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Chabad to Honor Holocaust Survivors

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Holocaust survivors and Palisades Highlands residents Anna Sorotzkin (left) and Rachel Schwartz.
Holocaust survivors and Palisades Highlands residents Anna Sorotzkin (left) and Rachel Schwartz.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Anna Sorotzkin remembers meeting Raoul Wallenberg, the legendary Swede who saved approximately 100,000 Hungarian Jews, including herself, from extinction at the hands of the Nazis. Rachel Schwartz recalls living in the Warsaw Ghetto and being forced, at 14, on a death march that caused her to hallucinate from food and clothing deprivation. Sorotzkin and Schwartz will be among the dozen Holocaust survivors residing in the community to be honored at Chabad of Pacific Palisades’ ‘Survivors’ Honorary Evening’ on Tuesday, September 9 at the Riviera Country Club. The public event will feature guest speaker Leon Leyson, the youngest survivor on Oskar Schindler’s list. The subject of Thomas Keneally’s 1982 book ‘Schindler’s Ark’ and a 1993 Steven Spielberg movie, Schindler, an industrialist and a Nazi party member, became the unlikely savior of 1,100 Jews by having them work at his factory. Today, Sorotzkin, a retired agriculturist, and Schwartz, a sales associate at Coldwell Banker’s Westwood office, are both Highlands residents. But during World War II, they were mere children when the Nazis invaded various European nations and rounded up Jewish citizens for a mass extermination of some six million Jews by war’s end. Born in Budapest in 1932, Sorotzkin remembered an idyllic existence with her large extended family, living in an apartment overlooking the Danube, and enjoying summers at a rented villa at Lake Balaton. Her first awareness of the impending Nazi danger came when she overheard a German-Jewish woman question her mother as to how she could live in such comfort: ‘Don’t you know what is happening to the Jews in Germany?’ By 1941, two of Sorotzkin’s uncles, and her 20-year-old cousin, were taken as slave laborers. The only survivor, an uncle, was killed at the Mauthausen concentration camp. In 1942, Sorotzkin became ostracized at school for her ethnicity, and in April 1944, Jews were singled out in Hungarian society, their clothes and houses branded with yellow stars. Sorotzkin was fortunate enough to be reunited with her immediate family after the war. Sorotzkin’s father and brother had also ended up in Mauthausen, but they were among those in the camp liberated by the Americans. As for Sorotzkin and her mother, they were on the list to be transported to Auschwitz when they were personally saved from certain doom by one of the most legendary of ‘righteous gentiles,’ Wallenberg, who essentially blackmailed German Army commander Gen. Gerhard Schmidhuber into relinquishing them. ‘He was very, very brave,’ Sorotzkin said. ‘A no-nonsense man who, in my opinion, is the greatest hero of the time.’ Originally intending to become a physician, Sorotzkin suffered a series of political complications that led her to study agriculture instead. In November 1956, following the defeat of the Hungarian Revolution, Sorotzkin emigrated to America, where she worked at menial labor in Miami and Detroit before attending Penn State on a scholarship and landing a job with the Burpee Seed Company in Santa Paula. ‘I always wanted to come to California,’ Sorotzkin told the Palisadian-Post. It was here that she met her Israeli-born husband Joshua, who worked for Ventura-based Shell Oil as a chemical engineer. In Ventura, the Sorotzkins raised their daughters, Ruth, and twins Aliza and Dalia. The former, a Palisades physician, led Sorotzkin to become a ‘professional grandma’ to Rachel, Jordan and Ava in the Palisades. Schwartz told the Post a similar story of upheaval. Born Rachel Gastfreind in 1931, she lived in Warsaw with her parents, two brothers and a sister. Before the war, Schwartz’s father made a comfortable living as owner of a spring mattress factory and the Gastfreind family vacationed at a summer cottage. Things changed dramatically with the September 1939 invasion of Poland by the Germans. The Nazis rounded up, segregated and relocated Jews. The Gastfreinds wound up living in the infamous Warsaw Ghetto. On the first night of Passover 1943, the Germans separated the female Gastfreinds from the males, and that was the last time 12-year-old Rachel saw her father and brothers alive. Schwartz and her sister were sent to Majdanek, where they were separated from their mother, never to see her again. After the war, the siblings learned she had perished in the gas chamber. By chance, the Gastfreind sisters escaped death at Majdanek, as Germans began liquidating Jews in anticipation of the approaching Russian army. A few relocations later, the Gastfreind girls were forced on a death march during which nearly all the participants died. The girls gained their freedom on the Elbe River when the Russians arrived. After the war, the Gastfreind sisters were united with a pair of American aunts in Detroit, where Schwartz married Ed Schwartz. ‘We came to California in 1960,’ said Schwartz, a longtime West L.A. resident. ‘We wanted to get away from the winter.’ Today, Schwartz’s two sons, Bruce and Jeffrey, live in L.A. and Murphys respectively. After her first husband passed away in 1968, Schwartz remarried and moved to the Palisades in 1997. Her second husband passed away in 2000, but Schwartz remains a proud Palisadian. To be sure, there is a fine line to respect when centering a festive occasion such as Chabad’s around Holocaust survivors without the event seeming too solemn or, worst, exploitative. But education and, most significantly, the awareness that comes from communicating the horrors and genocide of World War II to young generations less connected to history, is this Chabad event’s raison d”tre, said ‘Survivors” organizer Rabbi Shloimie Zacks. According to Zacks, 26, the evening is not a Chabad fundraiser but an awareness event for the general Palisades community and Chabad is charging admission only to recoup the cost of renting the facility. The subtext of such an event is to impart this facet of history as the number of Holocaust survivors alive to recount their stories steadily dwindles. Both Sorotzkin and Schwartz, incidentally, have participated in filmed interviews with the Shoah Visual History Foundation, the organization launched in 1994 by Spielberg, following his filming of ‘Schindler’s List,’ to archive Holocaust history via videotaped interviews with survivors. Tickets are $36, regular admission; $126, preferred seating with the opportunity to meet Leyson and other honorees. Reservations (by September 3): (310) 454-7783 or visit www.chabadpalisades.org.

Back to School Next Week

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Mr. Palisades, Chris Alexakis
Mr. Palisades, Chris Alexakis
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Forget about easily finding a parking space in the business district or quickly navigating through town next week because classes begin again at two high schools, a middle school and nine private and public elementary schools’all located within a five-mile radius of the Village. All schools start on Wednesday morning, with the exception of Corpus Christi (which starts Tuesday) and Seven Arrows (which starts on Thursday). By Thursday, more than 8,000 students will be back in school’and that doesn’t include hundreds of students in 10 local preschools. Drivers are warned to allow extra time to account for near-gridlock conditions on Temescal Canyon Road and Sunset Boulevard near Temescal and Palisades Highs, which enroll a combine 2,885 students, many of whom are bused. Other congested areas include (l) Sunset and Allenford by Paul Revere Middle School (mornings and mid-afternoons alike), with an estimated 2,100 students, and (2) the six-block section bordered by Carey Street and Via de la Paz, where four elementary schools’Corpus Christi, Seven Arrows, Village School and Palisades Elementary’have a combined enrollment of about 1,100 students. Meanwhile, Chris Alexakis, a.k.a. Mr. Palisades, has waved good-bye to Palisades High, his alma mater, and is now a freshman at Cal State Channel Islands, an hour drive up the coast in Camarillo. ‘I will be majoring in communications with a minor in art,’ said Alexakis, a budding animator who will continue to fulfill his duties as Mr. Palisades, attending various Chamber of Commerce functions through year’s end. But as he prepared for the start of classes August 22, the teenager’s mind was on the grand new chapter in his life. ‘I look forward to attending college and living on campus,’ Alexakis said. ‘I can’t wait to meet people with similar and different interests. However, I am also terrified! I don’t know if I will be able to handle sharing a room with a complete stranger without a kitchen. I am still up for the challenge and experience. I just hope he is as clean as I am. If not, then cleaner!’

Wolfberg Receives L.A. Pearls Award

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The Los Angeles City Attorney's Office is honoring Pacific Palisades resident George Wolfberg with a L.A. Pearls Senior Citizens of the Year Award on September 9.
The Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office is honoring Pacific Palisades resident George Wolfberg with a L.A. Pearls Senior Citizens of the Year Award on September 9.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

Whether Pacific Palisades resident George Wolfberg is refereeing a soccer game or calling a meeting to order, he’s always busy helping out in the community. For that dedication, the City Attorney’s Office has chosen him for the L.A. Pearls Senior Citizens of the Year Award, representing the West Los Angeles Division. One senior citizen is chosen from each of the 19 neighborhood prosecutor divisions. ‘The selection committee, consisting of community members, selected George for his contribution to improving Los Angeles residents’ quality of life and promoting a positive and productive image of senior citizens,’ said Frank Mateljan, press deputy for City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo. Wolfberg will be honored at a 10 a.m. reception on September 9 at the Pico House in the Olvera Street Plaza in downtown. This is the fifth year the City Attorney’s Office has presented the award to deserving seniors. The Pacific Palisades Community Council nominated Wolfberg at its July 10 meeting and Palisadian-Post publisher Roberta Donohue wrote a letter of recommendation, reiterating that the newspaper had honored Wolfberg with a Civic Leadership Award in 2005. There were eight nominees from the West Los Angeles Division. ‘I think there could be no better candidate for this type of award in all of L.A. than George, given everything he has done for both the Palisades and the larger community,’ Council Vice Chair Susan Nash wrote to the Post. ‘It was very gracious and nice,’ Wolfberg, 70, said of the nomination. He worked for more than 35 years in the Los Angeles City administrative office before retiring in 1996. He first became involved in the community in 1972, when he moved to the Palisades with his wife, Diane. He joined the Santa Monica Canyon Civic Association, and has served as president for more than 30 years. Tuesday night, Wolfberg led the association’s monthly meeting at the Rustic Canyon Recreation Center and received congratulations from many of the members. Wolfberg said he enjoys leading the meetings because ‘It’s rewarding to come to a consensus outcome, and it’s team building. I don’t think you can accomplish much with conflict.’ Wolfberg has also volunteered for the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) for close to 30 years. During that time, he has served as the Region 69 registrar, regional commissioner, area director and a member of the National Board of Directors. He now referees year-round and is on the Region 69 board. ‘He’s just the best,’ said Debbie Held, AYSO regional commissioner. ‘He’s reliable, and he’s a top-level referee.’ ‘He’s the ultimate in volunteerism,’ she continued. ‘His children [Anya, David and Michael] have been gone from AYSO for years, but he is still involved and totally committed.’ Since 2000, Wolfberg has also been active in the Community Council, serving as chair from 2002-04 and chair emeritus from 2004-06. ‘It’s a wonderful opportunity to have an impact on government and other actions that could impact the quality of life in the community,’ said Wolfberg, who is now the at-large representative. In 2004, former City Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski appointed him chair of the Potrero Canyon Community Advisory Committee in order to devise a plan that will guide the creation of Potrero Canyon Park. He worked with citizens, Los Angeles City and County agencies, California Department of Transportation and the California Coastal Commission to bring about this plan. As the committee leader, Wolfberg said he tried to facilitate fair discussions. ‘I have my personal ideas of what I’d like to see in the canyon ‘none of which ended up in the plan,’ Wolfberg said, chuckling. ‘I took it upon myself to let others give their input.’ The committee adopted a plan by a vote of 14-0 with one abstention in January 2008. ‘George was an incredible leader on that committee,’ said David Card, the vice chair. ‘He’s very collegial and open to ideas ‘ He’s an inclusive kind of leader.’ With his son’s help, Wolfberg also volunteered to create and maintain a Web site with information about the canyon and the park’s progress. The city is now using the plan as a guide, said Norm Kulla, northern district director and senior counsel for Councilman Bill Rosendahl. The Coastal Commission has granted a permit that allows the city to sell two city-owned properties on Alma Real Drive by the end of the calendar year. The money from those lots will be used to resume work on the park. ‘George is a treasure,’ Kulla said. ‘He never stops bringing stuff to our attention and working with us to find solutions. He’s a remarkable citizen.’

Subdivision Planned for Site of ’66 Marquez Slide

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RS Family Partnership plans to build four homes off Via Santa Ynez (above). The property is the location of a 1966 slide that demolished two homes on Enchanted Way and tore up the street of Via Santa Ynez. The white house pictured was rebuilt a few years ago on one of the slide lots, which had only partially slipped.
RS Family Partnership plans to build four homes off Via Santa Ynez (above). The property is the location of a 1966 slide that demolished two homes on Enchanted Way and tore up the street of Via Santa Ynez. The white house pictured was rebuilt a few years ago on one of the slide lots, which had only partially slipped.
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer

A developer’s plan to build four homes on property off Via Santa Ynez in Marquez Knolls, where slides occurred in 1959 and again in 1966, has made neighbors uneasy. ‘I’m concerned as a homeowner and as a citizen,’ said Steve Miller, who lives on the Donna Ynez Lane cul-de-sac off Via Santa Ynez and across the street from the proposed subdivision. He and 43 other residents sent a petition to the city expressing their reservations. Houses have not been built on the 700 block of Via Santa Ynez since the 1966 slide, which destroyed two houses on Enchanted Way (the street on the hill above Via Santa Ynez) and severely damaged one other home. The slide tore up a huge segment of Via Santa Ynez, blocking in residents living on that street and Donna Ynez Lane. The slide was apparently caused by rain and poor geology, the Palisadian-Post reported in its February 10, 1966 issue. Miller and his neighbors are worried the hill could slide again under the weight of the new houses or as a result of the new homeowners irrigating their lawns. There is a significant amount of groundwater in the neighborhood, and many residents have sump-pumps in their basements. ‘The main goal is to work with the neighbors and with the city to make sure the hill is safe,’ said Regina Minor, representative for the developer, Reza Savebauwa and his family, The RS Family Partnership. Minor, principal of ARC Land Surveying and Engineering, said the RS Family Partnership doesn’t want the new homes to slide down the hillside either. Many residents would be trapped if a slide happens because the streets are one way. The partnership hired Sassan Geosciences to conduct a geological study and has since submitted a 1,000-page geology report for the city to review as part of its tentative parcel map application. ‘The whole hill is being studied, not just the four parcels,’ Minor said. RS Family Partnership is asking to create a subdivision by taking two large parcels and dividing them into four. Minor would not give specifics for how the hill would be stabilized, but said that the improvements would make the hill more secure than it is now. ‘There are different ways to go about stabilizing the hill, and I am not sure which one will be chosen,’ she said, adding the city will make the final decision. The entire application process could take a year or more. The neighbors, however, are asking for an independent geological report, encompassing the entire hillside. ‘We believe that an independent and unbiased geological study is an absolute necessity to protect the physical safety of those residing in the neighborhood,’ the residents wrote in their petition. At a L.A. Department of City Planning hearing on August 13, residents pointed out that RS Family Partnership also owns another adjacent lot on Via Santa Ynez. ‘It would be short-sighted and dangerous not to consider the totality of the project in terms of soil stability, impact of water tables, impact on traffic and impact on the character of the neighborhood,’ they wrote. Minor said that RS Family Partnership does not have plans to develop the additional lot right now and has decided to continue with the parcel map application process for the four lots rather than submit a tract map application, which is needed for the development of five or more. Nate Kaplan, communications deputy for Councilman Bill Rosendahl, said the city does not conduct its own geology report, but asks developers to hire a third-party engineer to do a report, which the city reviews. It is the developer’s responsibility to prove to the city that the site is sound for construction, he said. ‘The only way they can build on the site is if the City is satisfied with the report, and all conditions to ensure safety are implemented in the approval,’ Kaplan said. RS Family Partnership has also asked the city for the right to include the north fork of Via Santa Ynez (a dedicated public road that was never created) as part of the property. The partnership purchased the two small islands between the north fork and south fork of Santa Ynez. The neighbors do not want the city to turn over the north fork road to RS Family Partnership because it would make the parcels larger with different setback requirements, Miller said. The lots would be the largest in the neighborhood ‘ all of them greater than 12,000 square feet and two of them in excess of 15,000 square feet, Miller said. ‘[Homeowners] are afraid there will be mansions going in,’ said Haldis Toppel, president of the Marquez Knolls Property Owners Association. ‘They would like to have some distance between themselves and the new development.’ The north fork road has also become a meadow, where children play and deer graze. ‘People would like to see that land remain public parkland for all the neighbors to enjoy,’ Miller said. Minor responded that the developer asked for the public road in order to widen Via Santa Ynez to the required 36 feet and add a sidewalk. ‘Nobody is trying to move the property line,’ she said. After the 1966 slide, the city paved over part of the slide to re-create the south fork of Via Santa Ynez without disturbing the toe. As a result, the road is 20 feet wide with no sidewalk. ‘If the map is approved, then the developer will be required to comply with the Bureau of Engineering recommendation for street widening and improvements,’ Kaplan said. The neighbors have asked that the widening be done on the northeast side so as not to impinge on the existing properties and before construction begins. The main concern regarding the entire development, however, is safety. ‘We are not anti-development, but we want the development to be safe,’ Toppel said.

Scott McIntosh to Marry Staci Nix In Utah Sunday

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Scott Ellis McIntosh, son of longtime Pacific Palisades residents Jim and Jennifer McIntosh, will marry Staci Nichole Nix, daughter of Ronald and JoAnn Nix of Cartersville, Georgia, in a mountainside ceremony in Park City, Utah, on August 31.
Scott is an honors graduate of Brentwood School and Duke University and received his medical degree from the University of Vermont. He is an emergency physician and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Utah. Scott is the brother of Dr. Kent McIntosh of Vancouver, Canada, who also spent his childhood years in the Palisades.
Originally from the greater Atlanta area, the bride-to-be received her master’s degree in nutrition from the University of Georgia. She is an assistant professor at the University of Utah and the author of a widely used nutrition textbook.
The couple enjoys adventure sports and will reside in Park City, Utah.

Hiete, Fedorczyk Wed In Palisades Ceremony

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Tiffany Hiete, daughter of Mary and Kurt Hiete of Pacific Palisades, married John Fedorczyk, son of Judy Hoyt of Colorado and John Fedorczyk, Sr. of New Jersey, on May 17.
The wedding ceremony took place at the United Methodist Church in Pacific Palisades, followed by a reception at the Riviera Country Club.
Tracey Hiete and Terri Linville, sisters of the bride, were the maid of honor and matron of honor, respectively. The bridesmaids were Ellen Denise, Robin Bratspir and Amy Clements. The junior bridesmaid was Claire Bowen, a cousin of the bride.
The best man was the bridegroom’s brother, Brad Fedorczyk. Groomsmen included Corey Lewis, Terran Duncan, Dennis Wolfe and Kyle Runnels. The ring-bearer was the bridegroom’s nephew, Bradley Hiete.
The newlyweds honeymooned in Costa Rica and now reside in Denver, Colorado.

The Avengers’ West Coast Address

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The Palisades is not only prime real estate in movies and TV.
When Marvel Comics spun off its long-running comic book, “The Avengers” (hitting multiplexes in 2011), Pacific Palisades became home base for the West Coast Avengers: Iron Man, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, Mockingbird, Tigra and Wonder Man.
“West Coast Avengers” made its publishing debut as a 1984 mini-series and quickly jumped to series, lasting a lengthy 102 issues (1985-94). As both Marvel’s superhero universe and Marvel’s offices are Manhattan-centric, Steve Englehart, the series’ revered writer, explains how Pacific Palisades––and not Malibu or Beverly Hills––became the Left Coast address for the invincible Iron Man and his super-powered peers.
“There’s actually a story about that,” Englehart emails the Palisadian-Post. “I’m not from L.A. (I’m from Indiana by way of New York . . . ). But in the mid-1980s, I took on, at the same time, ‘West Coast Avengers’ and ‘Green Lantern,’ both of which were situated in Los Angeles.
“So I drove down to see my cousin, who lived in Westchester at the time. He then took me on a day-long drive around the L.A. area, telling me about the reputations of each of the enclaves, while I scribbled notes on a Triple A map. We went down the coast past Manhattan Beach and Palos Verdes, over to Long Beach, up the 710 past Compton, to downtown Los Angeles, to Mulholland Drive, Topanga Canyon, Pacific Palisades, and finally Santa Monica. It was like working through a treasure map for me; a very enjoyable, memorable experience.
“By the end of it, I had a comprehensive, if superficial, feel for L.A., and I’d decided that the well-to-do, optimistic, enjoying-the-spotlight West Coast Avengers would be in Pacific Palisades, while the more secretive Green Lantern Corps would be up on Mulholland.”
Did the Palisades figure prominently in his plotlines?
“Nothing big,” Englehart admits. “I used that map to decide where people lived or worked . . . and I called my cousin if I had a question . . . I was pretty much limited to ‘sounding’ like I knew the area, not actually knowing it.” West Coast Avengers assemble!

Telling It from the Mountain

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Using spectacular old and new footage, To the Third Pole, a documentary about a famous mountaineering family, gives viewers a thrill ride.

<i><figcaption class=To the Third Pole features dramatic re-enactments shot in the Swiss Alps. The documentary spotlights the Dyhrenfurths, a famous mountaineering and filmmaking family.
Courtesy of Jürgen Czwienk
” src=”https://palipost.com/story_photos/everest1.JPG” width=”199″ /> To the Third Pole features dramatic re-enactments shot in the Swiss Alps. The documentary spotlights the Dyhrenfurths, a famous mountaineering and filmmaking family.
Courtesy of Jürgen Czwienk

The opening sequence of To the Third Pole features dizzying aerial photography of shimmering mountaintops and jagged peaks. This rapturous perspective tells of the ageless allure of mountaineering, an extreme pursuit with rewards that are as much spiritual as physical.
It’s an apt beginning to a film about a family with an intense calling to reach the world’s highest peaks. In the 1930s, Günter Dyhrenfurth, a geologist and filmmaker, and his wife, Hettie, led numerous pioneering expeditions to the Himalayas. Thirty-three years later, their son Norman forged the first successful American trek to Mount Everest.
Norman Dyhrenfurth, now an energetic 90-year-old residing in Austria, lived in Pacific Palisades in the 1950s. He will make a return visit on Wednesday evening, August 27 when a special screening of To the Third Pole, the award-winning documentary about his family’s legacy, takes place at Villa Aurora. Jürgen Czwienk, the film’s director, will also be present.
Early on in the film, climbing legend Reinhold Messner weighs in on the significance of the Dyhrenfurths’ heroic achievements: “That Günter Dyhrenfurth organized these international expeditions at the highest level, and decades later, his son again led expeditions to Mount Everest in the same spirit, that is pretty exceptional. I don’t know of any parallel.”
“Family tradition is at the heart of the film,” says director Czwienk. “What interested me was how passion is transferred from one generation to another.”
Czwienk studied the family’s vast archives, including letters, diaries and photographs. However, the biggest prize, only recently rediscovered in Switzerland, was exclusive access to “lost footage” of expeditions in the 1930s, the first moving pictures at high altitude.
Norman was only 12 when his parents first hit the headlines. In 1930, they led an expedition to Kangchenjunga in the Himalayas, the third highest peak on earth. The images they brought back would shape his adventurous life.
While the elaborate climbing party never reached the top of Kangchenjunga, two members did reach Jonsong’s pinnacle, at the time the highest mountain (7,483 meters/23,693 feet) yet scaled by man (Mount Everest is 29,198 feet). Hettie Dyhrenfurth, responsible for the expedition’s logistics, earned her own accolade, becoming the highest climbing woman on earth after reaching 6,120 meters.
In a world where climbing has become commercialized, seeing firsthand the daring of these original explorers is all the more enthralling. The early films have many light-hearted moments, too, chronicling the group traveling through Egypt to Bombay and en route from Nepal to Sikkim.
Along the way, they scale the pyramids, are the guests of a high lama and attend an exotic Mani Rimdu ceremony, during which monks don masks and perform ritual dances. Later, when they reach base camp, they play records on a gramophone, much to the delight of the accompanying sherpas.
German-born, the Dyhrenfurths moved to Switzerland and became Swiss citizens in 1931. The film highlights how they stood up to their Nazi rivals’ state-sponsored expeditions, beating them in setting many world climbing records. In fact, the two were awarded gold medals for alpinism at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin.
The following year, Hettie, a tennis champion from a prominent family of Jewish industrialists, emigrated to the U.S. with her three children, while Günter stayed behind. Before he leaves, 19-year-old Norman climbs Mont Blanc with his father, a passing-of-the-torch-type experience vividly captured through re-enactment in the documentary.
Norman, who inherited the twin passions of mountaineering and filmmaking from his father, initially worked in the United States as a ski instructor, mountain guide and filmmaker. In World War II, he served as an officer in the U.S. army. When the war ended, he came to Los Angeles to become head of the film department at UCLA.
During a recent telephone conversation, Norman fondly recalled his years living on Latimer Road in Rustic Canyon, where he was a member of a group known as the “happy hour boys” who got together regularly for tennis, golf or a day at the races.
“The depressing thing is, when I returned in 1991, only one of the 30 guys was still alive,” he says. “The same is true of my Everest team. Of the 20 members, only eight are still living.”
Norman is referring to the 1963 American Mount Everest Expedition, his “little war against a big mountain” and major life achievement. Leading 19 Americans, 32 sherpas and 909 porters carrying 27 tons of gear, Dyhrenfurth launched the ascent placing the first Americans atop the mountain while pioneering a new route to the summit. He also produced the first motion pictures taken from the top of Everest. It all culminated in a visit to the White House, where President Kennedy awarded Dyhrenfurth and his team the prestigious Hubbard Medal of the National Geographic Society.
Dyhrenfurth spent three years on the organization and fundraising for his privately conceived adventure. “Norman is an old-style guy,” says director Czwienk. “He’s a true gentleman and natural leader. He worked hard to make others famous.”
Norman set out on his first Himalayan expedition in 1952, joining the Swiss Mount Everest Expedition as a documentary filmmaker. “It changed my whole outlook on life,” Dyhrenfurth recalls. “I realized the ivory tower job at UCLA was not for me and I quit.”
In total, Norman led seven major Himalaya trips. He also collaborated on two Hollywood feature films set in mountain terrain: Five Days One Summer with Sean Connery and The Eiger Sanction, a 1975 film starring Clint Eastwood.
“I really wanted to reconstruct the majesty of these first expeditions,” says Czwienk. “They were revolutionary not only as conquests, but also in terms of scientific exploration and filmmaking.”
Czwienk and Dyhrenfurth will appear together for the first time at a screening when the film is shown at Villa Aurora in Paseo Miramar. “It’s so wonderful that the protagonist of my story lives,” says Czwienk. “When you meet someone who can provide firsthand accounts of history, it’s a charmed experience.”
To the Third Pole will be shown at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 27. Seating is limited and reservations are required: call (310) 573-3603. Admission is $10; free for Villa Aurora members. A shuttle service begins at 6:30 p.m. on Los Liones Drive off Sunset Boulevard.

CLASSIFIED ADS FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 21, 2008

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HOMES FOR SALE 1

HAWAII EXISTS IN LA! NEW INVENTORY. 11 HOMES AVAIL. Terrific Opportunity! PCH/Sunset. Up to 1,600 Sq. Ft. $179,000-1.1 million. Some completely remodeled, many upgrades. Ocean views, wood floors, new kitchens, sun deck, rec center w/ pool/spa/gym. Steps from the sand. Condo alternative. Agent, Michelle Bolotin, (310) 230-2438

SPECTACULAR MEDITERRANEAN SANDCASTLE beach front. 5 bd, 4.5 ba. Channel Islands 1 hr North. $2.995M. Great investment & home. Call (808) 346-4644

FURNISHED HOMES 2

GUEST QUARTERS: ONE non-smoker. 3 rooms, bath, kitchenette. Private, gated Mandeville Canyon near Sunset. Utilities, cleaning service included, parking. No pets. $1,850 monthly. (310) 472-3079

UNFURNISHED HOMES 2a

EL MEDIO BLUFFS 3 bdrm, 2 ba, Cape Cod. Corner lot, charming. 1/2 blk walk to bluffs. $6,000/mo. Call Elizabeth, (310) 293-8999

HIGHLANDS 3+2 HOME: Beautiful panoramic mtn w/ ocean views. Bright, airy, high ceilings, 2 decks, new paint, F/P, tile, ss appls. Lrg pvt clubhouse, olympic pool, tennis, gym, gardener incl. Available 8/25. $4,000/mo. Marty, (310) 459-2692

3 BDRM, 1 BA. $3,600/mo., utils incl. 2 car pking, close to village, schools, shops & beach. Pets OK. Appliances, W/D, D/W, refridg. By appt. only. Eric, (310) 428-3364

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UNFURNISHED APARTMENTS 2c

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STUDIO GUEST HOUSE, Pacific Palisades. Bathroom, kitchenette, new carpet, walk to village and bus stop. N/S, no pets. $1,500/mo.+deposit, utilities included. Quiet. (818) 754-2892

ROOMS FOR RENT 3

SUITE IN HOUSE. Separate entrance. Peaceful Highlands setting. Microwave, refrigerator, bathroom, shower. Student preferred. Refs. (310) 459-5046

WANTED TO RENT 3b

LOCAL EMPLOYED male seeks guesthouse. Quiet, local references. Non-smoker, no pets. Call Palisadian-Post, (310) 454-1321

LOCAL FEMALE BANKER in village seeks room in exchange for light domestic duties, cooking, errands. For seniors and children. Excellent local references. Call Tiffany, (310) 454-1287

OFFICE/STORE RENTALS 3c

BEAUTIFUL, SINGLE OFFICE available for an individual. Located in the heart of Pacific Palisades. Includes free internet. Ready to move in at $1,250/mo. Call Liz, (310) 230-8335

MEDICAL/DENTAL SPACE AVAILABLE in Palisades Village! Great location! 1,200 sq. ft. Newly renovated boutique building. 6 offices and reception area. Available Sept. 1st. 910 Via de la Paz. Please call Vicki, (310) 475-6400

PROFESSIONAL BUILDING in Pacific Palisades village for lease. Lovely and spacious suite available, newly painted, brand new pergo floors, 1,200 square feet conveniently located in the village. Please call (310) 230-6712, x105 for more details.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES 5

REALISTICALLY earn more money in the next year than the past 5 years combined. (800) 687-2735

BOOKKEEPING/ACCOUNTING 7b

BOOKKEEPER BY THE HOUR • Need help with getting your books in order? Help is near! Call Joanie, (310) 486-1055

COMPUTER SERVICES 7c

MARIE’S MAC & PC OUTCALL. I CAN HELP YOU IN YOUR HOME OR OFFICE WITH: • Consultation on best hard/software for your needs • Setting up & configuring your system & applications • Teaching you how to use your Mac or PC • Upgrades: Mac OS & Windows • Internet: DSL, Wireless, E-mail, Remote Access • Key Applications: MS Office, Filemaker, Quicken • Contact Managers, Networking, File Sharing, Data backup • Palm, Visor, Digital Camera, Scanner, CD Burning • FRIENDLY & PROFESSIONAL — BEST RATES • (310) 262-5652

YOUR OWN TECH GURU * SET-UP, TUTORING, REPAIR, INTERNET. Problem-Free Computing, Guaranteed. Satisfying Clients Since 1992. If I Can’t Help, NO CHARGE! COMPUTER WORKS! Alan Perla (310) 455-2000

THE DETECHTIVES™. PROFESSIONAL ON-SITE MAC SPECIALISTS. PATIENT, FRIENDLY AND AFFORDABLE. WE COVER ALL THINGS MAC • Consulting • Installation • Training and Repair for Beginners to Advanced Users • Data recovery • Networks • Wireless Internet & more • (310) 838-2254 • William Moorefield • www.thedetechtives.com

WEB SITES AND GRAPHIC DESIGN. Development for business. Photo editing, holiday cards. Contact Maggie, (310) 985-0959 or Maggie@maggiesweb.com

GARAGE, ESTATE SALE SERVICES 7f

PLANNING A GARAGE SALE? an estate sale? a moving sale? a yard sale? Call it what you like. But call us to do it for you. We do the work. Start to finish. • BARBARA DAWSON • Garage Sale Specialist • (310) 454-0359 • bmdawson@verizon.net • www.bmdawson.com • Furniture • Antiques • Collectibles • Junque • Reliable professionals • Local References

SOLAR/WIND ENERGY 7l

ALTERNATIVE ENGINEERING SOLAR • GO SOLAR • TAX INCENTIVES! Design & engineering solar/wind systems • Huge rebates • Financing available • Local Palisades contractor • Lic. #912279. Call for free consultation: (877) 898-1948

NANNIES/BABYSITTERS 8a

VIP NANNY AGENCY • “Providing very important people with the very best nanny.” • Baby Nurses • Birthing Coaches • Housekeepers. (818) 907-1017, (310) 614-3646

OUR WONDERFUL NANNY available Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 12 noon, starting Sept. Light housekeeping, great with kids. Please call Irma direct, (323) 702-5188

EXCEPTIONAL NANNY AVAILABLE. Our children are starting school and our wonderful nanny is available for a new baby to care for. Professional, kind, smart, careful, legal, non-driver, ready for a full-time M thru F position. Interested in Palisades to Manhattan Beach. Over 20 years experience, the best possible references. Please call (310) 721-6073

NANNY. PEACE OF MIND for working mom. Responsible, reliable, 15 yrs experience, live-out, (live-in when needed). Great with pets. Local references, loving care. Phyllis, (818) 340-7183

HOUSEKEEPERS 9a

“PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.” We make your home our business. Star sparkling cleaning services. In the community over 15 years. The best in housekeeping for the best price. Good references. Call Bertha, (323) 754-6873 & cell (213) 393-1419

FULL-TIME HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE. Tuesday, Thurs. & Sat. Housecleaning, laundry & ironing. Good w/ pets, exper, local refs. Please call Adelina or Magdalena at (323) 527-4538, (323) 634-0736

HOUSE CLEANING, 15 yrs experience, references if needed. Free estimate. Available Monday thru Friday. Speaks English. Call (323) 907-2213

HOUSEKEEPER, EXPERIENCED, REFERENCES, has own transportation, speaks some English. (818) 765-8728 home, (818) 391-8647 cell. Call anytime.

HOUSEKEEPER, EXPERIENCED. Weekends. Will keep your home sparkling clean w/ personal care. CDL, car, English, pet friendly. Housesit while you are away. Ref’s. (310) 866-0940

HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER/ELDER CARE, day or night, available Monday-Sunday. Own transportation, excellent ref’s. Call Maria, (310) 948-9637

HOUSECLEANING. Available Wednesday or Monday. Cleaning supplies furnished. Call Alicia, (310) 367-3214

HOUSE CLEANING AVAILABLE. Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Own transportation. Reliable, experienced, honest. Local references. Call Delmy, (323) 363-9492

HOUSEKEEPER/BABYSITTER AVAILABLE Monday thru Friday. Honest and reliable. Own car. Please call Olga at (323) 495-2355

HOUSEKEEPING/BABYSITTING AVAILABLE Tues., Wed., Fri., Sat. Own transportation. Good local references. Good English. Pleasant. Please call Roxana, (323) 731-3614

ELDER CARE, COMPANIONS 10a

MALE COMPANION AVAILABLE Monday-Sun. Experienced. Excellent w/ adults & children. Very good refs. Trustworthy, reliable, clean DMV. Own transportation. Call (310) 597-1617 or (818) 300-0102

GARDENING, LANDSCAPING 11

PALISADES GARDENING • Full Gardening Service • Sprinkler Install • Tree Trim • Sodding/Seeding • Sprays, non-toxic • FREE 10” Flats, Pansies, Snap, Impatiens. (310) 568-0989

WATERFALLS & POND CONSTRUCTION: Water gardening. Japanese Koi fish. Filtration pond service, repair & maintenance. Free estimates. (310) 435-3843, cell (310) 390-1276. www.TheKingKoi.com

PACIFIC TREE and LANDSCAPE. All your tree trimming and landscape design needs, brush clearing, removals, replanting. 25 years serving the Westside areas. Call (310) 866-3376

GARDENING SERVICE. Sprinkler installation, tree trim, sodding, seeding, maintenance. Free estimates. Call Salomón, (323) 252-0112

PRECISION LANDSCAPE SERVICES! Tired of mow, blow, let’s go! Specializing in fine maintenance • outdoor lighting • fertilizing • automatic timer repair & installation • artificial grass installation • hillside clean ups • new sod • sprinkler repair. Fair prices. (310) 696-6453

MOVING & HAULING 11b

HONEST MAN SERVICES. All jobs, big or small. Hauls it all. 14 foot truck. 20th year Westside. Delivery to 48 states. (310) 285-8688

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES 12c

NEIGHBORHOOD THERAPIST: Caring, patient & local Palisades Psychotherapist available for help and insight into issues relating to your personal and interpersonal life. To make an appointment with Dr. Aunene Finger, Board Certified MFT, please call (310) 454-0855. www.neighborhoodtherapist.com. Lic. #37780

MISCELLANEOUS 12f

CARDIO FIT & FIT FOR SENIORS • Morning & Exercise Classes • $10 PER CLASS • Contact “TC”, (310) 699-1491

WINDOW WASHING 13h

EXPERT WINDOW CLEANER • Experienced 21 yrs on Westside. Clean & detailed. Can also clean screens, mirrors, skylights & scrape paint off glass. Free estimates. Brian, (310) 289-5279

THE WINDOWS OF OZ. Got view? Extremely detailed interior/exterior glass and screen cleaning. Specializing in high ladder work. 10% new customer discount & next day service available. Owner operated. Free estimates. (310) 926-7626

PET SERVICES/PET SITTING 14g

HAPPY PET • Dog Walking • Park Outings • Socialization • Insured. Connie, (310) 230-3829

PERSONAL TOUCH DOG WALKING/sitting service. Cats included. Pali resident over 25 yrs. Very reliable. Refs available. If you want special care for your pet, please call me. Jacqui, (310) 454-0104, cell (310) 691-9893

FITNESS INSTRUCTION 15a

HAVE FUN! GET FIT! NORDIC WALKING CLASSES. Certified Advanced Nordic walking instructor, Palisades resident teaches private/group classes in the Palisades. Weekends. (310) 266-4651

TUTORS 15e

KEEP STUDENTS INVOLVED in learning. Relaxed summer reading, writing, grammar & math, reinforcement & review. 30+ years teaching/tutoring experience. Call Gail, (310) 313-2530

SCIENCE & MATH TUTOR. All levels (elementary to college). Ph.D., MIT graduate, 30 years experience. Ed Kanegsberg, (310) 459-3614

MS. SCIENCE TUTOR. Ph.D., Experienced, Palisades resident. Tutor All Ages In Your Home. Marie, (310) 888-7145

PROFESSIONAL TUTOR. Stanford graduate (BA and MA, Class of 2000). Available for all subjects and test prep (SAT & ISEE). In-home tutoring at great rates. Call Jonathan, (310) 560-9134

CLEARLY MATH & MORE! Specializing in math & now offering chemistry & Spanish! Elementary thru college level. Test prep, algebra, trig, geom, calculus. Fun, caring, creative, individualized tutoring. Math anxiety. Call Jamie, (310) 459-4722

EXPERIENCED SPANISH TUTOR • All grade levels • Grammar • Conversational • SAT/AP • Children, adults • Great references. Noelle, (310) 273-3593, (310) 980-6071

SAT/ACT/MATH TUTOR. UCLA Bachelors + USC Masters; 9 yrs of teaching standardized test prep; proven success in increasing students scores; private or small group lessons at your home. (310) 600-3027

HSPT/ISEE PREP CLASSES. Central Palisades Location. Small class size. 12 Classes, September start. (310) 459-3239

CONCRETE, MASONRY, POOLS 16c

MASONRY, CONCRETE & POOL CONTRACTOR. 36 YEARS IN PACIFIC PALISADES. Custom masonry & concrete, stamped, driveways, pools, decks, patios, foundations, fireplace, drainage control, custom stone, block & brick, tile. Excellent local references. Lic. #309844. Bonded/insured/ workmen’s comp. Family owned & operated. MIKE HORUSICKY CONSTRUCTION, INC. (310) 454-4385 • www.horusicky.com

CONSTRUCTION 16d

ALAN PINE, GENERAL CONTRACTOR • New homes • Remodeling • Additions • Kitchen & bath planning/architectural services • Insured • Local refs. Lic. #469435. (800) 800-0744 or (818) 203-8881

DOORS 16f

“DOOR WORKS” • Residential and commercial, door repairs, replacements. Handicap services, weatherstripping. Free est. Premium service. Lic. #917844. (310) 598-0467, (818) 346-7900

ELECTRICAL 16h

PALISADES ELECTRIC. ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR. All phases of electrical, new construction to service work. (310) 454-6994. Lic. #468437 Insured Professional Service

ELECTRICIAN HANDYMAN. Local service only. Lic. #775688. Please call (310) 454-6849 or (818) 317-8286

ELECTRICAL WORK.Call Dennis! 26 yrs experience, 24 hours, 7 day service. Lic. #728200. (310) 821-4248

FENCES, DECKS 16j

THE FENCE MAN • 14 years quality workmanship. Wood fences • Decks • Gates • Chainlink & overhang • Lic. #663238, bonded. (818) 706-1996

INDEPENDENT SERVICE CARLOS FENCE: Wood & Picket Fences • Chain Link • Iron & Gates • Deck & Patio Covers. Ask for Carlos, (310) 677-2737 or fax (310) 677-8650. Non-lic.

DECK REPAIR, SEALING & STAINING. Local resident, local clientele. 1 day service. Marty, (310) 459-2692

FLOOR CARE 16m

GREG GARBER’S HARDWOOD FLOORS SINCE 1979. Install, refinish. Fully insured. Local references (310) 230-4597 Lic. #455608

CENTURY HARDWOOD FLOOR. Refinishing, Installation, Repairs. Lic. #813778. www.centurycustomhardwoodfloorinc.com • centuryfloor@sbcglobal.net • (800) 608-6007 • (310) 276-6407

GOLDEN HARDWOOD FLOORS. Professional Installation and refinishing. National Wood Flooring Association member. License #732286. Plenty of local references. (877) 622-2200 • www.goldenhardwoodfloors.com

JEFF HRONEK, 39 YRS. RESIDENT • HARDWOOD FLOORS INC. • Sanding & Refinishing • Installations • Pre-finished • Unfinished • Lic. #608606. Bonded, Insured, Workers Comp. www.hronekhardwoodfloors.com (310) 475-1414

HANDYMAN 16o

HANDYMAN • HOOSHMAN • Most known name in the Palisades. Since 1975. Member Chamber of Commerce. Lic. #560299. Call for your free est. Local refs available. Hooshman, (310) 459-8009, 24 Hr.

LABOR OF LOVE carpentry, plumbing, tile, plaster, doors, windows, fencing & those special challenges. Work guaranteed. License #B767950. Ken at (310) 487-6464

LOCAL RESIDENT, LOCAL CLIENTELE. Make a list, call me. I specialize in repairing, replacing all those little nuisances. Not licensed; fully insured; always on time. 1 Call, 1 Guy: Marty, (310) 459-2692

GREENHOUSE Handyman & Home Maintenance. Major & Minor Home Repairs/Installations. Green Home Improvements & Retrofits. Termite/Moisture Damage Specialist. (800) 804-8810

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING 16p

SANTA MONICA HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING. INSTALLATION: New and old service and repairs. Lic. #324942 (310) 393-5686

PAINTING, PAPERHANGING 16r

PAUL HORST • Interior & Exterior • PAINTING • 54 YEARS OF SERVICE • Our reputation is your safeguard. License No. 186825 • (310) 454-4630 • Bonded & Insured

TILO MARTIN PAINTING. For A Professional Job Call (310) 230-0202. Refs. Lic. #715099

SQUIRE PAINTING CO. Interior and Exterior. License #405049. 25 years. Local Service. (310) 454-8266. www.squirepainting.com

ZARKO PRTINA PAINTING. Interior/Exterior. 35 years in service. License #637882. Call (310) 454-6604

PACIFIC PAINTING SINCE 1979 • Interior/Exterior Residential/Commercial • Custom painting • Wallpaper removal • Drywall repair • Bonded & Ins. Lic. #908913. (310) 954-7170

REMODELING 16v

KANAN CONSTRUCTION • References. BONDED • INSURED • St. Lic. #554451 • DANIEL J. KANAN, CONTRACTOR, (310) 451-3540 / (800) 585-4-DAN

LABOR OF LOVE HOME REPAIR & REMODEL. Kitchens, bathrooms, cabinetry, tile, doors, windows, decks, etc. Work guar. Ken Bass, General Contractor. Lic. #B767950. (310) 487-6464

COMPLETE CUSTOM CONSTRUCTION • New/Spec Homes • Kit+bath remodeling • Additions • Quality work at reasonable rates guaranteed. Large & small projects welcomed. Lic. #751137. Michael Hoff Construction today, (424) 202-8619

HELP WANTED 17

DRIVERS: TEAMS EARN TOP DOLLAR plus great benefits. Solo drivers also needed for Western Regional. Werner Enterprises, (800) 346-2818 x123

ADVANCEMENT OPPORTUNITY. Create a realistic 5 figure income/mo. Opportunity and products with no rival. (800) 439-1193

DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH: Organize & manage outreach programs for productions involving social, educational & spiritual outreach campaign. Organize & design educational publications, correspondence & socio-cultural event. Supervise staff & manage casting for in-house productions. Responsible for bi-annual newsletter. Job site: Pacific Palisades. Send resume to Paulist Productions, Inc. 17575 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272

LOCAL LADY WANTED for specialty maintenance Gardening Assistant. Must be strong, artistic. Will train. Flexible hours about 6-8 weekly. (310) 874-5917

GK SALON AND SPA. Located in the village. Looking for responsible hairstylist. $175 a week booth rental. Complete freedom. Sell your own products. www.gksalonandspa.com (310) 459-1363

CUSTOMER SERVICE full time for WLA manufacturer. Good communication skills, CS & general office experience needed. Pleasant office. Benefits. E-mail resume: hr@benny.com, (310) 839-1939

EARN $1,000-$3,200 A MONTH to drive new cars with ads. www.AdCarJobs.com

AUTOS 18b

2005 BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT. A show stopper with grey customized paint. 12k miles and smells like new! Asking $119k obo. Contact Warren at (323) 581-5200

MERCEDES-BENZ CLK 320 COUPE. Silver with charcoal grey interior. 55,000 + miles. Excellent condition inside and out and under the hood. $12,000. Call for appointment (323) 461-5328

1999 FORD F250 Super Duty V10 Supercab Longbed, black w/ lumber rack & Weatherguard tool box. Great work truck! $6,500 OBO. (310) 576-0622

FURNITURE 18c

BEAUTIFUL HACIENDA STYLE mesquite wood dining set. 4’ x 8’ table. Carved edges. Iron base. 8 oversized tan buckskin leather chairs. Paid $6,700. Best offer. (310) 454-2164

GARAGE, ESTATE SALES 18d

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23, 9-4. 600 block of El Medio Ave., P.P. Multiple sales in same block. Furniture, treasures!

WANTED TO BUY 19

WANTED: Old tube guitar amplifiers, working or not. ‘50s, ‘60s, etc. Tommy, (310) 895-5057 • profeti2001@yahoo.com

OUR OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 FOR LABOR DAY. THE CLASSIFIED AD DEADLINE WILL BE FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, AT 11 A.M.

LACMA Acquires Former Palisadians’ Photo Archive

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<p><figcaption class=Julia Margaret Cameron (England, 1815-1879) “Mrs. Herbert Duckworth,” c. 1867, Albumen print from a collodion negative.
The Marjorie and Leonard Vernon Collection, gift of The Annenberg Foundation, and promised gift of Carol Vernon and Robert Turbin.
” src=”https://palipost.com/story_photos/lacma1.jpg” width=”199″ />

Julia Margaret Cameron (England, 1815-1879) “Mrs. Herbert Duckworth,” c. 1867, Albumen print from a collodion negative.
The Marjorie and Leonard Vernon Collection, gift of The Annenberg Foundation, and promised gift of Carol Vernon and Robert Turbin.

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has acquired The Marjorie and Leonard Vernon Collection, a group of more than 3,500 prints that forms one of the finest histories of photography and collections of masterworks from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Highlights, including seminal photographs by Ansel Adams, Julia Margaret Cameron, Edward Steichen, W.H. Fox Talbot and Edward Weston, will be presented in LACMA’s exhibition, “A Story of Photography: The Marjorie and Leonard Vernon Collection,” opening October 5 in the Ahmanson Building. Through the largesse of Wallis Annenberg and the Annenberg Foundation, the collection becomes the most significant and valuable gift of photography in the museum’s history.
Annenberg’s support of LACMA includes a new study room, opening in early 2011, that will allow for access to the entire photography collection at LACMA.
Marjorie and Leonard Vernon, former Pacific Palisades residents now deceased, began to amass their expansive collection in 1976.
“People thought we were crazy,” Leonard recalled in an interview with the Palisadian-Post in 1999. “Our kids thought we were crazy!
“Three generations of people now have been surrounded with photographs,” Leonard continued. “In 1936, Life magazine began to use photos not only for reportage but also for illustration, so photography became a very significant part of their lives. It took another generation to realize that they were also surrounded by a very strong art form.”
The Vernons cultivated a group of works with global significance that especially highlighted the riches of West Coast photography in the early and mid-20th century. The collection grew over the years to include works by 700 photographers, with the earliest photographs dating from the 1840s. The couple were also pioneer Los Angeles collectors and supporters of local talent.
The collection was acquired from Carol Vernon and Robert Turbin, including a partial gift of a selection of the photographs. “My parents would be pleased to know that the collection they so passionately fostered will remain together in Los Angeles, a city rapidly developing into a photography collecting hub,” Carol said.
Key works on view in the Vernon collection will include Ansel Adams’ “Moonrise, Hernandez” (1941), one of his most famous and most difficult photographs to print, as well as Edward Weston’s “Nude” (1925), from what Weston considered the finest series of nudes he created, and Imogen Cunningham’s “Magnolia Blossom” (1925), which exemplifies the photographer’s interest in pattern and especially plant structures.
Other iconic works represented are Gustav le Gray’s “The Great Wave, Sete” (1856-57), a photograph that demonstrates le Gray’s ambition and invention in capturing the rapid movement of the surf at such an early stage of photography’s technical development. Julia Margaret Cameron’s “Mrs. Herbert Duckworth” (1867), also in the exhibition, is an example of exquisite framing and masterful lighting with the photographer’s niece, later to become Virginia Woolf’s mother, as the subject.
Contact: 323 857-6000 or visit lacma.org.

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