Whitley Heights 101

6603 Whitley Terrace

6603 Whitley Terrace was built in 1922 by architect Arthur S. Barnes and owner James Ferdon, a Long Beach real estate investor. James and his wife, Alpha, resided here until the early 1930s. In 1935 French journalist turned screenwriter Robert Florey lived here. In 1924 he was signed by MGM as assistant director on a two-year contract, moving on to Paramount as full director in 1928. During this period of apprenticeship he learned the tricks of his trade under such experienced craftsmen as King Vidor and Josef von Sternberg. His first claim to directing fame were two highly acclaimed avant-garde short films, The Life and Death of 9413, a Hollywood Extra (1928), and Skyscraper Symphony (1929) — both heavily influenced by German expressionist cinema. Florey was also co-directed the first wacky comedy with The Marx Brothers, The Cocoanuts (1929), shot at Paramount’s Astoria studio, near Broadway (Groucho Marx was not impressed with either director; he once said about them that “one of them didn’t understand Harpo [Harpo Marx] and the other one didn’t understand English”). Below Florey stands to the right of Charlie Chaplin.

Florey joined Universal Studios in 1931 and requested to write and direct Frankenstein (1931) with Bela Lugosi. However, producer Carl Laemmie disliked Lugosi’s make-up for the monster while Lugosi resented the fact that he did not have a speaking part on the film. Much of Florey’s script ended up on the cutting room floor, except for some of the remembered moments, such as the ending in the windmill. As consolation for missing out on the part, Florey was given a lesser project, Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932) with Lugosi starring as Dr. Mirakle. Florey bounced between different movie studios and excelled working on horror and science fictions films. In 1951, Florey started directing television shows such as The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. In 1953 he won the first Directors Guild of America Award for TV direction, for Four Star Playhouse: The Last Voyage (1953). He also wrote eight influential books on the history of cinema.

This Mediterranean, two story home sit on an upslope and has a Mission tile roof, and central octagonal tower, French doors and windows. Formerly the residence of actress Beverly D’Angelo, according to the National Register of Historic Places. Rumor has it that Jean Harlow lived here in the 1930’s (also mentioned as 6621 Whitley Terrace and mentioned living here in several Whitley Heights histories, but not likely, perhaps confusion with 6613, where she visited often as it was the home of her acting and voice coach, Samuel Kayser. Most of the original home has been left in tact since it was built. Below is an aerial view of the home nestled between 6609 Whitley Terrace (left) and 1987 Whitley Avenue (right).

In 1980, the house was purchased by screenwriter Jim Geoghan and his wife, actress Annie Gagen, who had an opportunity to write for television shows in Los Angeles. Geoghan wrote and produced many popular television shows including; Silver Spoons, Punky Brewster, Mama’s Family, Three’s Company, Sanford, The Facts of Life, Empire, Kate and Allie, Too Close For Comfort, It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, Boys Will Be Boys, The Van Dyke Show, Amen and Family Matters. He co-created and executive produced The Suite Life of Zack and Cody for the Disney Channel which later became The Suite Life on Deck. The “Zack and Cody” franchise is about to enter its seventh record breaking season. The Suite Life of Zack and Cody have brought Geoghan two Emmy nominations.

Geoghan has been active with the Whitley Heights community and was caught in a neighbor feud in 1999 involving landscaping issues. The Whitley Heights Historical Preservation Zone had ordered neighbor & actor Patrick Bauchau, who was renting and living four houses down the street at 2063 Grace Avenue, to cut down his lush overgrown trees that blocked the view of the home. Bauchau was upset because he grew the gardens on the property for privacy issues and for the enjoyment of his ailing wife, Mijanou Bardot (Bridgitte’s sister). The HPOZ approached Bauchau with an old photograph of the home taken years before surrounded by ivy and insisted that was the look of the home they wanted. The Bauchau’s went public attacking the Geoghans insisting they filed the complaint. Geoghan indicated that another neighbor had filed the complaint but had talked to Bauchau and how he was breaking the law. Thus, a vendetta pursued between the neighbors. According to Bauchau and his gardener, Ramon Garcia, Jim Geoghan approached the two of them on the street and started saying offensive things about how he doesn’t like me and how he hates the French,” said Bauchau. Bauchau also indicated that Geoghan spit on his car and would say offensive things to him while talking his dog.

Geoghan denied saying those things who admitted going to Paris five times and had never watched Bauchau’s tv show. Geoghan’s wife indicated it was Bauchau who threatened to kill her husband. Bauchau and other residents claimed that Geoghan chained a petition to another resident’s gates, soliciting signatures to force another resident to repaint their home. Geoghan said the petition was in response to a neighbor who had painted their home an “unsightly dark” color and sought to institute “a color palate” for the HPOZ. While some residents call the HPOZ the “design police” others feel they are just trying maintain the neighborhood as a historic preservation site. Since the Bauchau’s were renting, they decided to move to Malibu. Geoghan may be pegged the Whitley Heights landscaping gestapo, he has been involved with hosting the annual Halloween party for the children of the neighborhood. Below is Geoghan at his 2019 Halloween party.