TINSELTOWN SPYWITNESS.

Byline: Elizabeth Snead and Jenny Peters

ENDING THE SUSPENSE: What will bring a guy off the ranch? A long-awaited party, that's what.

``I'm here to support Cheryl, because I've kind of been through this experience with her a little bit, as I think all her friends have, since it's been going on for quite a while,'' said George Lucas on Monday night, far from his Northern California Skywalker Ranch. He was standing in the back yard of Brian and Gigi Grazer's Pacific Palisades estate, joining the cream of Hollywood's glitterati at Cheryl Howard Crew's book launch party celebrating her first novel, ``In the Face of Jinn.''

Crew (her pen name) has been married to Ron Howard, Grazer's long-time Imagine Entertainment partner, for the last 30 years, raising four children in the process. That's why, as Ron explains, ``this has been a long time coming, since she began writing the novel nine years ago.''

The long wait paid off, as did Crew's dangerous undercover, birka-clad trips to India, Pakistan and Afghanistan to research her thriller. Hordes of famous folk left their ranches, movie sets and television-show tapings to lend their support at the Indian-themed pub party, complete with belly dancers and tikka masala.

Renee Zellweger, blond again and very slim, joined Henry Winkler, Penny Marshall, Michael Keaton and Jackie Collins in congratulating the author, who spent most of the night at the end of a long receiving line, autographing books.

We spotted hunks Mark Blucas and Ricardo Chavira (Carlos Solis on ``Desperate Housewives'') and nerdy Chris Kattan checking out the house's beautiful furnishings and artwork. Also on hand - and happy to carry off the gorgeous beaded Indian-influenced Dolmans suede sandals given as parting gifts - were Ellen DeGeneres and her partner, actress Portia de Rossi, along with Lara Flynn Boyle, Debi Mazar, Rebecca De Mornay and Gabrielle Union.

As Lucas said, ``This is like the end of a long struggle, so it's a big deal.''

We Saw U

Faye Dunaway, incognito in sweats, a backpack and shades, with friends, all going to see ``The Ballad of Jack and Rose'' at the ArcLight Theatre in Hollywood.

Jennifer Love Hewitt, looking sexy in a sleeveless top (and it was freezing that night) at the ArcLight. She was with a young man who was probably a boyfriend. How do we know? Because he paid for the tickets!

Lucy Liu waited like an angel for two guy pals by checking out magazines and skimming books at the ArcLight gift store before going in to see a movie when her pals arrived.

Marsha Thomason, driving down Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood in her convertible. She talked with a pal at a stoplight about her larger story line on ``Las Vegas'' this season and the new indie movie she'll shoot on her summer hiatus. Hope she hits the jackpot.

Debra Messing, wearing straight hair, shades, a lavender tank and jeans, picking up a takeout lunch order at Tramezzino on Canon in Beverly Hills. No husband and no baby in sight!

Rocker/actor Michael Des Barres picking up a wholesale pair of hip L.A. designer Jenni Kayne's signature low-rise trousers (with long legs worn bunched) at her trunk show last weekend. You're never too old to rock 'n' roll!

Josh Groban and girlfriend January Jones buying groceries at Bristol Farms in West Hollywood.

Rose McGowan and Selma Blair getting soy and shea butter foot massages and pedicures at Varnish on Melrose. Blair had her toes painted with Windy City. McGowan chose Windy City for her new set of acrylic fingernails and picked Funky Town for her tootsies.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) LUCAS: The force is ... him.

(2) ZELLWEGER, HOWARD CREW and HOWARD: The write stuff.

Jeff Vespa/WireImage.com