Résumé

Principal, William Allen, Architectural Designer, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1924. in 1925, Allen had an office at 649 South Olive Street, Room #1018.

Partner, Ruoff and Allen, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1928-1929.

Partner, Allen and Lutzi, Architects, Los Angeles, 1939-1953.

Principal, William Allen, AIA, Architect, 1953- .

Professional Activities

In 1955, Allen was a Registered Architect in the State of California; Member, American Institute of Architects (AIA), Southern California Chapter.

College

Coursework, Cook Engineering School, Chicago, IL, 1921-1924.

Relocation

In 1925, WIlliam Allen worked as an architectural designer and had an office at 649 South Olive Street in Downtown Los Angeles, CA. He resided, according to the Los Angeles City Directory of 1925 (p. 393), at 276 South Rampart Boulevard.

Parents

His father was Abraham Allen (born c. 1874 in Russia), a cattle dealer in 1920, who had emigrated from Russia in the 1880s; he and his wife Bessie (born c. 1878 in Russia) were Jewish immigrants. Abraham and Bessie had four children and a boarder living with them in rented quarters at 1643 Winona Boulevard in Los Angeles, CA; the children were: Isidore (born c. 1896), William, Fannie (born c. 1915) and Leo (or Lev) A. (born c. 1910). At this time, the Allen Family lived next door to another Russian Jewish family, that of Harry and Jeanette Lustig, whose only son, Alvin, then 4 1/2, would go on to become one of the most influential graphic designers of the mid-century. According to the sometimes unreliable U.S. Census data, Abraham Allen came to the U.S. in 1888, and was naturalized in 1896. The 1920 U.S. Census noted that all of the Allen children had been born in IL; other sources stated that William Allen had been born in Russia, like his parents.

Spouse

William Allen married Suzanne Allen in 1950, perhaps in France. (Allen made a trip there in 1950, and Suzanne was French.)

Biographical Notes

When surveyed in 1955, Allen reported having had traveled in Mexico, France, Italy Germany, Belgium, Holland and Norway, and throughout North America, South America and Africa. Wililam Allen traveled from Cherbourg, France to New York, NY, via first class passage on the Queen Mary between, 01/20/1950-01/26/1950; his home address at this time was 7259 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA. Between 10/02/1952-10/08/1952, William Allen and Suzanne Allen traveled on the Ile de France from Le Havre, France, to New York. In NY, Allen stayed at the Hotel Warwick while Suzanne's destination was presumably home to 1259 [sic] Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA. Both travel documents noted that William had been born in Russia, while Suzanne (20 years younger) had come from France. Another source, The American Architect's Directory 1956, (New York, NY: R.R. Bowker, 1955, p. 8, reported William Allen's address in 1955 was 7259 Hollywood Boulevard. William and Suzanne also made another trip to France returning to New York on 11/07/1955.

SSN: 572-46-5462.