Pudding Picks People of the Year

Ghostbusting funnyman Bill Murray and singer/actress Cher are slated to receive the Hasty Pudding Theatricals' 1985 Man and Woman of the Year awards next month, officials of the transvestite acting troupe announced yesterday.

The so-called Pudding Pots, now "internationally recognized," are given to performers who have made "a lasting and impressive contribution to the world of entertainment", said Michacl K. Allio '86, Pudding spokesman. Past recipients have included Paul Newman, Dustin Hoffman, Katherine Hepburn and Ella Fitzgerald.

Captivating Personalities

Murray and Cher were chosen because "not only did they establish themselves as capitivatir personalities, but both took major risks in their careers," explained Alek P. Keshishian '86, producer of this year's show. "Their talents transcend trendy popularity."

Neither performer could be reached for comment yesterday.

Members of the Pudding will award Murray the prized pudding pot at the February 19 premiere performance of their 137th annual musical theatre extravaganza, dubbed "Witch and Famous." The show, complete as always with male undergraduates in makeup and drag, spoofs the Salem witch trials of the 1690s.

And before the formal presentation Murray will be treated to a full day of wining, dining, and touring Harvard.

Cher will receive her pudding pot a week earlier than Murray at the February 13 annual Woman of the Year parade, which was inaugurated in 1951. The first Man of the Year came 16 years later.

Allio said this year's celebration may include elephants trotting down Mass. Ave. Other paraders will include Hasty Pudding men in drag, the Harvard University Band, the Cambridge Latin School Drum Corps, cheerleaders, jugglers and antique cars.

Up From Comedy

Murray, now widely recognized as one of America's foremost comedians, has moved rapidly into the limelight in recent years. After spending his salad days with the Second City comedy troupe and "National Lampoon" magazine, Murray achieved his early popularity in 1975 as a Not Ready For Prime Time Player on NBC TV's "Saturday Night Live."

His first film, Meatballs, was soon followed by a series of others in cluding 1984's top-grossing movie. "Ghostbusters," and Stripes, a parody of life in the Army. More recently he co-wrote the screenplay and starred in "The Razor's Edge," a serious drama.

Cher began singing in the early '60s with her partner Sonny, taking over the pop scene with her hits "Baby Don't Go" and of Got You Babe", both of which sold more than 3 million copies.

In the early '70s, Cher hit national TV on the "Sonny and Cher Comedy

Hour, which ran for four years. During those four years she received 11 gold and three platinum records, and also was married for a while to rock star Gregg Allman.

In 1981, Cher made her theatre debut in the Broadway production of Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean." After starring in the movie "Silkwood" last years Chet will have her first starring role this year in the film "Mask.