The last years of Kate Smith, 79, who died Tuesday, were tarnished by a family feud over which relative would act as caretaker for the frail singer. The battle was resolved in 1980 by the court-ordered eviction of a niece and the installation of a special live-in companion, Pat Castledine, the former president of Smith`s fan club. INC. hears, however, that Castledine was fired recently–and a nurse practitioner was hired shortly before Miss Smith fell and broke several vertebrae in her neck last week. ”Miss Castledine was heartbroken,” an INC. source said. ”I`m sure she feels that if she had been there, she might have been able to prevent the accident. Kate was hospitalized for a short time with the neck injury, but she then went back to her house, and obviously never recovered.”
WHAT`S IN A NAME? . . .
Adlai Stevenson just can`t shake the LaRouchies–even in the name of his
”new” Illinois Solidarity party. INC. has learned that when Stevenson`s nemesis, Lyndon LaRouche, led a lunatic left group, the U.S. Labor Party, its official publication was called ”Solidarity!” The United Auto Workers union then sued because that was the name of its official publication–and in a settlement, the LaRouchies agreed to use ”New Solidarity,” shifted gears, and went right wing . . . still daffy as ever.
CITY DITTIES . . .
— INC. hears the Great Lakes Naval and Maritime museum, which owns the USS Silversides, is so frustrated by Chicago politics and the failure of the Chicago Park District to give them a formal contract and a permanent home for the sub that they may ask the U.S. Navy to reverse itself and allow the ship to move to Muskegeon, Mich.
— When the cat`s away, etc.: While Mayor Harold Washington is partying in San Juan, Puerto Rico, you could fire a cannon down the corridors of City Hall and not have to worry about hitting anyone on the mayor`s staff. . . . Note to all you mayors wining and dining in Puerto Rican beachfront restaurants: Be sure you interrupt yourselves occasionally to berate the Reagan administration for its ”insensitivity” to the plight of the homeless and hungry, okay?
STAR TRACKS . . .
Ron Reagan has a job! After working as a freelancer for ”Good Morning America” for some time, Ron and Nancy`s kid has signed a contract with the ABC-TV morning show to do at least 60 reports a year. . . . A bunch of teenage groupies have figured out that George (”Facts of Life”) Clooney and John Snyder, two of the leads in ”Vicious,” have been spending Saturday afternoons at the Cambridge House Restaurant on East Ohio Street. . . . John Goldwyn, grandson of MGM founder Sam Goldwyn, is engaged to marry actress Colleen Camp, whose latest project is Howie Mandel`s ”Bobo.” (Of course it`s an MGM movie.) . . . Adam Ant wasn`t very successful in making the jump from rock star to screen star with ”Nomads.” Now INC. hears he`s not all that happy about Los Angeles and is thinking about moving back to Merry Olde. . . . Britons David and Elizabeth Emmanuel, dressmakers to the stars and princesses, have split as a couple. But they`ve mended their professional relationship and will continue to work together.
REEL NEWS . . .
When Del Close showed up on the set of ”Ferris Bueller`s Day Off” to play the world`s most boring literature teacher, director John Hughes said he could write anything he wanted on the blackboard–and Close took him up on the offer and got some free advertising. ”The Harold” is the name of the improvisational game Close invented, teaches and produces at CrossCurrents on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday nights. . . . Andrew White probably will be the only star of ”American Anthem” to arrive at Monday`s New York premiere directly from court. White, a Northwestern University student, is scheduled to appear in Skokie court Monday with dozens of other NU students on charges arising from an anti-apartheid demonstration on the campus last month. . . . Isn`t Jon Lovitz of ”Saturday Night Live” taking his Liar character to the big screen? Kiss of death, Jon.
INC.LINGS . . .
After years of going nowhere at NBC-TV, Lloyd Dobbins is moving to North Carolina to grow Christmas trees. . . . When Bears first-round draft choice Neil Anderson comes to town Monday to do some house-shopping, INC. hears he`ll also sit down with Aaron Cushman Associates to talk about their offer of an off-season job in public relations. Anderson graduated from the University of Florida in Gainesville with a degree in p.r. . . . Thursday birthdays: Pauline Kael, 67; Nancy Marchand, 58; Malcolm McDowell, 43; Louis Jourdan, 64. . . . U.S. Rep. Dan Rostenkowski (D., Ill.), who helped raise $100,000 for the Democratic National Committee`s Ethnic American advisory committee, was honored with the group`s American Heritage Award at a Wednesday black tie dinner in Washington, D.C. . . . Chez It Again, which opened, closed and reopened in one week, is becoming The Chez Presents All That Jazz, according to owner/manager Gloria Hope, who declares ”Nostalgia is dead” and ”We`re not doing comedy any more.” Don`t be so sure, Gloria.
SERVICE WITH A SMILE . . .
There`s one-stop service at the state air pollution facility in Cicero, where you can get your car`s emissions tested and be solicited by a hooker in the same block.
