‘Soapdish’ Gets Party-Goers All Lathered Up

The Scene: The benefit premiere of Paramount’s “Soapdish� Thursday at the Mann National in Westwood. A lavish party followed at the nearby Armand Hammer Museum of Art and Cultural Center. The comedy chronicles the behind-the-scenes intrigues on a daytime-TV soap opera. It’s been described as “A Fish Called Wanda� meets “Tootsie.�

Who Was There: The film’s stars--Kevin Kline, Sally Field, Robert Downey Jr., Cathy Moriarty and Elisabeth Shue; director Michael Hoffman; producers Aaron Spelling and Alan Greisman (Field’s husband); plus 1,100 guests, including Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Eddie Murphy, Chevy and Jayni Chase, Kate Capshaw, Jeff Bridges, Tom Hanks, Judy and Mike Ovitz, Robert Altman, Frank Marshall and Edie Wasserman.

The Buzz: Much joy in the studio’s marketing department. “I was told not to worry about this film because it’s a hit,� said incoming Paramount CEO Brandon Tartikoff. “If that’s true, I’ll be taking credit for it tomorrow morning.�

The Locale: Guests walked the two blocks to the museum on a red carpet. They were greeted by a conga line of 14 drum-beating carnivale dancers who led the way into the Jamaican-themed party. Pink, lime and orange lights lit the courtyard walls, a 10-piece salsa band played and a Lawrence Welk-style machine on the roof sent thousands of bubbles streaming over the guests.

Dress Mode: Dark suits and black spandex. “I feel so underdressed,� said one woman. “I should have worn more Lycra.�

Money Matters: Tickets were $250, and $230,000 was netted by co-chairs Lorraine Gary Sheinberg, Nancy Short and Lezlie Johnson for the Westside Children’s Center therapeutic nursery.

Quoted: Asked how it was to purposely act badly as a hammy soap actress, Field said it was “surprisingly easy. It just came out. It seemed like it had been waiting there for quite some time.�

Hollywood Moment: Former Paramount Pictures CEO Frank Mancuso arrived just before his successor, Tartikoff, who takes over the job July 1. Studio execs deftly handled the job of choosing which ring to kiss by genuflecting in both directions.