The Los Feliz
Murder Mansion

Episode 4: History Repeats Itself

Can A House Really Be Cursed?

The Perelson Family Wasn't The First To Experience Tragedy In That Home

A husband and wife, dying under the same roof, the house abandoned, and a promising young man gone too soon – decades before the Perelsons ever moved in.

Something about this house, just investigating what happened in 1959 and after was simply not enough for me. The behemoth Spanish revival structure with the creepy yellow window that shows off the staircase to the third story ballroom was built in 1925, and those decades before the Perelson murder-suicide had to have their own secrets, right?

Had other people died on this property? Had anything nefarious happened here prior? Is this house really “cursed” like people have said online? Certainly in a neighborhood like this, where the residents are Hollywood celebrities and moguls, this house couldn’t have a boring history, right?

The mysterious, bizarre situation regarding past residents, as well as what happened to their home over the years, is something that completely blew my mind when I uncovered it.

Uncovering A
Troubled Past

An online search of building permits shows that Harry Schumacher was the owner when the home was built, and that was in 1925.

Cross-referring this information really helped me narrow down a few things. Then of course I had to start researching that name. Who exactly was Harry Schumacher? I was able to find out that he also had a wife, Florence, and they had died in the city of Los Angeles. And their death certificates told me they both died in 1928, so only 3 years after having built their house. Oh and also, if you caught that, I did just say that both Harry and Florence died the same year, 1928, and yes that’s correct, you guessed that they died inside their home at 2475 Glendower Place.

Los Feliz Heights: The Early Years

These homes built in the 1920’s in Los Feliz were not your ordinary structures, they were large, handcrafted, high dollar properties, built by affluent emigrants from the east and midwest, and these people hired the best of the best to build their homes.

Harry Werner designed beautiful Spanish revival mansions (primarily in the Beverly Hills area) for the rich and famous all throughout the 20’s and 30’s, and he also designed the very first Carl’s Jr. restaurant for fast food entrepreneur Carl Karcher back in 1945.

But who had originally hired Werner for the build on Glendower Place? It was Washington state transplants, Harry and Florence Schumacher.

June 23, 1920

The Schumachers Commission Harry Werner to Design Their Los Feliz Heights Mansion

Sometime In 1921

The Schumachers Move Into Their New Los Feliz Heights Mansion

July 1, 1928

Florence Schumacher Dies
of Heart Disease

Place of Death: 2475 Glendower Place

July 28, 1928

Harold Schumacher Dies
of Pneumonia

Place of Death: 2475 Glendower Place

July 1, 1928 to August 20, 1928

2475 Glendower Place Remains Vacant

Orlando Schumacher, manager of the Schumacher estate, lists the Los Feliz Murder Mansion with 15 different real estate firms, all with no success. As a result, several new tenants rent the house.

1929-1930

Fred Zelnick, Sound Film Pioneer, Moves In Briefly

One of the most important producers-directors of the German silent cinema, shortly after renting the house on Glendower he would return to Europe to produce his first audio film.

1930

Film Critic and Hollywood Spectator Editor, Welford Beaton Moves In

Welford Beaton, along with his wife, Sarah Louise, and son, Donald Beaton, begin renting and move into 2475 Glendower Place.

May 3, 1931

Donald Beaton dies at 2475 Glendower Place

The third death to occur at 2475 Glendower Place in less than 4 years.

July of 1931

The Beatons Move Out

Within the year, Welford Beaton would file for bankruptcy.

December 1, 1931

Academy Award Winning British Actor,
George Arliss Moves In

Known locally for walking his 6 miles commute from 2475 Glendower Place to the Warner Bros Burbank Studios every day.

May 31, 1932

The Arliss Family Moves Out

George Arliss and his wife, Florence, were the last renters in the home before it was purchased by new owners.

June 1, 1932

2475 Glendower Place is Purchased by John Stauffer Jr

John Stauffer Jr, Director Emeritus of Stauffer Chemicals purchased the house in 1931. His wife Beverley, and their son Jack would go on to happily occupy the house at 2475 Glendower Place for more than three decades.

1954-1956

The Stauffer Family Donates
2475 Glendower Place to Whittier College

Based on assessor property records, the house was likely donated by the Stauffer family to Whittier College and left vacant.

1956

The Perelson's Purchase the House and Move In

Harold, Lilian, Judy, Joel, and Debbie Perelson purchase the Glendower House from Whittier College for $30,000 ($285,000, adjusted for 2021 dollars)

December 6, 1959

Harold Perelson Attacks his Family

Harold Perelson murders his wife Lilian and attacks his eldest daughter, Judy, before committing suicide.

1960-2015

The Los Feliz Murder Mansion is Purchased by the Enriquez Family

The Enriquez Family purchases the property at 2475 Glendower Place with all of the Perelson's belongings included, and leave it seemingly untouched for almost 60 years.

Finding The Stauffers

Nothing morbid, nothing mysterious, just a regular family living in their home for 32 years, until the owners got older and retired to a smaller residence. We’re talking about John Stauffer Jr., his wife Beverly, and their son, Jack.

On December 16, 1935 the LA Times reported that the Stauffers were throwing a Christmas gathering at their Glendower home. Now imagine that creepy old Christmas tree in the front living room, but picture it surrounded by joy and liveliness.

This house, though now it has been standing for almost a full 100 years, has hardly seen any children joyfully running through its halls. Jack Stauffer, the son of John and Beverly, would be the only one. As their only child, Jack would be the only kid to spend his full childhood (from age 5 on up to age 18) growing up in this house.

The Los FelizMurder Mansion