The Wiltern
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The Wiltern! What joy filled my father’s heart in being the general contractor for the imposing addition to the glamour of Los Angeles.
Our family attended the opening night--Dad with his handsome face aglow with pride, my lovely mother holding her fox scarfs, we children polished to shining. The first steps on the thickly piled carpet, the first sight of the tall ornate vases, sparkling lights and buoyant murmurs of pleasurable surprise throughout the vast beautifully dressed crowd.
Among all the buildings erected by John Hayes Jr., the Wiltern was his beloved favorite.
My father’s shoulders would square with pleasure knowing “his” building is still held in high esteem and being used well by his Los Angeles. His response would have been an enormous smile and a jaunty tilt of his hat.
Thank you, Los Angeles!
KATHRYN HAYES JILLSON
San Gabriel
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