Excerpts from Maybelline Family Diaries during 1940's and 60's

My great uncle, Tom Lyle Williams, (founder and owner of the Maybelline Company, from 1915 - 1967,) moved from Chicago to California in the early 1930's...

bought Rudolph Valentino's, Villa Valentino,

with his partner, Emery Shaver and coined it Maybelline West.

The Maybelline Company, continued to run with his brother Noel J. Williams at the helm in Chicago,

but, all of Maybelline's Advertising was done in at the Villa Valentino, in the Hollywood Hills, where Tom Lyle contracted the biggest Stars to endorse his Maybelline products.

My grandparents, Preston and Evelyn Williams,

with my 11 year old father, Bill, followed Tom Lyle and Emery to California in 1935... and the rest is history.  Read all about it in my book...The Maybelline Story.

Here is an another excerpt from Jane Allen's diary, while she and her cousin Annette Williams, visited their uncle Tom Lyle, Emery Shaver and Arnold Anderson, at the Villa Valentino in 1940.  (Annette was Noel J. and Frances Williams daughter and Jane was a close cousin on from her mother's side.)


Monday June 10, 1940
We slept until noon, had a big breakfast and went down to the pool to sun.

 Heard President Roosevelt at 3:15 and then went shopping. Not much luck shopping. Got a late start today, 4:00 PM, but will try tomorrow. Had our usual cocktail before dinner and a delicious dinner.

Saw Joan Crawford in “Susan and God” at the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.

Good picture and also saw hand prints of many stars in the concrete foyer.

As we were walking up the street to the theatre, we saw James Cagney,

and Frank McHugh standing talking.



Tuesday June 11, 1940
Slept until noon again which is wonderful. 

After breakfast we spent an hour or so at the pool. Had a shopping tour on for the afternoon, so couldn't sun very long.

Bought a formal and bathing suit at Bullocks. Rushed home in time for dinner at 6:30.

Saw a good show at Hollywood Troupers Theatre, “The Sixth Floor.” Judith Allen was one of the leading characters.

After the show stopped in at the “Jade,” a Night Club all Chinese and very unusual.

Read another excerpt from Jane Allen's diary click here.



Side note:  Hollywood Troupers Theatre, was renamed, the Las Palmas Theatre in the 1940's.

Las Palmas Theatre

1642 Las Palmas 

Avenue,

 

Hollywood,

 Los Angeles, CA 90028

This building was erected in 1927, according to assessor’s information.

An item in Daily Variety for June 18, 1941, indicates that at that time this was a playhouse operating under the name Hollywood Troupers Theatre.The Las Palmas Theatre is located around the corner from the Egyptian Theatre, Vogue Theatre and Newview Theatre..   Joe Vogel

I was born and raised in Culver City California and kept a diary of my 1964 High School diary, as well.

Excerpt from my diary

My great uncle, Tom Lyle Williams, founder of the Maybelline Company, invites us up to swim, (pictures of his estate in 1964)

by saffronsrule

August 9, 1964, Sunday. We went up to Unk Ile’s today. I went in his pool.

Woke up this morning with no feeling at all for Howard. He lied to me again.  He said he’d call me as soon as he get’s back from Santa Cruz next week. I can’t go out with him, I don’t want people to talk about me. Today Pearl and I drove to Toes and got a coke, but when I saw his car we left. The whole family went to Unk Ile’s  tonight, to try out the new Whirl Jet Jacuzzi, in his pool. We all got in the pool and it was so much fun being all together as a family for once. When we left Unk Ile insisted he pay for us to go out to dinner and gave Dad a bunch of money, They all went to the Golden Bull, but my sister Donna and I just kept our money and went home to wash the chlorine out of our hair.

My great uncle, Tom Lyle Williams, founder of the Maybelline Co. lived in Bel Air, not that far from our house in Blair Hills, on the outskirts of Culver City.  Here are some pictures of the exterior of his home.

It was always a thrill to drive through the electric gates and pull into our regular spot by the entrance to his steel and glass ultra Modern home.

The open garage allowed his cars to be on display, adding to the romance of a Tropical Paradise.

The statue “Aspiration,” created in memory of Rudolph Valentino, once overlooked the pool at Unk Ile’s Villa Valentino, in the Hollywood Hills, now welcomed us at the entry.

Here is the pool, which was actually very large and deep.  We had a lot of fun memories swimming here since 1950, when he built the home, after losing the Villa Valentino to the Hollywood Freeway.

The lush landscaping created a virtual Garden of Eden and created privacy, which was his main objective, not wanting to be scrutinized by the public for his lifestyle.

The property overlooked Los Angeles, from Beverly Hills to the ocean at Santa Monica and at night the twinkling city lights created a spectacular romantic ambiance .  I remember my dad asking Unk Ile, how much he thought the property was worth… and he humbly admitted $500,000.  Today the property is worth over 15 million. 

  

In Loving Memory of my Father, Bill Williams, an Unforgettable Maybelline Car Guy, who's memory still lives on today!

Born to be Car Guys!

In honor of the 8th year anniversary of my father, Bill Williams passing... 

Some guys are just born with that car-gene and some are not.  Over the past 100 years the romance of owing a hot car has grown to the point, where people pay a million dollars to own one, vintage or not.  My father, Bill Williams and his cousin, Bill Stroh, had a love for wheels right from the start.

The two little cousins were the children of Evelyn Williams, and her sister Verona Stroh.

The two Bills grew up together in Chicago, and loved anything that they could push, ride or burn rubber in.

Best of buddy's, The young Bill's lived together during some rough times in the 1920's, when Evelyn and Preston were working out their differences. 

The boy's were practically twins.  Born a few weeks a part, handsome little chaps with truck loads of enthusiasm, especially for cars.

Even when Bill Williams moved away from Chicago, to California, Bill Stroh visited during the Summer months and their devotion for anything fast continued to grow.

Bill Williams in his first car.

Car Guy's Gone Wild.

Bill Williams and his cousin, Bill Stroh, continued their car crazy love, until the draft temporally stopped the obsession for a couple of years.

Bill Williams in his Army uniform, before being shipped to the Philippians, poses with Bill Stroh, who would soon enlist into the Navy.  However that didn't stop them from spending every available minute working on their cars.

Both Bill's learned how to rebuild an engine as teenagers, and could talk the talk with any mechanic, while their girl's sat patiently and waited.

Bill Stroh in the center with his cousin Bill Williams to his right, with the 
4-F Club Guys.

As Teenagers the cousin's formed a Car Club, called the 4-F Club and cruised for pretty girls.  It didn't take long before both guys had THE ONE.

Bill and Pauline Williams, with Baby Sharrie, sitting on the grass, and Mary and Bill Stroh.

After the War, the boy's returned home, married, had kids and built careers, however, when they reached their prime, the first thing they did was return to their first love.  Beautiful cars.

Car Guy's Gone Wild.

Bill Williams collected beautiful automobiles for the pleasure of being seen in them.  Bill Stroh raced fast cars for the pleasure of driving them. 

Ladies man, Bill Williams, became an avid car collector, in his late 40's, after the Maybelline Company sold in 1967. He bought Casa Guillermo, in Palm Springs in 1973, for it's 4 garages, and two acres of land, where stored several more cars.                                     

Man's man, Bill Stroh on the other hand, became a hands-on, race car driver for Porsche, in the 1960's, making quite a name for himself in Chicago's racing world.  

Mama drove a Hot Rod - Thanks to my cousin, race-car driver, Bill Stroh.

Bill Stroh's 1965 Ford Shelby Mustang GT 350, was the catalyst that inspired Bill Williams to build his car collection.

The 1965 GT350 had one purpose in life and that was to put the Ford Mustang in the winner’s circle in SCCA road racing.  Bill Stroh on the left, with his son and brother in law, raced this Cobra and I have to say, it made my dad, Bill Williams a little jealous.  In fact three years later my dad  trumped his cousin and bought a 1968 Ford Mustang

Shelby GT500 Convertible.

Here I am with Bill Strohs son, standing next to Bill's GT 350 Cobra.  It was the Summer of 1966, while I was in Chicago, getting to know my father's family.  I had no idea that five years later, I'd be the owner of a 1968 Shelby Mustang, GT 500 Cobra convertible when my father gave his car to me in 1971, for my 24th Birthday.

Here I am admiring Bill Stroh's racing Cobra.  I'm sure it was this car, that planted the seed in my father's mind, to begin his car collection, after theMaybelline Company sold, in December of 1967.  

                                                   

1965–66 GT 350s were very successful racers, and had many production-class victories.

So I drove a Hot Rod with a baby seat, until I sold my Shelby GT 500 Mustang convertible in 1983. 

 My next Hot Rod, was a 1969 Completion Orange Camero, with white racing stripes, which I drove my daughter around in until she was 10 years old.  I have to give credit to Bill Stroh, for bringing racing stripes into our lives and spurring my dad on to collect 12 classic cars.  Today we still have his 1977 Clenet, Series 1, number 13. 

My dad's Shelby GT 500, crashed and was rebuilt, for my 24th Birthday. The front of the car actually lifted when I hit the gas and was the most fun car I ever drove.

Bill Stroh died unexpectedly from a heart attack in 1974.  He was only 50 years old.  Bill Williams lived to be 82 and grieved the loss of his cousin for 32 years.  It was like losing a brother he said.  My dad bought Bill's Porsche from his widow Mary Stroh and gave it to his son, William Preston Williams years later.

Bill Williams memory lives on through his Clenet Automobile.

 Alain Clenet, refers to his American, coach-made, Clenet, as Driving Art. 

Alain Clenet was recognized for his contribution to Santa Barbara history, at the Concours d'Elegance.

Tom Pierpoint, President of The Clenet Cluster, with Alain Clenet.

These wonderful, limited edition automobiles were built in the late 70's and early 80's by Clenet Coachworks of Santa Barbara, CA. There has been a recent strong interest in these vehicles most probably due to the fact that they are becoming "classic neo-classics" as they all approach 30 years of age. We are probably a bit biased, but we think they are the most elegant automobiles ever produced. 

The William P. Williams family, showed Bill's Classic Clenet, Series 1, number 13 at the Santa Barbara Concours, Oct 30th, as well as The La Quinta Concours d'Elegance, this year, where it won 2 place in the Neo-Classic, category.

Bill Williams Clenet, showed with 20 other Classic Clenet, owners, at Alain Clenet's, Coachworks, 35 Anniversary.

Steve Kourocas, (Clenet Coachworks original fabricator,) Alain Clenet, (designer and owner of Clenet Coachworks,) with Bill Williams daughter, Donna Williams.

Alain Clenet, sharing some memories of Bill Williams,  with his daughter, Donna Williams.

Steve Kourocas with Donna Williams.  Kourocas has many good stories about her father, Bill Williams during the fabricating, of number 13. 

Donna Williams with her cousin Ann Louise Williams-Corbett, enjoying the Concours.


Clénet is an automobile series with old retro styling, mixed with modern technology.  Each limited-production model was conceived, designed, and produced by a small team of men and women in Santa Barbara County, California in the 1970s and 1980s. The automobile's distinctive styling was based on the high-end automobiles of the 1930s. Despite their retro looks, Clénets used modern drive trains and suspension systems.    

My father, Bill Williams, the ultimate Gatsby...

Along with love of beautiful cars, comes the love of beautiful women.  A man's car is like a beautiful women to him according to actor Hugh Grant.   

Be sure to visit my hilarious 1964 High School Diary Blog at http://saffronsrule.com/

Brandies National Committee Luncheon in Scottsdale was a great success, enjoy this video of the event

Maybelline maven click to see original article

Sharrie Williams, author of “The Maybelline Story,” second from left, was the featured speaker at the Brandeis National Committee Phoenix Chapter’s annual luncheon, held April 25 at the Orange Tree Golf Resort in Scottsdale. Also pictured are past co-presidents, Lori Roth, left, and Marcy Strauss, right. Carol Abrams, second from right, was installed as president that day. Read more about "The Maybelline Story" on the Jewish News blog. 

Photo by Leisah Woldoff

Video slideshow of Sharrie Williams Presentation for Brandeis National Committee, Phoenix Chapter. (pictures by Charales Abrams Photography.)

A history of American society through the lens of Maybelline by, Leisah Woldoff 

Who knew that there was such a great story behind the pink and green container of Maybelline Great Lash mascara?

I was fortunate to hear this story firsthand from Maybelline heiress Sharrie Williams at the Brandeis National Committee Phoenix Chapter’s annual luncheon on April 25 at the Orange Tree Golf Resort in Scottsdale. And because she was gracious enough to give every attendee a copy of her book, “The Maybelline Story and the Spirited Family Dynasty Behind It,” I’ve been learning even more while reading it over the weekend.

Williams, the grand-niece of Maybelline founder Tom Lyle Williams, said during her talk, “To you, Maybelline is a corporate name. To me, it means family.” It was a reminder that although there are many businesses that are now household names, many originated in the mind of one person in one household.

Maybelline – which was originally a family business, named after Williams’ sister, Mabel – had its share of family “scandals” (children born out of wedlock, marital affairs, an intimate relationship between two men – things that have become mainstream in American society since Maybelline’s founding in 1915). In fact, Maybelline’s main mission was considered scandalous in its early days – it was founded at a time when women who wore eye makeup were primarily “performers and prostitutes,” according to the book.

“Those attitudes are changing,” Tom Lyle told his brother, Noel, at age 20. “Women are done being plain and submissive. … The age of cosmetics has begun.”

Maybelline started as a mail order business and went through its share of ups and downs – through the Depression and World War II, the family approached bankruptcy more than once but then prospered again each time. In the 1930s, the company moved away from mail order and moved to working with owners of retail chains.

According to Williams, Maybelline was at the forefront of advertising elements that are still popular today, such as celebrity endorsements and “before and after” photographs. The focus of the ads and the business changed to reflect the decades: glamorous actresses featured through the 20s, less expensive “purse-size” versions during the Depression, pin-up type ads for soldiers overseas during wartime, bride-focused ads after soldiers returned home and glamour focused on young mothers during the baby boom of the 1950s.

So far, I’m only halfway through the book, but I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning more about America’s history and society in the past century through the story of one business.

Here I am with outgoing Vice President, Lori Roth and her charming mother, Millie Moss.  Lori and I worked together for months by email. It was a pleasure finally meeting her at my "100 Years of Maybelline" Presentation, for Brandeis National Committee, Phoenix Chapter.

Now Lori and I hope to do another event this Fall, for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  Stay tuned for upcoming details.