Whitley Heights 101

2135-2137 Whitley Avenue

Dentist turned broker Ernest Long and his wife, Kathryn, built this two-story Spanish duplex in 1924 and had architect Nathan Coleman design the 2,656 square foot residence. 2135 Whitley Avenue is a two-story unit on the right (above the entry is the first door below the cable dish) and 2137 Whitley Avenue is a one story unit on the left (above the entry is the white door on the left). Each residence has 2 bedrooms and two bathrooms, living room, kitchen, laundry, dining room and a private patio. Below: This residence was built prior to Whitley Heights being divided by the 101 Freeway. As it still exists today on Whitley Avenue near Cahuenga Blvd. Whitley Avenue used to run through Whitley Heights, past Lloyd Lane, to the other side where Whitley Avenue is still in existence near Grace Avenue and Whitley Terrace.

As the majority of the houses in Whitley Heights were built in the 1920s, construction was booming in 1924. Just as the Long’s were building this duplex, Barbara LaMarr was building a nursery in her Whitley Terrace home, Rudolph Valentino was living down the street on Wedgewood Place, and Lewis Lewyn and his wife, actress Marion Mack, were building their dream house on Lloyd Lane. Below is the two-story unit located at 2135 Whitley Avenue. There are before and after photos after the property was last sold in 2016 and remodeled.

One of the first tenants that lived in 2135 Whitley Avenue was motion picture director Henry Dunn (1894-1956) and his wife, dramatic coach Malvena Fox Dunn (1903-1952) in 1926. They were married in New York in 1922 when Henry Dunn was the secretary to Malvena’s brother, William Fox, who owned Fox Film Corporation. The Dunn’s moved into this rental property for a year after relocating to Hollywood. Below, Malvena is in the back center and William is holding his other sister, Tina’s daughter on the far right. Actor John Gilbert is between the two during the filming of “Gleam O’Dawn” (1922). 

Henry Dunn was primarily a studio executive for his brother-in-law, William Fox. During the late 1930s, he worked for MGM, directing several film shorts and then going to RKO Studios during the 1940s. Malvena was a voice coach working for her brother, was Ronald Reagan’s voice coach, worked for Howard Hughes and Warner Brothers as a talent scout and dramatic coach. She spent the last four years of her life heading the scouting agency at 20th Century Fox before her death in 1952. The Dunn’s had two children; Michael, born in 1928 and Angela, born in 1929. Prior to 1940, they had divorced as Henry was living with his sister and her family by then. He was listed as being divorced on a 1940 census. Their daughter, Angela, became a journalist and during Ronald Reagan’s 1980 presidential campaign, he sat for a 3 hour interview given by Angela Fox Dunn. Henry spent his last years as a stage director at the Arcadia Community Theater in which he founded the company.

Between 1931 and 1941, Ernest and Kathryn Long moved back into 2135 Whitley Avenue until it was sold in the 1940s. In 1930, the Longs were living in the Lynne Manor Apartments at 6370 Franklin Avenue, apt. 438, for a year (see below). During the year they were living at the Lynne Manor, they were surrounded by movie industry people. Dorothy McGowan (Zasu Pitts stand in) and Patsy Green (dancer in “College Holiday” starring Jack Benny, George Burns & Gracie Allen circa 1936) were their next door neighbors at apartment 437. Assistant Director Edward Graham (A Star is Born- 1954) lived next door to the actresses in apartment 436. Silent screen actor Walter Law, who starred in Camille, with actress Theda Bara, in 1917, lived in apartment 432. Indian born Lai Chand Mehra , lived in apartment 433, had a minor role in “Mask of Fu Manchu” in 1932 with Boris Karloff. He also had minor parts in “College Holiday”, “Casablanca “& “Bewitched”. Margaret Daily was an extra in Ann Harding’s “Devotion” in 1931 and lived in apartment 457. In apartment 460, lived actress Charlotte Ogden, who had a minor role in “Love in Bloom” with George Burns & Gracie Allen in 1935.

2137 Whitley Avenue is the one-story unit on the left hand side. Below are photos of the unit prior to its 2016 remodeling.

Director Henry Garson rented 2137 Whitley Avenue between 1928 and 1929. Garson (1882-1938) owned his own production company, Harry Garson Productions between 1919 and 1922. Garson’s first prodiuction was “The Unpardonable Sin” starring Blanche Sweet in 1919. In 1920, Garson produced and directed “The Forbidden Woman” starring Clara Kimball Young, which was written by Lenore Coffee. In 1920, Young moved in with Garson with her father, Edward Kimball to a house on Western Avenue. Garson’s son from his first marriage, Harry Garson Jr., was a horse trainer and his horse “Juanita” was used in several of Clara Kimball Young’s films.

Clara Kimball Young (1890-1960) met and married a theater actor named James Young early in her career. By 1913, Clara became a rising star at Vitagraph. In 1916, Clara had an affair with producer Lewis Selznick and her husband divorced her. The highly publicized divorce did not become final until 1919. Selznick formed the Clara Kimball Young Corporation and installed himself as the president of the company. Four films into the company, their relationship soured and she removed herself from all business dealings with him. Young started a romantic relationhsip with Garson in 1917 and they teamed up with the Garson Studio & Clara Kimball Young Pictures. Garson, who had little experience in the film industry, was often sued by disgruntled actors and screenwriters and Young’s career began to suffer from a series of press attacks about Garson’s business dealings. When they split up, Garson moved to Whitley Heights for several years. 

After Garson moved out of 2137 Whitley Avenue, screenwriter John Neville moved in until 1931. Neville (1886-1970) had 61 writing credits beginning in 1927 until 1946. His first film was with MGM, “Winners of the Wilderness” starred Tim McCoy, Joan Crawford, Roy D’Arcy, and Jean Arthur had a minor role. Neville went on to write other western films starring Tim McCoy. In 1929, he wrote “Desert Nights” a drama starring John Gilbert and Mary Nolan. Neville became an uncredited co-writer for King Vidor’s “Billy the Kid” in 1930. Neville continued to write a variety of western, drama, and comedy films during the 1930s and 1940s. Perhaps his most notable was W.C. Fields, “Never Give a Sucker an Even Break” in 1941. 

Between 1935 and 1938, actor Russ Brown (1892-1964) rented 2137 Whitley Avenue. Brown started his acting career with three movie shorts and the got a minor role in “Moulin Rouge” in 1934 starring Constance Bennett and Franchot Tone. Brown usually played minor roles, he appeared in “Damn Yankees” in 1958 starring Tab Hunter, “It Happened to Jane” in 1959, starring Doris Day and Jack Lemon, and “Anatomy of a Murder” in 1959 starring James Stewart and Lee Remick. His last role was in 1963 in “The Cardinal” which was directed by Otto Preminger. Born in South Philadelphia, Brown was a former street gang member and also sang in a church choir. He had a great singing voice and at the age of 13, moved to New York to sing in the original production of Victor Herbert’s Firefly at $18 a week and then performed in vaudeville and theater before he moved to Hollywood in the 1930s.