The Los Angeles Times has a lengthy article on the likely sale of Jack Oakie's San Fernando Valley estate, which was bequeathed by Oakie's widow to the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts.
According to Bob Pool's article, the Oakie estate is "perhaps the last of the multi-acre ranches that stars from Hollywood's golden era bought in what then was the outskirts of town [more specifically, Northridge]." Barbara Stanwyck had sold Oakie the property in 1940, when she moved into Robert Taylor's ranch nearby.
Others who lived in the vicinities were Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Zeppo Marx, William Holden, Janet Gaynor, and studio mogul Harry Warner.
For those who aren't familiar with Oakie, he was a major Paramount comedy star in the early 1930s, though later in the decade he was demoted to leads or second leads in programmers and B movies. His career underwent a brief resurgence after he played opposite Charles Chaplin in The Great Dictator. For his Mussolini caricature in that political comedy, Oakie received an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor.
Oakie's early Paramount films are hard to come by, as Universal — the conglomerate cog that currently holds the old Paramount library — has been reluctant to make those films available, whether on DVD or on cable.
W. C. Fields's THE OLD FASHIONED WAY Screening
B Musicals at New York City's Film Forum
Ernst Lubitsch Retrospective at San Sebastián
Fox Before the Code at New York City's Film Forum
Miriam Hopkins Biography in the Works
Biographer Patrick Agan talks about Hedy Lamarr
Ann Sheridan Biographer Ray Hagen Discusses the 1940s Warner Bros. Star
Perhaps not quite relevant to this story, but people in LA don't seem to give a damn about their history.
That's too bad for them AND for everybody else interested in that city's wonderful past.
Here is a video on the Jack Oakie's Oakridge Estate – sort of Daily Show Style is you will. Enjoy at Wandrlust.net