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Celeb R.E.: Former NBA Star Kenny The Jet Smith Calling It Quits in Encino

Tuesday, July 30, 2013 / No Comments



Images courtesy The Agency
Back on July 17, 2013, the fabulous folks at Trulia Luxe Living revealed that former NBA star and current TNT NBA analyst, Kenny Smith, has listed his Encino home for $2,975,000 on July 16, 2013. 

Kenny Smith was drafted sixth in the 1987 NBA draft where he played for the Sacramento Kings, Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistions, Orlando Magic, and Denver Nuggets. He won two NBA championships with the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995. After he retired in 1998, he joined Turner Sports for a broadcasting career. 

The home measures 6 Beds/7 Baths on 6,106 sqft on a total lot size of 0.60 acres built in 1963. The listing description states:
Private and sophisticated, this gorgeous 6 Bedroom, 8 Bath, Contemporary French Country Estate, w/ detached Guest House, is hidden on a quiet cul-de-sac behind gates, on a nearly 30,000sqft flag lot. This oasis delivers towering mature trees, lush landscaping, & a sparkling Swimming Pool. Circular motor court offers ample guest parking, including a 3-car garage. Rich cherry wood floors gracefully flow into the dramatic Living Room w/ high pitched ceilings supported with architectural truss beams and skylights, warmed by the stone fireplace. The remodeled kitchen has a perfect flow w/ center island & eat-in dining area. The adjacent sun room, & separate office complete the open downstairs living space. 4 downstairs en suite bedrooms are completed by the upstairs Master Suite, featuring a spa tub, steam shower, & its own balcony. Movie theater w/ wet bar, explosive sound system, and a balcony. 6800sqft of amazingly private living space & seclusion with quick access to shops & dining.
Kenny Smith barely purchased the home 2 years ago on October 24, 2011 for $1,850,000 where it appears to be that he did some minor upgrading. Based on the current asking price, Kenny Smith will profit $1,125,000 not including taxes, commissions, upgrades, and any carrying costs. 

The reason for the move and next location is unknown but Kenny Smith who is married to The Price Is Right model, Gwendolyn Osbourne, could be looking for a bigger home as they just welcomed their second child in fall 2012 in addition to other children they have from previous relationships. I am guessing that they are relocating to Calabasas to be with the rest of the ballers discussed on this blog. 


Prior to this home, Kenny Smith was living in Stevenson Ranch which was also the location of his wedding ceremony to Gwendolyn Osbourne. This home measures 5 Bed/3 Bath on 3,318 sqft on a lot size of 1.1 acres built in 1997. Kenny Smith purchased the property on December 20, 2005 for $1,350,000 and sold for a stomach turning $450,000 loss for $900,000 on December 9, 2009. This same home sold again as a bank sale on January 1, 2013 for $556,000. 

Other celebrities living or previously lived in Encino discussed on this blog are the following:
  1. Comic legend, Martin Lawrence, quietly purchases a mansion for $6,630,000 in June 2013. 
  2. Improv king, Ryan Stiles, unloaded Robert Byrd Designed home for $3.1 million on May 2013. 
  3. Singer Marc Anthony purchased an Amestoy Estates home for $2.5 million in May 2013. 
  4. Funnyman Kevin James recently sold two homes; the larger mansion for $5.5 million in May 2013 and the smaller home for $1.6 million in March 2013.
  5. The late Warren Cowan, who was a publicist to the stars, just sold for $2 million on March 2013.
  6. Shirley Jones of the Partridge Family is currently available for $2.1 million.
  7. The late Fred Travalena's long time Encino home currently listed at $1,425,000. 
  8. David Hasselhoff's long time Encino Mansion currently priced at $3,795,000.
  9. Joe Simpson's Royal Oaks Mansion which is currently listed for $4,395,000
  10. The former Al Jolson Estate which was owned by Charlie Sheen at one time is listed for $6.5 million. 
  11. The former home of Selena Gomez just sold for $3.5 million in December 2012.
  12. Heidi Saban Stills (father is billionaire Haim Saban) home just sold for $2.4 million in February 2013.
  13. The former Macy Gray home is available for $5.9 million.
  14. The former Joey Lawrence home just sold for $1.875 million in February 2013.
There are many celebrities who previously or currently call Encino home like Tori Spelling (former), Scott Baio (former), the Jackson Family compound, Leighton MeesterAnnette Funicello's fire destroyed homeBrian BloomTamar Braxton and Vincent Herbert (former)Vampire Diaries Director (former)Jennifer Morrison (former)Dave GrohlDonald Penn, and Shirley MacLaine (former) to name a few (or several).

You can view more SFV Celebrity Real Estate here

Celeb R.E.: The Late Michael Clarke Duncan Lists Woodland Hills Home Formerly Owned and Built by MLB Center Fielder Eric Davis with Jersey #44 in Pool

Thursday, July 25, 2013 / No Comments
[Update May 11, 2014]: This home sold on May 9, 2014 for $1,150,000. 

[Original Post]:

Fresh on the MLS is a custom Woodland Hills mansion owned by the late Michael Clarke Duncan which first appeared on July 24, 2013 for $1,299,000. 

Duncan who due to his large size--6'5" and 315 lbs--worked a lot of security jobs early during his early year shad also become a bodyguard for celebrities like Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Jamie Foxx, LL Cool J, and The Notorious B.I.G. He quit being a security guard in 1997 after the death of Notorious B.I.G. 

Although Duncan had already started acting in 1995 with his first big break in Friday, he didnt reach significant recognition until he played gentle giant "John Coffey" in The Green Mile starring alongside Tom Hanks released in 1999 which he won numerous nominations and awards. From that point, Duncan's career took off and he played in numerous movies, TV shows, and video games. 


Unfortunately on July 13, 2012, Duncan suffered a heart attack with fiancee and the "woman America loved to hate" from the first season of The Apprentice, Omarosa Manigault, by his side who tried to save his life by performing CPR. He would remain in the hosptial for the next two months in intensive care where he passed away on September 3, 2012. 


The property records state that the home is listed under a trust titled Big Time Holdings with the Trustee Matthew Lichtenberg who works with many celebrities at the firm he founded in 2007 called Level Four LLC Business management. After Duncan's heart attack, Lichtenberg was given a call by Duncan's lawyer who revealed that Lictenberg was secretly assigned power of attorney by Duncan and was now responsible for every medical decision to the funeral arrangements. Lichtenberg was named a Power Business Manager in 2012 by The Hollywood Reporter. I am not sure who are the beneficiaries of the Duncan estate and whether that includes Omarosa Manigault who I believe was also living at the Woodland Hills home and may continue to do so but that is pure speculation so dont quote me. 


The home measures 7 Beds/6.25 Baths on 6,861 sqft on a total lot size of 0.39 acres built in 1979 but modified in 1987 which will be discussed in detail below. The listing description states:
Trust Sale of a Celebrity owned Gated, Custom Estate Property on a large lot. This 7 Bedroom and 7 Bath is perfect for a large family group or a Car Collectors Dream home. There is a 3 car attached garage AND a Subterranean parking area for maybe 10 more cars. .. and/or a Gym-workout area. Separate "Great Room" for parties/ guests/ office. An east-west basketball sport court, Great Pool and Spa, and BBQ Area. . Most of the Bedrooms are huge with their own baths. Giant Media/ screening room with bathroom and wet bar will house some of the biggest screen TV's, your games, dozens of people. . just being the popcorn!, Family Room adjoins the kitchen and has 2 featured sides- One has a large built-in Fish tank and room for Entertainment center. A 3 sided- glass Fireplace divides the family room into a 2nd half with a wet bar and you're ready for the video/card games. The Formal Dining room has a custom built-in cabinet and recessed ceiling. Step down Living room is accented with a dark marble trim and has a central cozy fireplace. Priced like a Short Sale. .. but it is not! You can not rebuild a house for this price!! Call agent for details and showings.
Duncan purchased this home on October 31, 2001 for $1,050,000 shortly after the success of The Green Mile from retired Major League Baseball center fielder Eric Davis whose career was defined with his many accomplishments playing with the Cincinnati Reds from 1984 - 1991. If the home were to sell at today's asking price, the estate would earn a profit of $249,000 before any taxes, commissions, renovation expenses (if any), and any carrying costs. 

This house has it all including underground parking for up to 10 cars and the #44 from Eric Davis' jersey inscribed in the pool. How cool is that? The only downside is the proximity to the 101 Freeway especially near the the dreaded Topanga Cyn Blvd on-ramp near Burbank Blvd. 

Above images courtesy Prudential California Realty
So moving on to Eric Davis who recently sold short his Calabasas home on May 4, 2012 (which was discussed here) is no stranger to the San Fernando Valley as he has made the West Valley his home base since the 1980's. Prior to the Calabasas home, he lived in the Woodland Hills home discussed above which was purchased some time in 1985 or 1986 for an unknown price. According to the property records, the home was built in 1979 and renovated in 1987. It appears that Eric Davis may have purchased two parcels and demolished to build one mega home based on the images below from Google Maps and Historicaerials.com (1980). Based on the size of nearby homes, this home looks like double those homes as well as there are two driveways suggesting that the second driveway was for the second home. This is just speculation so dont quote me. 

Image courtesy Google Maps
Image Courtesy Google Maps
Image Courtesy Google Maps and Historic Aerials.com (1980)
Eric Davis and his wife, Sherrie also own a modest 3 Bed/2 Bath 1524 sqft home in Reseda not too far from the Northridge hospital that was purchased on July 30, 1990 for $267,000. I am not sure in what capacity this home has been used but I am guessing it was for a friend, relative, or investment as I cant imagine Eric Davis calling Reseda home especially the size of this home with all due respect to the Davis' and Reseda.

Image Courtesy of Google Maps
According to the LA Times Hot Property article regarding Eric Davis' Calabasas listing, 
The couple will scale down to a smaller single-level home in the area, according to their listing agent, David Yobs of Prudential California Realty. With their children grown, they don't need as large a home anymore, Yobs said.
The location of that smaller single-level home has not been discovered but I am guessing somewhere in Woodland Hills or West Hills as Calabasas consists mostly of the McMansions and are simply too big. Its good to hear that the Davis' are still sticking to their San Fernando Valley roots.

You can find more San Fernando Valley Celebrity Real Estate here

BTTF# 19: The Tragic Death of Child Actress Judith Barsi in Canoga Park Remembered 25 Years Later

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 Image courtesy Suaviterinmodo Flickr page.
Los Angeles Herald Examiner 1988 article. Image courtesy Suaviterinmodo Flickr page.
Hello Magazine 1988 article showing Judith's corpse being carried out while two police officers on the left weep in sorrow. Image courtesy Suaviterinmodo Flickr page.
Welcome aboard the Delorean! 

Marty McFly here to take you on a journey to the former Judith Barsi family home at 22100 Michale Street Canoga Park (West Hills). The Delorean has the required plutonium plus some random garbage in the Mr. Fusion reactor ready for this trip. The time circuits are set to August 25, 1988 (25 years ago today) and the flux capacitor is......fluxxing. The engine is running (not stalled this time) so we need to hurry. Hang on, as the ride can be a little bumpy as we travel back in time.

Let me start off by saying that this is a tragic story to tell which was just as difficult for me to write as when my father passed away in May 2013 but yet I never knew Judith Barsi. I apologize for starting off your day on a sad note but history cannot be ignored and the more we learn, the better off we theoretically should be. 

The name Judith Barsi might not ring a bell but in the mid to late 80's she was an up and coming child actress starring in 72 commercials,  4 TV movies, six big screen film including two animated movies, and made several TV guest appearances. She had appeared in Jaws IV: The Revenege, The Land Before Time, All Dogs Go To Heaven, Punky Brewster, Growing Pains and Fatal Vision where she played a daughter murdered by her father which would eerily foreshadow her future.

Barsi was born to Hungarian parents, József "Arizona Joe" and Maria (Virovacz) Barsi. The real-life-villains.wikia.com site describes Judith's father best: 
Joe was a Hungarian-American plumbing contractor and banjo/fiddle musician who was best known as the father of child actress Judith Barsi. Burdened by low self-esteem, stemming from mockery over his Hungarian accent and the social rejection he suffered in Hungary, József developed a drinking problem and a paranoid personality which was to torment him throughout his life, culminating in him murdering his wife and daughter before taking his own life.
Joe was born on November 26, 1932 in a "[rough] industrial" area of Hungary, during the reign of Admiral Horthy. An illegitimate child, József never knew his father, and suffered from social rejection and bullying by other children and from his own school teachers. His first daughter, Ági, later speculated that József resented his mother for allowing his father to abandon him, and consequently viewed all women as "whores".
Joe Barsi. Image courtesy Real Life Villians.com.
Joe was originally married to Klara (maiden name unknown) sometime in the late 50's in France after escaping the 1956 Soviet occupation of Hungary. He had two children, a son named Barna (1957 - 1995) and a daugther named Ági (1958 - 2008). Joe developed a drinking problem and began to physically abuse his wife. The family moved to New York in 1964 where Joe began to abuse his son, Barna, which prompted Klara to divorce and move to Arizona sometime in 1969. Barna would later commit suicide in 1995. 

Joe, Klara, Agi, and Barna. Image courtesy Real Life Villians.com.
Joe moved to California where he worked as a plumber and met Maria, a waitress, in a Los Angeles bar known as a meeting place for immigrants. Maria was also a Hungarian immigrant that fled after the Soviet occupation and suffered from pyschological and physical abuse from her father. Joe would pay for his drinks with $100 bills which caught the attention of Maria as she sought security at that time. 

Joe and Maria. Image courtesy Real Life Villians.com.
Joe and Maria would later marry sometime in the 70's and their only daughter, Judith, was born on June 6, 1978. Maria was an aspiring actress but never caught a break so she began grooming her daughter to become an actress which was a 1 in 10,000 success rate and would eventually be discovered at a San Fernando Valley skating rink (not sure which one but I would like to speculate that is was Skateland in Northridge but dont quote me). 
Joe and Judith. Image courtesy Real Life Villians.com.
The judith-barsi.com memorial site described Judith when first meeting an agent as:
She was mistaken for a three-year-old child. Judith was cute, precocious, intelligent and a lot of fun to work with. They signed her on immediately. 
Afterwards, Judith Barsi's career took off as she earned an estimated $100,000 per year (or roughly $200,000 in 2013 dollars) by her fourth grade year. This extra income helped the family purchase a modest suburban ranch style home in Canoga Park bordering on West Hills. The home was located at 22100 Michale Street which measures 3 Beds/2 Baths on 1,663 sqft on a total lot size of 0.26 acres built in 1960. The home was purchased sometime in 1985 for an unknown price as the property records dont go that far back but if  I had to speculate, it would be somewhere around $120,000 to $150,000 which Judith's salary could pay for in almost one year. Judith attended Nevada Elementary School but would miss school so much because of her acting schedule. 

After the home was purchased, Joe was so paranoid that he had a wrought iron fence with spikes built around the property.  When talking with neighbors, he would keep the conversation to a minimum and was very secretive. However Maria would talk to the neighbors and some of the other stage moms who would hear the horrible stories of Joe. 

The pictures below are from a recent home listing where the current owners unsuccessfully tried to sell the home for $699,000 on November 13, 2007 through May 15, 2010. These pictures should not be interpreted as when the Barsi's were living in the home as it has most likely been upgraded since 1988. 










Images courtesy Number1Expert
And this is when the story gets depressing and sad according to Wikipedia:
As Judith's career success increased, József became increasingly abusive, jealous and paranoid, and would routinely threaten to kill himself, his wife, and daughter. His alcoholism worsened, and resulted in three separate arrests for drunk driving. In December 1986, Maria reported his threats and physical violence toward her to the police. After police found no physical signs of abuse, Maria eventually decided not to press charges against József.
After the incident, József reportedly stopped drinking, but continued to threaten his wife and daughter, which included threats of cutting their throats as well as burning down the house. He reportedly hid a telegram informing Maria that a relative in Hungary had died, in an attempt to prevent her and Judith from leaving America. Physical violence also continued, with Judith telling a friend about her father throwing pots and pans at her resulting in a nosebleed. Due to her father's abuse, Judith began putting on weight and exhibited disturbing behavior, which included plucking out all her eyelashes and pulling out her cat's whiskers. After breaking down in front of her agent during a singing audition for All Dogs Go to Heaven, Judith was taken by Maria to a child psychologist, who identified severe physical and emotional abuse and reported her findings to Child Protective Services (CPS).
The investigation was dropped after Maria assured the case worker that she intended to begin divorce proceedings against József and that she and Judith were going to move into a Panorama City apartment she had recently rented as a daytime haven away from József. Friends urged Maria to follow through with the plan, but she resisted, reportedly because she did not want to lose the family home and belongings.
According to a National Enquirer article, Maria had rented a $700 apartment at the Regency Premier located at 8525 Tobias Avenue #314 Panorama City, CA 91402 which is directly across the street from the Panorama Mall. I am not sure why she had picked this location but it wasnt far enough from Joe as he had suspected that Maria was moving out and followed her one day. He noticed her carrying moving boxes into the apartment and asked her about it where Maria replied that she was giving away some items to some friends. Maria suspected that Joe didnt believe her and sensed things were getting worse. She even tried to make the house look like a pigsty to force Joe out as he was a neat freak. But she wanted to maintain her home and belongings and didnt want to lose it including her child's acting career. She had also been waiting on a $12,000 tax refund check that she didnt want Joe to get his hands on and probably needed the proceeds to support Judith and herself living on their own. Judith's co-star from Growing Pains, Tracey Gold, even tried to help out but Maria resisted. On Monday July 25, 1988, Judith had an appointment with Hanna-Barbera which she missed. 
Regency Premier Apartment Building 8525 Tobias Avenue Panorma City. Image courtesy Hotpad.com
The paragraph below from Wikipedia describes the horrifying final day for Judith and Maria:
Judith was last seen riding her bike on the morning of Monday, July 25, 1988. That evening, József shot Judith in the head while she was asleep in her room, and then shot his wife, Maria. József spent the next two days wandering around the house, and said during a phone call with Judith's agent on Tuesday night that he intended to move out for good, and just needed time to "say goodbye to [my] little girl."He then poured gasoline on the bodies and set them on fire. After incinerating the bodies, József went into the garage and shot himself in the head with a .32 caliber pistol. On August 9, 1988, Barsi and her mother were interred in unmarked graves at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles.
Judith Barsi Death Certificate. Image courtesy Find A Death.com
Roughly two months after the Barsis death, the LA Times reported on September 7, 1988 that the CPS was scolded by a county advisory panel for dropping its investigation of threats of violence against Judith and Maria Barsi. The outcome of the investigation was that more funds be allocated so that social workers are not overburdened and that before a case is closed, the home should be visited and/or the child interviewed. 

The same organization that was setup to prevent and fight against such abuse failed miserably and they still continue to do so. Obviously hindsight is 20/20, but there are stories still reported today where women and children face constant threats and abuse. Take for instance, the story of Michelle Kane who was hiding at a friend's house in West Hills from her abusive husband, Michael Kane. On Saturday June 15, 2013, Michael stormed the West Hills house and stabbed Michelle to death in the front lawn. Luckily, the two children were not hurt in this tragedy. Michelle had sought help from the LAPD the previous day but no luck. In a strange "this is a small world" thinking, the Kane family townhome is located a few blocks from the former Barsi home. 

In 2004, thanks to the fundraising efforts led by Nancy Kelly and with the gratitude of many fans, headstones were purchased for Maria and Judith which can be seen below. 


Judith Barsi grave at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills. Image courtesy Find A Grave.com 
Maria and Judith Barsi grave at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills. Image courtesy Find A Grave.com
One side note, there is supposedly a head shot of Judith Barsi showing the gunshot to the head but that can be possible because her body was literally incinerated. For those that are curious, you can view the photo at findadeath.com. If anyone can confirm that the image is legitimate, please let me know. 

Now its time to fire up the Delorean and go back to the future.  The Barsi home was sold by the survivors of the Barsi family for $124,000 on September 14, 1989 which was 13 months after their deaths. The home changed hands a couple of times where it was last sold on July 12, 2001 to Francisco and Ruth Bernal for $272,000. The property records are shown below which show Maria Barsi at the very bottom. As mentioned earlier, the Bernal family tried to sell this home from 2007 through 2010 and we will keep our eyes and ears open if the listing pops up again. I wonder if there are any ghost stories from this home. 

Lastly, if this story has touched you in some way, you can support the Judith Fund at judith-barsi.com and/or the Child Help USA Organization which is for the prevention and treatment of child abuse. 

At the very bottom, the name Maria Barsi can be seen for the sales transaction of their Canoga Park home. Image courtesy Propertyshark.com
The 10 minute new story below is a must watch which captures all the details of this story. I am not sure of the original source but I believe its from one of those crime shows. 



And the home as it looks today:




You can view more SFV history and BTTF posts here


Sources:

Three Dead in Apparent Murder-Suicide by Gabe Fuentes. Los Angeles Times, July 28, 1988.

A Script of Fear: Repeated Threats by Father of Child Actress Carried to Tragic End by John Johnson and Gabe Fuentes. Los Angeles Times, August 7, 1988.

Barsi Probe: Judge Asked to Reveal Files on Slain Child by John Johnson. Los Angeles Times, August 17, 1988.

Local News in Brief: Child-Abuse Files Ordered Opened. Los Angeles Times, August 23, 1988.

Panel Scolds Agency in Girl's Death by Gabe Fuentes. Los Angeles Times, September 7, 1988.

A Lesson Learned from Family Tragedy by Sherry Barger. Los Angeles Times, September 18, 1988.

Local News in Brief: New Unit Urged for Child Welfare Cases. Los Angeles Times, November 5, 1988.

Child Actress Judith Barsi: A Life Cut Tragically Short by Denis Noe. TruTV.com, December 2, 2012.

Judith Barsi Photo Gallery -- Fanpix.net

Judith Barsi -- Find a Grave

Judith Barsi -- Find a Death

József Barsi -- Real Life Villains

Judith Barsi -- Wikipedia

Judith Barsi -- Suaviterinmodo Flickr Page

Judith Barsi -- Memorial Site (www.judith-barsi.com)

Judith Barsi -- Memorial Site (judithbarsi.dc-lundberg.net)

Death of a Family - Judith Barsi's Story. Youtube video uploaded on September 13, 2009.

Canoga Park Home Redfin Lisitng

Canoga Park Home Blockshopper Listing

Judith Barsi Home - Propertyshark

Van Nuys Blvd and Vanowen Street Circa 1950's in Van Nuys Postcard

Monday, July 22, 2013 / 5 Comments


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Van Nuys Missionary Church Sunday School Postcard

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Valley Market Town in Van Nuys Postcard

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Carnation Research Lab in Van Nuys Postcard

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BTTF# 18: The Jue Joe Ranch on Vanowen Street in Van Nuys Now Van Nuys Tennis Ranch

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Jue Joe Ranch sometime in the late 40's. Image courtesy Jue Joe Clan History Blog.
Welcome aboard the Delorean! 

Marty McFly here to take you on a journey to the Jue Joe Ranch in Van Nuys. The Delorean has the required plutonium plus some random garbage in the Mr. Fusion reactor ready for this trip. The time circuits are set to sometime in 1947 and the flux capacitor is......fluxxing. The engine is running (not stalled this time) so we need to hurry. Hang on, as the ride can be a little bumpy as we travel back in time to explore the Jue Joe Ranch House at 16600 Vanowen Blvd, 16608 Vanowen Blvd, or 16631 Archwood street. 

For those who have driven on Vanowen St passed Balboa Blvd and happened to notice on your right hand side, a somewhat deserted ranch house with red barn on a massive lot and if you were like me and wondered what the heck that was, well your questions will be answered now. 

Back in my younger rebellious days before blogging and barely appreciating SFV history, I would on occasion hang out at the apartments nearby here with my best friend and his girlfriend. I remember seeing this location and speculating that the property had to be one of the few remaining original ranch properties of the SFV. But my speculation ended there and I didnt pursue any further partially because this information wasnt as widely  available as it is today. 

Fast forward to 2013 and while reading a blogpost from fellow blogger, Andy Hurvitz, of Here in Van Nuys about homes near Vanowen, there was a reference to the Jue Joe Clan History blog which started in 2010 which is a treasure trove of information regarding this property, the family, and agriculture history. The amount of detail on this site is amazing so I recommend visiting that blog and hopefully I will be brief here. Here in Van Nuys also blogged about the Jue Joe Ranch back in May 2011.
Jue Joe. Image courtesy Jue Joe Clan Blog.
Lets start off by getting to know Jue Joe who arrives in San Francisco from China at the age of 18 working in various odd jobs. From 1890 to 1893, he is employed as a houseboy by the Otto Brant family and becomes friends with Otto who founded the Title Insurance and Trust Company in Los Angeles which becomes the largest title insurance company and becomes a major player in the growth of the SFV. Otto would become friends with what was known as the Big Five including General Harrison Gray Otis (owner of LA Times), General M.H. Sherman (Sherman Oaks was named after him), Harry Chandler (editor and publisher of the LA Times), and Frank Pfafinger (Treasurer of the LA Times). This friendship would help Jue Joe later on.
Jue Joe Ranch from around 1949. Image courtesy Jue Joe Clan Blog
From 1890 to 1896, Jue Joe is employed by the Johnson family in Chatsworth as a houseboy. From 1896 to 1902, Jue Joe farms potatoes in Chatsworth. 


Jue Joe Ranch from around 1949 with snow. Image courtesy Jue Joe Clan Blog
From 1902 to 1941, Jue Joe takes on a variety of jobs including going back to China and than back to Los Angeles. By 1934, Jue Joe is hailed as the "Asparagus King" by the LA Times. From 1938 to 1941, the asparagus farming operations fall on hard times due to the depression. In 1941, Jue Joe passes away. At that time there was the Alien Land Law which prevented aliens not eligible to become natuarlized citizens from owning land so Jue Joe places title of all properties onto his American born daughter's names. Also at that time, Chinese born persons are not allowed to become naturalized citizens. 

In 1947, the Jue Joe Van Nuys Ranch house is built by Jue Joe's son, San Tong Jue, and named in honor of his father. In 1955, a lawsuit is filed against San Tong Jue by his sisters, Corrine Jue, Dorothy Jue, and Maxine Jue claiming that San Tong Jue operated the family business on his own without accounting others and claimed he was the sole owner without recognizing others. This trial would continue from 1956 to 1958 including an appeal. The end result was that San Tong Jue was evicted from the property including the farming business since the properties were originally in the daughter's names. Jue Joe had originally set aside land for his daughters but could never set aside land for his son due to the Alien Land Law and Jue Joe never left a will or testament that would explain his wishes for how his estate should be divided partially because Jue Joe didnt think it was necessary that the family would continue in the Chinese tradition. 

After the lawsuit, the family becomes divided and goes there separate ways but towards the end of each family member's lives, they would reconcile and blame the Alien Land Law. In 1987, San Tong Jue passes away. A complete timeline of the family history with associated links can be found here

Now that I got the family history out of the way, lets go back to the ranch house. From Auntie Soo-Jan in the comments: 
I recall moving from the old farm house that had asparagus pushing up through the floors and termite invasions every spring over to the big house when I was about 9 years old, which would be 1947 or so. The house was built soon after World War Two was over. There were 3 bedrooms downstairs and 4 bedrooms upstairs.
Also from Auntie Soo-Jan regarding the connection to SFV native rock star, Richie Valens: 
Ramon Navarro was a favored family member, too. He was also Ritchie Valen's stepfather by common law. Ramon was a very good worker, loyal, and a very gentle man. Whenever Immigration Marshals came after him on the ranch my father would hide him in a bathroom adjacent to our family room. Shades pulled down, we were ordered not to say a word, and, "For heaven's sake," said my father, "muzzle our mutt Bingo so he won't give Ramon away!" After Ritchie Valen's biological father who was a musician died, Ritchie came to live for awhile with Ramon and Connie (Ritchie's mother)and his half siblings on our ranch. He was always drumming on field boxes and singing. When he was twelve years old he threw a rock at a beehive. The bees went mad. The Mexican workers ran for cover in all directions. And San Tong had to shut down the farm for three days. When the coast was clear I went outside to look at the splayed hive. I remember seeing pieces of beeswax scattered about on the ground, and I picked up one piece to play with.
Below is a video from the Jue family at the Ranch from the 1930's to 1950s. 


Now its time to jump back into the Delorean and travel to the future. 

The ranch in 1952 with a housing tract already built south of the ranch. 
The ranch in 1972 with not too many changes. 
The ranch in 1980 with the tennis courts added suggesting that the ranch changed hands sometime in the 70's. 
I am not sure what happened to the ranch and when it was sold. Sometime in the 70's, 8 tennis courts were added and turned the ranch into a clubhouse with the main house, pool, and barn still present after all these years. The ranch is now called the Van Nuys Tennis Ranch (818-782-1661) which is owned by U1 Enterprises LLC with an address of PO Box 5233 Sherman Oaks CA 91413. I am not sure if this is the original owner that first installed the tennis courts or has changed hands sometime int the past. 

According to the property records for 16631 Archwood Street, the home measures 7 Beds/3 Baths on 3,819 sqft built in 1946 which makes up the main house, pool, and driveway. The property records for 16600 Vanowen Street shows a total land square footage of 76,000 which is the tennis courts portion. There is no property record for the barn portion which I believe used to be at 16608 Vanowen St. 

I hope this property can be preserved in some way as it represents the last of the SFV farming culture. I dont believe there are any properties in the SFV with so much original structures dating back to the 40's on one contiguous lot. 

Time to get in the Delorean and head back to the future in its present setting. Here is how the ranch looks today. I was not able to enter the property which appears to be deserted and unused so this pictures are only so good as they are from the street level. I really wish I could enter the property to see how much original features remain and the condition. Like everything else here that it is old, this site is probably bound for demolish to make way for a new housing development unless this sit is given HCM status. 





















From the right side to the left of this image is the former Jue Joe Ranch. 
Empty land behind the apartment which may or may not be owned by the Jue Joe family. 
There is also empty land at the bottom right of this image which is barely shown that may still be owned by the Jue Joe family. Image courtesy Google Maps. 
Image courtesy Bing Maps. 
Image courtesy Bing Maps. 
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