American Architect. Finkelhor, who was primarily known for designing large residences and celebrity estates, studied architecture at the Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh and was a member of the Architects Institute of America from 1920 to 1923. He spent the early portion of his career in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. and Washington, D.C. and designed Air Force offices in the Pentagon. He later moved to Los Angeles and began working as head of the architectural department for builder Paul C. Shitice in 1924. Finkelhor designed homes in a variety of period revival styles, commonly incorporating stone veneer walls, false half timbering, multiple gabled rooflines and wood shake roofs in his designs. Among his works include a Spanish Revival mansion in the Hollywood Hills that would later become the longtime home of Liberace (1926), a multi-leveled hillside home for actor Johnny Hines in Los Feliz (1927), an estate for MGM executive Hunt Stromberg in Holmby Hills (1932), a home for George Jessel and Norma Talmadge in Benedict Canyon (1937), a ranch-style home for Barbara Stanwyck in the San Fernando Valley (1937), homes for Harpo and Zeppo Marx in Beverly Hills (1936 and 1938), the estate of Bob Hope in Toluca Lake (1939) and a Cape Cod style residence in Bel-Air for MGM writer Irving Brecher (1941). Finkelhor, who served in both World Wars, had a scholarship established in his memory at the USC School of Architecture.
American Architect. Finkelhor, who was primarily known for designing large residences and celebrity estates, studied architecture at the Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh and was a member of the Architects Institute of America from 1920 to 1923. He spent the early portion of his career in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. and Washington, D.C. and designed Air Force offices in the Pentagon. He later moved to Los Angeles and began working as head of the architectural department for builder Paul C. Shitice in 1924. Finkelhor designed homes in a variety of period revival styles, commonly incorporating stone veneer walls, false half timbering, multiple gabled rooflines and wood shake roofs in his designs. Among his works include a Spanish Revival mansion in the Hollywood Hills that would later become the longtime home of Liberace (1926), a multi-leveled hillside home for actor Johnny Hines in Los Feliz (1927), an estate for MGM executive Hunt Stromberg in Holmby Hills (1932), a home for George Jessel and Norma Talmadge in Benedict Canyon (1937), a ranch-style home for Barbara Stanwyck in the San Fernando Valley (1937), homes for Harpo and Zeppo Marx in Beverly Hills (1936 and 1938), the estate of Bob Hope in Toluca Lake (1939) and a Cape Cod style residence in Bel-Air for MGM writer Irving Brecher (1941). Finkelhor, who served in both World Wars, had a scholarship established in his memory at the USC School of Architecture.
Bio by: Louis du Mort
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