Whitley Heights 101

History of Whitley Heights

6755 Wedgewood Place

6755 Wedgewood Place was built in 1921. The original owner and architect is unknown as the original permit could not be located after a thorough search. Actor Knute Erickson rented the home in 1927. Erickson was a Whitley Heights fan as he also lived at the following residences: 6515 Milner Court (1922-1924), 6630 Whitley Terrace (1924), and 6610 Iris Drive (1930). Below is 6755 Wedgewood Place in the 1920s as Valentino’s residence was across the street on Wedgewood Place.

Knute Erickson was a vaudeville comedian and actor active in Hollywood between 1915 and 1936. His most famous creation was that of the character Daffy Dan, with which he had some success as a touring vaudeville performer, in a show presented by Hollywood mogul Jesse Lasky. Daffy Dan made his film debut in 1915 in a couple of two-reel comedies, and was featured in two Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle films that were never released. Erickson was born in Utah as Carl Erickson and was the son of Swedish immigrants, although he claimed that he was born in Sweden. Erickson married actress Eleanor Bergere in 1905 in Manhattan, New York and moved to Hollywood by 1922, moving to Whitley Heights.

The two story residence has a total of 2,662 square feet with 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and two fireplaces.

In the 1990’s, Robert and Kathleen Ignico, lived at 6755 Wedgewood Place with their two daughters, Robin and Suzanne. Robin was a child actress, who began her acting career at the age of 11 when she starred in an episode of Simon & Simon. She then was cast as Duffy in the 1982 movie, Annie, starring Aileen Quinn, Albert Finney, and Carol Burnett.

That same year, Ignico starred in the thriller, Don’t Go to Sleep with Dennis Weaver, Valerie Harper and Ruth Gordon and then Cry For the Strangers, starring Patrick Duffy and Cindy Pickett. Ignico then guest starred in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1982), Trapper John M.D. (1983), Matt Houston (1984), The Woman in Red (1984), with her last role as a burglar in No Solicitors (2015). Ignico currently works in property management.