"Desperate" pharmacist prescribes laughs

The biggest star at Universal Studios' premiere of "The Producers" wasn't Nathan Lane or Matthew Broderick. It certainly wasn't no-show Uma Thurman. And it wasn't even Will Ferrell, nominated today for a Golden Globe for his role as a psycho Nazi playwright in the film that also got a nod for best musical or comedy.

It was Roger Bart, best known as George the pharmacist on "Desperate Housewives." Even his Globe nominated costar Marcia Cross was searching for him at the after-party to congratulate him on his "Producers" performance. Unbeknownst to many DH fans, Bart was actually in the Broadway production and reprises his stage role in the film, playing the flamboyantly fey choreographer Carmen Ghia.

Since George's recent "suicide," Bart's been getting reactions like "Ahhh! You're not dead!" at restaurants and airports. "I'm sure George will be my Gilligan," he admitted. But seeing Bart play a leotard-clad Carmen Ghia, wearing lipstick and eyeliner, may confuse people even more. "After these two roles, I'll probably have a great future as a creepy gay stalker."

And he's not sure which of his daughters, ages 19 and 5, will be more mortified by his prancing "Producers" performance. Probably both. It's that good.

Photo Credit: "Desperate Housewives" pharmacist Roger Bart (right) with Gary Beach, his looney love interest in "The Producers," at the Los Angeles premiere.
(Eric Charbonneau / Wire Image)

Everyone at the Monday night premiere was buzzing about the Westfield Group's redesign of the Century City Mall that, while impressive, left guests unable to figure out exactly where they were in the vast newly reconfigured shopping destination.

The film was screened on several screens in the new AMC Theatre 15 stadium-seating complex. Afterward, guests including director-choreographer Susan Stroman, Eric McCormack, Jon Lovitz, Martin Short, Olivia Newton-John, Leslie Ann Warren and Beau Bridges finally found the after-party, held in a former food court, snazzed up to look like a big covered restaurant/bar with lots of cozy sofas and plexi tables.

But the special tables reserved for the film's stars went unoccupied for the first hour of the bash. Did Lane, Broderick and Ferrell get lost? Even the event's photogs were standing around waiting for the trio, who finally arrived after 11 and posed for photos with Universal honchos Ron Meyer and Stacy Snider.

Director Baz Luhrmann was an early bird but even he looked horrified when a guest told him that he watches "Moulin Rouge" every day. Just keeps the tape popped in his VCR and clicks it on whenever he's home. "I see something new every time!" he gushed. Okey-dokey.

Jon Voight was, as usual, one of the first folks at the party. "You can always tell when Voight's not working on a film because he goes to every single premiere and is always first to the buffet," whispered one perennial partygoer. "The guy never misses a free meal." Hey, maybe he thinks of party buffets as craft service tables.