4120 W. Cromwell Avenue 90027
4120 W. Cromwell Avenue 90027 Los Feliz USA
Type
Mediterranean Revival
Sold
Bedrooms
5 Bedrooms
Bathrooms
5 Baths
Area
6,062 sqft
About
Mark Daniels, architect. Morgan Walls & Clements, architect.
Potential City of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument
History:
Resident Victor Schertzinger was a movie director of silent and sound films including some of the Hope-Crosby-Lamour “Road” pictures. He was born in 1880 in Mahonoy City, Pennsylvania, and originally studied music at Brown University and the University of Brussels. He was well known as a concert violinist and then as a symphony conductor. He first associated with the movie industry when he was hired to compose the score for the film “Civilization” in 1916. He was a top director during the silent film era, and he continued with a successful career into the talkies. He was especially associated with early musicals and composed many of the hit tunes of that period. By the time of his death in 1941, he had directed 87 films between 1917 and 1941, written screenplays for movies, and composed the musical scores for 13. (Source: movies .nytimes.colm; www.afi.com)
Victor Schertzinger drove a Duzenberg and his wife traveled in a chauffeur-driven Pierce Arrow. (Source: Elswurth MacFarland, son of J.W. McFarland, who lived at 4111 Cromwell, The Early Years of Cromwell Avenue,” Lee McCollum, Los Feliz observer, Spring, 1992, p. 7).
Schertzinger is credited with bringing music to the movie screen. He was the first to compose an original score to accompany a moving picture: “The Tick Tock Man of Oz”, “Pretty Miss Smith”, “If I had You”, “My Daddy Knows”. He later turned to directing and used such stars as Dorothy Dalton, Pauline Fredrick, and Mabel Normand. (Source: Los Angeles from the Mountains to the Sea, Vol. III, American Historical Society, Chicago, 1921, p. 867-8). Pool has his initials in the bottom.
Landscape architect, Mark Roy Daniels, was a resident. (Source: Who’s Who in California, 1928-1929, p. 208.) Mark Roy Daniels, landscape architect; born 1881 in Spring Arbor, Michigan. BS University of Calif 1905; studied city planning at Harvard 1913. Landscape engineer for US National Parks. Author of several books, “A Garden and Two Swimming Pools” Further articles on him listed in the Calif. Biography File, LAPL California Room. (Source: Art and Artists in Southern California, 1975, Los Angeles, privately printed, p. 63.)
1930 census:
4120 W. Cromwell Avenue: (Value: $120,000): 1) Victor Schertzinger, owner and head of household; 41 year old white married male; married at age 25; born in Pennsylvania; parents born in Pennsylvania; a director in the movie studios. 2) Julia Schertzinger, wife; 41 year old white married female; married at age 25; born in Pennsylvania; parents born in Pennsylvania; not working. 3) Paula E. Schertzinger, daughter; 5 year old white female; born in California. 4) Patricia Schertzinger, adopted daughter; 6 year old white female; born in California. 5) Anna M. Harlow, nurse; 22 year old single white female; born in Irish Free State; parents born in Irish Free State; to US in 1928, a resident alien; a nurse in a private family. 6) Frank L. Coleman, butler; 37 year old Negro married male; married at age 34; born in Ohio; father born in Ohio, mother in Kentucky; a butler in a private family. 7) Ruby I. Coleman, cook; 38 year old Negro married female; married at age 35; born in Texas; parents born in Texas; a cook in a private family.
1940 Census:
4120 Cromwell Avenue (Value $200,000): 1) Victor L. Schertzinger, head of household; white married male 52 years of age; born in Pennsylvania; Director in motion pictures; earns more than $5,000. 2) Julia E. Schertzinger, wife; white married female 50 years of age; born in Pennsylvania; not working. 3) Patricia H. Schertzinger, daughter; white single female 16 years of age; born in California; in school. 4) Paula E. Schertzinger, daughter; white single female 15 years of age; born in California; in school. 5) William McMartry, houseman; Negro 45 years old male; born in Tennessee; butler in a private home; earns $720. Vera McMartry, wife of houseman; Negro married 32 year old female; born in Texas; maid in a private family; earns $720.
Alternate address: garage – 2316 N. Richland; guest house – 2326 N. Richland.
Details
Type: Mediterranean Revival Sold
Bedrooms: 5
Area: 6,062 sqft
Bathrooms: 5
Year Built: 1921