Two of the most popular posts on this website have been about the Getty mansion on Wilshire Blvd that was used as a filming location for the Paramount movie Sunset Boulevard (1950). You can see the posts here and here.
I was recently contacted by Teresa Peters who told me that her grandparents, Cletus and Della Peters were the caretakers of that mansion, and asked me if would I like to see some family photos of their time there. Naturally, I told her that I’d love to see them. I was expecting 3 or 4 shots, but she sent me 25, all of which appear to have been taken when Sunset Boulevard was being filmed, which dates these shots somewhere between April and June 1949. At the time, their son, Bernard – Teresa’s father – would have been 13 years old. What an amazing place to grow up!
It took a lot of people to film those scenes. Here’s the crew on a meal break:
Norma Desmond’s magnificent luxury car in the movie was a 1929 Isotta-Fraschini 8A . You can learn more about it here.
Sunset Blvd didn’t come out until August 1950, fifteen months after these photos were taken. Little did 13-year-old Bernard know what a soon-to-be-iconic car he was sitting in.
Paramount released Streets of Laredo, also starring William Holden in May 1949, so I’m guessing it was one of their big releases when Sunset Blvd was in production. Never one to miss a publicity opportunity, the studio put the poster on one of their crew trucks. I don’t know what’s on the back of the truck – I’m guessing maybe some sort of power generator? – but if anyone reading this can tell us, we’d love to know:
The story I’d always heard was that when Paramount wanted to use the exterior of the mansion in their movie, the owner at the time was an ex-wife of John Paul Getty, the oil baron. Teresa told me that she’d heard that Getty used the house as a place to store his artwork. The place was so big that both could be true at the same time.
I also heard that Getty’s ex-wife agreed to let Paramount film there, but only if they built her a pool. Presumably the one that Joe Gillis (William Holden) falls into after Norma Desmond loses her marbles. Here is Della taking a relaxing float in one of filmdom’s most famous pools.
Teresa said her grandparents moved out of the mansion when they bought a house in 1954, and assumes they gave up the care-taking job then as well. In 1955, the house was used again for filming, this time for Warner Bros.’ Rebel Without a Cause, starring James Dean. And in 1957 it was demolished.
I’d like to thank Teresa Peters for sharing these precious and rare family photos and letting me post them online for all of us to enjoy.
** UPDATE August 26, 2024 ** – Barry Daigle kindly sent me this photo overlay showing where the position of the Sunset Blvd mansion and garage sat on the current-day property.
How thoughtful of her to think of you?
What a boon?
She was the other posts about the mansion and thought I’d like to see the photos she had. YES PLEASE!
The power of social media ! What an amazing connection tha was made just through circumstance,love seeing a little peak behind the scenes of this great film.
Indeed! You never know what’s out there sitting in someone attic or photo album!
Amazing photos! Thanks to Teresa and to you for letting us get to see them!
Must you chew gum?
Dear Joe,
So glad to hear back form you! What a true pleasure it is to share something of my dad’s past. Thank you for some clarification on how you met my dad and the wonderful details of your visit.
Sincerely,
Teresa Peters
Simply WOW. I was just watching Sunset Blvd. for the Nth time. Having lived in the Wiltshire District (once upon a time known as the Paris of America) I was just curious to see if I’d recognize the address, and what an amazing surprise to read up this brand new comment! by Teresa! Very ironically I now live on Sunset Blvd. in Houston, TX.
Here’s two things I didn’t know: that Wilshire was once called “the Paris of America” and that Houston also has a Sunset Blvd!
What a delight from out of the blue! Although I read with disdain that the house was demolished. When bulldozers flatten history, they have NO CONCEPT of what goes with it. Smh.
Dear Mr. Turnbull – I really have enjoyed this visit, so much, I had to respond.
In the early ’50s, while attending Mt. Vernon Jr. High, through friends of the caretaker’s son, I was given an impromtu tour of the Getty Mansion, which I never forgot! Standouts, in my memory, were the grand staircase; the hugh ballroom; and, especially, the basement and sub-basement which held an enormous, room-sized safe. Outside, the empty swimming pool added to the scary ambience. So glad you’ve covered this, once, very mysterious dwelling.
Joe Parker, Chandler, Az.
Hi Joe, the caretaker’s son was the father of Teresa, who sent me the photos. What a small world!
Hi Martin –
Yes, indeed, it is a small world.
My oldest, longtime friend, Dave Dobbs, and I were residents of the mid-Wilshire area during our formative years, and share a good many memories, not the least of which was that incredible visit to the Getty Mansion, during the very early ’50s.
Teresa’s father, Bernard, who was then about our same age, early teens, and while his parents were away, gave us a ‘cook’s tour’, of the old “spooky” mansion.
One of the photos in your presentation, a high angle of the Tidewater Building, shows at the juncture of Wilshire and Crenshaw, and on the S.E. corner, a drive-in called Scrivner ‘s – a favorite haunt of us high school kids.
After the completion of the Tidewater Bldg., Scrivner’s was replaced by a trendy restaurant known as “Quo Vadis”. The area was never quite the same after all those changes.
I’m in touch with Teresa, and with Dave’s help, hope to share more details of our visit to the old Getty Mansion.
Keep up the great work Martin.
Yours Truly,
Joe Parker
This is incredible news Joseph! Did you know my dad Bernard or my grandparents? I know he went to Loyola Highschool.
Dear Teresa –
So nice to make your acquaintance.
In answer to your query –
I met your father, Bernard, only once, through my Mt. Vernon Jr. High friends, Dave Dobbs, & Fred Sautcher (sic). Dave is a lifelong friend, (75+ years), and I’ve, just now, sent an e-mail to him, asking him to clarify, as best he can, details of our encounter with Bernard, and our visit to the Getty Mansion.
During our formative years, Dave & I were longtime residents of the mid-Wilshire area, and still share a good deal of nostalgia for those wonderful times, while living there.
I look forward to passing along any of our collective rememberances, which I think might be of interest to you.
Yours Truly,
Joe Parker
Dear Joe,
So glad to hear back form you! What a true pleasure it is to share something of my dad’s past. Thank you for some clarification on how you met my dad and the wonderful details of your visit.
Sincerely,
Teresa Peters
Teresa – Regards to more clarification about friends of your father, Bernard.
Earlier, I mentioned Fred Sautcher, properly spelled, FRED SOTCHER. Fred brokered the visit to the Getty Mansion, between your father, my friend David Dobbs, and myself. Further investigation, by yours truly, reveals Fred most likely knew your dad, from their mutual attendance to Loyola High School.
Fred is presently aged at 84 years; retired; and lives in San Jose, California. There is extensive information about him on the internet.
Hope this info is of use. Let me know.
Best,
Joe Parker
Thank you Joe! I will look Fred up. I had found my dads yearbook recently and will take a look through it again. They both would be about the same age if my dad were still alive.
Wow this is great!! Thank you for this.
I live currently 6 blocks from where the mansion was.
I’m always curious though about the orientation of the house. Because I bike down Lorraine Blvd all the time. Was the pool in that side and when Norma and Joe sit outside by the pool, are they facing towards Wilshire? Looks that way based on the sun. I’m about to bike by it now. Thx much again for your posts and pix. Jef
I really don’t know the orientation of the house so your guess would be as good as mine!
From 1962-1970, my family rented the home (627 S Irving Blvd) directly next to where the mansion pictured above was located. Built for the William O Jenkins family, J Paul Getty eventually bought the Sunset Blvd mansion with the intent to build a commercial building on the property. He also purchased other homes on the block for a planned parking garage. We rented our home
as others did on the block from Getty. Neighborhood association blocked the garage and fortunately the other homes stayed and were put up for sale. Getty donated 605 S Irving to the city. I had a good childhood friend whose family rented the current Mayor’s mansion, renamed the Getty House. A lot of memories at that location. Martin, contact me as there may still be a hint of the Sunset mansion yet to be discovered.