BIRD WONDERLAND, EXOTIC ANIMALS ALONG VENTURA BOULEVARD

Bird Wonderland existed at 15640 Ventura Boulevard in present day Encino from 1928 until at least 1958. With its close proximity to the Warner Brothers’ Encino ranch, just West of Balboa and North of Burbank, it is no wonder these grounds for exotic birds, lions, tigers, monkeys, and elephants supplied the movie industry’s needs. Multiple sources claim proprietor Coulson Bartlett Glick brought large shipments of exotic animals, from faraway lands, for the movie business. Whether this exotic animal farm started as a roadside attraction along a desolate stretch of the 101, on cheap land, at a time in which the area was confused by the more established Van Nuys, or Glick sought a place to train exotic animals is presently unknown.

Glick’s family claims exotic animals, and particularly birds, was but a hobby for Coulson before he turned it into a profitable enterprise. Clearly by 1936-1937, when the below picture was taken, Coulson was comfortable enough in the company of Satan the movie tiger who appeared in Bengal Tiger and Jan of the Jungle.

Coulson Glick with Satan the Tiger

Bengal Tiger was a 1936 summer release for Warner.

Records of a film called Jan of the Jungle, from the 1930s, cannot be located. Satan did, however, appear in Devil Tiger, a 1934 action thriller produced by Fox.

Apparently, Glick’s wife Lucile was also at ease in the company of lions, or at least lions who appreciated her violin playing.

Leo the Lion is the second Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) lion to appear at the beginning of a MGM picture. However, Leo is the first lion whose roar could be heard. In 1928, MGM recorded his roar which first appeared at the beginning of White Shadows in the South Seas. Glick’s family reports that a sound stage was built around his cage for the purpose of the sound recording which even Smithsonian featured in an article.

Leo the Lion resided at Bird Wonderland. Information on how the lions and tigers might have affected the birds on one acre property is not readily known.

The Museum of the San Fernando Valley also reports Richard Denning and Paramount starlet Helen Gilbert appeared in the Dorothy Lamour film, Malaya a 1942 release. Jackie the Lion (another famous lion) lived and was trained for the movies in Bird Wonderland. Denning, Gilbert, and Lamour appeared in a 1942 movie called Beyond the Blue Horizon. The movie involves the Malayan Jungle which is probably the reason for the confusion. Malaya is a 1949 Jimmy Stewart, Spencer Tracy movie that does not appear to feature a lion.

What a cute lion (and also couple) in this still from the Beyond the Blue Horizon

Did you know she did lion makeup too?

Talk about a well rounded actress!

Caution: Lion Hugging is Not for Everyone

"Cockie" the cockatoo appeared in Casablanca (1941), generally shot in the San Fernando Valley, Warner Ranch Encino, and disputedly at the Van Nuys Airport. All of the filming sites were convenient for Hal Wallis who resided at the present-day site of Louis Armstrong Middle School (formerly known as Millikan Junior High School) on Woodman and Magnolia in Sherman Oaks. Jean Putney (a relative of Coulson Glick) and the San Fernando Valley Museum report Cookie lived to 75 years of age. Cookie sure was a beauty! Maybe we should find out what he bogarted.

The original permits for Bird Wonderland, taken out in December of 1928, called for a 16-room birdhouse 9 feet wide and 200 feet long, and another birdhouse 6 by 36 feet. The original purpose of Bird Wonderland appears to have been just that, a bird wonderland. At the same time, a permit for a 29 by 36-foot store valued at $15,000 was taken out by Glick. At the time he lived at 11025 Hortense Street in North Hollywood (also referred to as Toluca Lake) which was either built in 1923, or before. In 1928, the cost of a new home in the area was less than $5,000. Glick’s investment of $15,000 merely for the store was a substantial. The land at Bird Wonderland was 101.3 by 435.6. Bird Wonderland most likely was the present width of 15630 Ventura Boulevard where Dunn Edwards is, formerly the site of Thrifty and Rite Aid, going all the way back to Dickens. It is believed that section of Dickens did not run at the time.

Early on in its existence, Bird Wonderland ran ads for exotic birds. A September 29, 1929 advertisement was placed in the Van Nuys News for a $6.95 German Roller Canary. In the late 1920s $6.95 was the equivalent of $133.00 today. These were not birds for children. A 1954 Bird Wonderland advertisement listed ST 4-3161 (784-3161) as their number when advertising gift parakeets. Other indicia of the importance of birds in Los Angeles County, during the vintage era of the late 1800s to the mid-1950s, include bird cages sold in the exclusive art deco location of Germain's Nursery in downtown Los Angeles. In the movie world, birds made frequent appearances in film noir. They were often gifted, or loved, by heroines. Both the bird and femme fatale, or one of them, faced a premature rooming house death, or the bird was freed. Bird cage elevators, and peacock patterns presented themselves in art nouveau and deco in the form of lamps, clothing, furniture, and more. Ostrich farms, ostrich clothing, purses, and all avian references were particular prevalence from 1928 through the mid-1950s which is not surprising given the aviation craze.

Museum of the San Fernando Valley also reports that Dinah Shore, while married to George Montgomery liked the birds of Bird Wonderland, and she lived nearby. George Montgomery built 5180 White Oak in 1942, and that is where they lived. Perhaps she road by Bird Wonderland on her way back from Hollywood, or following a trip over Sepulveda Boulevard, because 5180 White Oak is not exactly in the same neighborhood.

Dinah Shore had her first radio show in 1939. Beginning September 30, 1943, Shore Starred on The Bird’s Eye Open House on CBS broadcast on KNX 1070 Los Angeles. This was Shore's first half hour radio show. It is reputed to be the first radio show sponsored by a frozen food company. Aptly put, Birds Eye Foods was the sponsor.

Incidentally, sources claim Shore’s first song on the radio was no other than, “San Fernando Valley” said to have been thought up by its song writer while looking North from Ethel Avenue, towards the present-day site of Los Angeles Valley College, while sitting on one of the many poultry ranches on Ethel Avenue in then Van Nuys. The song did not get recorded until December 29, 1943 so it could not have been her first song on the The Bird’s Eye Open House, or her first radio appearance. This issue is still under research.

Shore had many radio shows. However, it is likely the below 1944 photos are from The Bird's Eye Open House, given its name.

Radio shows, especially exciting variety shows, were recorded before live audiences in the 1940s and Shore was a multifaceted performer.

Coulson Glick may have had other financial interests. January 12, 1936 the Van Nuys News reported he would be investing in an ice-skating facility at 14644 Ventura Boulevard. Although this was a real estate office from the mid-1940s through at least 1950, along with many other businesses including furniture, and then a new building in 1952, it was the Sherman Oaks school of ice skating in 1954 before returning to many retail uses.

Pictures from the Glick family archives indicate that as the Glicks grew older they continued to interact with exotic animals.

When in Encino, it is best to wear a three-piece suit that relatively matches elephant skin when in the company of an elephant

Coulson remained a bit of a showman. Note his spectator shoes while hugging the lion.

It's ok to take off one's jacket, and leave on their tie, when monkeying around

Haskell Avenue is a route into Royal Oaks, one of the three most exclusive estate areas of the San Fernando Valley. The development of Royal Oaks, as well as the area around Sherman Oaks Avenue (also a fancy subdivision that once had Sherman Oaks in letters on the hill), was well under way by the mid-1950s.

In 1955 the Glicks sold Bird Wonderland to a couple named Kennard. Coulson was supposed to stay on running the business for a period of time which he did until 1957, acting as an agent. The Kennards sued the Glicks for breach of fiduciary duty. The trial did not proceed against Lucille because the court threw the case out on a nonsuit. The case proceeded against Coulson. It was proven he deposited business checks into his own account, used a bank account at a Van Nuys Security Pacific branch instead of the one in Sherman Oaks for the business, maintained a PO box where money was received, and took $700 from customers that was supposed to go to the business. A judgment in the amount of $4,595.93, against Coulson was affirmed on appeal in Kennard v. Glick, 183 Cal.App.2d 246 (1960). One of the issues in the case was whether Coulson kept accurate records, and whether there were legal presumptions against him if he did not. This was a mere civil case. The Glicks were represented by a young James Satt who later became a Los Angeles Superior Court judge, and last resided in Encino when he was over 100 years old.

Advertisements for Bird Wonderland end in 1958. It is unlikely somebody other than Coulson could have run Bird Wonderland. Besides the lawsuit and sale, the 101 freeway was already planned to run past Sepulveda Boulevard and the 405 was on the books. While one family member reported walking Satan on a chain on Van Nuys Boulevard, one does wonder whether roaring lions and tremorous tigers may have upset the sensibilities of 1950s Encino and Sherman Oaks.

Presumably, by the late 1950s, this was no longer the usual way to travel Encino

In 1961 a permit was issued to raze a dwelling on the property.

April 4, 1962 Mrs. Coulson Glick was photographed in her role as a Sunday School teacher at North Hollywood Seventh-Day Adventist Church.

One naturally expects a serious, pious the wife of an exotic animal importer who hugs tigers, poses by elephants, houses the MGM lion, monkeys around with monkeys, and often dresses the part

Coulson was born before 1898, but is unknown when. It is also unknown when he died. He was a larger than life character during the roadside days of Encino. Accordingly, Bird Wonderland and showman Coulson Glick are hereby deemed worthy of induction into Valley Lore forever.

By 1965, fast talking, television adverter Ralph Williams was selling cars on the property which had decreased to only 270 feet deep. The lot was cleared in 1972. In 1977 the small Thrifty Drugs, that unfortunately went out of business by the teens, was built on the property.

Considerable information was furnished for this article by Glick family member, Sharon May and the Glick Tree of Family History. Although certain information from the family tree was deemed inaccurate while researching this article, the contributions were most helpful. Information from the Museum of the San Fernando Valley which features Joan Putney’s pictures was also at times inaccurate, but very helpful. The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio, and the Gerber Collection were referenced, Numerous public records, newspapers, an appellate decision, and legal subscriptions were referenced as well as internet articles that had to be fact checked. Significantly more than 20 hours has been spent researching this article by a doctorate level researcher. The corrections herein should be of interest to the Glick family and others. As is the case with other articles published by this author, the subject matter will continue to complete itself as comments come in and further references to the story appear. Karl Gerber is a Los Angeles historian whose particular focuses