STEVEN MARTINDALE , who died on this date (b: 10-05-1951), was a writer, lobbyist, lawyer and former Capitol Hill aide who was best known for his easy access to the highest social circles in Washington.

In 1974, Mr. Martindale was the subject of a notable article in The Washington Post by Sally Quinn on the nature of the Washington social scene. The premise of the piece was that social success in Washington is a question of power rather than breeding or money: If you have power, you’re in; if you don’t, you’re out. The story told how Steve Martindale had arrived here from Pocatello, Idaho, and made it anyway.

Although he had no power, Mr. Martindale could organize a guest list that included people who had great amounts of it, and for that he became famous. The Post story told how in 1972 he had helped make it possible for former Beatle John Lennon and Yoko Ono to stay in the United States. The government was planning to deport Lennon because he had been convicted of possessing marijuana. Ono wanted to stay here to search for her daughter, who was in the custody of her former husband.

Mr. Martindale suggested that they come to Washington and he would arrange a party where influential people might be enlisted in their cause. The result was an evening attended by former senator Charles Goodell (R-N.Y.), for whom Mr. Martindale had worked, Sen. and Mrs. Charles Percy (R-Ill.), Sen. and Mrs. Alan Cranston (D-Calif.) and several prominent members of the media.

Liz Carpenter, who had served as press secretary to Lady Bird Johnson when she was first lady, said that occasion put Mr. Martindale on the map. Hostesses were said to be torn between envy and admiration.

Over the years, many of Mr. Martindale’s other social triumphs were noted in the press. In addition to publicity, he received another valued recognition: In 1982, he was listed in the Green Book, the Washington social directory.

In 1987, he was part of another story by Quinn that noted the virtual disappearance of the traditional Washington hostess, “a victim of economics, feminism, power breakfasts, calorie-counting, teetotaling, the hick factor, tunnel vision, computer mentality and boring politicians and diplomats.” Mr. Martindale was one of the few men who had been great hosts in the old sense, and he was asked why he thought the situation had changed.

“The press scared everybody off,” he said. “It cost a lot of money, and you got nothing. You were perceived as being too ambitious. And I began to say, ‘Christ, I’ve had these people 20 times, and they don’t really care about me. Why bother?’ “

Although disenchanted with his former role as a host, Mr. Martindale continued his social connections. As he told Quinn in 1974, “I guess once you’ve lived in Washington you can’t go back to Pocatello.”

Born in Idaho and reared there and in Utah, Mr. Martindale graduated from Stanford University and then attended law school at the University of Utah. Active in Republican politics, he decided to come to Washington to work for Sen. Goodell. He eventually received a law degree from American University.

After Goodell left the Senate in 1971, Mr. Martindale worked for the Hill and Knowlton public relations firm. He also was a consultant, literary agent and lobbyist for various causes. He had been an associate of Saudi Arabian billionaire Adnan Khashoggi and wrote a book about Khashoggi called By Hook or by Crook that was published in Britain in 1989. An American edition was held up because of litigation.

He died, age 46, of HIV-AIDS at George Washington University Hospital.