When it comes to the tippy-top of New York high society, it’s a small world.
On Monday, Wilbur Ross and Hilary Geary hosted a cocktail reception at the Four Seasons restaurant for “Prince of Chintz” Mario Buatta’s new book, “Fifty Years of American Interior Decoration.”
The crowd wasn’t large, but among the throng were George and Mariana Kaufman and Marty and Cornelia Bregman.
Kaufman, the real estate developer behind Kaufman Astoria Studios, and Larry Herbert, who built Pantone Inc. into an industrial giant, are suing Bregman to get back $3 million they invested in his movie of the Nelson DeMille best-seller, “The Gold Coast.”
The film was supposed to star Richard Gere as a waspy Wall Street lawyer whose beautiful wife draws the attentions of a Mafia don. But the movie never got off the ground.
Bregman — whose credits include “Serpico,” “Dog Day Afternoon” and “Scarface” — hasn’t made a picture in eight years.
The involved players declined to comment. But people who know all the parties involved doubt that Bregman could come up with $3 million to pay back his former friends, and they believe Kaufman and Herbert are suing in order to take their losses as a tax break.
“In order to get a tax deduction,” said one source, “there are certain steps you have to take to prove you couldn’t get your money back.” Also at the Buatta bash were a solo Pepe Fanjul and a solo Nina Griscom, whose torrid 2002 affair with the sugar baron made the New York Times and ended only when Pepe’s wife, Emilia, gave him an ultimatum.
No drinks were thrown, and a safe distance was maintained by all.