| Alan Peppard: Villard's titan tale passed on 05/14/2001 By Alan Peppard / The Dallas Morning News
United Press International CEO Arnaud de Borchgrave isn't the only
family member with a flair for the written word. His wife, Washington,
D.C., doyenne Alexandra Villard de Borchgrave, came through Dallas
during the weekend with her new book, Villard: The Life and Times of an
American Titan.
Fulfilling a promise she made to her father, Alexandra tells the story
of her great-grandfather, 19th-century journalist and financier Henry
Villard. A peer of men such as J.P. Morgan, John D. Rockefeller and
Andrew Carnegie, he engineered a hostile takeover of the Northern
Pacific Railroad and helped fund Thomas Edison to create the firm later
known as General Electric. The residential palace he built is now home
to Manhattan's most exclusive dining spot, Le Cirque 2000.
"He was a famous man in the 19th century," Alexandra says, "but he has
since been forgotten."
Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas deputy chairwoman Pat Patterson
hosted a book signing at her Turtle Creek penthouse, where Alexandra met
with modern-day Texas titans.
She was also entertained at the estate of oilman Ed Cox.
And your name, again?
Ask actor Matthew Perry what his favorite part about filming in
Dallas was and you may get a blank stare. Apparently, one of the benefits
of a painkiller addiction is that it cleanses your memory like Formula 409.
Elizabeth Hurley, his co-star in the locally filmed Servicing
Sara, recently told US Weekly how delightful Matthew has been
since he returned from rehab. "He doesn't really remember much of
any conversations we had in the past," she says.
Big man from the Bronx
One thing former Sopranos star Vincent Pastore wishes he
could forget is his clothes size. But the man who played Sal Bompensiero
was very forthcoming during a visit to Lombardo Custom Apparel while here
for the Servicing Sara shoot.
The big man checks in with a 47-inch chest and a 50-inch waist.
"I'm trying to lose a little weight," he told store owner
Jay Lombardo.
Jay and the actor made one of those "It's a small word" discoveries.
They're not only both from the Bronx, but they were born two streets
apart.
The Boxster battle
A Porsche Boxster donated by Park Place dealer Ken Schnitzer was
the big auction item at last week's National Jewish Medical and Research
Center Humanitarian Dinner.
Pavestone founder Bob Schlegel and his wife, Myrna,
chaired the same dinner last year. They were determined that the Boxster
fetch at least $50,000.
When the bidding fell short, the Schlegels started bidding against each
other. "I don't remember which one won," says Karla Stover
, National Jewish regional director. "But one of their kids got a new
Porsche. And I'm available for adoption."
From politics to cabaret
Now that George W. You-Know-Who is president, his Dallas pal
Jim Francis can turn from political fund raising to cultural fund
raising. Jim and his wife, Debbie, are co-chairing this fall's
Cabaret Gala for the Dallas Children's Theater.
Jim and Debbie have tapped their friends, actor Chuck Norris and
his wife, Gena, to be honorary co-chairs of the event, which will
feature New York musical treasure K.T. Sullivan as the headliner.
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