Above, a picture of Greystone, a.k.a. The Doheny Estate, Beverly Hills, CA., c. 1928-29. A pretty amazing 55 room Tudor style House built on 16 acres of land, with, at that time, another 400 acres of property for expansion, if needed. It was finished in 1928 at a cost of over $3 million---the most expensive home built in Los Angeles up to that time......Fast Forward....... Back in 1962, my father was kind of 'courted' by some prestigious people who hoped that he would bring his Art Collection to Beverly Hills. These were men that he had met because they were Art Collectors who lived here in Los Angeles and in one case, the brother of an Artist. (This was a few years before Daddy was courted by then President Lyndon Johnson and The Smithsonian Institution.....) The men were Taft Schreiber, an important part of the then most important Theatrical Agency in America at that time---MCA, and who was also the head of Revue Studios which became Universal Studios, and the number three man at MCA, and, if you are still following this, MCA owned Revue Studios back then....
The second man was Michael Levee, who was an Agent with MCA and who's brother John is the artist I spoke of.....Both Taft Schreiber and Michael Levee were avid Art Collectors and The Schreiber's had a very impressive collection, as did Michael and his wife at the time, Margie.....Daddy had always said that he wanted his Art Collection to stay together because it was a very personal collection---he began collecting with the very first money he ever made as a teenager on Wall Street. (Those first purchases were some etchings, which was all he could afford at the time.....) He was never interested in donating a part of the collection to any Museum or any number of Museums, though many were certainly interested. He never wanted it to be broken up and dispersed all over the country or the world, and there certainly was interest from other country's.
He felt the collection should all stay together and that it belonged in The United States because it was the only country in the world where he could have achieved what he did----having come to this country as a 'poor little immigrant boy', who had truly lived out "The American Dream".....These important men of Beverly Hills were attempting to get him to bring his entire collection to Beverly Hills and they felt they had the perfect spot all picked out where all of the sculpture and the paintings could be housed.
The Doheny Estate, known as "Greystone", is a beautiful house and a grand property right at the beginning edge of Beverly Hills, just off of Sunset Boulevard, at the end of the area known as 'The Strip'---Going west, Beverly Hills begins at the West End of 'The Strip'. Greystone was built by the Oil man Edward Doheny for his son Ned and his wife, in 1927. A tragedy occurred in the house itself, according to printed stories in the local papers at the time, which I have read. This tragedy occurred five months after Ned and his wife and five children moved into the house in 1928. A mysterious murder-suicide took place. Ned Doheny was shot to death by his male secretary/assistant who then turned the gun on himself, killing himself, as well....All this while Ned's wife and children were upstairs in the mansion....!
It was a case that never seemed to be completely solved. But Mrs. Doheny, Ned's widow, lived in the house until 1955, I believe, when she then sold it to a developer named Henry Crown, who owned it at the time these men I mentioned above, began courting my father. (Though they said that the City of Beverly Hills was prepared to buy the property if Daddy Joe agreed to house his Art Collection there.....!) About 400 acres of the land had been sold off to the Trousdale Corporation somewhere along the way, and this very elegant Hill area next to the strip and above Sunset Blvd. became what was known as Trousdale Estates, which I have written about quite extensively in the past....It was kind of like a very very high-end fancy elegant housing development in the hills---one of the first of it's kind.....I remember I used to drive around L.A. on Sundays house hunting, and one Sunday, my dear friend Sammy and I drove up to what was the top of Trousdale because we had heard that Nixon was building a house up there. We actually walked through his house when it still had no walls or anything....It had the most breathtakingly fantastic view. Okay, so the stage is set....and now to 'the play'. Part 2, next time......More To Come.....
Note: This is still being composed in the original Blogger....that is going to end very soon. I'm still not sure what I will do, because I truly find the NEW Blogger, impossible.
- had this to say:
Can't wait for Part 2!! And maybe you'd like to take a look at
posterous.com, it is very straight forward as blog platform. I'd hate to see you stopping because of the "improved" blogger...- Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at 12:43:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
if you are on a pc and not a mac i suggest "live writer" you can write and post your photo's on it and not be on your blog at all.. then after you put your blog address into the program all you do is click "publish" and it puts it on your blog... you never have to go into your blog at all!
if not that then I hope you choose another place to blog.. there are many out there: wordpress, livejournal etc but please don't go away naomi!- Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at 5:42:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
oh, i was so upset you might leave I forgot to mention that the mansion is fabulous and I can't wait for part 2~
- Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at 5:43:00 AM PDT
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had this to say:
Fascinating history. I, too, eagerly await part 2.
Cheers.- Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at 5:54:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
Goodness, they really printed graphic murder pictures in the day. That mansion has a bit of spook value to it.
This is an interesting tale and I can't wait for more.
Don't let Blogger win Naomi. Hang in there.- Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at 6:21:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
The new blogger format is horrendous!
- Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at 7:34:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
What a tragic happening - I blew up the small print so I could read it.
Don't leave us in suspenders too long please:)- Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at 8:01:00 AM PDT
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had this to say:
Julie said:
These are two fascinating and well written histories, one about your father's love of art and the other about a famous Beverly Hills mansion and family. Hope you have better technical luck with your blog. Looking forward to the play, part two. Also enjoy your movie reviews and opinions about performers.- Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at 8:17:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
I was shocked to see such a graphic image too. I loved hearing more about your father and his art collection. I can't wait for part 2 either.
Give yourself time with the new blogger layout. I think you'll get there in the end it just takes longer to find everything. It is all still there, it's just it takes longer to work out where!- Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at 3:13:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
I enlarged the newspaper and read the article. Do you have any more reports on this story? Did they ever say what the cause was of his insanity?
- Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at 7:21:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
What a fascinating history and also tragic happening!
The Greystone house looks awesome.
I am looking forward to Part 2.
Thanks for sharing this amazing story.
Many hugs.- Thursday, April 26, 2012 at 5:23:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
Like the entertainter that you are you've left us with a cliffhanger: Will she or will she not post Part 2??
I find the house, the history and the connection with your father and his art collection very interesting and would love to hear more. Your father was a man who stuck to his guns; I love that!
Btw, as far as Blogger goes, I've managed to post with a different browser (Google Chrome works OK, not great but bearable) and I only use it for posting. I visit blogs and comment on Internet Explorer. So far I'm not losing any sleep over it.
I do hope you don't stop blogging, my friend. I look forward to your posts, pics and stories!
Hugs from Miami...♥- Thursday, April 26, 2012 at 4:41:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Naomi, if you need any help with Blogger please ask me as you are not going to stop blogging because we will not allow it.
What a fascinating post. And what a great book you blog would be. I love hearing about your father and his art collection. A man before his time wouldn't you say?
I love the house but what an horrific thing to happen. Can't wait to hear part 2.
I am trying to think where your father was from again. Greece, Italy, Malta? I have to go and read some old posts.
Take care xx- Thursday, April 26, 2012 at 8:51:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
I'll gladly help you too!
just don't stop blogging, I love you so much
amazing estate
and what a history- Friday, April 27, 2012 at 2:56:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
I'm glad the art collection didn't end up in California, as I'd probably never get to see it there! At the Smithsonian it's so much more achieveable, not quite so far for me to go.
But that certainly is a very impressive house.- Friday, April 27, 2012 at 11:21:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
Ooh - this is as exciting as a movie! And complete with twists and turns...Waiting for part 2... I'm a little surprised at the murder scene photo being released like that!
- Sunday, April 29, 2012 at 9:19:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
Hi Naomi. The only thing that's changing is Google is moving everyone's Blogger usernames/passwords under its new centralized Google Account. The service itself isn't going anywhere: if you have a Gmail account or sign in to use any other Google-owned service, you'll simply use THAT username to access Blogger from now on.
Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any more questions or need help managing the transition.
Now, the important stuff: You always make me feel like I'm witnessing history. This could become a book, you know...- Sunday, April 29, 2012 at 8:05:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Waiting patiently for Part 2.I hope you can sort out your issues with new blogger,change isn't always a good thing right.
Love always :D- Sunday, April 29, 2012 at 8:36:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
You say room for expansion and it reminds me of Rose Red from Steven Kings books and the movie. I had to kind of laugh at that one with how my mind processed the comparison.
- Monday, April 30, 2012 at 8:42:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
We have just come back from New Orleans and I am way behind again. I love your use of old postcards in your posts – you know I am a postcard collector – I think it adds a lot to a post. It must have been quite something to see Miami in the 50s. I am with you- I don’t like all the reality shows and their supposed stars. Your family photos in Miami are so sweet - thanks for sharing them with us. Your Greystone story is fascinating – looking forward to read part 2.
Yesterday I found that Blogger had changed. I wrote my post but for some reason the font changes between paragraphs even though my font on my document stays the same. I published the post yesterday afternoon but it never updated in Blogger. A little while ago I went back to my post and changed a space, clicked on “update” and it updated Blogger – 17 hours late. I certainly don’t like their new set up. I hope though that you’ll keep on blogging as your posts are always so interesting. My sincere good wishes for your brother’s health – I am sending healing thoughts to him.- Monday, April 30, 2012 at 9:11:00 AM PDT
- had this to say:
I'm hooked. Such a historic story. I hope one of your blog friends (not me because I have no tech no logic sense) will run you through the changes. Maybe if you posed your question on google you would find others who feel the same way and are figuring it out.
- Monday, April 30, 2012 at 1:53:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
What a fascinating story.
I hope you find something that works with blogging. I have not had trouble with blogger but I didn't do the interface when they said it was an option. I did upgrade to the latest beta version. I wonder if I'll have the interface forced onto me as it seems that must be the problem for the writers. I have heard so much from many writers about the frustration it has given them.
I like blogging, hope I can continue with it but I never figured it would last forever. it seems everything has its time and then disappears with so-called improvements.- Monday, April 30, 2012 at 3:35:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Dear Naomi I know how hard it is to get used to this new computer crap. I too hate it and am struggling, please don't give up !! I so enjoy all the things you share. you have so much knowledge of that area, you Dear Naomi are a National Treasure ! keep writing !
- Monday, April 30, 2012 at 6:15:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Wow!!!! Great history lessons!!!!
And I think your dad's art is exactly where it belongs!!!!- Monday, April 30, 2012 at 7:54:00 PM PDT
- had this to say:
Fascinating and now I'm on to read part 2. So interesting.
- Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at 6:16:00 PM PDT
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