The ballot box
Here`s the latest in incentives to vote: Lawyers and accountants of the 42nd Ward Democratic Organization (that`s where George Dunne is head honcho) posted a notice in the lobby of a Near North apartment building that they would prepare-free of charge-IRS tax documents for any new voters who registered for the March primary. Their catch: short form only. We wouldn`t want them to get bogged down itemizing-or explaining-deductions for local property taxes, would we?
Intimidating matters
Last week an attorney representing candidates who are followers of Lyndon LaRouche accused state Democratic Party leaders of using ”intimidation” to keep the LaRouchies off the Dem ballot. In the category of ”it takes one to know one,” consider: The LaRouchies of late have somehow procured the home telephone numbers of state Dem committeemen. Among those getting rather curious late night telephone calls that solicit support for the LaRouche ticket is state Sen. Pat Welch (D-Peru). Curious, indeed, because it was Welch who ran LaRouchie Mark Fairchild off the floor of the Dem state convention in 1986. When Welch declined by telephone to support the LaRouchies` efforts to stay on the ballot, the caller compared his stand on the issue to policies of deposed Romanian leader Nicolae Ceausescu. Given LaRouchie tactics, INC. has a tough time conjuring up a vision of LaRouchies feeling intimidated.
Letters, we get letters
”So what if `an alarming number of zoo supporters showed up (at a zoo benefit) wearing dead animals`? At the dinner, they were eating dead bird. And now we can pretend they all came barefooted or in plastic shoes.”
. . . ”Stop being prudes. Kick back, pour yourself a glass of wine, but don`t laugh too hard at first or your faces may crack.” . . . ”I am deeply dithappointed that you choothe to dwell on my unfortunate childhood thpeech impediment ath you update your readerth about the new Brady Bunch therieth. Thintherely yourth, Thindy Brady.”
The Ex factor
Elliott Gould`s film career continues on a somewhat less stellar note than that of ex-wife Barbra Streisand; he just finished filming his latest starring effort, ”Dead Men Don`t Die.” . . . Carrie Snodgress, who has been pretty much out of the limelight since ”Diary of a Mad Housewife,” opens this week at L.A.`s Canon Theatre in ”Meetin`s on the Porch.” The former wife of Neil Young will costar with Susan Clark, the former wife of Alex Karras, and Patty Duke, formerly married to John Astin.
Reel news
It`s back to the editing room for ”The Two Jakes,” the movie that has taken about 10 years to get made. INC. sources report that test audiences have emerged from screenings to declare the movie ”too long” and ”very confusing.” . . . Brad Johnson seems to be in a real airplane mode. His screen debut was in ”Always,” about firefighting pilots, and he just wrapped ”Flight of the Intruder,” about the Vietnam pilots who were based on aircraft carriers.
Political shorts
Marty Marks, a 43rd Ward honcho for Ann Stepan, has signed on to work for Stan Kusper in his bid to become Cook County Board president. . . . Bob Macari, formerly of U.S. Rep. Marty Russo`s office and of late the legislative director at Coffield, Ungaretti, Harris & Slavin, will serve as finance chairman of U.S. Sen. Paul Simon`s re-election campaign.
GOPers on parade
Supporters of State Republican Chairman Albert M. Jourdan, who also heads the McHenry County GOP, are steamed about the bad press recently in local newspapers, which make an issue of Jourdan receiving $4,000 in political contributions from firms involved in mining gravel in McHenry. GOPers note that the $4,000 is but a fraction of the $125,000 Jourdan has raised in campaign contributions in 20 years of holding public office. The stones being tossed at Jourdan are probably part of the larger issue of a lack of regulation on gravel mining-the county`s largest industry. Environmental groups are seeking to unseat some McHenry County Board GOPers on that issue.
Stage stuff
Pamela Berlin, who directed ”Steel Magnolias” here, is now working on
”Cemetery Club” in New York; the play will star Eileen Heckart. . . . Somehow it won`t be the same without Divine, but ”Hairspray” is going from the big screen to Broadway. Producer Scott Rudin bought the stage rights. INC.lings
Monday birthdays: John Hurt, 50; Steve Perry, 37; Bill Bixby, 56; Piper Laurie, 58; Linda Blair, 31; Ann Sothern, 81; Joseph Wambaugh, 53; Olivia d`Abo, 21; Michael Hutchence, 30. . . . Thrilling news: John Frankenheimer, whose career as a director of thrillers goes back to ”The Manchurian Candidate,” is set to direct ”The Year of the Gun,” a ”paranoid thriller” set in Rome in the late `70s. . . . And production begins this week on
”Scissors,” a ”psychological thriller” starring Ronnie Cox and Michelle Phillips.
