Pearl Park: Whitley & Franklin
“The prettiest spot in Hollywood” was at the corner of Franklin and Whitley avenues: Pearl Park. In 1916, Stephen Willis built the...
top of page
Dec 16, 2022
Newly-Discovered Whitley Heights Home
Among the dozens of Whitley Heights homes lost to the Hollywood Freeway was 6785 Whitley Terrace, which has remained a mystery—until the...
Nov 30, 2022
Too Close for Comfort: Eugene O’Brien & Robert Vignola
Next-door neighbors are inescapable, especially when you’re both retired. The homes of Eugene O’Brien and Robert Vignola were in such...
Nov 21, 2022
Paul Laszlo’s Schiff House
Doctor to the stars Hans Schiff built a shining example of International Style in Whitley Heights—by architect and interior designer Paul...
Nov 3, 2022
The Cahuenga Chalet
This L-shaped stunner was the longtime residence of silent film star J. Warren Kerrigan, best remembered for Sampson (1914) and The...
Sep 13, 2022
From City to Sea
Not every Whitley Heights home in the freeway’s path was destroyed. A select few were relocated, both near (within the neighborhood) and...
Sep 3, 2022
Jean Harlow & the Voice Coach
Although Jean Harlow didn’t live in Whitley Heights (despite rampant rumors to the contrary), her acting/voice coach Samuel Kayzer did,...
Sep 3, 2022
The First to Go (1925-1948)
As planning began for the Hollywood Freeway, many of the homes that stood in the way of progress were acquired by the state and then...
Sep 3, 2022
Where William Randolph Hearst Stashed His Mistress
Such a dramatic house may not be the most inconspicuous hiding spot for your mistress—but then again William Randolph Hearst was not a...
Sep 3, 2022
Harold Lloyd: Mystery Solved
One of the few homes rescued from the freeway’s path is a sprawling mansion with a mysterious connection to Harold Lloyd. The silent film...
Sep 2, 2022
‘Bride of Frankenstein’ House
This adorable doll house in the Hollywood Dell looks like it’s always been here—but until 1950, it was located just across Cahuenga...
Sep 2, 2022
Heartbreak House (1922-1952)
The last home to be torn down for the freeway was amongst the first to go up in Whitley Heights: 6787 Whitley Terrace, otherwise known as...
Sep 2, 2022
Villa Valentino (1922-1951)
The most famous resident of Whitley Heights, Rudolph Valentino lived at 6776 Wedgewood Place with second wife Natacha Rambova and an...
Sep 1, 2022
Carole Lombard’s Honeymoon Home
The “happiest bride in Hollywood,” Carole Lombard made her honeymoon home with William Powell in Whitley Heights. Following their June...
bottom of page