EDWARD HALE FICKETT, FAIA (1916-1999)

Fickett was born in Los Angeles CA. He attended Beverly Hills High School, the University of Southern California, and the Art Center College of Design. Fickett was a draftsman under Paul Williams, Sumner Spaulding (1935-1936 and 1939-1940), and Gordon B. Kaufman (1938). He served in the US Navy Civil Engineer Corps Sea Bees and left as a lieutenant commander.  After that, Fickett was a partner in Los Angeles with Francis Heusel then founded his own firm around 1946. He was the Architectural Advisor to President Eisenhower on housing through the FHA's Architectural Standards Advisory Committee.  He taught at UCLA in the late 1970's. Fickett married Lucile Millicent Moore in 1944 and Joycie Helen Steinberg in 1980.

Fickett designed more than 60,000 post-war homes, along the way pioneering and promoting Modernism, including 70 seventy residential communities with 40,000 houses. 14 of these developments were cited by the AIA and others for design excellence. Better Homes and Gardens declared Fickett the Frank Lloyd Wright of the 1950s. He was also nicknamed the King of the Tennis Courts, having been the first architect to design cantilever tennis courts.  Developments include Meadowlark Park (1953) in Reseda, Sherwood Park (1956) in the Hollywood Hills, and Rollingwood Estates in Palos Verdes.

Upon his death in 1999 due to complications from an E. coli infection, the AIA named him an American hero. Governor Gray Davis praised him as "an exceptional architect who made many beautiful contributions to his community and to the people of this great state." President Bill Clinton presented his widow, Joycie Fickett, with a letter of condolence and an American flag.  Some of his notable commercial designs include Edwards Air Force Base, Los Alamitos Naval Air Station, Murphy Canyon Heights Naval Base San Diego, Spago Restaurant in West Hollywood, Port of Los Angeles Passenger and Cargo Terminals, Los Angeles City Hall Tower Renovation, the Los Angeles Police Academy, LA Dodger Stadium, Las Cruces Resort, and Hotel Cabo San Lucas. Bio adapted from Wikipedia.

1947 - The Edward and Lucile Moore Fickett House, 9717 Yoakum Drive, Beverly Hills CA.  The first house he designed for himself.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1948 - The William C. and Irene Moore House, 11368 Berwick Street, Los Angeles CA.  S. M. Taenzer was the builder.  Sold in 2022 to Karina Dominguez and La Family Trust.  Photos by Michael Locke. 

1948 - The Havenhurst Apartments, 1351 Havenhurst Drive, West Hollywood CA.  Destroyed in a fire and replaced by new condos, Habitat in the Park, in 2008 designed by architect Lorcan O'Herlihy, photo above by Michael Locke. 

1948 - The Palmdale House, 1415-1421 Havenhurst Drive, West Hollywood CA.  Elwood Bredell was the developer.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1949 - The Sunset Patio Apartments, 1127 Horn Avenue, West Hollywood CA.  Designated a West Hollywood Historic Monument in 2020.  After the historic designation was announced, Joycie Fickett, the architect's widow said, "I think Eddie would have been very pleased. It was one of the places he designed where the movie stars stayed when filming in L.A. James Dean and Ava Gardner stayed there. I think the city realized that out of 37 buildings my husband designed in West Hollywood, only a handful are left.”  Photos by Michael Locke.

1949 - The Los Capri Apartments, 3815 Los Feliz Boulevard, Los Angeles CA.  Built by the George Alexander Construction Company.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1950 - The Murray Nelson Apartments, 1128 Larrabee Street, West Hollywood CA.  20 units. Fickett also designed the apartment complex at 1145 Larrabee for Murray Nelson. Converted to condos.  Photo by Michael Locke.

1950 - The Murray Nelson Apartments, 1145 Larrabee Street, West Hollywood CA.  6 units.  Fickett also designed 1128 Larrabee Street for Murray Nelson. Photo by Michael Locke. 

1950 - 7328 Ostrom Avenue, Van Nuys CA.  Built by A. A. Makowski as part of the Louise Manor tract for developers Hing & Hing and Lansing Farms, Inc.  Photo by Michael Locke.  Many other homes in Louise Manor tract were designed by William Krisel.

1952 - The Sunset Lanai Apartments, 1422 North Sweetzer Avenue, West Hollywood CA. George Alexander Construction Company was the builder.  The West Hollywood Historic Preservation Commission and City Council voted in support of designating the property as historical resource but the owners have declined.  Photo by Michael Locke.

1952 - The Sunset Capri Apartments, 8341 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood CA.  Built by Samuel Firks, Consolidated Builders.  7 units.  Converted to condos.  Photo by Michael Locke.

1953 - The George and Miriam Jacobson House I, 2313 Moreno Drive, Los Angeles CA.  Henry Salzman was the builder.  Sold to Disney artist Michael J. Giamo.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1953 - The Fountain Lanai Apartments, 1285 North Sweetzer Avenue, West Hollywood CA.  29 units.   Photos by Michael Locke.

1953 - The Richard E. Grier House, 2690 Hollyridge Drive, Los Angeles CA.  Grier was also the builder.  Sold to architect A. Jeffrey Skorneck in 1979 who in 1986 added a deck and room addition over an existing bedroom.  Sold in 2004 to James A. Fox.  Sold in 2013 to Frank A. and Francis F. Wood Jr.  Sold in 2019 to James R. Moore. Designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument 833 in 2006.  Photo by Michael Locke.

1953 - The Ray L. and Francis S. Hommes House, 1257 Coldwater Canyon, Beverly Hills CA.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1954 - The Fireside Manor Lanai Apartments, 1633 Amberwood Drive, South Pasadena CA.  40 units. Developed by Merton Baker, who owned similarly named holdings in Hollywood, Monterey Park, and Inglewood.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1954 - The Hollywood Riviera Apartments, 1400 North Hayworth Avenue, West Hollywood CA.  The 38-unit complex has been converted into condos.  Designated a West Hollywood Historic Landmark.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1954 - 2275 Stradella Road, Los Angeles CA.  GMB Corporation is listed as the owner and builder.  Sold in 1959 to Stanley Zipser.  Architect Alfred March designed an alteration to the existing garage and a new carort. Sold to Louis P. and Shirley Gram.  Choate Associates Architects designed a master bedroom addition in 1984.  Architect Vladimir Bogdanov Tomalevski designed an addition and renovation in 2007.  For sale in 2024.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1955 - The Ralph C. Hughes House,  4571 Don Timoteo Drive, Baldwin Hills CA.  Built by Sherwood Construction Corporation.  Sold to Dean E. and Marylin Farrar. Sold in 2023 to 2760 Harcourt LLC. Photo by Michael Locke.

1955 - 3641 Woodcliff Road, Sherman Oaks CA.  GMB Corporation was the builder and original owner.  Sold to John A. Sloate.  Sold in 1998 to Jacklyn K. Arony.  Sold in 2024 to Houri Mirhosseini and Alreza N. Tehrani. Photo by Michael Locke.

1955 - The Charles Dinitz Apartments, 2040 Rodney  Drive, Los Angeles CA.  29 units.  Still in the Dinitz Family as of 2024.  Photo by Michael Locke.

1955 - The Joseph O. and Ruth Baranoff House, 4565 Don Timoteo Drive, Baldwin Hills CA.  Built by Sherwood Construction Corporation.  Photo by Michael Locke.

1955 - The Robert and Ruth Cron House, 3624 Woodcliff Road, Sherman Oaks CA.  Wallace McDonald was the builder.  Sold to Barry and Karen J. Menes.  Sold in 1993 to Armando and Anna Bernholt.  Sold in 2010 to Vahid and Hosseiny Hamidi.  Photo by Michael Locke.

1955 - 3544 Cody Road, Sherman Oaks CA. Built by Lee L. Lauger for Homemaker Homes, Inc. Sold to Miriam Stahl.  Sold in 2021 to Asha Dhillon Trust.  Photo by Michael Locke.

1955 - 15352 Stonewood Terrace, Sherman Oaks CA.  Developed and built by Lee L. Lauger.  Photo by Michael Locke.

1955 - The Dreher-Fernando Parra Residence, 13908 Sunset Boulevard, Pacific Palisades CA.  Has been altered.  Photos 7 and 8 by Michael Locke.

1956 - The Arthur B. and Doris E. Case House, 3461 Cody Road, Sherman Oaks CA.  Built by Lee L. Lauger for Homemaker Homes Inc.  Photo by Michael Locke.

1956 - The Costa J. Athineos Apartments, 1114 North Flores Street, West Hollywood CA.  10 units.  Photo by Michael Locke.

1956 - 15434 Vista Haven Place, Sherman Oaks CA.  Contractor Lee L. Lauger designed the house for developer Holiday Homes, Inc.  Sold to Bea Dinerman.  Sold in 2023  to Nathan Nazarian and Ophir Abutbol.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1956 - The Riviera Apartments, 7047 Franklin Avenue, Hollywood CA.  48 units.  Emil Hersh was the developer.  Formerly called the Hollywood Landmark Hotel, now called Highland Gardens Hotel.  Photos by Michael Locke.

 1956 - The Walter N. and Leahnore F. Bien House, 3676 Meadville Drive, Sherman Oaks CA.  Modern Trend Construction Corp. was the builder.  Sold in 1967 to William G. and Nancy G. Glass.  Sold in 2022 to Lino Gonzalez.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1956 - The John W. and Eunice M. Rybolt House, 3600 Mandeville Canyon Road, Los Angeles CA.  Sold to Ronit Molko.  Sold in 2009 to Eldorado Living Trust.  Sold in 2014 to John Winterman and Sheri Rabele.  Sold in 2023 to Mohseni Family Trust.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1956 - aka Housing Development, La Mesa CA. Status unknown. 

1957 - The Jon T. Green House, 7541 Woodrow Wilson Drive, Los Angeles CA.  Lee Lauger was the developer and builder.  Sold to Anne Litt, Sold in 2005 to Lee Fanning.  Sold to Louis E. Robinson. Sold in 2015 to Caron Veazy.  Architect Dan Brunn restored the house in 2016. Sold to Peter F. Cowan.  Sold in 2022 to Paul Price.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1958 - 3502 Scadlock Lane, Sherman Oaks CA.  Built by Modern Trend Construction Company for Val-Vue Estates.  Sold to William Ohern.  Sold to Robert H. and Patricia Crais in 1986.  Sold to Laura L. Greene and Sally A. Lapidus in 2008.  Sold to Will R.  Johnson in 2019.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1958 - 2945 Nichols Canyon Road, Los Angeles CA.  Developed by Sherwood Construction Corporation as part of Val-Vue Estates.  Sold to Thomas W. Moore, Jr.  Sold to Joshua A. Wattles and Susan Proffitt in 1982, who hired Jeff Warner for an 1989 addition.  Sold in 2021 to David M Shreeves II and James K. Ngo in 2021.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1958 - The Byron Webb Apartments, 400 South Occidental Boulevard, Los Angeles CA.  Built by Gattman & Mitchell for Occidental Building Company.  Photos by Michael Locke. 

1959 - 3037 Nichols Canyon Road, Los Angeles CA.  Built by Lineas L. Lauger for Lauger Investments Inc.  Photo by Michael Locke.

1959 - 3043 Nichols Canyon Road, Los Angeles CA.  Built by Sherwood Construction Corporation.  Photo by Michael Locke.

1958 - 7554 Lolina Lane, Los Angeles CA.  Built by Lee L. Lauger for Lauger Investments Inc.  Photo by Michael Locke.

1959 - 7560 Lolina Lane, Los Angeles CA.  Built by Lineas L. Lauger for Lauger Investments Inc.  Sold to Michael J. Trost.  Sold to Stephen J. Gabin in 1998.  Sold to Nicholas Grad in 1999.  Sold in 2005 to Justine B. Fluent.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1959 - The Jack M. Weisskopf House, 3122 Nichols Canyon Road, Los Angeles CA.  Architect Val Powelson AIA designed a major renovation for owner Charles Alancraig in 1966.  Sold to Scott Unger.  Sold in 2003 to Anthony Wright and Andrew R. Hewitt.  Sold in 2011 to Vincent and Ruth S. Seiber.  Sold in 2016 to Whereas the Danger Trust.  Sold in 2018 to Brendon Lynch and John M. Hartz.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1959 - The Jack M. Weiskopf House, 3130 Nichols Canyon Road, Los Angeles CA.  Sold in 2003 to Mary-Anne Meyers.  Sp;d in 2023 to Jessica Kovacevic in 2023.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1959 - 3201 Nichols Canyon Road, Los Angeles CA.  Built by Jack Weisskopf.  Photo by Michael Locke.

1959 - The Ava Gardner House, 2775 Rinconia Drive, Los Angeles CA.  The architect met the actress while she was living at the Sunset Patio Apartments designed by Fickett in 1944.  Each apartment had a large private balcony that made it possible to bathe naked privately.  According to Fickett's widow, Joycie Fickett, it was not uncommon for Gardner to appear at the door naked, which made Fickett quite uncomfortable, and he would respond by asking her to put a robe on.  Joycie Fickett recalls, "At one time there was a house across the street that had a yard full of lime trees.  One of Ava Gardner's pastimes was to make a Key Lime pie for Fickett as a way of expressing her love and appreciation.  Sold to Amos D. Langford.  Sold in 1999 to Jennifer J. Parker.  Sold in 2014 to Holli Rogers.  Sold in 2016 to Dominick Tousignant.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1959-  3119 Nichols Canyon Road, Los Angeles CA.  Built by Modern Trend Construction Company for Val-Vue Estates.  Photo by Michael Locke.

1960 - The Grossmont Hills Development, La Suvida Drive, Hilmer Drive, Urban Drive, Loren Drive, Monona Drive and Huneck Drive in La Mesa CA. Status unknown.

1960 - Country Club Village, San Carlos CA. Blue Lake Drive at Lake Murray Boulevard and Jackson Drive on Lake Marion, Lake Louise, Lake Constance and Lake Como. Nine model homes designed by Deems-Martin & Associates, Fickett, and Richard Leitch. Interiors by C. Tony Pereira. Developed by Tavares Development Company. Status unknown.

1960 - The David M. Stenzil Residence, La Mesa CA. Potentially at 4723 Karen Way, El Cajon. Status unknown.

1960 - The Walter and Loma Chang House, 15506 Hamner Drive, Los Angeles CA.  Lee L. Lauger was the developer and builder.  Architects Hutner & Appel designed an addition in 1975.  Sold in 2004 to Alan and Andrea Wishnow.  Sold in 2006 to Gregg Gellman.  Sold in 2010 to Mehran Shayefar and Leana Parhani.  Photo by Michael Locke.

1960 - The Bruce E. and Sharon B. Dubrow House, 15505 Hamner Drive, Los Angeles CA.  Lee L. Lauger was the builder.  Bruce Dubrow was a general partner of BDB Enterprises, developers and operators of apartment buildings in the Los Angeles and Orange County area.  Photo by Michael Locke.

1962 - The La Jolla Hills Development for Tech-Bilt Incorporated, Castle Hills Drive, North Pacific Beach CA. 77 houses.  Status unknown.

1963 - The Avco Community Developers Housing Development, Rancho Bernardo CA. Status unknown.

1965 - The George and Miriam Jacobson House II, 4520 Dundee Drive, Los Angeles CA. Near Richard Neutra's Lovell Health House. Evans was the builder.   Designated as Los Angeles as Historic Cultural Monument No. 674, the first Modernist structure to get that status.  Sold to Bruce Livingstone in 2009.  Sold to Michael Madden Living Trust in 2018.  Sold to Dundee Mmxxiii LLC in 2023.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1966 - The Merv Adelson Residence, La Costa CA. Published in San Diego & Point, July 1966.  Status unknown.

1971 - The Soll and Clare Satnick House, 784 San Lorenzo Street, Pacific Palisades CA.  Robert E. Feldman was the builder.  Fickett added a room addition with a skylight in 1972. Owner Charles Sloan added a 1-story addition for the den with a bathroom in 2001, built by Dick Minium.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1971 - The Fred and Tilo Hecht House, 800 San Lorenzo Street, Pacific Palisades CA.  Architect Michael Christopher Jacobs designed an addition and remodeled the house for owner Keith Prokop in 2009.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1973 - The Edward Hale Fickett House, 1640 Loma Vista Drive, Beverly Hills CA. Robert Feldman was the builder.  Fickett designed a housekeeper's room and remodeled the master bath for owner Mark Nathanson in 1979.   Sold in 2000 to Michael Rosen.  Sold in 2021 to Aurian Khajehnouri. Photos by Michael Locke.  

1973 - The Bob and Toni Pringle House, 5901 Filaree Heights Road, Malibu CA.  Sold in 2019 to Eric S.  and Sunny S. M. Choi. Photos by Michael Locke.

 
1976 - Oakhurst Terrace Condos, 325 North Oakhurst Drive, Beverly Hills CA.  27 units designed for Earl and Jody Sherman.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1978 - The Antonio Garcia House, 2353 Hobart Boulevard, Los Angeles CA.  Steiner Construction Company was the builder.  Still owned by the Garcia family as of 2024.  Photo by Michael Locke.

 

 

1978 - The Melville and Amelia Dorfman House, 1120 Wallace Ridge, Beverly Hills CA.  Barry Eglit was the builder.  Sold in 2001 to Evening Star 1999 Trust. Sold in 2022 to 1120 Wallace Ridge LLC.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1993 - The Jon C.  Gilbert House, 2568 Park Oak Drive, Los Angeles CA. Sold in 2022 to the Ju 2020 Dynasty Trust.  Photos by Michael Locke.

1995 - the Max Kolliner House Addition, 10526 Edgeley Place, Los Angeles CA.  Errol Giles was the builder.  Photo by Michael Locke.

Sources include: Michael Locke, Keith York/Modern San Diego.