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Old Posted Oct 2, 2010, 7:04 PM
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GaylordWilshire GaylordWilshire is offline
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von Sternberg--Rand--Hickman-Marion Parker

Architectural Digest


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LAPL

LAPL



I've always liked pictures of this Northridge house--built by Neutra for director Josef von Sternberg and owned by the lovely Ayn Rand and hubby, a Mr. O'Connor, for about 20 years (until around 1963--the house was torn down in the early '70s). It's the Rand connection that intrigues me here, though I'm not an admirer, by any means. (In college after a few drinks--etc--and if we were really bored, a certain theatrical friend could get us to laugh uncontrollably by reading aloud the many pretentious passages from her books. It's amazing to me that anyone has ever taken her seriously, much less Alan Greenspan.) ANYWAY, something I never knew about Mlle Rand, and something which, like Mr. Prescott in the link below, hasn't done anything to improve my opinion of her, is that she had an early admiration for one William Edward Hickman. Yes, the one-and-only murderer and dismemberer of Marion Parker at the Bellevue Arms in December 1927. (Note to Sopas: I'm reading Stolen Away per your recommendation, and you're right, it's a great read.) I found this on the web that echoes my sentiments:

http://michaelprescott.net/hickman.htm

I guess I've become fascinated with all things Marion--the case seems to me an early example of noir darkness under the palms, one which, as Sopas once said, is perhaps even more notorious than--certainly overshadowed by--that of the Black Dahlia

Last edited by GaylordWilshire; Oct 20, 2010 at 4:50 PM.
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