Hollywood Heritage is a non- profit organization dedicated to preservation of the historic built environment in Hollywood and to education about the early film industry and the role its pioneers played in shaping March 2011 www.hollywoodheritage.org Volume 30, Number 1 Hollywood’s history. Marian Dean Newman Gibbons 1921-2010 ollywood Heritage co-founder and Offenhauser spoke of her as a “pied piper” past president Marian Gibbons regarding her ability to enlist everyone, from Hpassed away on December 8th from former Los Angeles County Supervisor John lung cancer. She had been seriously ill since Anson Ford and former Mayor Tom Bradley July. A memorial for Mrs. Gibbons was held through the most casual acquaintance, to vol- on December 29th at the Hollywood Heritage unteer and help save the “1913 Movie Studio.” Museum, and was attended by family, friends, For many, Marian was the face of Hollywood Hollywood Heritage directors (past and pres- Heritage and she spent endless amounts of ent) and members. time and personal resources to publicize and Two of Marian’s grandchildren, Marcy promote it, first as an idea and then as a work- Newman of Lebanon, and Lucas Shane Knopf ing organization. Up until mid-2010, Marian of Amherst, Massachusetts, spoke movingly was still on the Hollywood Heritage Board of of their love for their grandmother and the Directors and took pride in the fact that the very great influence that she had on their lives. organization had endured and prospered over Two themes were present among the speak- the past 30 years. ers. One was her awe-inspiring leadership in The second theme was Marian’s humor, public causes which included not only Holly- noted by a number of speakers, including Mrs. wood Heritage but also the Watertown Plant Janet Schoenecker of Elm Grove, Wisconsin. Road Historical Society and the Elm Grove Marian loved to mangle the English language, Playhouse, both of which she helped estab- and the attendees learned of her affection for lished in Elm Grove, Michigan before mov- brought her to Hollywood for the first time doing so, which was the cause for periodic ing to Hollywood in 1978. Her first trip was and inspired her to want to live here. Co- amusement and more than one embarrassing a brief stay in Toluca Lake in 1949, a trip that founders Christy Johnson McAvoy and Fran continued on page 4 Hollywood’s 10 Most Endangered Sites casual glance at the state of less imminent, are often more complex. In radical redevelopment of the boulevard. Hollywood’s historic resources shows an effort to encourage good stewardship of Hollywood Heritage is currently work- A good signs and much progress to- Hollywood’s irreplaceable historic resources ing with the Community Redevelopment ward determining the number and kind of and to inform our members of these issues, Agency (CRA/LA) and the Planning extant resources. Two long awaited and thor- Hollywood Heritage has launched its list of Department to mitigate these threats ough historic surveys of the Hollywood Hollywood’s 10 Most Endangered Sites. and encourage policies and development Community Redevelopment Area and the schemes that seek to preserve the char- greater Hollywood Community Plan Area have 1. Hollywood Boulevard: “Hollywood acter of Hollywood’s most iconic street. identified scores of structures and broadened Boulevard is back!” or so conventional our understanding of the region’s history and wisdom would have it. However, with 2. Orchard Gables: This somewhat for- architectural heritage. The recent downturn in the Boulevard’s success has come a lorn manse from 1904, on the corner of the economy has slowed demolitions of histor- growing pressure on the resources of Fountain Avenue and Wilcox Avenue, ic structures due to redevelopment, and a ban this nationally recognized historic com- is one of the last survivors of the com- on supergraphics has largely halted the expan- mercial and entertainment district. The munity of Colegrove founded by Senator sion of that physically and aesthetically dam- recent Hollywood Boulevard Urban De- Cornelius Cole, friend and confidant of aging practice. However, there continue to be sign Guidelines and Hollywood Com- Abraham Lincoln. Although there are growing threats to many of Hollywood’s most munity Plan Update propose changes to rehabilitation plans by the Hollywood significant landmarks, which although they are the underlying zoning, which encourage continued on page 3 President’s Message Moving Assets: Brian Curren Moves To New Adventures by Richard Adkins www.hollywoodheritage.org plications for demolition and drafted our ouis B. Mayer once said that movie responses to the Sunset Boulevard and Hol- BOARD OF DIRECTORS making was the only business where lywood Boulevard –Franklin Avenue propos- Richard Adkins Levery night, the greatest assets of the als by CRA/LA. Brian has also been active in President company walked out the door. This wry ob- historic issues in West Hollywood and in the servation on the role of individuals within an preservation efforts for the Fairfax Theatre. Brian Curran Vice President Brian's personal life is taking him back to London, his residence before Los Angeles. Alan H. Simon We are grateful for the time he has dedicated Secretary to Hollywood Heritage and his considerable Randy Haberkamp contribution to the preservation of Holly- Treasurer wood. We offer our thanks along with good wishes for his new endeavors. Brian will be Robert S. Birchard greatly missed. Bob Blue Claire Bradford Bigger Than Life – Amy Condit Hollywood’s 1st Bryan Cooper 100 Years Denise DeCarlo Margot Gerber his past fall, Werner Hanak-Lettner Laurie Goldman of the Jewish Museum Vienna visited Tthe Hollywood Heritage Museum. Mary Mallory organization is equally true of a community Mr. Hanak was gathering information and Christy Johnson McAvoy organization like Hollywood Heritage. reviewing resources for an exhibit he is cu- During the past three years, we have been rating at the museum in Vienna on the his- Dr. Meredith Drake Reitan extremely fortunate to have historian, author tory of Hollywood, exploring the lives of the Jeffrey Stutts and activist Brian Curran, Jr. on the board of Jewish founders of the industry. The exhibit, Hollywood Heritage. For the last year and a titled Bigger Than Life opens in October of Stan Taffel half, Mr. Curran has been both Vice Presi- Tracy Terhune dent of the organization and the Chair of the Valerie Yaros Preservation Issues Committee, one of the most active and productive groups within Committees & Chairs the organization. Following the significant loss of Robert Nudelman, Brian provided Finance & Development - Claire Bradford the organization with continuity and author- Museum - Richard Adkins ity, demonstrating the highest level of profes- Membership - Laurie Goldman sionalism as the face of Hollywood Heritage at meetings with community groups and city Nominating - Robert Birchard departments. Under Brian's stewardship, we Preservations Issues - Brian Curran were able to negotiate a successful restoration 2011and will feature many artifacts loaned Public Relations - Bryan Cooper plan for the former CBS television studio by American institutions, including The on Sunset Boulevard, preserving its 1930s Hollywood Heritage Museum, which will Publications - Alan H. Simon appearance and its use as an entertainment loan artifacts from the first Ten Commandments Silent Society - Randy Haberkamp industry facility. In our working relation- and the costume Gloria Swanson wore in Mary Zickefoose ship with the Community Redevelopment Manhandled when she did her first on-screen Director of Membership Development Agency, Brian has been our representative imitation of Charlie Chaplin. This is the first John Clifford on all issues regarding historic designations. international exhibit in which we have partici- Newsletter and Web Site Editor With the participation and cooperation of pated. The exhibit will be at the Palais Eskeles, Hollywood Heritage Newsletter is published his committee and the Hollywood Heritage Dorotheergasse 11, Vienna, Austria, through periodically by Hollywood Heritage, Inc., Board of Directors, he has addressed ap- April of 2012. P.O. Box 2586, Hollywood, CA 90078 323 874-4005. 2 Hollywood Heritage Newsletter | March 2011 Endangered Continued from page 1 was one of the first model houses built this 1959 modern masterpiece of ar- Community Housing Corporation, on the Boulevard. From 1911 to 1926 chitect Howard Elwell, located at 7107 sadly the house sits empty and is de- it served as the Misses Janes School of Hollywood Boulevard. With plans for teriorating as it weathers the political Hollywood. The last Janes sister died in the site unknown, Hollywood Heritage, storms between the CRA/LA and Sac- 1983, and the house has gone through alerted by the Modern Committee of ramento, which threaten to strip it of several incarnations from the center- LA Conservancy, is seeking informa- over a million dollars in funding. piece of a shopping arcade to a trendy tion and monitoring the site closely. restaurant. Today the house is unoccu- The uncertain fate of the Fifth Church 3. Women's Club of Hollywood and pied with its future uncertain. Recent of Christ also represents the wider issue Hollywood School for Girls: Located plans involve an upscale boutique hotel of the preservation of modern architec- at 1749 N. La Brea Avenue, this site con- and there are reports of unauthorized ture in Hollywood. While landmarks tains a complex of historic structures work taking place