Whitley Heights 101

History of Whitley Heights

6814 Iris Circle/6813 Whitley Terrace

6813 Iris Place was built in 1922 by developer L.J. Killian and architect Arthur S. Barnes. The property had dual access on Iris Circle and Whitley Terrace. The home was originally built as a single family home with a separate studio apartment but was remodeled as a quadplex in more recent years.

Below, 6814 Iris Circle is the property that is second from the left.

Below, 6814 Iris Circle is the first property on the left. In recent years, the complex was in need of a makeover and the current owner is selling the property as they are unable to finish the remodeling.

Silent screen actor Eugene O’Brien resided at this residence in 1924, the same year he was on location in Honolulu when his housekeeper’s husband was in town visiting her and died in one of the rooms of a stroke. Max Weber, age 58, worked as a miner in Mexico and had taken time off of work. O’Brien did not stay long at this property and moved to another Whitley Heights residence by 1927: 6681-91 Emmet Terrace and then 6691 Whitley Terrace from 1927-1950.

O’Brien worked in 53 films between 1915-1928 and perhaps is best known for his work on Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1917) with Mary Pickford. A very handsome man, O’Brien was also paired with Gloria Swanson, Norma Talmadge, and Norma Shearer. Norma Talmadge and her husband, studio executive Joseph Schneck, had owned their own production company. Schneck felt O’Brien was a good choice to pair with his wife as it was known around the office that O’Brien favored being with men. The joke was on Schneck as it was rumored that Talmadge ended up having an affair with O’Brien. Not only did O’Brien’s roles with Talmadge dry up, so did his career as his hair began to recede about the same time talking pictures came into existence. He made his last film, “Faithless” in 1928 at the age of 47 years old.

For many years, barbershop/beauty shop owners Simon and Ella Elkins owned the property. Called “Elkins”, they ran their store, first at 1675 N. Highland Avenue and then relocated it to 1727 N. Highland circa 1932. After their son left the military, he and his wife bought several restaurants in the area, including; V Cafe, 6756 Van Nuys Blvd. and another one at 11119 Magnolia Blvd. in North Hollywood. Below is the entrance to the property on Iris Circle.

Actor George Webb rented the property in 1935 after divorcing his second wife, actress Esther Ralston. The following year, he married actress Lenore Kinney (the two newlyweds pictured below).

Apparently his second divorce caused financial distress and Webb filed for bankruptcy in 1934 so he opened his own profession acting business out of the home. He had acting in roles in Black Beauty (1921), John Petticoats (1919) and The Lucky Devil (1925). Kenney had only acted in a few roles and was actually Fay Wray’s stunt double in King Kong in 1933. The Webbs moved out of the home in 1937.

Actor Jack Kenney rented the home in 1942. The Russia born actor starred in 162 minor movie and television roles including, Perry Mason and The Danny Thomas Show. His most notable movie role was playing a patron in a nightclub in Judy Garland’s “A Star is Born” in 1954. Kenney acted up until his death in 1961.