'Dunston Checks In' to Bullock's Wilshire

GOOD MORNING: "Please remember that Bullock's Wilshire is a historical landmark. We have a contractual obligation with Southwest University School of Law to maintain the building and preserve its historical value." The above sign, posted at the former fashion-plate art deco department store, is a warning to "Dunston Checks In," the last movie company shooting there before the school takes over the building. The rooms, once filled with counters and racks loaded with choice items, are now converted into New York's art deco Majestic Hotel, its entrance, check-in desk, offices, ballroom, even a spa. And in a corner of the second floor --"orangutan headquarters." It's for Sam, the 5-year-old orangutan who plays Dunston. He had a pay-or-play deal before the movie started ... The Fox Filmed Entertainment family film is anticipated as a franchise with sequels to follow. Everyone's hoping this first pic will be as successful as "Every Which Way But Loose," starring Clint Eastwood and his simian friend who then reunited in "Any Which Way You Can." That's what producers Todd Black and Joe Wizan told me. They were on the Bullock's location, along with co-producers Rod Liber and Jason Blumenthal, watching director Ken Kwapis put Sam and his co-stars through their paces. Kwapis had launched the "Larry Sanders" series, so , he smiled, "This was a natural sequel, after working with Garry Shandling." Just kidding, folks ... In "Dunston Checks In," Faye Dunaway plays the hotel's wealthy owner. She talked with Ivana Trump for input before starting the role -- which sounds more like a combination of Ivana -- and Leona Helmsley! Dunaway's delighted with the comedy -- in which she's dressed in Chanel and Escada. Dunaway's talking another return to the legit stage -- after confabs with director Gerald Gutierrez ("The Heiress"). They're talking two plays for the Roundabout in Gotham -- on a limited-run basis.

THE $20 MILLION "DUNSTON" co-stars Jason Alexander as the hotel manager. He has a new look for his shift from TV -- a subtle hairpiece. As for the "Seinfeld" series, he believes the next season may be the final. There was talk of moving the show to New York, but Alexander says Seinfeld asked his small, tightly knit band of players and when they said it would be a hardship for some to move their families, Seinfeld agreed to remain here ... In the scene I watched, Sam displayed the acting versatility about which director Kwapis had told us. Sam donned and discarded chapeau after chapeau -- exactly as the script demanded. He had also tuned in TV and frowned at all the programs -- until he jumped for joy when he saw a "Planet of the Apes" clip ..."Dunston's" pal in the pic is 8-year-old Eric Lloyd, who was Tim Allen's son in "The Santa Clause." Other cast members include Paul Reubens (aka Pee-wee Herman) and Rupert Everett ("The Madness of King George") ... Following this pic, Todd Black rejoins Randa Haines on "A Family Thing" at UA starring Robert Duvall and James Earl Jones. Black then departs the indie prod ranks to be president of Peter Guber's Mandalay banner, with six pix planned for the first year at Sony ... Wizan's Phase I company with Don Schneider will operate at Par with indie financing. Wizan also hies to Disney for "Cyberia" and "Kiss the Girls."

NEARLY $ 700,000 WAS RAISED Wednesday night at the California Fashion Industry Friends of AIDS Project Los Angeles gala honoring Gianfranco Ferre, who put on an hourlong fashion extravaganza in the Century Plaza ballroom. Two sides of the room were covered with an estimated 60,000 pink roses and the table centerpieces were of dozens of roses. All the flowers were later delivered to home-bound people with AIDS. Ferre brought 15 of his staff from Milan to orchestrate the runway'd show. He also paid for his English staff to be on hand to handle the dramatic lighting. "I didn't want to take any money that might go to the charity," he told me. The lighting, sound, giant screens were a showbiz-wise presentation for his combined male and female fashions. They are usually presented separately, he reminded me. "I put them together for this." He said he's a good friend of Giorgio Armani, who had displayed his talents at another giant charity fashion show here for the Fire & Ice Ball, benefiting cancer research ... The army (60) of Ferre's professional models included two whom Sylvester Stallone formerly applauded at runway front rows (and elsewhere) -- Jennifer Flavin and Janice Dickinson. And Ferre's male army of professional models included thesps Patrick Dempsey and Jaye Davidson. An audience of Hollywood toppers applauded. Liza Minnelli, on a cane, escorted Ferre down the runway to receive his Crystal Apple Award. And Fran Drescher, who noted the government's lack of sufficient AIDS aid, intro'd APLA chair Dana Miller and exec chair Mike Anketell ... KNX entertainment editor Tom Hatten winged to Caldwell, Idaho, to attend the funeral of his mom, Margaret, who died Sunday at the age of 93 ... Kelly Stone and Daniel Maltzman will wed June 11 in BevHills.