HOLLYWOOD -- A galaxy of Hollywood stars and studio executives added dazzle and raised thousands of dollars for Democratic presidential campaigns during the primaries, but only three will go to San Francisco next month as delegates or alternates.
The rest are either working on films, their spokesmen say, or will spending the summer out of the country.
Actor Warren Beatty and Steve Wozniak, the Apple Computer founder, are the only celebrities who will be delegates at the Democratic National Convention, with Donna Mills of TV's 'Knotts Landing' attending as an alternate, according to a Los Angeles spokeswoman for the Democratic Party.
Robin Williams and Debra Winger may attend as 'civilians,' Hart's celebrity coordinator Patricia Duff says, but neither is confirmed.
The Democratic primary campaign trail last winter and spring glittered with movie and TV stars. A partial list included Jack Nicholson, Hal Linden, Walter Matthau, Goldie Hawn and Robert Redford, Penny Marshall and Miss Winger for Hart; Paul Newman and Ellen Burstyn for Walter Mondale, and Bill Cosby and Harry Belafonte for Jesse Jackson.
So what happened to celebrity support when the candidates need them most -- at the convention?
More than 100 calls to agents, publicists and managers of the stars suggest celebrities are like other rich people. They go to Europe for the summer.
Walter Matthau's agent said, 'He's in Europe. I hear there are a lot of nice countries there to visit.'
Others are away shooting films. Goldie Hawn, a Hart booster, is working in Tanzania.
Mike Medavoy, head of Orion Pictures and an influential kingmaker who introduced Gary Hart to many of the stars who ended up supporting the candidate, won't be traveling to San Francisco for the convention. 'Gary Hart is my friend, but I have movies to make,' Medavoy says.
Belafonte, who produced 'Beat Street,' one of Orion's few hits, supports Jackson.
During the primaries, Hart attracted the lion's share of star endorsements.
The Colorado senator's Hollywood connection goes back to George McGovern's 1972 Presidential bid, when Hart as McGovern's campaign manager lined up many anti-Vietnam War celebrities for McGovern. When Hart decided to run himself, he had a Rolodex full of who's who in the film industry to tap.
'The reason we've gotten so much interest from Hollywood is the stars consider Mondale old politics and tied to new leadership,' Miss Duff says.
'We don't recruit them,' says Diane Nine at Mondale's Washington headquarters when asked about the relative lack of celebrity support for the front-runner.
While the media criticize and are criticized for focusing on image over substance, the stars, masters of image-making themselves, lend their support to a candidate based on his stand on the issues.
Miss Nine says Paul Newman likes Mondale's stand on the nuclear freeze and ELlen Burstyn supports Mondale 'because of the women's issue.'
Singer-songwriter Carol King, who owns property in Idaho, has been battling the forest service, and agrees with Hart's stand on land policies.
'Some celebrities are true believers. They'll stick to you whatever, while others' enthusiasm rises and falls with the fate of the campaign. That makes my job tougher. It's been a roller coaster ride,' says one campaign aide who asked not to be identified.
'We've had to deal with a lot of big egos, but not as many as you'd think. Some have been suprisingly helpful. Debra Winger and Don Henley (The Eagles) did phone bank work,' Miss Duff says.
A major country and western star wanted to endorse Hart, but feared Reagan would win in November, dashing the singer's hope of being one of the first civilian passengers on the space shuttle.
Memories of the Nixon enemies list and milder forms of ostracism have scared others away.
'It's a strange commentary on American politics that a lot of celebrities are afraid they won't be invited to the White House for dinner if they back the wrong candidate,' one political aide says.
Stars are a 'national resource' for attracting funds and free media exposure, which can be invaluable for an underdog or little known candidate, Miss Duff says.
'Honest to God I don't think a celebrity endorsement has much influence. As they say in physics, it's barely measurable. Basically, I'm not up on politics, because there really are no small computer issues. But I like Hart because he's an Atari Democrat. The other candidates seem only concerned with smokestack industries,' said Wozniak, who produced two US Festivals after leaving Apple.
Besides voting for Hart at the convention, Wozniak will speak at what he calls a 'high tech lunch' for other delegates.
