Magnificent Monday: Paul Revere Williams is a legendary architect whose undeniable talent, commitment to craft and drive for excellence made him one of the best architects of Hollywood’s Golden Age.
Williams also served as a champion and voice for minorities during an era when racial discrimination was still rampant in America. He overcame racist barriers by using his charm, hard work and determination. Williams had an amazing ability to draw upside down — a skill he taught himself for the benefit of white clients who might have felt uncomfortable sitting next to the black architect. For the same reason, he made a habit of keeping his hands clasped behind his back, so that no client would ever feel obligated to shake his. Often these designs for influential business people and Hollywood elite were located in the neighborhoods that he could not buy himself due to restrictive covenants which no longer exist.
Born in 1894, the LA native designed many of city’s most iconic buildings, including the Beverly Hills Hotel and Saks Fifth Avenue’s Beverly Hills store, not to mention the homes of many Hollywood celebrities including Frank Sinatra, Carey Grant and Lucille Ball. By the end of his 5-decade career this USC trained architect designed more than 3,000 buildings, including 25 luxury homes in Hancock Park and Windsor Square.
The black community has named him one of the most influential Americans of the 20th Century.
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