Disney’s Hollywood Hills Campus That Never Was
In 1964, Walt Disney imagined an enchanting 26-acre Hollywood campus for CalArts in the hills near the Hollywood Bowl.
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- Apr 21, 2023
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...
- 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 10, 2022
Snow White’s Real-Life Fairytale Cottage
Before Adriana Caselotti voiced Snow White, she had her own fairytale cottage on Cahuenga Boulevard. In 1935, her father, singing teacher...
- Sep 4, 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 3, 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 3, 2022
The French Village (1921-1951)
Below the Mediterranean mecca of Whitley Heights sat another European-inspired beauty: the French Village. In 1919, brothers Walter and...
- 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 2, 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...
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