Comments on: Rollin B. and Katherine Lane: Hollywood Pioneers

By: AitchCS

AitchCS — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 14:41:39 +0000

Glad the structure has been preserved.
What is its current main function? A clubhouse for magician who occasionally give performances there? confused on that score.
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REALLY? CHECK OUT THEIR WEBSITE… http://www.magiccastle.com/

By: Robin

Robin — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 12:34:31 +0000

Excellent article with a lot of useful information. (However, I hope somebody will fix the punctuation soon — all those misplaced apostrophes!)

By: Sharon Hagen

Sharon Hagen — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 09:17:40 +0000

I grew up in Redlands, and was a member of The Kimberly Juniors, a sort of finishing school for young women founded by Mary Kimberly Shirk, who lived in Kimberly Crest. That house was built for her parents, who were partners in the Kimberly-Clark Paper company. Once a year, we went to Kimberly Crest for tea on the lawn, and after Mrs. Shirk’s death, my mother was a docent at the mansion, so I’ve spent some time there. The interiors were done by Tiffany. Before I read that Holly Chateau was modeled on the Redlands estate, I thought it looked awfully familiar ! As a minor aside, I remember being told that Carole Lombard was a member of the Kimberly family and stayed at Kimberly Crest. Don’t know for sure if it’s true.

There were many incredible mansions in Redlands, as it was a favorite wintering spot for the wealthy Eastern elite. Many of the mansions remain, and I’m sure I must have ridden my bicycle by Lane’s old house on Center Street. Redlands history records that around the time that Lane moved away, there was an unusually hard freeze that was disastrous for the orange groves. Many of the wealthy moved to a more temperate area at that time. South Pasadena was the neighborhood many chose. How lucky we are that Lane chose Hollywood, and that his copy-cat house has been preserved ! Thanks for the memories, I loved the article.

By: Heidi Meadows

Heidi Meadows — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 04:04:38 +0000

Rollin Lane was my Cousin Jeffrey’s Grandfather. His father was Rollin (we called him Uncle Roland) but never heard that he was adopted. Interesting story! My grandmother, Hazel Meadows, Roland Lane’s mother in law, stayed alone in the house (current magic castle) in the 1950′s to show it to people when the Lane’s were selling it.Bela Lugosi came to view it after work at the studios. My grandmother told me it scared her out of her wits, even though he was very gentlemanly.

By: Heather Lane

Heather Lane — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 16:31:01 +0000

Thanks for the great article! I’m trying to compile some family history for my kids and this will be a great addition.
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You’re welcome, it was interesting research.

By: Louis

Louis — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:27:45 +0000

Great info, Allen. You are truly awesome!

By: Terry

Terry — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 18:07:39 +0000

So great! LOVE IT. Thanks!

By: Melissa

Melissa — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 10:58:37 +0000

Wonderful article; absolutely perfect. Thanks so much, Allan!
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Thanks Melissa. I want to add: Special thanks to George W. Siegel, the architectural historian for the Magic Castle and to Bill Goodwin, librarian and Lisa Cousins of the Magic Castle for their help with this article. — Allan Ellenberger