Winter Olympics preem to reflect Native American culture

GOOD MORNING: Nothing like talking about winter when the mercury is in the 100's. That's exactly what Winter Olympics opening and closing ceremonies exec producer Don Mischer and producers David Goldberg and Geoff Bennett did while visiting the five major Native America Nations living in Utah. The 19th Winter Olympic opening ceremony will be held Feb. 8 in the U. of Utah's 60,000-seat stadium and will be broadcast (NBC in the U.S.) to an anticipated audience of over 4 billion. The Hollywood producers were accompanied by Larry Blackhair, a member of the Ute tribe. He heads an organization called Native America, 2002. The producers met with leaders of the Ute, Shoshone, Navajo, Goshute and Paiute nations. Mischer tells me, "We wanted to discuss their possible participation in the opening ceremonies. Native Americans have inhabited Utah for more than 10,000 years and their culture and traditions are part of the fabric of Utah." During their trip, Mischer says, "We journeyed through some of the most stunningly beautiful and remote areas of the American West -- hundred of miles with no houses, no telephone poles, no TV antennas." And, he confirmed, no casinos. "The opening ceremonies need to reflect the culture, customs, tradition and history of the region hosting the games. And they (the Indian Nations) have kept clear lines of their ancestry. We want it to be more emotional, spiritual -- more than the scene of Indians dancing at the Grand Canyon." He said they received "a very good response" from these visits. Mischer did the opening/closing summer game ceremonies in Atlanta in 1996, with a cast of 8,000 and 2,500 volunteers. For these winter games, he anticipates using 6,000 with 1,000 helpers in the opening and closing (Feb. 24) ceremonies in Salt Lake City. He, of course allows "It's much harder to do the winter games ceremonies; you have to do them in rain, snow, or 10 below." They did a test this past Feb. 8, when the weather was 10 above; during a three-hour test period when the ceremonies would take place, "eight inches of snow fell." I recall attending the opening ceremonies in 1960 of the eighth Winter Games in Squaw Valley, Calif., when the snowy haze was so thick you could not see the stage set for the ceremonies -- until the games' honoree was called to the microphone. As soon as Walt Disney began to speak, the sun appeared, the curtain of haze rose and the Games were officially opened. Ah, that indeed is snow biz.

UTA HAGEN IS 82 YEARS YOUNG TODAY and you can find her dancing to celebrate -- on the stage of the Geffen Playhouse, where she and David Hyde Pierce are getting standing ovations in Alfred Alfieri's "Six Dances in Six Weeks," directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman. And you can bet she will be celebrating her 83rd birthday in the play on Broadway. She and David have agreed they will do it again, during his next year's hiatus from "Frasier." He'll rehearse here while winding the series' season before heading to the N.Y. opening next March. Meanwhile, the SRO stand here is extended. At the W hotel party following last Thursday night's opening, Hagen was surprised by Arthur Hill with whom she starred on B'way in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf" in 1962! They hadn't seen each other in 20 years ... Who's most excited about the Chicago Cubs' first-place standing? Steve Rubin, that's who. He's the press-agent turned-producer of Showtime's "Bleacher Bums," about fans who sit in the right field stands and root for the Cubbies, who haven't won a championship since 1908. The pic's based on the play penned by fans including Joe Mantegna and Dennis Franz. Maybe dem "Bums" will inspire dem Cubs.

THERE'S NO PEOPLE LIKE SHOW PEOPLE: Tomorrow in Inglewood, the first Guttenhouse will open. And Steve Guttenberg tells me he hopes to open one a year. The B'klyn-born thesp is celebrating his 25th year in L.A. and has worked for three years on making this contribution to the community. It is being accomplished with the cooperation of the Entertainment Industry Council, United Friends of the Children, L.A. County Dept. of Children and Family Services and the Community Development Commission of L.A. County. It will be a "transitional house" for young men and women merging into adulthood from foster homes, from which they must depart because they've reached the age of 18. Imex and Community Housing Management Services also help. Steve told me he cried when he viewed the completed house. He has also been heavily involved ($2 million) in his own indie film project, "P.S. Your Cat Is Dead" in which he's also sunk his own dough. He directed, cowrote and costars with Lombardo Boyer, with guests including Shirley Knight and A.J. Benza. Those who encouraged him include Dick Zanuck, Milton Katselas (who directed the play), Dan Petrie Sr., Michael King, etc. ... Jeff Goldblum and friends dined Elizabeth Taylor at Le Dome. Jeff, who wound "Igby Goes Down" with Susan Sarandon, can be found Tuesday p.m.'s playing piano with the Mildred Snitzer Orch jazz group at the Lounge in West Hollywood. Other nights he's teaching acting at Playhouse West ... Bruce Boxleitner emcees tonight's Saturn Awards at the Park Hyatt in Century City. Ron Meyer presents the lifetime achievement award to Brian Grazer; Bill Paxton presents to Sam Raimi.