Harper House

one of Moreno's directors was Irvin Willat. he began his career on screen opposite Pickford in 1911. a few years later he became a cinematographer & then in 1917 he directd the first of 38 features over a period of 20 years. Willat directd such legends as Lon Chaney & Harry Houdini but so many of his films are lost he's no longer a familiar name. he died in 1976.

the next year I met his son Boyd who was then a set designer. I was at an event in Hollywood with Lois Wilson. because she was the leading lady in two of his father's pictures Boyd introducd himself. we kept in touch & on a future visit I stayd at the Willat house on Harper just off Sunset.


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at one time in the 20s Boyd's father was married to Billie Dove who was often billd as the world's most beautiful woman. her bedroom had an exquisite staind glass window. I stayd in that room & even wrote a poem there. she left Willat for a young man by the name of Howard Hughes.

a few years ago I was at Chateau Marmont & my cousin Regina visitd me there. we went for a little walk in that neighborhood I so adore. I showd her where Schwab's used to be & where Fitzgerald died. as we were coming up Harper I was abt to point to the Willat house & it wasn't there. I was in shock. some new condos were in its place. I filld with sadness.

so when I found this photo of Harper House on a recent journey on the cyber highway I was thrilld. back in those days before digital cameras we didn't photograph every moment of our lives. so I have no pictures of Boyd & his family & their home. no pictures of Billie Dove's bedroom & the staind glass window. I'm happy to have this visual moment to append to my memory.