Whitley Heights 101

2116 Whitley Avenue

Built in 1910, 2116 Whitley Avenue had a complete make-over when it was relocated from 2127 Cahuenga Boulevard in 1950 by it’s owner, architect Charles D. Lawrence. 2116 Whitley Terrace is on the side of Whitley Heights as Iris Circle. Originally, the two-story bungalow sat on Cahuenga Blvd. just south of Whitley Avenue as pictured below:

Director Cecil B. De Mille rented the bungalow home on 2127 Cahuenga Blvd. just when he was finishing his first film, “The Straw Man” in 1914. He had been living at Hotel Hollywood and decided that it was time that his wife, Constance, and daughter, Cecilia, should move to Hollywood from New York and they resided here for a few years before he bought his home in Laughlin Park. At the time, De Mille owned a pet wolf and had to give it to the zoo since Constance was not comfortable living with the wolf.

In addition, De Mille rode to the Lasky-DeMille barn on horseback. Rivals twice tried to shoot De Mille as he rode home to his cottage in the Cahuenga Pass from the barn at Selma and Vine, and he carried a gun to shoot rattlesnakes. Today the Hollywood Freeway runs through the Cahuenga Pass, and the barn that served as a set and offices for The Squaw Man has been moved to a site across from the Hollywood Bowl. Below is 2127 Cahuenga Blvd. as it look prior to its relocation to Whitley Avenue.

The wealthy widow, Emma L. Hambleton, resided in the bungalow in 1917. Hambleton, who wrote about the Great Chicago Fire, bought a property in Montecito called “El Mirador” after her husband died. Hambleton sold the property to the famed Armour family in 1916 and bought 10 acres in Hollywood which is now Iris Circle in Whitley Heights. Whitley sold Hambleton the piece of land in 1903 for just under $2,000 and bought it back from her in 1920 for $50,000. Hambleton had 6650 Whitley Terrace build in 1923 and lived there until her death in 1937.

After Hambleton moved out of 2127 Cahuenga Blvd., screenwriter and producer Daniel C. Goodman moved in until 1918. Goodman had 29 screenwriting credits between 1913 to 1928 including; D.W. Griffith’s, “The Battle of the Sexes” in 1928 starring Phyllis Haver, “Week End Husbands” in 1924, starring Alma Rubens, and “The Daring Years” in 1923 starring Clara Bow. Goodman married Alma Rubens in 1923 until she filed for divorce in 1925 citing physical abuse and that he knocked her unconscious during their honeymoon. Before the ink was dry on the divorce papers, Rubens married actor Ricardo Cortez and authorities investigated whether or not Rubens committed bigamy.

The house was moved in 1950 as it was in the direct path of the Hollywood Freeway and was completely remodeled and a pool was put in the back of the house in 1966. The house was last sold in 1982 during a probate auction and appears to be in need of some upkeep. The house consists of 2,291 square feet with three bedrooms and three bathrooms and has a bit of Old Hollywood history attached to it.