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Higgins-Verbeck-Hirsch House (Los Angeles, California)

USA / California / West Hollywood / Los Angeles, California / South Lucerne Boulevard, 637 South
 house, movie / film / TV location, historic landmark

637 S Lucerne Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90005

Originally built for Hiram Higgins in 1902 on three lots at 2619 Wilshire Blvd. The house is predominately Queen Anne Victorian style with Romanesque and Colonial Revival accents and designed by architect John Austin. It was sold in 1919 to Howard Verbeck, an interior designer, who used it as offices of his Potter Park Studio in addition to a residence for him and his wife.

In 1923, the Verbecks purchased the property at 637 S. Lucerne Blvd. and moved the home in two pieces at 1 a.m. on June 28, 1924. Twelve trucks, owned by George R. Kress' house moving company, hoisted the rear half of the mansion off its foundation and moved it while 100 guests, including the mayor, partied in the house during the four-hour journey down Wilshire.

From the Great Depression of the 1930s until the Hirschs bought the mansion at the end of 1986, it fell into neglect and disrepair. During that time it had been used as a retirement home for nuns, a mission, an office building and a rooming house for young people in the entertainment industry.

Now owned by Perry and Peggy Hirsch, the house is used as a movie and television shooting location, starring in: “Willard,” “Ben,” “Witchboard,” “Addams Family Halloween Special,” “Mae West,” “Inner Sanctum II,” “Secret Games 3,” “Life without Dick,” “Out on a Limb” and “Masked and Anonymous.”

In 1988, the house was designated as one of the city’s cultural-historic monuments.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   34°3'44"N   118°19'29"W

Comments

  • james wyatt (guest)
    i lived in the house about 13 yrs when lansing brown died. while i lived there the night walker was filmed there before willard and ben was filmed.
This article was last modified 9 years ago