Daily News from New York, New York • 372

00 'Jt suzv On the Shah's horizon, another island How Derek divided, dissented dislocated 0 THE UNITED STATES, sex is like money the people who really have it, don't talk about I 2 i. a i I 1 t-lHEY SAY CLAYTON WILLIS, a 1 1 Palm Beach bachelor and former magazine editor, has offered his $2 million house Savannah Hill Plantation on the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas to the Shah of Iran for as long as he needs it. Willis issued the invitation to the shah through a close friend of the shah's family who lives in Switzerland. It is said that the shah's representative asked for pictures of the 77-acre estate which once belonged to the late Lord Trefgarne of Cheddau in Wales, if you want a little background music. Perhaps the shah would find Savannah Hili more to his liking than the sweltering heat he complains about in Panama.

Its fans like to boast that there's always a breeze on the narrow strip of an island. And, just think, it's only 200 miles from Palm Beach! Speaking of that, they're revving up in that resort for the gala to end all galas, the International Polo Ball on March 22 at the Palm Beach Polo and Country Club. The chairmen are Mrs. F. Warrington Gillet, Mrs.

Winston Guest (Winston used to be a 10 goal polo player) and Pat Sheppard Patterson. Mrs. Stephen Sanford is honorary chairman. Until that happy night, the F. Warrington Gillets will keep the social motor running with a big splash at their house on Saturday, a supper dance honoring Mrs.

Samuel Meek Jr. There'll be a vast white tent on the grounds of the Gillets' Palm Beach mansion, ccystal candelabra everywhere, spring posies in profusion and lots of green underfoot. The tent poles will be hung, top t' bottom, with massive baskets of azaleas and tulips. Harry Bell is responsible for the decor, and he ought to know what it," wrote Patrick Dennis. Chatter of the East and West coasts is.

about the suspension of filming the movie "Change of Seasons" in Vermont. The production, starring Shirley Mac-Laine, Anthony Hopkins, and Bo Derek, will close down, and when it resumes, Noel Black will no longer be the director. (Jackie Cooper has already passed on an offer to become his replacement.) But a lot of people aren't blaming Black for the problems attendant on "Change of Seasons." They are blaming the omnipresence of Bo's famous husband, "Mr. Svengali," John Derek. John has been with Bo the whole instructing her, nagging her, taking over her direction, and driving everyone especially that good actor Hopkins quite crazy.

HERE'S MORE: A recent interview with the Dereks the once almost too-handsome actor John and his much-photograped and publicized No. "10" wife Bo appeared in the Washington Post. It was written by Henry Allen. In it, Derek, on location, is depicted as a profane, suspicious, disgruntled neurotic who fears and despises the press. Derek's control over his young wife (he is 53; she is 22) comes off as total, with John badgering Bo about such matters as having eaten a small candy bar.

He doesn't want her to "cover her face with fat," and he doesn't want her lying about it The article presents Derek as obsessive and paranoid in a story, where the angry actor-director-photographer finally accuses the reporter in advance of planning to "say I'm paranoid." Word is that John already has his own plans to be in 100 control of his 91 John Derek: a menacing role UNITED ARTISfS is battling more than disgruntled gays in advance of the sensational "Cruising." They are fighting a wildfire rumor that the movie is "so offensive" that the entire group of theater exhibitors who saw it last week have now canceled their "blind bookings" because the Billy Friedkin film of the Gerald Walker novel "does not meet -community standards." (Such a cancellation would be almost unheard of in the very tough, a-contract-is-a-contract movie business.) UA says that it showed the movie, starring Al Pacino, to its blind bidders and had more than 500 bookings as of last Friday. "So far," says Hy Smith, "we have not had a single cancellation from a single exhibitor." Furthermore, Allen Friedberg, who represents 75 of the nation's movie exhibitors, says that he will show "Cruising" and urges the National Association of Theater Owners to do likewise. Nobody knows where such rumors get started, but someon who'd like to see "Cruising" remain unshown understands that putting out such a 'tale could damage the film's chances. I may not like "Cruising" when I see it I hear its vision of the bar world of homosexual is pretty rough. But I don't approve of censorship and judgment in advance.

The audience that wants to see a movie like "Cruising" should have the chance to see it Or in line with Voltaire: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" BEEN ASKING who would play with Paul Newman in the forthcoming movie about beleagured cops in the Bronx, "Fort Apache?" Well, it turns out we can expec' to see Ken Wahl who made such a sir ash as the young guy in "The Wandere Good idea! -Giancaria Giannhr. is in New York for his new comedy "The Immortal- Bachelor," and if you don't rush to see a movie with Mr. Soulful Eyes plus such great Italian talents as Vittorio Gassman, Claudia Cardi-nale, Monica Vitti well, what would you want? Giannini is going to produce, direct and star in his next one, to be called "Hot and Cold" and made in the U.S. and Canada. FRIED GRITS: The newlywed Jan Cushing Olympitis gave a big birthday party for the old Aquarian, Norman Mailer, and his lovely Norris Church last night at Le Club.

(Norman and Norris were born oh the same day, share the same bed, and seem to be a very happy couple). Marilu Henner, the star of "Taxi" who came up through the ranks out of the musical going to play the female lead opposite Frederic Forrest in "Qammett" for Orion. They want Stockard Channing to sub for Lucie Arnaz while she's out of B'way's "They're Playing Our Song" doing "The Jazz Singer movie." Good thought Lady Rothermere: tells all on telly spree, selecting red draperies and stunning brass and crystal sconces and heaven knows what all. The 1.100 seats, covered in dark ruby velvet, will have an inch and a half more hip room and an inch more knee room. Oh, and the entire exterior of the theater will be refaced in beige limestone.

Neat but not gaudy. Like Marsha herself. JANE PICKENS (MRS. WALTER) HAVING has been selected USO Woman of the Year and will be honored at a luncheon in the Grand Ballroom of the Plaza Hotel on May 15. Mrs.

Andrew McBurney is chairman of the luncheon and Lillian Gish and Helen Hayes are honorary chairmen. Jane joins the impressive list of former USO Women of the Year that includes Mrs. Lyndon Johnson, Mrs. Gerald Ford, Mrs. Dwight Eisenhower, Mrs.

Douglas MacArthur, Kitty Carlisle hart and Mary Martin among others. Patricia Lady Rothermere, the vivacious wife of the British press lord, went on a London television program to set the record straight. She spoke of her life and times, and her performance was described 'as "magnetic." Referring to her shaky marital status (she lives in London, Lord Rothermere lives in Paris), Pat Rothermere said there would be no divorce because her husband didn't want one, and she didn't want one. So that's it, folks. I mean, that's it for now folks.

Bedecked in furs by Fendi, Diana Ross leapt from her stretch Rolls-Royce into Manolo Blahnik's shoe emporium on Mad there to select vivid blue suede boudoir slippers lavished with puffs of purple fur. a pair of magenta Roman sandals with a leaf motif running up the leg and a pair of flat boots in supple bordeaux suede. Someone at the nearby Giorgio Armani boutique had told Diana that Blahnik's shoesies were far from blah hahaha. Paloma Picasso, Bianca Jagger, Lauren Hutton and Cheryl Tiegs all get shod there. ONCE YOU DONE THE PYRAMIDS you're never quite the same.

That's said to be why Nan Kempner, Didi Shields, Pat Patterson and Wendy Carduner, who not only did the Pyramids but rode camels, barged up the Nile and explored King Tut's tomb, persuaded Doubles, the New York private club, to give an Egyptian gala on Tuesday. Doubles, you see, started the whole thing when they sponsored a trip to Egypt for its members last November. They all loved it so, they wanted a party to celebrate. Doubles says there'll be some surprises but, please, no live camels. Also planning the black-tie party are Pat Buckley, Mica Ertegun, Earl Black-well, Harry Piatt, Tom Pulling and Frank Shields.

If you come as Cleopatra, keep your asp covered. Giancarto Giannini: a one-man gang Marsha Neil Simon: sh picks th colors he's doing having worked for five United States Presidents. Mrs. Paul Mel-the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and Mrs. Vincent Astor.

(Oh, is that all?) in a WHEN MARSHA MASON isn't melting under the hot lights of Hollywood, she minds the family business. In this, case, it happens to be a Broadway theater, the Eugene O'Neill, owned by her husband Neil Simon. Marsha's been commuting from Los Angeles supervising dozens of workmen as they race against the clock to bring the theater back to its original Georgian splendor in time for the opening of Simon's new play, "I Oughta Be in Pic wife's future career. He will direct a new version of Tarzan," with Bo playing Jane. And for those connected with "Change of Seasons," John's going off someplace else to direct his own movie, can't come a moment too soon! SPEAKING OF the tempestuous John Derek, indefatigable husband of beautiful women (who are the only creatures in the world he says he trusts), one of his ex-wives is Linda Evans, the star of TV's "The Big Valley." (He wed her between Ursula Andressand Bo Collins, and she has remained so cozy with John that she even helped him research his legal sitiation when he wanted to marry Bo.) So guess who the masterfully beautiful Linda has been seeing lately in Hollywood? None other than Jon Peters.

Yes, the Jon Peters of Barbra Streisand fame. Now, if you can't tell the ever-changing players and situations in these terribly tolerant and adult "open" relationships, well join the club. Nobody else can either. tures, some time in March. Marsha chose warm beiges and repainted.

Molds have been taken from the theater's ornate plaster work to replace pieces lost or broken. The concrete floor has been removed and replaced. Marsha went on a wild buying.