Elegant Birthday Party Turns Into Brawl (1976)

 

Elegant Birthday Party Turns Into Brawl

By Patrick Snyder

The Sun Telegram

March 8, 1976

    Actor Oliver Reed threw an elegant party for his brother David's 40th birthday recently at a private suite at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles. But push came to shove when Who drummer Keith Moon (one of Reed's favorite drinking buddies since they met during the making of Tommy) arrived.

     A long table appointed with candelabras and hundreds of dollars' worth of flowers had been set up for the 24 guests. When the maitre d brought the first course, Reed, sitting at one end of the table, leered up at him and said, "Everyone hates this consommé," and Moon chucked his bowl down the table, upsetting one of the candle holders. The maitre d smiled and brought a new one. 

    Multiple toasts were drunk, and Moon threw his glass over his shoulder and down the table. As the food was brought, it quickly became airborne. For entertainment between courses, Keith snatched Ringo Starr's serving plate, held it on his head, and broke it. He broke his own over his own head.

     When the Prime Rib came, Keith picked it up in his hands and began gnawing on it. "I didn't eat," said one of the guests. "There was too much glass flying around."

     After a giant cake was rolled in and a woman jumped out of it, Keith and Oliver rolled around in the debris now covering the floor. The ever-indulgent maitre d finally succumbed when Moon picked up a table, lofted it into the air, and smashed a crystal chandelier, sending sparks cascading from the ceiling.

     The police were called, but Moon had already left, bleeding from various hand cuts. A small price to pay for an evening of fun.

     Now that the Rona Barretts and John J Millers have had their fun with Beatles reunion concert rumors, let's throw in a couple of facts. While promoter Bill Sargent has upped his concert guarantee from $30 million dollars to $50 million, Ringo Starr's lawyer Bruce Grakal said, "He didn't reply to Sargent by the February 20 deadline, and I'm sure no one else has." If the four of them ever got together, it will be because they want to, not because of dollar offers."

     About the report that lawyers for Ringo, John Lennon, and George Harrison would meet in Australia to discuss plans for a concert and a Columbia /Warner Brothers record deal. Grakal said, "I'm not going anywhere." He added that Harrison's attorney, David Braun, "Would leave shortly for Australia, but only to work with fellow client, Neil Diamond, who's touring there." Grakal said he had not been contacted by Columbia or Warner.