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HUGH MICHAEL KAPTUR (1931-)
Kaptur was born in Detroit MI where his father was a designer in the Packard and General Motors studios. He studied architecture at the Lawrence Institute of Technology. He joined the Marines and while stationed at Camp Pendleton, he met his first wife and designed a real estate office for her family in San Clemente, his first built project.
In 1954, Kaptur returned to Detroit where he worked with his Dad in GM’s styling division. He moved to Palm Springs in 1956 where he apprenticed in the offices of Donald Wexler and Harrison. After being laid off, Kaptur went on his own making renderings for other architects and was hired by contractors to draw building plans.
In 1962 he formed a partnership with licensed architect Robert Ricciardi to get the commission for Palm Springs Fire Station #3 and the Palm Springs Golf Course Clubhouse. After that partnership broke up, in 1965 he formed a company with Larry Lapham, noted architect Howard Lapham's son, which lasted ten years. They designed homes in the exclusive Thunderbird and Eldorado Country Clubs. After a partnership with James Cioffi, he semi-retired in 1992. Kaptur was added to the Palm Springs Walk of Stars in 2014. He is featured in the 2014 documentary Quiet Elegance.
He married Helen Dzo Dzo in 2001. She was a professional model in the 1960s and a favorite of designers and photographers. Getting invited by her friend Nelda Linsk to the Kaufmann house in 1970 for a photo shoot by Slim Aaron immortalized the photo below, entitled "Poolside Gossip," as the epitome of the Palm Springs lifestyle.
1954 - The Ardis Mae (Amy) Nelson House, San Clemente CA
1957 - The Fisher House, Indian Wells Country Club, Indian Wells CA
1957 - The Noel Gillette House, 1033 East Via Colusa, Palm Springs CA. Kaptur did a update in 1962.
1957 - The Press and Press Houses, Indian Wells Country Club, Indian Wells CA. Kaptur did three of them for this developer.
1958 - The William (Bill) and Clara Burgess House, aka Bougain Villa, 550 Palisades Drive, Palm Springs CA. Designed with William (Bill) Burgess. Commissioned 1957. Sold to Harold and Dorothy Meyerman. Renovations by Albert Frey.
1958 - The Arthur and June R. Boyer House, 984 North Rose Avenue, Palm Springs CA. Still owned by June R. Boyer as of 2015.
1958 - The McCalley House, Palm Springs CA
1958 - The Phillip Miller House, Palm Springs CA
1958 - The Tom Sills Development, aka the Ranch Construction Company, aka Ranch Club Estates, aka Desert Park Estates, Palm Springs CA
Saddle
Sombrero
Spur
Lariat
Prairie
1958 - The Walter Loupe House, Indian Wells Country Club, Indian Wells CA. Could be one of the Press and Press Houses, above.
1958 - The Fern Laurence House and Hotel, aka Impala Lodge, aka the Triangle Inn, 555 East San Lorenzo Road, Palm Springs CA. According to the Desert Sun, 5/27/1958, it was designed as Indian Modern architecture with 9 units. In 1989 the property converted to a gay men's clothing-optional resort called the Triangle Inn. Sold in 2000 to Michael Green. Bottom two photos by Michael Locke.
1958 - The Bahama Hotel and Apartments, 2323 North Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs CA. Started out as a hotel, became low-rent apartments. Sold to Ella T. Flynn prior to 2015. Vacant as of 2017.
1958 - The Earl Stroube Spec House I, 1951 South Camino Monte, Palm Springs CA. Sold to the Dempsters. Sold to architect Jim Schmidt around 2009 who did a renovation and expansion.
1959 - The Earl Stroube Spec House II, 1935 South Camino Monte, Palm Springs CA.
1959 - The Pete Siva House, aka the Douglas Russell House, 660 Palisades Drive, Palm Springs CA. Siva did not live there very long and sold to Douglas Russell. Albert Frey did a sunshade addition in 1983 and another addition in 1984. Sold to Robert Halliday. Sold to Michael Russell in 2004. Sold in 2012 to Bud Golditch. Sold later in 2012 to Mark and Elizabeth Ostoich.
1959 - The Albert Bryant House, Palm Springs CA. Status unknown.
1959 - 2995 North Chuperosa Road, Palm Springs CA. Renovated in 2018. Sold in 2020.
1960 - The Werner Hogback House, aka Pieterhaus, 1577 South Calle Marcos, Palm Springs CA. Commissioned 1959. Sold in 2010 to Peter Loforte and Sally Julien. Interior photo by Dan Chavkin.
Around 1960 - The Robert and Marianne Leaver House, 660 Palisades Drive, Palm Springs CA. Interiors by Arthur Elrod. The Leavers died and the home was neglected for many years. There was a substantial fire. Other homeowners on Palisades Road decided that the building had to be destroyed and turned into a neighborhood tennis court. The lot became part of the Siva house lot.
1960 - The Richard Marsh House, Indian Wells Country Club, Indian Wells CA. Likely this was one of the Press and Press houses, above.
1960 - The Frank and Nancy Nicholas House, Bermuda Dunes CA.
Do you know where it is?
1960 - The Palm Springs Panorama Triplex Apartments, Palm Springs CA
1961 - The Tommy and Sally Jacobs House, 79810 Ryan Way, Indio CA. Sold. Sold in 2002 to Jerry Jones. For sale in 2019.
1961 - aka Nici's Pool House, Ranch Club Estates, Palm Springs CA. Sold to Bert and Berlynn Simonis.
1961 - The Donald Baker House (Tony Dalu, project designer), Los Angeles CA
1961 - The T. J. Treyvellan House, Bermuda Dunes Country Club, Bermuda Dunes CA
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1962 - The Donald Baker House, Tamarisk Village, 70405 Mottle Circle, Rancho Mirage CA. Mottle Circle had 4 homes completed by 1963, all by Far West Development Co. Donald Baker was the builder. Likely that all four were prototypes designed by Kaptur. The Baker residence was the furnished model show to potential buyers. About 40 homes were planned, but no others were ever built. Sold in 2010 to Derek and Dianne Cook
1964 - The Edwin H. (Buddy) and Carolyn Morris Remodel, aka the Steve McQueen House, 2203 Southridge Drive, Palm Springs CA. Commissioned 1962. Thomas Griffing was the developer and original client but he never moved in. Broadway song publisher Morris purchased it and asked Kaptur to add a carport and a covered walkway among other changes. Sold in 1969 to Steve McQueen who had it until his death in 1980. Sold in 2005 to Michael J. Kilroy who at the time owned the 1968 Lautner-designed Elrod House next door. Top two photos by Dan Chavkin. Sold to Jeremy Scott, who also later bought the Elrod House, in 2016.
1964
1964 - The D. R. Brown/I. L. Scales House, Bermuda Dunes CA
1964 - The Chapman House, Brawley CA
1964 - The Mel Greenlee House, Palm Desert CA
1964 - The Pinnell House, Bermuda Dunes CA
1965 - The Arthur Lee House, San Clemente CA

1965 - The Francis A. (Frank) and Joy D. Purcell Addition, 389 and 1850 West Crestview Drive, Palm Springs CA. Kaptur designed a second addition in 1998. Still owned by the Purcells as of 2014.
1965 - The Basil Spirtos House, 16018 Puesta del Sol, Whittier CA
1968 - The McKinney Trust Hotel, Palm Springs CA
1969 - The Edward King House, Movie Colony neighborhood, Palm Springs CA
1972 - The Mel Haber Condominiums, Palm Springs CA
1972 - The Hoelsel House, Palm Springs CA.
1973 - The Aquarius Condominium Hotel Tennis Club, 128 Unit Condominium Complex, Palm Springs CA
1973 - The Paul DiAmicos House, Palm Springs CA
1973 - The George M. Hartley (Trustee) House, aka Decade 80 House, La Quinta CA
1973 - The Abronia Apartment Complex, Palm Desert CA
1973 - Sonora South, Palm Springs CA. A
1973 - Village East, Palm Springs CA.
1973 - The Platt and Welmas Condominiums, aka Casa Sonora, Sunrise Way and Capri Circle, Palm Springs CA. Commissioned 1971. Above example is 1705 Capri Circle.
1974 - The Stuart Barton Addition/Remodel, 444 West Chino Drive, Palm Springs CA
1974 - The William C. Ford Sr. Addition and Alterations, 1850 Smoke Tree Lane, Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs CA. Originally designed by Paul Trousdale. A fire on April 12, 1974 destroyed 3 bedrooms, a storage room, family room, and most of the roof, prompting the project. Sold in 2012. Destroyed about 2015.
1974 - The H. E. Walpert House, Palm Springs CA
1976 - The Saddlerock Condominiums, 1602 South Cerritos Drive, Palm Springs CA
1975 - The Fred Rice Remodel, 48780 Eisenhower Drive, La Quinta CA
1976 - The Graham Barbey House, Francisco Patencio Road, Smoke Tree Ranch, Palm Springs CA. Unbuilt.
1976 - The Leo Owens House, Palm Springs CA
1977 - The Jerry and Florence London House, 566 South Fern Canyon Drive, Palm
Springs CA. Palm Springs CA
1977 - The William Holden House, 2433 Southridge Drive, Palm Springs CA. Commissioned 1975. Holden originally approached E. Stewart Williams in 1971 to build the unbuilt Alma Walker house that was to be in the same neighborhood. Holden lived there until his death in 1981. Holden was Kaptur's favorite client. Sold in 2013 to Alan Neil Freiman.
1977 - The Mac Renfro House. Unbuilt.
1977 - One Hundred Eleven Inc. Condominium Project, Palm Springs CA. Listed in applications in the Desert Sun newspaper, Oct. 28, 1971
1978 - The D. E. Development Houses, Cathedral City CA
1978 - The Al and Lois Anderson House, 899 East Granvia Valmonte, Palm Springs CA
1978 - The Roy and Robert Fey Project, Canyon West Estates Condominiums, bounded by Calle Bravo, Ramitas Way, Buena Tierra, and East La Verne Way, Palm Springs CA
1978 - The Roy and Robert Fey Project, Caballeros Estates Condominiums, bounded by Avenida Caballeros, Baristo Road, and Arena Road, Palm Springs CA. 106 units. Photo is 280 Avenida Caballeros, Unit 201.
1978 - 1614 South Cerritos Drive, Palm Springs CA. One of 107 condominium units in the Saddlerock Gardens complex. Photo by Michael Locke.
1978 - 1650 South Cerritos Drive, Palm Springs CA. One of 107 condominium units in the Saddlerock Gardens complex. Photo by Michael Locke.
1978 - 1652 South Cerritos Drive, Palm Springs CA. One of 107 condominium units in the Saddlerock Gardens complex. Photo by Michael Locke.
1979 - The Tumanjan Apartment Complex, 3155 Ramon Road, Palm Springs CA
1979 - The Tahquitz Properties, Palm Springs CA
1979 - The M. R. Mazahen House,2011 East Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs CA. Needs verification.
1979 - The Arno G. Thies House, 75180 Chippewa Drive, Dorado Villas, Indian Wells CA. Sold to Richard and Kathryn Iosua in 2016.
1981 - Custom Residence, Vintage Properties, Lot 1 Indian Wells CA
1981 - The Heathman/Hill Associates Condominiums, 1111 Tahquitz, Palm Springs CA. Unbuilt.
1982 - The Applebaum House, likely unbuilt.
1982 - Indian Wells Association Custom Residence, Vintage Lot #16, Indian Wells CA.
1984 - The H & J Andreas House, Andreas Palms Estates, Palm Springs CA
1983 - The Rancho El Mirador Condominiums, 291 E Mel Avenue, Palm Springs CA. Built on the grounds of the original of the El Mirador Hotel. 61 condominiums in four 2-story buildings.
1984 - The Palm Springs Deauville Condominiums, 500 East Amado Road, Palm Springs CA. 168 units ranging in size from 736 sq. ft. to 1,259 sq. ft.
1985 - The Villa Caballeros Condo Project, 255 S Avenida Caballeros, Palm Springs CA. 59 units.
1986 - The Pueblo Village/Casa Verde Apartment Complex Phase II, Palm Springs CA
1986 - The Villa Serena Apartments, 900 East Saturnino Road, Palm Springs CA
1986 - The Bill and Pat Warner House, 58325 Santa Barbara Drive, Yucca Valley CA. Sold in 2017 to Anton Goss.
1987 - The Pueblos Apartment Complex, Palm Springs CA. Needs verification as Kaptur.
1987 - The Pat and Gloria Gilliland House, 74675 Wren Drive, Indian Wells CA. Destroyed. A new house was designed by Kristi Hanson Architect in 2016, above.
1988 - The Paul and Kay Selzer House, 38727 Maracaibo Circle, Palm Springs CA. Commissioned 1987. Bottom photos by This 'n That Films.
From Palm Springs Life, 1/31/2014:
1990 - The Big Bear Shores RV Resort and Yacht Club, Big Bear Lake CA.
1990 - The Michael Lonegan House, Indian Wells CA. Status unknown.
1990 - The Questmark Group (Sunrise and Vista Chino), Palm Springs CA. Unsure if built.
1992 - The Parc Andreas Development, includes Trinidad and Maracaibo Circles, Palm Springs CA. 2 1/2 acres, Kaptur did civil engineering drawings. The 1988 Selzer house is included in this development.
1992 - The Hugh Kaptur House, Parc Andreas, Palm Springs CA. 2.5 acres. There were civil engineering drawings. Unsure if built.
1993 - The Charles McLaughlin House, 38950 Trinidad Circle, Parc Andreas, Palm Springs CA. McLaughlin was a developer in Palm Springs. The house has been on and off the market since his death in 2007.
1993 - The Bob Hope House and Country Club, Rancho Mirage CA.
1994 - The David Leaming House, 2350 Quincy Way, Palm Springs CA. Needs verification.
1996 - The Leni Orinco House, 54101 South Circle Drive, Idyllwild CA. Unbuilt.
Around 1996 - Apartments, 1965 South Camino Real, Palm Springs CA. Sold in 2003 to Carolyn Elaine Martin, still owner as of 2019.
1997 - The Robert and Terry Samuel House, Paradise Valley AZ. Very organic design, unbuilt.
1998 - The Barbara Ady Renovation and Addition, 2920 East Via Vaquero Road, Palm Springs CA. Original house built in 1954. Sold in 2004. Sold in 2009 to Patricia Brotman.
1998 - The Ralph Hemingway Addition, 100 Kovenish Court, Big Horn Country Club, Palm Desert CA. Study added to a 1993 house.
2001 - The Stuart and Sherry Gimbel House, 8 Strauss Terrace, Rancho Mirage CA. Sold in 2011 to Eric and Susan Olsen.
2002 - The Palm Canyon Villas, formerly the Villa Boutique Apartments, formerly the Vista Del Sol Apartments, 1700 South Araby Drive, Palm Springs CA. Sold to Northwoods Palm Springs.
2016 - 262 West Vista Chino, aka Kaptur Court, Palm Springs CA. Built by NDC Homes. Sold in 2017 to LTD Partnership. Identical to 264.
2016 - 264 West Vista Chino, aka Kaptur Court, Palm Springs CA. Built by NDC Homes. Sold in 2017. Identical to 262.
2018 - aka Casitas for Austick, Palisades Drive, Palm Springs CA. Kaptur is also working on a remodel.
Year Unknown - The Bess Bender House, Canyon Country Club, Palm Springs CA. She was a well-known Palm Springs clothing designer
Year Unknown - The Cantella Condominium project, Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage CA
Year Unknown - The David Charnay Remodel, Palm Springs CA.
Year Unknown - The George Devor (possible spelling Devore) House, Palm Springs CA
Year unknown - Renovation, 893 Camino del Sur, aka Camino Sur, Palm Springs CA. Built in 1961 for George Arnold. Sold to Horace and Gregg Sherwood Dodge. Remodeled by architect John Elgin Woolf in 1970. Sold to Ed and Sophia Friendly in 1976 who along with their maid were murdered here in 1978. Sold to actor George Nader and Mark Miller in 1991. Sold to Stanley Thomas Smith and Sonja Smith in 2011 who did a 2013 remodel, bottom photo.
Year Unknown -The La Quinta Country Club, Elkee Corpration, La Quinta CA. Unsure if this was in relation to the club itself or homes in the country club. Elkee Corp did own some land in La Quinta.
Year Unknown - The Far West Development Co Apartments, 225 Tahquitz, Palm Springs CA. No address like this, Tahquitz comes up but where the address would be is part of the Palm Springs Tennis Club. There is a Tahquitz Canyon but that address is a commercial building.
Year Unknown - The Bert Farmer House, Indio CA. Believe this was R. Bert Farmer, President of the Riverside County Fair Board.
Year Unknown - The Henry Frank Remodel, possible address 550 N. Cahuilla, Palm Springs CA. Deeded to Jay Frank. Needs verification.
Year Unknown -The Henry L. Freers House, Bermuda Dunes Country Club, Bermuda Dunes CA. Mr. Freers was a retired Foreign Service Officer and a specialist on Soviet Union affairs. He and his wife had moved to the Palm Springs area after his retirement in 1968. Haven't been able to find an address, but is mentioned in several social affairs articles from the country club.
Year Unknown - The Graham House, Palm Springs CA
Year Unknown - The Arthur Guyer Apartment Complex, Palm Springs CA. Unbuilt.
Year Unknown - The Lester McMillan House, Canyon Country Club, Palm Springs CA.
Year Unknown - Oldaker Townhouse Condominiums, Palm Canyon and Racquet Club Road, Palm Springs CA. Unbuilt.
Year Unknown - The Morris Piltzer Apartment Project, 5 unit apartment building, Palm Springs CA. Unsure if built.
Year Unknown - Quailsong Ranch, Palm Springs CA. No information, no indication built.
Year Unknown - Quailtree Estates, Rancho Mirage CA. No indication built.
1989 - The Rancho Ocotillo Development for Keller Williams, Adams Street between Miles Avenue and Fred Waring Drive, La Quinta CA. Built between 1989 and 1997. Not designed by Kaptur; it was Stofreggen/Fuller.
Year Unknown - The H. G. Richardson House, Moreno Valley CA.
Year Unknown - The Michael V. Styke Addition/Remodel, either 925 East Sunny Dunes or 2321 Araby, Palm Springs CA.
Year Unknown - The Kakowitz-Minskoff Housing Complex, 118 units, Palm Springs CA.
Sources include: Hugh Kaptur, Catherine Westergaard Cramer, Bert Simonis.