Maybelline diaries 1940, "Catalina Island," Tom Lyle Williams niece's visit the Villa Valentino

Tuesday June 18, 1940

Up at 7:30, so had very little sleep. Catalina today, and what a day we had. The Premiere was the grandest affair I have ever attended, and will probably ever attend, but for real fun, I believe Catalina was the best. The four of us, Annette, arnold, Tom Lyle and I I just rested on the way over. The boat was quite large and ample seating capacity. The boat took two and a half hours to make the trip. Santa Catalina Island presented a beautiful picture from the boat. The mountains extended right to the water's edge with few beaches. The water was a very deep blue, almost a sate blue with the sunlight making it glisten like silver. The flying fist darted in and out of the water, resembling birds made of silver. As we neared the shore two speed boats filled with passengers raced out to welcome our boat. The picture of Santa Catalina from the boat was lovely.

 We could get a good view of the Pavilion and St. Catherine Hotel. Higher up on the mountain side were home's of Mrs. William Wrigley, P.E. Wrigley and the former Zane Grey. To the right of the Sane Grey home we could see the small chapel housing the chimes that ring every fifteen minutes and heard all over the Island. After the boat landed, we immediately took a but to the St. Catherine Hotel for lunch. Such a beautiful hotel, and such a gorgeous setting. It reminds you of the Edgewater Beach Marine dining room, perhaps because the lawn goes right down to the water's edge, and you sit and look right out on the water. Our table was close to the windows and the view from there was wonderful. The lawn was like green velvet with all colors and varieties of flowers making a lovely frame for Avalon Bay. If we had ordered a day, we couldn't have asked for a better one. The sun was warm enough, and yet it was cool in the shade. Had to rush lunch a bit to made the tours.

 As we were coming out of the hotel we saw Ruth Hussey.


The first tour we took was in a glass bottom boat to see the submarine gardens. The boat sailed close to shore, and the various flowers, plants, etc.only grow among the rocks. The iodine plant was pretty. Also saw other varieties of flowers, fish and lots of unusual rock formations. The diver put on an exhibition before we landed. He swam under the boat, staying under for three minutes. We could watch him through the glass. Had just time to get off this boat and on another for the Seal Rock Tour. This boat was different in that it was open and we could see all around. Kept close to shore again, and around the rocks to see the seals. The boat stopped so we could get a good look at the seals, took a picture , then the captain blew a whistle to bring the seals into the water. After this tour, we had time to look over the town of Avalon. Avalon is a resort town, a la Ritz. We walked up and down the main street, took some pictures and started looking for the Chi Chi Bar. This bar and cocktail lounge is south seas island style, but not as cute as the bar in the Villa Valentino. Had one drink, listened to the orchestra and danced. Tom Lyle is certainly getting good about dancing. He suggested a dance with only Neppie and Arnold on the floor. Tom Lyle knew the manager from Palm Springs, as he has a cocktail lounge there too. The manager came over for a chat and bought a round of drinks.

 Our time was slipping and we hadn't seen the Cubs Ball Park. Couldn't go back to Chicago without seeing the Cubs training ground, so up the hill we marched and took a picture for evidance.

Now for the great big thrill, our ride back to Long Beach on a plane. We watched the plane land in the water and coast to shore. My first ride in an amphibian plane. It was lots of fun. The view from the plane, of the water, mountains, ships and different cities was wonderful. The ride was only fifteen minutes compared with two and a half hours by boat. The plane hardly seemed to move and yet we were traveling over a hundred miles per hour. After landing we drove to Hollywood and the Villa Valentino for dinner. Emery has been rehearsing for a play “Lady Windermere's Fan,” since we arrived. Annette, Arnold, Tom Lyle and I went over to the theatre for dress rehearsal. Emery was good, and we all thought the play clever. 

  After the play we stopped at the Pig 'n Whistle for a bite to eat.  Saw Delores del Rio in the Pig 'n Whistle and saw her car and chauffeur waiting outside for her. Drove home to end a perfect day. 

Tom Lyle Williams, Emery and Arnold lived together at the Villa Valentino.  When Tom Lyle's niece's Annette Williams and Jane Allen, visited them in June of 1940, Tom Lyle rolled out the red carpet.  He gave the girls a 10 day extravaganza birds eye view, of Hollywood and Southern California.  This is an excerpt of Jane's diary.  If you'd like to read more, check my archives on the right column of my blog, under Jane Allen.

Spectacular Pictures and description of the Villa Valentino, in the Hollywood Hills, 1940

Tom Lyle Williams and Emery Shaver at the Villa Valentino

The white house is a beautiful contrast to the various vivid colors all around the house. The swimming pool is grand! And has all colors in lounge chairs, pillows, tile with lots of colors and varieties of colors in flowers.

My dad, Bill Williams at the pool with his uncle TL Williams

Then came the house. Everything is lovely. After seeing his movie pictures, we had some idea of the layout of the gardens and the house, but not one part in the pictures was as lovely as the actual gardens and home. The whine house is a beautiful contrast to the various vivid colors all around the house. The swimming pool is grand and has all colors in lounge chairs, pillows, tile with lots of colors and varieties of colors in flowers.

Next came the interior of Villa Valentino. You enter the house from the drive on the second floor. George's bedroom and bath are just off the beautiful little patio as you enter the front door. The two bedrooms upstairs, one for Emery and one for Tom Lyle, are furnished beautifully. Emery has a pretty bathroom adjoining his bedroom, but Tom Lyle's bathroom is the most beautiful I have seen, equipped with every imaginable convenience. From the hall upstairs you descend to the library with the dining room to the right of the library, down three steps.

Maybelline founder Tom Lyle Williams at entry to Villa Valentino

The carpeting on the stairs and in the library is almost an American Beauty shade of red. The banister is white wrought iron. The chairs in the library are light wood with light blue upholstering. Magazine rack and tables are hand carved and white. The desk is right by the window in the library, with a large white chair in front of the desk for Tom Lyle while he dictates. The linoleum on the dining room floor is a light blue and the furniture is light wood, modern in design. The wall opposite the large bay window is mirrored, so you can sit facing the window getting a beautiful view of the valley, garden and homes, and you can sit facing the mirror and get the same view reflected in the mirrors. The kitchen is small, compact, orderly and all done in red and white. The small bedroom next to the kitchen is a single bedroom with bath intended for a guest room, but used by Herbert, the cook. The living room is quite large, has a large bay window and a big door opening on the badminton court and gardens.

Emery Shaver and Tom Lyle Williams at the Villa Valentino 

The rug is the same as Tom Lyle had at Wabash Avenue, light rose in color. The grand piano takes one corner. The opposite corner has a Capehart radio and record playing combination. This piece of furniture is very light wood. The radio can be controlled or regulated from two or three different spots in the house and garden. One couch is a light tan with red design. In the by are two beautiful easy chairs with table, lamp and coffee table. To the side of the fireplace is a Duncan Pfyfe loveseat in light blue, with a beautiful coffee table in clear glass. The coffee table in front in front of the other couch is ebony wood with a gold mirror top.

Badminton Court

The drapes in the living room and library are gold, and such beautiful material. They are hung so well that they look like spun glass. In the corner of the living room is a very small door opening into the Rumpus Room. The Rumpus Room is one of the most attractive rooms I have ever seen, and certainly the cutest bar. The decorations are all South Sea Island, with grass rug, wicker furniture and even tall stools to sit at the bar. The room is also equipped with a bathroom. Every night before dinner, we went to the Rumpus Room. George came in dressed in white coat to mix us a cocktail.

Tom Lyle Williams at the Villa Valentino with his 1940 custom Packard Victoria

After our tour, Annette and I had time to unpack and rest before dinner. After dinner the round of entertainment started. First, we went to the theatre to see Victor Herbert's “The Red Hill”. Very good and the tunes were catchy and enjoyable. From the show we went to a night club called “Bublichki Russian”. This club was all Russian both in decorations and music. Celebrated with several Vodka cocktails. Spent a couple of hours listening to the music and sipping our drinks. Got to bed around three, and did we sleep.

Taken from Tom Lyle Williams niece, Jane Allen while visiting the Villa Valentino with her cousin Annette Williams

Maybelline cousins leave Chicago bound for California to visit the Villa Valentino in Hollywood in 1940

Excerpt from Maybelline founder, Tom Lyle Williams niece,Jane Allen's, diary during her trip to the Villa Valentino, in Hollywood California with her cousin Annette Williams

On Wednesday June 5, 1940, Annette and I left Chicago on the Grand Canyon Limited bound for California to visit with our uncle, Tom Lyle Williams. Amid much excitement we boarded the train at 11:30 am. Unkie (TL's brother,) and aunt Frances and several of Annette's friends were at the station to see us off and wish us joy.

We had lunch on the train and settled for a long ride. There were very few people in our car, but it wasn't long before a young gentleman invited us to play bridge. Annette didn't care to play, so I made the fourth. I didn't learn the names of but one, Bill Munro from Boston Mass. He was very nice and was with Annette and me most of the train trip.

Our train was scheduled for La Junta, Colorado at 8:30 am. Thursday June 6, so I wired aunt Frank and she and uncle Weldon, Ruth, Little Phillip and Betty all met the train. We enjoyed seeing all the folks.

The train stopped in Albuquerque for about twenty minutes. Uncle Weldon had wired ahead to Anita from Las Vegas to meet the train. We had a nice visit with Anita too.

Friday June 7, 1940, was spent at the Grand Canyon.

 Our tour included breakfast, lunch and dinner at the El Tovar Hotel and two bus rides around the rim of the Canyon. The Grand Canyon is 17 miles long, has an average width of 10 miles and is one mile in depth. We didn't take the ride on mule back down the Canyon to Phantom Ranch, because of lack of time. The two trips by bus gave us an idea of what the Canyon is like. A word picture of this magnificent spectacle would be inadequate. The guide spoke of the Canyon as “The big hole in the ground,” but, it is so large it almost takes your breath away. The day was bright and the colors of the Canyon were lovely. The air was so clear we could get a glimpse of the Painted Desert in the distance.

While riding into Williams, Arizona from the Canyon, I checked the train schedule and discovered the train we were taking arrived in Los Angeles around eleven in the morning, instead of 7:40 pm, as shown on the time table. We wired Tom Lyle and he met us at the Union Station in Los Angeles.

Tom Lyle had workmen busy at the house and the place was upset, so he wouldn't take us home until later. We had lunch at the Pig 'n Whistle, a real cute place and delicious lunch, after which we proceeded to 6776 Wedgewood Place, Hollywood.

First looked over the gardens, saw the Valentino fountain overlooking the swimming pool, badminton court and all the flowers before seeing the Villa Valentino. Then came the house. Everything is lovely. After seeing his movie pictures, we had some idea of the layout of the gardens and the house, but not one part in the pictures were as lovely as the actual gardens and home. The white house is a beautiful contrast to the various vivid colors all around the house.

The swimming pool is grand! And has all colors in lounge chairs, pillows, tile with lots of colors and varieties of colors in flowers.

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NICHE magazine featuring Super Model Kate Moss and my Maybelline Memories Column..

Please turn to page 87 - read my Column in Canada's Outstanding, Glamorous, NICHE Magazine, featuring Super Model, Kate Moss, in the Inspiration issue.

Maybelline founder, Tom Lyle Williams, niece's Annette Williams and Jane Allen visited the Villa Valentino in June of 1940, and Jane kept a diary of their unbelievable adventures. Here is a portion of the diary I posted in my Maybelline Memories column for NICHE magazine.  Open the magazine to see my lovely article in print.

Saturday, June 15, 1940.

Slept until noon as usual. Decided to go to the Hollywood Turf Club and the races. We spent a long time looking for the track. When we finally there the second race had been run. Started losing our money. Arnold and Annette were luckier then the rest of us, winning a small amount. Tom Lyle and I didn't do so well. Of course, he lost more than I did. Tom Lyle bet $10.00 on a horse named Woof Woof, because the name reminded him of himself. It was great fun watching the horses run and I do believe the park was the most beautiful race track I have ever seen. All the buildings are new and modern. Saw Ray Milland, Eugene Palette and Den Carpenter. We drove back home in time for dinner. After dinner we saw “Meet The People,” This is one of the cleverest reviews I have ever attended. The impersonations, especially the one of Katherine Hepburn and the ones of Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt were good. After the show we went t Sardi's for a drink. Played cards after we got home. Just don't seem to go to bed early at all. Emery has had very little time to spare,but is usually home when we get in, so we either talk a while or play a game of cards.

Sunday June 16, 1940

George took Annette and me to Church, as Tom Lyle had a cold and didn't feel so well. After Church, Emery, Arnold, Annette and I had breakfast. Tom Lyle hadn't come down, so we let him rest. Annette, Arnold and I took a walk over to the Hollywood Bowl, a short distance from the Villa Valentino. The Bowl is set in the mountains. Quite a climb, but we were glad to see it and all the scenery around. Concerts, Operas, etc. are held here.

 Tom Lyle was up when we returned, so we picked up Evelyn and took a ride to see the ocean and and on to Malibu Beach. On the way we stopped to see the Japanese Gardens. The flowers were perfectly beautiful and such an array of color. The ride out was grand and the scenery is indescribable it is so wonderful. I expected to see miles and miles of sand before we finally reached the beaches, but the mountains run almost to the waters edge. The drive follows the ocean with mountains on the other side. All along the ocean are brach homes, many belonging to movie people. Marion Davies has what you would almost consider a mansion with large servants homes. Tom Lyle showed us the two beach homes he occupied while at Malibu.

 After seeing the scenery we went over to the Malibu Inn for a bit to eat. We saw John Howard on the way to the Inn. Funny thing happened. We girls started to the rest room, had just gotten inside when Tom Lyle came to the door calling my name. We couldn't imagine what had happened, but discovered we had entered the wrong room and we ere in the men's room. We were embarrassed and boy did everyone in the place roar, including John Howard. We saw John Carroll on the drive back, after chasing him for miles trying to figure out just whom he was. We rode up to the top of the mountain to get a view of the Hollywood city lights at night. Looked like a million little stars from such height and the moon overhead was almost full. Such scenery I have never seen. Had time for a game of cards when we got back to the Villa Valentino.




















Imagine driving around Hollywood in in Tom Lyle Williams, 1940 Packard Victoria.  

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Old Hollywood Glamour 1940 style - Tuxedos, False Eyelashes, Daiquiris and Dancing the Conga.

Excerpt from a diary written by Jane Allen, while visiting the Villa Valentino, with Tom Lyle Williams niece, Annette Williams, in June, 1940. Picture left to right.  Tom Lyle Williams, Jane Allen, Emery Shaver, Annette Williams, Arnold Anderson.

We drove to Pasadena to see a sketch of Tom Lyle's new car.  The artist for Packard had sketched it on a blackboard, actual size, to give tom Lyle an idea of dimensions.  Believe it will be some sporty job. The car will be a long convertible, four or five passenger, cream with red leather upholstering.  From the sketch it looks as if this will be the best looking and most unusual car Tom Lyle has had.  We spent the afternoon waiting for Tom Lyle to get all details settled, and stopped at a Drive-in for a sandwich. Rushed home to dress forEarl Carrolls

 Another big night.  Tom Lyle and Arnold dressed in tuxedos again and we wore formals.  I decided to wear false eyelashes and felt like one of the glamour girls.  Evelyn and Bill went with us to Earl Carrolls, so there were six in the party until around eleven when Emery joined the crowd.  Earl Carrolls beautiful night club, much larger than Ciros, with a stage away from the tables for dancing.

 We all had a turn at dancing, but Annette and Arnold did the Conga with the crowd.  The rest of us were sitting at the table and enjoyed the entertainment.  Had a couple of daiquiris around the table and dinner at ten or ten thirty.  The floor show here was gorgeous with loads of beautiful girls.  The stage was revolving, so there were many unusual arrangements in dance. Bert Wheeler was

 master of ceremonies.

Villa Valentino fountain with statue, ASPIRATION.

  Left Earl Carroll's around two, took Evelyn and Bill home, but didn't get to bed until around 4 A.M.  The moon was beautiful when we got home, and Tom Lyle turned on all the flood lights in the garden.  With the fountain, lights, flowers and moon, the garden was gorgeous.

If you love Old Hollywood Glamour, vintage fashion, make up and classic cars, you will love my book.  The Maybelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind it.