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1. Dixie
Canyon --
Wright got seriously involved in the movie business in Los Angeles
and lived in several homes in the area, though never for very long.
But among all the stars and famous producers, Wright never really
stood out.
His
homes
were
never
on
maps
of
the
houses
of
the
stars.
In
fact,
I have not yet
located any of his homes here, but I
am
sure
it
would
be
possible
to
do
so.
One home, I am told is now an automobile museum in the western end
of the San Fernando Valley, or was.
Norman
Wright,
Harold's
youngest
son,
said
in
an
interview
several
years
ago
that
his
father
once
lived
in
Dixie
Canyon
in
the
San
Fernando
Valley,
just
north
of
Hollywood.
"He
owned
the
whole
canyon,"
Norman
said,
"up
to
the
top
of
the
ridge
and
down
the
other
side."
Wright's grandson, Peter, says it was a full section, 640
acres.
I
assume
the
house
he
lived
in
is
still
there,
but
I
don't
have
a
clue
where.
Dixie
Canyon,
south
of
the
101
Freeway
at
Coldwater
Canyon
road,
is
today
an
area
of
very
expensive
homes,
but
much
of
the
canyon
is
still
undeveloped
chaparral
(brush)
and
trees,
with
cliffs
too
steep
to
build
on (in LA that is pretty steep).
The
20-acre,
Dixie
Canyon
Park
<map>
,
which
almost
certainly
belonged
to
Harold
Bell
Wright
at
one
time,
is
reached
by
crossing
a
little
more
than
100
yards
of
private
property.
A
sign
at
the
head
of
the
trail
reads,
"DIXIE
CANYON
PARK,
Santa
Monica
Mountain
Conservancy,
a
gift
to
the
people
of
California
by
Warren
Beatty.
Access
donated
by
Eileen
and
Peter
Doctorow." (Peter
Doctorow is today's leading developer of children's educational game
software.) On a recent drive-by, I saw many hikers entering and
leaving the canyon.
2.
The UCLA library has a fine collection of Wright’s early
manuscripts and photos, all apparently from the collection of Elsbury W.
Reynolds, Wright’s first publisher.
The collection is not on permanent display and you must make arrangements
about two weeks in advance to see it.
Be prepared to buy a library card, wear gloves and do your study under the watchful eye
of Special Collections personnel. but it is a wonderful and important
collection.
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