Hollywood - the perfect place to blend in - during, the 1930s.

Tom Lyle and Emery stood out too much in Gangland Chicago, during the Depression. 

My father, Bill Williams with his mother, Evelyn, his uncle Tom Lyle and Emery Shaver in Chicago, 1934.

Tom Lyle's father TJ, concerned about young Bill's safety, asked Tom Lyle and Emery to leave Chicago and move to Hollywood, where they might blend in better.  He worried that the flashy car and fancy clothes, fostered too much attention and endangered the child they were often seen with. 

TL took his father's advise and moved to Whitley Heights in the Hollywood Hills, and bought the Villa Valentino.  The next year, Preston, Evelyn and Bill followed.

Read all about it, in The Maybelline Story and don't forget, the book makes great Holiday gifts.

The Gilded Lily, behind Maybelline doors.

Tom Lyle avoided a public life, but in private, everything was fit for a King.

A simple country boy from Morganfield Kentucky, Tom Lyle clung to his roots, but, had them Gilded!  Why Not!!

Notice the passerby doing a double take at the flashy car and the man in the Lama skin coat.  Tom Lyle finally moved to Hollywood, where he no longer stood out, during the Depression.

Maybelline colors - Red and Gold.

Tony Williams, (Preston's son,) with Bobby
and Ches Haines.

As a little boy, Bobby Hains,  (Eva and Ches Haines, son and Tom Lyle's nephew,) remembers his uncle Lyle. 

"Dad brought me into uncle Lyle's, office at the Maybelline building to show me the 24K, Gold Leaf wall, that had just been finished."

The story goes:  Tom Lyle thought the plain mahogany paneling behind his ornate, hand carved mahogany desk, with it's red leather executive chair, looked too plain.  He complained about it to his brother Noel, who took the intuitive and called in a craftsman to cover it with 24K Gold Leaf.  When Tom Lyle returned from California, he walked into his office and was thrilled that his office looked like a showplace.  After all Maybelline colors were red and gold?

Bob also remembers when The Villa Valentino was taken in eminent domain, for the Hollywood freeway and Tom Lyle bought the lot at the top of Bel Air, to build his steel and glass estate. 

The story goes.  Emery told Tom Lyle to go to Hawaii, while the home was being finished, because it was too stressful on TL to work, and deal with contractors.  When he returned, rested and tan, Emery couldn't wait to show him the finished product.  Tom Lyle took one look at the steel beams, between the panes of plate glass, and wrinkled his nose.  "it looks terrible" he said, "I can't  live with it."  Emery was perplexed and didn't know what to do.  Tom Lyle knew exactly what to do.  He had them plated in 24K Gold.

Bob's favorite memory of his uncle took place in Chicago, when he was 15 and just got a learner's permit. 

The story goes:  Tom Lyle pulled up in front of the Haines home in a new cream colored Packard Convertible, while Bobby was sitting on the porch.  He ran down the steps, amped with excitement, only to be stunned when Tom Lyle, handed him  the key's and said "why not take it for a spin around the block."  Eva and Ches ran out and tried to stop the joy-ride, but uncle Lyle insisted Bob to have the thrill of his life.  He did and still remembers it today, at almost 80 years of age.

Read more about Tom Lyle and his love of beauty in any form, in The Maybelline Story.

Stay tuned for In The Kitchen with Maybelline this week when Sharrie makes Frances' Chocolate Icebox Desert on AZTV.  Also Bill's Clenet will be on the way to Santa Barbara's Concours D' Elegance next Friday, so check in for all the excitement.

Automobile designer Alain Clenet's version of a 1934 Packard Convertible.

It's no wonder Maybelline founder Tom Lyle Williams nephew, Bill Williams, loved his 1977 Clenet Series 1, # 13 out of 250.
 

The nostalgic features reminded him of his childhood in the 1930's, growing up surrounded by his uncle's beautiful custom-designed, Packard's.

Tom Lyle's 1940 Packard Victoria, at the Villa Valentino, where Bill spent his youth.  All of Tom Lyle's Packard's were custom made. One was famous for having gold plated chrome. 

Bill with his uncle Tom Lyle Williams, 1934.

 The 1934 Packard offered a line of semi-custom cars that were usually built in numbers of at least five. The 11th series cars were distinguished from all other models by their raked back, “vee” windshields, extra long hoods, extra wide cowls, and their extra tall radiators.

These were unique to only this model year.

11 year old Bill Williams, was with his uncle, Tom Lyle, at the 1934 Chicago's World Fair, when this car was shown.  Tom Lyle ordered the car and had it delivered to the Maybelline Building, where the key's were handed to him.  A picture of the delivery is documented in Packard's private journals.

Imagine how this super long, super ornate automobile, must have looked to a young boy.  So it's no wonder, that when Alain Clenet, produced his series 1 convertible in 1977, Bill was one of the first to purchase it for, $80,000 - with custom etched windows and his initials etched in the door. 

Bill's Clenet will be shown at the Santa Barbara Concours D' Elegance, next weekend.  Hope so see some of you there.  

Alain Clenet will also be in attendance. 

Watch for Sharrie next week on The Morning Scramble, making, Mrs. Noel J. Williams, "auntie Frances"

 to die for, Chocolate Extravaganza. 

 Show will be posted on the Maybelline Blog as well.

Clenet preservati​on discussion​. Steve Kouracos and Sharrie Williams discuss the preservati​on restoratio​n of her father Bill Williams Clenet. Come meet Steve next weekend at the Santa Barbara Concours.