Whitley Heights 101

History of Whitley Heights

2030 Holly Hill Terrace

2030 Holly Hill Terrace was one of the earliest homes to be built on the newly developed Holly Hill Tract in 1922. Charles M. Hawks, a former vaudeville actor on the Orpheum Circuit as a monologue entertainer, severed ties with the Whitley Heights organization. He was hired at Fargo Realty, located at 2018 Whitley Terrace to specialize in selling properties on the Holly Hill Tract. Seen below, Holly Hill Terrace, located off Cerritos Place, comprises of twelve residences. Some of the residences house numbers have changed as 2030 Holly Hill Terrace was formerly 2012 Holly Hill Terrace when it was being built in 1922.

2012 Holly Hill Terrace was built in 1922 by Hollywood Construction & Investment and owner, Helen S. Anderson of Hillcrest Avenue. Electrician Frank C. Van Amberg purchased the home in 1923 and was living there in 1924 when the address was officially changed to 2030 Holly Hill Terrace. Amberg’s brother Oliver, a builder, was building a home on Odin Street in Whitley Heights at the same time.

Silent screen actress, Gertrude Astor, purchased the home in 1926 and resided at the property with her mother until 1928 when she moved to Beverly Hills. Astor, who never married or had children, obtained over 340 movie and television show parts from 1915 through 1966. She was the first actress to sign a contract with Universal in 1915 who began her career playing the trombone and saxophone on a riverboat. Below Astor washing her car in front of the home circa 1925; she was dubbed “the Nash girl”.

Astor, who was one of the tallest actresses, towering over others at 5’11”, would often be cast as a gold digger, a rich socialite or the main character’s best friend. She was one of few actresses that was able to transition to sound pictures and would perform in comedies at the Hal Roach Studio or appear in Laurel & Hardy comedy films. Astor lived to be 98 years old. While she lived at this address, she made at least 7 films, including “The Cat and the Canary”.

In 1931, composer & conductor David Brockman lived at 2030 Holly Hill Terrace. Brockman, formerly a conductor of the Philharmonic Orchestra in New York, was hired as the musical director at Universal Studios. Brockman would continue to conduct orchestras in Los Angeles and would be honored at the Pantages Theater.

The same year in February, art director, Hector Crowley, was returning to this residence in the middle of the night and observed several rowdy party-goes leaving a residence nearby. The party giver threw the guests out in an aggressive manner and Crowley approached the neighbor out of concern. The host hit Crowley on the head with a dumbbell and was taken to hospital. Police did not find anyone at the residence where the party took place. Poor Mr. Crowley. Below is the living room area upon entry of the front door; the dining room can be seen at the back of the home. The door to the left goes into a bedroom.

In 1938, psychic extraordinaire Mrs. La Reina Rule lived at 2030 Holly Hill Terrace and would advertise her work from this address. Rule went on to be an advice columnist with the Valley Times during the 1940’s-1950’s. Her column, “If I Were in Your Place”, gave advise to everyday problems of others.

War Veteran and photographer Don Brinn lived in the Holly Hill residence in 1942-1944. Brinn, worked for the Los Angeles Bureau of World-Wide Pictures between the wars and would take aerial views from airplanes (before drones). Brinn, during World War II, was nicked in the hand by German shrapnel while entering Cisterna in Italy in a tank, continued taking combat pictures with one hand and was later presented with the Purple Heart award. Brinn had covered the Pope’s speech of the liberation of Rome and took a crowd shot from a balcony on Venice in which Mussolini “jutted” his chin.