E. Manchester Boddy, owner and publisher of the Los Angeles Daily News, was a legend not only for his sharp editorials and shrewd business skills, but for the fantastic parties he threw in his backyard.
Of course, it wasn’t just any backyard. In 1937, Boddy purchased 125 acres of land in La Cañada and commissioned famed “architect to the stars” James Dolena to build a home for his family, which included his wife Berenice and the couple’s two sons, Bob and Calvin. Dolena constructed a 12,000-square-foot, 22-room home on hillside with sweeping views of the valley. Completed in 1938, the house incorporated some of the most advanced architectural technology of the era, including steel framing, a built-in music system and a sophisticated heating and cooling system. The family named their dwelling Rancho del Descanso, or “restful place.”
A restful place is exactly what Rancho del Descanso proved to be for the guests who came to the property for the summer gatherings that Boddy (pronounced “Boady”) hosted. Guests often included Hollywood stars, political dignitaries and neighborhood friends.
