The Press: The Glamour Beat

The audience at Los Angeles' Encino Theater was just settling back to watchShelley Winters sin in South Sea Sinner when a tuxedoed headwaiter from Ciro's marched down the center aisle. Behind him came two red-coated flunkies, ceremoniously bearing aloft a jumbo-sized shrimp cocktail. They halted and served it to a hefty customer three seats off the aisle. Then came Squab under Glass, Caesar Salad, Cherries Jubilee (in flaming brandy). By the time Erskine Johnson had eaten his way to the check ($12.65), the audience was also fed up; it chorused, "Throw the bum out!"

Last week, in his Hollywood column, which...