Whitley Heights 101

6631 and 6631 1/2 Odin Street

In 1913, German-born gardener, John Proewig, built a 6 room, one story bungalow located at 6631 Odin Street (house to the right), before it was named Whitley Heights. The 50 year-old, turned US citizen, brought his young bride, 30 year-old Emilie Addison Proewig to his new home. 1916 was a tough year for the Proewigs. In August, almost the entire side of their house had to be torn down to remove an automobile which crashed into the house after running down the hill from the top of Odin Street and Whitley Terrace. No soon than the driver put the brakes on the car and stepped out to retrieve his wife and child, the car started down the hill. The driver was able to retrieve his daughter, but his wife was unable to get out before the started moving. With his wife still in the vehicle, the car began to accelerate as it rolled down the hill, jumped the sidewalk and crashed through the east side of 6631 Odin Street. The vehicle landed partially into the bedroom where Emilie was sleeping. A few days later, her husband, John, died in the home, leaving Emilie and a 7 month old baby.

After his death, Emilie took out a permit and built a 4 room guest house on the right of 6631 Odin, which bared the address of 6633 1/2 Odin Street. (see photos below). The 4 room bungalow that sat over a garage, was directly behind 2200 Fairfield Avenue, near the intersection of Fairfield Avenue and Odin Street. Unable to complete the repairs to 6631 Odin Street and keep up both properties, she sold both homes in 1919 to one owner who was able to complete the construction, while adding two rooms to the house that now totaled 8 rooms.

In 1920, British born actor and director Donald Crisp purchased 6631 Odin Street properties. In 1917, the then, 32 year old, married a 23 year old aspiring actress named Marie Stark. Crisp had a total of 167 acting credits between 1908 and 1963, and a total of 72 directing credits from 1914 to 1930. He is best known for his roles in his supporting role as Mr. Morgan in “How Green is My Valley” which he won an academy award in 1942. Crisp also had minor roles in “Lassie Come Home” (1943), “National Velvet” (1944), and “Pollyanna” (1960).

No sooner did he buy the home, he left with D.W. Griffith to direct overseas. While he was gone, Marie filed for divorce, claiming Crisp acted like a “caveman” and was “tyrannical in his conduct toward her”. She said he expected that she act like a wife and take care of their 8 room house, walk to get groceries and would not allow her to hire a cook. She also did not have enough allowance for her attire and was forced to wear $2 hats. They briefly reconciled after she was hospitalized in 1920, but then she pursued the divorce again. She was granted alimony and wanted to courts to investigate property he was hiding in London, but the judge would not did not want to spend money on an investigation. The divorce was finally granted in 1923 and Marie got her alimony money.

In 1939, some 15 years later, she took Crisp back to court as she found out when they were going through the divorce, he deeded 6631 Odin Street to his friend, Wallace C. Bryant in 1921, and then sold the property back to Crisp in 1925. The judge did not grant his ex-wife any money, indicating she waited too long (15 years) to take him to court. Below, the guesthouse, 6631 1/2 Odin Street is indicated by the red arrow; the main property is on the other side of the tree.

In 1930, Crisp was dating screenwriter Jane Macklem Murfin and she moved into his 8 room Odin Street house with him. Jane moved her parents, two brothers, and a sister into the guesthouse as they recently migrated from New York.

Murfin was the 1932 best writing Academy Award nominee for “What Price Hollywood” and was known for her screenwriting in “The Women” (1939) and “Pride and Prejudice” (1940). She had divorced director Lawrence Trimble a few years prior. While they were married, Trimble, a known animal trainer and Murfin had been searching Europe for a dog that they would use in motion pictures. When Trimble came across a three-year-old German police dog named “Etzel von Oringer,” in 1920, they renamed the dog “Strongheart” and he was used in six films between 1921 to 1927, including “White Fang”. Unfortunately, in 1929, while filming, the dog was burned badly by a hot studio light, and died in Murfin’s home.

On August 15, 1932, it was announced that Donald Crisp married Jane Murfin in Ventura. Donald Crisp had already purchased a 4,453 square foot estate located at 1853 Vista Street, just below Runyon Canyon Park in 1930. Once they moved out of the Odin Street home, Jane’s family continued to reside in both the main and guest homes until the mid-1940s when Crisp finally sold the properties. The Crisp’s marriage lasted exactly one day after their 10 year anniversary when Murfin filed for divorce claiming desertion. Crisp died in 1974 at a hospital in Van Nuys.

As for the 6631 Odin Street properties, in November of 1950, the 6631 1/2 Odin property was purchased and relocated to 706 Marr Street in Venice Beach where it remains today. (There is no record of what happened to the earlier built home located at 6631 Odin Street). In 1922, the owners added 3′ x 9′ to the first floor and an “irregular second story” addition to revise the first floor plan. A deck was put over the garage that is in the rear of the property. Another former Whitley Heights house saved!