Background
S. Charles Lee was born in Chicago on September 5, 1899; graduated, Technical College, Chicago, 1918; senior architect, South
Park Board, City of Chicago, 1918; U.S. Navy, 1918-20; graduated, Armour Institute of Technology, Art Institute of Chicago,
1921; moved to Los Angeles, 1921; opened architectural office, Los Angeles, 1922; designed and built Tower Theatre (1927),
Fox Wilshire Theatre and Los Angeles Theatre (1929), Max Factor buildings, Hollywood (1931-35), Fox Florence Theatre (1931),
Municipal Light, Water and Power Buildings, Los Angeles (1934-35), Bruin Theatre (1937), Tower Bowl, San Diego (1940), and
built several theaters in Mexico City (1942); honored by Royal Institute of British Architects at International Exhibit of
Contemporary Architects, London, 1934; began partnership with Sam Hayden, 1948; began development of Los Angeles International
Airport Industrial District, 1948; established S. Charles Lee Foundation, 1962; named Vice Consul to Beverly Hills! by President
of Panama, 1963; established S. Charles Lee Chair, UCLA Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Planning, 1986; died in
1990.Born Simeon Charles Levi in Chicago in 1899, Lee was the son of American-born parents of German-Jewish ancestry, Julius and
Hattie (Stiller) Levi. Lee (who later changed his name from Levi) grew up in the Chicago of Daniel Burnham, Louis Sullivan,
and Frank Lloyd Wright. Lee's own favorite building was Sullivan's Carson Pirie Scott Department Store. He also grew up with
the evolving motion picture; he went to vaudeville theatres, nickolodeons,and early movie houses. A tinkerer interested in
mechanical things, Lee built three motorcars as a teenager.
1899 |
Born Chicago, Illinois. |
1914 |
Built full-scale gas-powered automobile. |
1915 |
Licensed radio operator. |
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Graduated Technical College, Chicago, with honors. |
1918 |
Senior architect, South Park Board, City of Chicago. |
1918-20 |
Served United States Navy, Great Lakes Training Station. |
1921 |
Graduated Armour Institute of Technology, Art Institute, Chicago. |
[192_] |
Worked in office of Rapp and Rapp, Chicago. |
1921 |
Came to Los Angeles. |
|
Licensed by State of Illinois to practice architecture. |
1922 |
Opened architectural office in Los Angeles. |
1920s |
Designed and built houses, apartment buildings, hotels. |
1927 |
Married Miriam (Midge) Zelda Aisenstein, Los Angeles. |
|
Designed and built Tower Theatre, Los Angeles. |
1928 |
Daughter Constance born, Los Angeles. |
|
Designed and built Hollywood-Western Building for Motion Picture Producers Association, Hollywood. |
1929 |
Designed and built Fox Wilshire Theatre, Beverly Hills. |
|
Designed and built Los Angeles Theatre, Los Angeles. |
1931 |
Designed and built Fox Florence Theatre, Beverly Hills. |
1931-35 |
Designed and built Max Factor Buildings, Hollywood. |
1930s |
Designed dozens of commercial buildings and remodellings. |
1934 |
Honored by Royal Institute of British Architects at International Exhibit of Contemporary Architects, London. |
1934-35 |
Designed and built Municipal Light, Water and Power Buildings, Los Angeles. |
1935 |
Licensed airplane pilot. |
1935-50 |
Designed and built scores of small theatres throughout California and elsewhere in United States. |
1937 |
Designed and built Bruin Theatre, Los Angeles. |
1939 |
Designed and built Academy Theatre, Inglewood. |
1940 |
Designed and built Twoer Bowl, San Diego. |
1942 |
Built several theatres, Mexico City. |
1948 |
Began partnership with Sam Hayden. |
|
Began development of International Airport Industrial District. |
1948-50s |
Built dozens of small factories throughout Los Angeles. |
1959 |
Began serving on Board of Directors, Braille Institute (treasurer). |
1960 |
Wife died, Los Angeles. |
1962 |
Established S. Charles Lee Foundation. |
1963 |
Named Vice Consul to Beverly Hills by President of Panama. |
1966 |
Married Hylda Moss, Buenos Aires. |
1968 |
Received Presidential Medal, Order of Vasco Nuñez Balboa, Panama's highest order of merit. |
1974 |
Named Consul to Beverly Hills from Panama. |
1986 |
Established S. Charles Lee Chair, UCLA Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Los Angeles. |