Max Maltzman

^[1]Max Maltzman was a noted architect during the Art Deco era^[2] and one of the first Jewish architects to break into the mainstream.^[3] The design and looks of his buildings were widely emulated by his peers and successors in Los Angeles.^[4]

Early life

Max Maltzman was born in Nickolayev, Russia on May 12, 1899. He was one of six children of Esther Maltzman and Abraham Maltzman, a carpenter. The family immigrated to Montreal, Canada in 1909, but Maltzman settled in Chelsea, Massachusetts in 1910.

After military service in World War I, Max returned to Boston where, by 1921, he was an architecture student. He married Sadye Seltzer (1906-1966) later that year. Sadye was only fifteen years old at the time and was a native of Russia. They had three children: Elliott (born 1923), Muriel (born 1924) and Donald (born 1938). Mr. Maltzman became an American citizen in 1923.

Max and Sadye moved to Los Angeles in the 1920s. They lived for many years on Buckingham Road. Maltzman established an office at 169 North La Brea. He later worked at 704 South Spring Street, Room 605. He demonstrated masterful versatility in the types of buildings he designed, and he was well-versed in a number of styles.^[1]

Max Maltzman (undated)

Historic buildings and monuments

Several of Maltzman's buildings have become significant monuments, for example, The Ravenswood in Hollywood, which the City of Los Angeles declared in 2003 to be a Historic Cultural Monument, and the Charmont Apartments, which the federal government has placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Maltzman operated during the era of Old Hollywood glamor, and several stars from that era, including Mae West, Clark Gable^[5] and Ava Gardner^[6] sought to live in his buildings.

In 1952, Maltzman was hired by Chicago organized crime figures to be the supervising architect for the Sahara Casino in Las Vegas.^{[7][8][9][10]} He also designed The Northmere in Los Feliz, which has appeared in numerous films and television shows.^[11]

References