‘WHAT DOES a columnist need be sides a sense of humor? – A sense of rumor!” wrote Leila Hadley Luce to me recently.

Sadly, this wonderful writer and bon vivant of a woman died last week after an acute asthma attack.

Leila was the widow of Hank Luce of the Time magazine empire, and she led a colorful life before and after him. She was forever an “up,” a life force, encouraging talents great and small, and generous to a fault. (I have never believed her detractors.)

There will be a service for Leila at 2 p.m. on March 10 at the St. Thomas Church, 53rd and Fifth.

Do not rest in peace, dear Leila, just tear things up wherever you are!

FOR THE next James Bond thriller, I am betting on the return of the characters Q, who creates 007’s galaxy of gadgets, and Miss Moneypenny, who is the efficient secretary to M. They’ve been missing for some outings.

Dame Judi Dench, who now plays M – the head of all security and spying – and Daniel Craig (“the name is Bond, James Bond”) want to see the characters revived. Judi says she’d like to see John Cleese as Q and Samantha Bond as Moneypenny, in the roles they have played previously.

When columnist Tim Walker asked Judi if she will also return as M, she said: “You bet. As M you get to treat this powerful man very, very badly.”

TALK MAY be cheap, but there’s plenty of it about the coming Broadway pro duction “Impressionism,” which will star Joan Allen, Jeremy Irons, Marsha Mason – an excellent cast – opening March 12.

No wonder, it is being directed by the genius Jack O’Brien and was written by Michael Jacobs. Now here’s a story. Producer Bill Haber recently heard from a woman he’d represented 30 years ago, Susan Harris. He describes her as “the creator of ‘Soap,’ ‘The Golden Girls,’ ‘Empty Nest’ and a billion dollars worth of other writing. She is considered one of the smartest of all TV people.”

Susan said she’d seen the ad for “Impressionism” and talked CAA into lending her a script. She wanted Bill to know that the play “is the finest I’ve read in years. I went back and read it again! Who is this guy – Michael Jacobs? I’m going to stop writing plays since I can never match this. Thanks for doing something this adventuresome, courageous and sensitive.”

Now that’s the kind of pre-inside talk everybody wants. Haber says, “This moved me and reminded me again why we’re doing this play.”

‘BABY, WHEN you stop being nervous, you better start worrying!” That was AmFAR honoree Liza Minnelli calming the jitters of young Renee Olstead last week at the AIDS Foundation’s annual gala at Cipriani in NYC.

Miss Olstead, a veteran jazz chanteuse at 19, out with a new CD, “Skylark,” felt she should have been calmer. But after a day at the Donna Karan salon selecting a gown – a delicious pink parfait number – and worrying over her rendition of “Thanks for the Boogie Ride,” Renee was a wee bit tense. (Fretting over her fashion choice, she glanced over at another of the evening’s presenters, Vogue’s Anna Wintour, and said, “Do you think Anna will approve?”) Even Harry Belafonte was moved to reassure the usually composed Renee. He told her, “It’s good to be nervous. That means you’re going to give a great performance.” Wisdom from her elders proved the perfect balm. Renee went out there and knocked the crowd for a loop! That crowd included Mary J. Blige, Cheyenne Jackson, Dick Cavett and Calvin Klein.

This was a big night for AmFAR, hosted by Stanley Tucci, raising more than $800,000 for research. Liza, Donna Karan, and Howard and Cindy Rachofsky were recognized for their efforts in the fight against AIDS.

The highlight of the evening was – of course! – Liza. Designer Kenneth Cole presented the great star with her award. She made a few heartfelt remarks, and then sang her full acceptance speech! Later, Cole, who is also AmFAR’s tireless chairman of the board, auctioned off a pair of Cartier love bracelets. He egged the bidding by promising a performance by Liza. The jewels went for $90,000, and Liza, glittering in sequins, sang a powerful rendition of “I Would Never Leave You.” (Kenneth designed Liza’s outfit, which really was a stunner.)

By the way, don’t fail to miss my cover story on Liza for Parade magazine (in your Sunday Post) on March 1. Mostly, Liza loves to talk about her work and give credit to others (she is quite modest for a living legend), but I got her onto a few other subjects. She was in splendid form for our chat.

WENT to the Gerry Schoenfeld memo rial with Joan Rivers and Elaine Stritch. On entering the theater, Elaine promptly deserted us to sit with her “30 Rock” co-star Alec Baldwin. I never mind what Elaine does. I’m used to her, having known her for more than 50 years. She just sent me her framed birth certificate to point out how much younger she is than me. At the National Arts Club recently she received a Lifetime Achievement Award. Playwright Larry Myers coined the term “Stritchcraft” to describe her raw, moving remarks. “What did you tell them, Elaine?” I asked. “Oh, I went for the tragic, sad, downbeat stuff. They lapped it up!”