Whitley Heights 101

2008 Whitley Avenue

This 3-story Castilian home was built in 1925 by Douglas and Martha Burkman who used architect Lytle-Pentman Company; Douglas was a builder who used his company, Dutro & Burkman to complete the 4 bedroom and 3.5 bathroom home that sits on 5,845 square foot downslope lot on Whitley Avenue, just off of Grace Avenue. The ground floor was originally built to be used as the maid’s quarters as it contains the fourth bedroom, a bathroom and laundry room. In later years is had been rented out as 2008 1/2 Whitley Avenue. By July 1926, the Burkman’s were forced to sell the home, in which it sold quickly.

At some point, businessman and silent movie producer, Albert Wylie Mather and his wife, actress Dorothy Devour purchased the property. Mather owned theaters in both Honolulu and San Francisco. They were married in San Francisco on December 18, 1925 and would spend time in both Hawaii and California. They most likely bought the property from the Burkman’s and rented it out. Dorothy Devour was born Alma Inez Williams who started her acting career when she was discovered by director and producer Al Christie and specialized in playing in comedic roles in silent films in the 1920s. Devore was chosen as one of the WAMPAS Baby Stars in 1923. In 1924 Dorothy took an offer of a seven-year contract with Warner Bros./First National to appear in feature films. Unhappy at being cast opposite canine hero Rin Tin Tin, she eventually bought out her contract. Joining Educational Pictures, she returned to her preferred two-reel format and made several “Dorothy Devore Comedies”, with full control over all aspects of production. Unfortunately, she failed to make the transition to sound pictures and left the industry in the early 1930s.

In July of 1933, Devore filed for a divorce citing infidelity; she indicated Mather, pictured below, was keeping an apartment to entertain other women and told her that he was tired of being married. In August, she was granted the divorce after she claimed that he was physically abusive towards her, which was collaborated by her maid, Mae Whitehead. Mather denied all accusations and in September of 1933 filed a countersuit against Devore on allegations that she received the settlement under false pretenses.

Mather suggested that Devour was having an affair with their friend, Don Jacobsen, who had accompanied them to Hawaii on occasion. Mather indicated that the two wanted to get married and take Mather “to the cleaners”. When Mather discussed the proposed settlement to Jacobsen, Jacobsen told Mather to take the deal because it was a fair offer. For the next two years, a highly publicized lawsuit ended up in a trial that aired their dirty laundry. Two days after Devore received papers of the counter-suit,she left from the port of San Francisco with her friend, actress Ivah LeRoy, and sailed on the Tatsuta Maru en route to Shanghai for a trip around the world. Her trip was cut short when she had to appear in court and claimed that Mather sabotaged her trip out of spite. The countersuit lasted almost two years and during that time, the judge ordered Devour not to sell the 2008 Whitley Avenue property.

The trial finally started in 1935 and both had lined up a stream of witnesses. First Mather’s witnesses were called to prove that Devour and Jacobsen had conspired against him. Novelist Myrtle Anderson testified that Devour and Jacobsen came over to her house one evening “a little high”, when she was bedridden and sat on her bed kissing one another and told her they were going to get Mather’s money and then get married. Actress, Betty Compson, a friend of Devour’s testified that Devour told her she gave all her earnings to Mather because she did not know how to handle her finances; Mather had testified previously that Devour handled all her finances. Roberta Hecht, aka actress Bert Corbin, said she was engaged to Jacobsen during that time, collaborating with Jacobsen’s testimony denying the affair. Finally, Devour got on the stand and indicated that she saw her ex-husband escort Ginger Joyce to a bedroom in their Oahu home. Devour went up to the bedroom found them in bed together. Mather lost the countersuit and Dorothy kept the settlement, although he filed another suit a few months later which did not go anywhere. Devour finally sold the Whitley Heights property and celebrated by building her dream house in Toluca Lake.

Between 1928-1929, studio executive, Bernard Fineman, who worked at Lasky Studios at the time, rented 2008 Whitley Avenue. Fineman had been part of the original movie colony created by Mack Sennett, who built a $20 million movie studio in 1927. At the time, Fineman was assistant to BP Schulberg, who was in charge of the Famous Players Lasky West Coast Studios. He had just divorced actress Evelyn Brent and moved to Whitley Heights with his mother, Sophia. Brent was an aspiring actress who was discovered overseas by Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Mary Pickford. When Fairbanks and Pickford returned to Hollywood, they brought Brent with them. Around the same time, Brent had been reacquainted with Fineman in New York (she had gone to school with his sister). Perhaps not more than a business arrangement, the two were secretly married in 1922 and a few months later, the media found out.

In those days in Hollywood, many owners were weary of renting their homes out to celebrities. Jesse Lasky and Samuel Goldwyn decided to build the Hillview Apartments located at 6531 Hollywood Blvd. in order to alleviate the housing shortage for the Hollywood elite. Brent was not domesticated at all and the Finemans moved into the apartment complex during the four year long marriage. Fineman’s mother was apparently a “helicopter parent” and did not approve. The Hillview Apartments had also been home to notables -Mary Astor, Joan Blondell, Viola Dana, Mae Busch, and others. It was rumored that Charlie Chaplin may have owned the building at one time and Rudolph Valentino kept a speakeasy in the basement of the building.

Although Brent prefered playing character roles, Fineman elevated her career and got her major roles. However, Brent was not happy with the contract she had with Fairbanks and Fineman helped her to part ways amicably. A few months later, the media falsely accused Fairbanks and Brent of having an affair. By February of 1925, the couple separated; Brent depended on Fineman and could not cope with the current situation and cut her wrists a few months later at a movie set. It was Fineman who was contacted and he rushed to her side. It is surprising that during their divorce, Brent claimed he had been cruel to her and had actress Priscilla Dean testify for her in court. Eventually, they parted ways and Fineman moved to Whitley Heights.

In 1930, Fineman married Margaret “Peggy” Demille, age 20, a stage actress, who was the daughter of William DeMille, who was an assistant producer for MGM at the time and the niece of Cecil B. DeMille. Fineman was 37 at the time of the marriage. They married in September of 1930 in Tucson, Arizona,in front of a judge. Once again, his mother was not thrilled with this marriage.

In 1934, Earl and Edith Luick had rented the property from Dorothy Devour. Earl was a costume designer, who worked for Warner Brothers from 1928 to 1933, and 20th Century Fox from 1942 to 1943. While working as an extra on the Fairbanks “Robin Hood,” Luick showed some sketches to Adrian, and the world-famous designer asked him to drop him a postcard with his phone number on it and promised to get in touch with him. Luick was surprised when Adrian called him and offered him the job of assistant costume designer on Cecil B. DeMille’s “King of Kings.” Luick created 3,000 outfits for 124 chorus girls, 24 showgirls and such then-unknown Warner Brothers contract players as Myrna Loy, Loretta Young and Ann Sothern. He also dressed John Barrymore, Frank Fay and Rin-Tin-Tin before sound and color had been introduced to films.

Upon arrival from the east, Leo Carroll took out a lease on the charming villa home in Whitley Heights at 2008 Whitley Avenue. Designed by Lytle-Pentland and completed in 1926, the stylish Spanish villa had recently become available in the wake of the messy divorce of actress Dorothy Devore who vacated before the Carrolls moved in. The Carrolls resided in Whitley Heights from 1935-6 until their lease expired. Leo Carroll starred in six Alfred Hitchcock films. Carroll starred in over 80 roles between 1934-1970. He was Marley’s ghost in the 1938 classic, A Christmas Carol, Joseph in Wuthering Heights (1939), and Reverend Mosby in the 1961 classic, The Parent Trap. His last role was Trevor Winthrop in a single episode of Ironside in 1970. He died two years later at the age of 85 in Hollywood.

Following Carroll’s departure from the home, publicist Thomas MacLeod residing in the home until 1939. MacLeod became engaged to actress Louise Davidson in 1936 and married her soon after. His “claim to fame” happened in 1936 when MacLeod sued Fox West Coast Theaters Corporation for $30,000 on assault and battery and false arrest charges. He was forced out of Grauman’s Chinese Theater February 7, 1936. He received an oral invitation to attend a preview of a Charlie Chaplin picture, in which he attended Davidson. He was called “The Gate Crasher” and forcibly removed from the theater. As a result, he lost his job at the film studio. He won $5,000 for damages in the suit. Fox appealed and won the appeal from the California Supreme Court in 1937. In 1951, Carroll was named promotions manager of the Ambassador Hotel and its inside club, the infamous Coconut Grove.

Ernest des Baillets, a wine importer and winter sports enthusiast who immigrated to the United States in the early 1900s, lived at this residence in the 1940s until 1963. He died of a heart attack while driving on the Pasadena Freeway as the car he was driving struck an embankment and overturned. He was 83 years old. Actor Alan Hale Jr. lived here with his wife, Bettie, in 1946 and must have rented from des Baillets. Hale was best known for his starring role as Skipper in Gilligan’s Island. Writer Henry Sucher lived here in 1938-40 at 2008 ½ Whitley Avenue. Sucher wrote several horror films in the 1940s including, “The Mummy’s Ghost” and “The Frozen Ghost”. Sucher also resided down the road at 2008 N. Las Palmas Avenue. Actress M.E. Loree resided here in 2004 and starred in The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981), The Ladies Club (1986) and Hill Street Blues (1981).