Madonna visit has Ritz swamped by photogs

GOOD MORNING from Paris, where Madonna has given a new look to the Place Vendome and the entrance to the world's most glamorous hotel -- the Ritz. Now, the world-famous and much-photographed entrance to the hotel is packed with paparazzi perched on anything to get a glimpse of Madonna, currently in residence. She is here for mass European promos on TV to be done this week from the hotel. But the word is out about her presence, and all the lensers are hoping to get a glimpse of her. On her first night, as I waited for a cab, she oozed out of the revolving doors and was immediately pounced upon by the fans and photogs. Her tall bodyguard had to squeeze her through them into the car. From that night on, she made all her exits through once-closed-off hotel doors. The Ritz's president, Frank Klein, told me Madonna has stayed here before and is a trouble-free guest. They love her ... The pret-a-porter showings for spring start this week, and top designers checking into the Ritz include Valentino, Oscar de la Renta, etc. If Bob Altman needs any added scenes for his "Pret-a-Porter"-- now's the time he can get 'em! ... Also at the Ritz is Veronique Peck. She and daughter Cecelia just returned from Milan, where Cecelia had a photo layout. Veronique, of course, is at home here -- Paris is her hometown ... Also here are Donna and Danny Arnold. They returned to Paris after a month in the south of France and he tells me he'd like to buy a place in Paris. But first, they are off on a cruise -- and will be joined by Ginny Mancini and Betty Rose ... While walking down the Rue Montaigne, we bumped into Mickey (Mrs. Dick) Fleischer. Dick will be showing his (and Westinghouse's) "Betty Boop" pilot at Cannes. They have 27 segs ready to shoot. Also in town: the Alain Bernheims. Paris is his home, too.

ROMAN POLANSKI WAS IN GREAT SPIRITS -- although he'd undergone hernia surgery a couple of days earlier and was in the clinic. He told me he wanted to complete "Death and the Maiden" before the operation. He did. "And I finished ahead of schedule," he happily told me. "It (the movie) went extremely smoothly." He said the cast of Ben Kingsley and Sigourney Weaver also happily included Stewart Wilson, for whom Polanski predicts big things. Roman's wife, Emmanuelle Seigneur , completed "The Smile" and both now have time together with their 20-month-old baby. But Polanski said, "I have several projects to choose from." And yes, they'll all be done here in France. Concerning the recent press about asking for a return to the U.S., Polanski said, "We haven't done anything at all about it." He protested he didn't know anything about it until he, too, read it in the papers. He remains in touch with friends in Hollywood -- like Jack Nicholson and Bob Evans. Yes, he knows about Evans' book -- but hasn't read it yet -- however, he did listen to the (Dove) tape, which Evans reads (and acts!). And Polanski promptly did a devastatingly accurate imitation of Evans for me! Affectionately, of course ... In Paris I also caught up with Line Renaud, who recently was upped from Chevalier of the Legion d'Honneur to Officier in a grand presentation presided over by top politicians and artists. Line and her songwriter husband, Lulu Gaste, are soon to be the subject of a French movie-of-the-week based on their real-life drama in which his song, "Pour Toi," was plagiarized into "Feelings." They won in a N.Y. court in a landmark decision. Their story is a natural for courtroom drama on TV. Renaud is also readying to co-star in a miniseries based on drama behind the scenes at the Lido de Paris. The cast would include Annie Girardot, George Chakiris, etc. We dined with Line near her Versailles home in the beautiful Trianon Place.

IT WAS GENEROUS OF Ambassador Pamela Harriman's staff to invite us to tea at her residence on the Rue Faubourg St. Honore. She is loved by the Parisians, who praise her at the drop of a chapeau. She speaks French fluently -- which doesn't hurt. She has brought some of her French Impressionist masterpieces into the ambassadorial residence. The ballroom can be converted into a screening room, with the projector hidden behind a beautiful painting that slides aside. Today, Mrs. Harriman is having a large reception for members of the arts. As we left the residence, through the massive black doors which front the avenue, staffer Christine Brys pointed upward to the topmost door panel and told us it had only recently been discovered that the monogram "ER" was there! The initials, of course, are for Edmond Rothschild, whose home the ambassadorial residence had once been! She said, "That's a scoop for you," in her delightful French accent. And she said they are looking for the mezuzas that once were on the doors, but which had been removed by the Germans when they occupied!