production of ”A Christmas Carol.” Talent agent Tara Lonzo and Goodman staff member Susan Padveen were having breakfast at the diner when they noticed Cole and decided he was just what they wanted. They approached his father, arranged an audition, and Jason won out over hundreds of other hopefuls.
INC.LINGS . . .
Thursday`s a big night for Dennis Zacek. He`s the director of ”The God of Isaac,” which reopens at Victory Gardens Theatre that night, and also the director of ”A Game of Trivia,” the second play in ”On Stage On 5” Chicago Playwrights Festival on WMAQ-TV (Channel 5). . . . Thursday birthdays: Bill Wyman, 44; Kevin Kline, 38; and David Nelson, 49. . . . After ”All You Can Eat and the Temple of Dooom” closes its year-and-a-half run this weekend at the Theatre Building, writer Robert Smigel heads directly for New York and his new job as a writer for ”Saturday Night Live.” . . . Also closing up shop this weekend at the Theatre Building: Peter Nolan`s ”51st Ward.”
