Midland Michigan Midcentury Modern Jackson Hallett

peterm · Post by **peterm** » Sun Apr 02, 2017 9:01 am

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1907 ... 7470_zpid/

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Sun Apr 02, 2017 9:46 am

Jackson Hallett was with Alden Dow from '51 to '58.

https://midcenturymidland.org/jackson-b-hallett/

SDR

peterm · Post by **peterm** » Sun Apr 02, 2017 6:50 pm

Another example of his work:

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhom ... 95#photo28

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Sun Apr 02, 2017 7:25 pm

Mmm. Stone floors and mahogany millwork -- we're getting serious here. That's a wondrously exploded entry area. The theme of doubled posts with slit windows becomes a hilarity, with all those skinny blinds. And there's a neat bit of instant compression-and-release, as one moves up from the stone floor to the carpeted living area.

But where has this fellow been, all this time ! It is the work of those whom Wright inspired that can show us what Wright did, and didn't do, whether the work is worthy or not. In other words, our understanding of "organic" (for serious want of a better term) can be both deepened and broadened, by looking at the work of these "others."

Or that's what I see, anyway . . .

SDR

SREcklund · Post by **SREcklund** » Mon Apr 03, 2017 10:19 am

Wonderful! Drop it anywhere in Southern California and it'd top $3M ... :-/

Roderick Grant · Post by **Roderick Grant** » Mon Apr 03, 2017 10:50 am

Resurrection of the 50s. One can almost hear:

"I married Joan. What a girl, what a whirl, what a life.
Oh, I married Joan. Love is blind, what a mind, what a wife.
Giddy and gay, oh may she keep my lovin'
Never know where her greatest goal.
Oh, to each his own. I'm in love, that's why I married Joan!
I married Joan!"

peterm · Post by **peterm** » Mon Apr 03, 2017 10:56 am

"I Married Joan" tv pilot- 1952:

https://youtu.be/m85OvOn-n2w

Roderick Grant · Post by **Roderick Grant** » Mon Apr 03, 2017 11:14 am

Legend has it that Lucille Ball considered Joan Davis her only significant rival, so she bought all the episodes of "I Married Joan" and put them in a safe, refusing to release them for reruns. It's probably not true.

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Mon Apr 03, 2017 11:55 am

Thank you Roderick; I never could catch all the lyrics to the "I Married Joan" theme . . .

What did Joan Davis ever do that would put her in the running with Lucille Ball ?? I never saw her in a movie, nor in any other TV show. Eve Arden might be more her lost twin, but even Arden (was that her given name ?) had far more exposure -- it seemed to me.

SDR

Roderick Grant · Post by **Roderick Grant** » Mon Apr 03, 2017 12:50 pm

SDR, it was just "I Love Lucy" vs. "I Married Joan." Joan Davis didn't have much of a movie career; neither did Lucille Ball. Joan was usually cast as the lead actress's buddy. She was not a stunner; her face was not her fortune, but she was a skillful comedienne, and her TV show was a major competitor to Lucy's.

Eve Arden (born Eunice Quedens) was a major radio star of "Our Miss Brooks" from '48 until it transitioned to TV in '52-'56, followed by a feature version. She also received an Academy Award nomination for her supporting role in "Mildred Pierce." In the hierarchy of show biz, Eve was a step or two above Lucy ... until Ms Ball's career took off like a rocket.

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Mon Apr 03, 2017 3:09 pm

Thank you.

The plan of the subject house is a delight: The kitchen overlooks the entry drive and opens to the bedroom balcony (though not to the adjacent dining porch); behind the living room is an office; and lower-level bedrooms and generous family room are excavated into the rise in the lot. Full-height glass abounds on the upper level, though the living room has a cozy degree of enclosure as well. And the original kitchen and baths are wonderful -- they could have been designed this year. The house appears to have been immaculately maintained. Too bad we don't see the stair . . .

SDR

peterm · Post by **peterm** » Mon Apr 03, 2017 4:48 pm

This is one where it's important to try and look beyond the decor and paint colors. Sometimes I'll take a photo from a screenshot, and convert it to black and white in order to see the spaces Without the distraction and chaos of objects and colors.. This house might be a candidate for that...

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Mon Apr 03, 2017 5:49 pm

I was speaking of the first Hallett house -- but color is important there: I expect that the paint is new or recent, and the strips of bright color beneath the ceiling are (to me) an unfortunate and perhaps unanticipated side effect.

S

peterm · Post by **peterm** » Mon Apr 03, 2017 7:00 pm

I was speaking of the first house, also.

SDR · Post by **SDR** » Mon Apr 03, 2017 8:43 pm

Yes -- I've spent many happy hours drinking-in buildings in black and white. I suspect that some of us of a certain age learned about our favorite architects entirely via monochromatic images.

If choice of form in architecture can be subjective, not to say arbitrary, surely color is very much more so ?

SDR