About

History:

Marco Hellman lived here in 1940.

“MARCO H. HELLMAN IS WEDDED IN LOS ANGELES. SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE CAU. LOS ANGELES, June 10.— Miss Reta Levis, daughter of Leon Levis of Visalia, was married at the Hotel Alexandria this evening to Marco H. Hellman. vice president of the Merchants National Bank of Los Angeles, son of the late Herman W. Hellman and nephew of Isalas W. Hellman. San Francisco. ” (San Francisco Call, June 11, 1908)

HELLMAN, MARCO H., Banker, Los Angeles, California, was born in that city, September 14, 1878, the son of Herman W. Hellman and Ida (Heimann) Hellman. His father was one of the pioneer business men of Los Angeles and, at the time of his death, was considered its leading banker and one of the wealthiest men in the Southwest. Marco H. Hellman married Reta Levis of Visalia, Cal., at Los Angeles, June 10, 1908, and to them was born one child, Herman Wallace Hellman.

Mr. Hellman was educated in the public schools of Los Angeles and later attended Leland Stanford University. After which he started his banking career with the Farmers & Merchants National Bank of Los Angeles. He worked there in various minor positions for a period of time and then was made assistant cashier of the institution. He remained with that bank for about six years and later resigned to accept a position as assistant cashier of the Merchants National Bank of Los Angeles. He held that position with credit and soon was promoted to cashier, holding that office until he was made vice president of the bank, an active position he now holds.

He is now president, vice president or director of 21 banks and nine industrial corporations and is one of the executors of the great Herman W. Hellman estate. Coming from a family rated among the richest in the United States, it is natural that Mr. Hellman, although a young man, should have attained a position of prominence in the financial world. His father before him was a positive financial genius, and when he died, had a multitude of interests, banking, real estate, oil, corporation, etc.

As executor of the vast estate of his father, it is necessary that Mr. Hellman be an active participant in a great many corporations, and this matter of necessity, combined with his native ability as a financier and businessman, puts him in the position of being the most active young banker in the State. As a matter of fact he holds more offices in banks and corporations than any other three men in Southern California.

Mr. Hellman has always been too busy to engage actively in the political life of his native city, but he has not lacked in civic pride. He is always among the first men to help any movement for the advancement of Los Angeles. For instance, when the Owens River Aqueduct project was proposed and money was needed, and the Eastern syndicate only accepted its allotted portion, Mr. Hellman took over and sold the remaining portion of the bonds for the city, a transaction involving at least a million dollars. With the money obtained so promptly, the city was enabled to go ahead with its work of improvement and the Owens River aqueduct, a remarkable engineering work, soon will be supplying pure water, not only to the City of Los Angeles, but to many towns and villages in the vicinity of the city.

An interesting incident in the life of Mr. Hellman is that he has spent practically all his days in one spot in Los Angeles. He was born in his father’s old mansion at Fourth and Spring Streets, when that corner was part of the residential section of the city. Today it is in the very center of the business district and in place of the home, with its wide spread of lawn, where young Hellman played as a child, there stands the towering skyscraper, the Herman W. Hellman Building, an imposing monument to the work of his father in Los Angeles.

Mr. Hellman is one of the most popular young financiers in the country and is a member of many clubs. His Los Angeles affiliations are the Jonathan, Concordia, Union League, Federal and San Gabriel Valley County Clubs. In addition to these social organizations, he is a Thirty-second Degree Mason, a Mystic Shriner and an Elk. (International News Service, 1913)

Also living here in 1940 were Arthur J. and Marcoreta Quenzer: Arthur Qenzer was a Hollywood song writer who was nominated for 2 Oscars in 1939 for Best Original Song. HIs wife, Marcoreta Quenzer was born on December 28, 1912 in Los Angeles, California, and was Marco Hellman’s daughter. She is known for her work on The Jazz Singer (1952), The Egyptian (1954) and I’ll See You in My Dreams (1951). She was married to Jimmy Starr and Arthur Quenzer. She died on June 29, 1972 in Los Angeles. (Internet Movie Database)

1940 Census:
3552 Lowry Road (rents for $125): 1) Marco H. Hellman, head of household; white widower 61 years of age; born in California; Financier, private practice; earns more than $5,000. 2) Arthur J. Quenzer, husband; white married male 34 years of age; born in New York; freelance writer. 3) Michael C. Lang, houseman; white single male 31 years of age; born in Oregon; houseman in a private home; earns $500. 4) Marcoreta H. Quenzer, wife; white married female 27 years of ate; born in California; actress in a movie studio; earns $3,120. 5) Peter Dennis Quenzer, son; white male newborn; born in California.