Boca Raton,
or
A Small Excursion into the History of a Small Town.
This is the fourth story I’m writing, and yet I haven’t told you anything about the city where the friend we are visiting lives.
Anechka—Lena’s daughter, as you remember, and my daughter's friend—asked: "Auntie Ira, how many stories are you going to write?"
I now imagine Boca Raton through a beautiful, enormous square marked on the map as Mizner Park. Look at the photos while I tell you a little bit about it.
The name itself, which sounds exotic to both Russian and English speakers, turned out to be a translation from Spanish: Boca means "mouth," and Ratones literally means "mice" or "rats."
Now, let’s focus on the last turbulent century. (And I’ve run out of photos of Mizner Park! Remember, we weren’t walking through the whole city, but in Mizner Park. This is a ti-i-iny part of Boca Raton.)
The twenties and thirties of the last century!
This was the era of "Great Combinators" (grand schemers)! You know the most famous one... Famous for us Russian speakers and, I must sadly say, those of us belonging to the vanishing generation. That’s me, by the way. In the "vanishing generation" sense. And the schemer is Ostap Bender. I'm telling you this just in case you don't know him—so you can feel how young you are! So, before I start the story little information.
"The Twelve Chairs," written by the satirical duo Ilf and Petrov, is a cornerstone of Russian culture—a comedic odyssey about a 'Great Schemer' named Ostap Bender who hunts for a hidden family fortune stashed inside one of twelve identical dining chairs. For you, my American readers, to understand this classic character, think of him as a mix between Frank Abagnale Jr. and Danny Ocean. Like Abagnale in Catch Me If You Can, Bender is a brilliant young con artist who can effortlessly pose as anyone—from a grandmaster chess player to a high-ranking official—using nothing but supreme confidence, a silver tongue, and a mastery of human psychology. He isn’t malicious; he is an 'artist of the steal.' Yet, like Danny Ocean from Ocean’s Eleven, Bender is a 'Great Schemer' at the highest level—suave, always three steps ahead, and motivated more by the intellectual thrill of the 'combination' than by simple greed. He is the ultimate lovable rogue, wandering through a ridiculous world with 400 'relatively legal' ways to make a fortune.
But I will take the liberty of including another man among these "great combinators." Two, actually, as it turned out while reading various stories. I want to start with some aphorisms. They belong to a Mizner, but not Addison Mizner—after whom the park we are walking in is named—but his younger brother, Wilson Mizner, whom one internet article defines as a "businessman, storyteller, con man, professional gambler, and playwright." Talk about an American version of Ostap Bender!
I submit his sayings for your judgment:
When you borrow material from one author, it’s plagiarism. But when you borrow from many, it’s research.
A man who keeps insisting he is not a fool usually has some doubts on the subject.
Be nice to people on your way up because you'll meet them again on your way down.
A drama critic is a person who surprises the playwright by informing him what he meant.
I have known many people who possessed great knowledge but didn't have a single thought of their own.
The only thing you can say for sure about luck is that it will change.
It is quite unnecessary to start a conversation about yourself; it will start after you leave.
Life is a tough ordeal, and the first hundred years are the hardest.
Hollywood is a trip through a sewer in a glass-bottomed boat.
Any of these could be put into the mouth of Ostap. And read about the brothers' turbulent lives—you won't regret it; an adventure novel could be written! (Actually, much has already been written, but more on that at the end).
So, the Mizner family had eight children: seven boys and a girl. We’ll leave all the offspring alone in our story except for two brothers: Addison and Wilson. They were not "sons of a Turkish citizen and, consequently, descendants of Janissaries." Their father was a diplomat.
Write your own biographies, gentlemen, definitely write them! First, you’ll immediately have the chance to tell the world your version of the story; otherwise, ill-wishers might pour a spoonful of tar into your past that you won't be able to wash off. And you can write such things! Who’s going to check? Have I convinced you?
I say this because a year before his death, Addison Mizner released the first book of his biography, The Many Mizners, from which literary critics, historians, screenwriters, and biographers draw information about him and his time (unfortunately, he didn't have time to write the second). The facts I am citing about the lives of the Mizner brothers are taken from several sources and checked at least twice, but I cannot guarantee their truthfulness—you’ll understand why once you read on.
Let's focus on Addison Mizner, because Boca Raton is largely his brainchild and the park is named after him, but it is impossible to tell Addison's life story without mentioning his brother Wilson.
Addison was born into the wealthy family of a lawyer in California. (No, I didn’t misspeak: his father was a lawyer, a senator, and then the ambassador to Guatemala—though only for a year; I’ll detail the international scandal in Guatemala that changed the family's fate in the appendix.)
Guys! (Oh, I should have exclaimed, "Gentlemen!") He practically never studied anywhere! He attended St. Augustine’s College in Benicia, California. Despite the name "college," it was more of a private military Episcopal boarding school for boys. Then there was the Bates School in San Rafael, California—an institution that specialized in preparing young men for Ivy League universities or Berkeley. Then came Guatemala, where his father was the ambassador and where the son arrived at age sixteen. Addison studied at the Instituto Nacional in Guatemala. It sounds impressive! But he skipped classes, according to his own words. Biographers importantly write, covering up his truancy, that this period of the future architect's life "was important not so much for the lessons but for the study of Spanish colonial architecture 'in the field'": he traveled around the area with his aristocratic mother, familiarizing himself with architectural monuments and beginning to sketch the ruins of the Antigua monasteries. He was an ordinary schoolboy from a good family who struggled with the standard curriculum, was not a diligent student, failed exams (or didn't show up at all), and drew sketches during class...
(My dear colleagues, teachers! Take a closer look at the slackers—excuse the term—in your classes! Maybe it's a future Addison or, what would bring you even more fame, a future Edison? And you will go down in history with them...)
Now imagine the life of an ambassador’s son in Guatemala! A prestigious institute you can attend at your discretion, a huge ambassadorial residence, servants, social standing (the son of the US ambassador to Guatemala is always the son of the US ambassador to Guatemala!), trips to ruins with his mother, sketching—his favorite thing... All of this ended in a moment: the family was forced to return to the States. They returned to San Francisco, where the young Addison tried to continue his studies but quickly realized the academic environment wasn't for him.
Instead, he became an apprentice to Willis Polk, one of the city's most influential architects. Mizner worked there for about three years, going from draftsman to partner. This was his ONLY architectural education; this is where he got the practical foundation that replaced a university degree for him. But the firm went bankrupt...
And then—the "Gold Rush"! And he’s in San Francisco! Alaska is, so to speak, within arm's reach! So Addison and his brother Wilson spent six months sailing, riding, and walking in search of "happiness"—big money...
Now, I’ll tell some tall tales. The Mizners' main biographer, Alva Johnston (1888–1950), wrote his most famous book about the family, The Legendary Mizners. He worked for The New York Times and The New Yorker, was a 1923 Pulitzer Prize winner... am I impressing you yet? Well, Alva Johnston wrote in his book that these stories, told by Addison, actually happened. Now, it's up to you whether to believe them or not.
Tall Tale Number One (available on the internet in several versions, I’m adding mine): "The Beans." According to The Many Mizners, when Addison and Wilson first arrived in the Klondike, they faced a problem: the food supplies they brought with them had gotten wet and were starting to spoil. (It should be noted that by the laws of the time, every prospector was required to have a year's supply of food with them—about 1 ton in weight). A huge bag of beans was covered in thick green mold. In conditions of scarcity, throwing away food was madness, but eating it was impossible. Addison was the brain of the operation: he hired a Chinese cook named Li and gave him clear instructions, showing a talent as an "architect of taste." The beans were washed for a long time in the ice-cold water of the Yukon to scrub off the main layer of mold, then boiled for an equally long time in a cauldron with the addition of huge amounts of mustard, molasses, overcooked bacon, and—most importantly—brown sugar. The beans took on a specific "dark, rich look" and a sharp taste that masked the flavor of the mold.
And here is a piece from another story—surely an absolute fiction: "In the end, Addison opened a small 'shop' and sold these beans as a delicacy prepared according to a special recipe." People stood in line, and Mizner earned his first serious money while other gold seekers were gnawing on leather straps.
Selling food during a total famine?! (There were four brothers there, by the way.) Making serious money on one bag?!
Addison later told the story of the beans to many of his guests and wealthy clients. An adventurer from Alaska managed to win the trust of the world's richest; it was this "Alaska seasoning" and the ability to tell tall tales (including the bean story) that became his entry ticket into high society. But I’m getting ahead of myself! We need to go back to Alaska.
Tall Tale Number Two. Let's call it "The Golden Shot" (in English: salting the mine—also very vivid! A classic of fraud!)
When it became clear that there was barely any real gold on their claim in the Dawson area, Wilson and Addison decided to apply a method called "seeding." They took an ordinary shotgun, replaced the shot in the shells with real gold dust and small nuggets (which Wilson had either won at cards or bought with his last money), and literally shot up their plot. The gold embedded itself in the soft clay and sand, looking like a natural vein. When potential buyers—newly arrived from San Francisco and still naive, of course—came to inspect the claim, the brothers put on a show: Addison, looking absent-minded, made sketches in a notebook, and his "scientist-architect" appearance inspired trust, while Wilson acted extremely reluctant to sell "such a vein," complaining about poor health and expressing a passionate desire to return to his mother in California as soon as possible. The buyers took soil samples, washed them, and—lo and behold!—found gold in every pan. The deal was done.
Was it a crime? In those days in the Yukon, it was considered an expected risk. If you didn't check the claim yourself thoroughly, that was your problem. However, justice there was also swift: for such tricks, you could be strung up on the nearest pine tree. The brothers made sure to leave the claim as quickly as possible after the sale.
Well, okay, you might say, at least they didn't lose their own money! Not exactly. As historian Donald Curl writes, the Mizners were "unlucky swindlers." All the money from such deals was immediately lost by Wilson at the casino or spent on wild parties.
Oh, I found another tall tale—though there's no confirmation of its authenticity, and honestly, I’m tired of looking, but it fits so beautifully into the rest of Addison's life.
Tall Tale Number Three, let's call it "The Tale of the Beautiful Facade and the Dream of a Wealthy Life." While others were dying of hunger and cold, Mizner quickly realized: digging the earth is hard, but selling dreams and comfort is profitable. In Dawson, there were many people who had suddenly struck it rich with gold but lived in wretched wooden shacks. They wanted "luxury," and Addison declared himself an "interior decorator." Having no proper paints, he mixed soot, berries, and rust to create an imitation of "expensive wallpaper" or "old wood" on the walls. It was there that he realized people were willing to pay huge sums for the ILLUSION of antiquity and style. And wealthy people are willing to pay big money. This would later enrich him and make him famous in Palm Beach.
While Addison was "decorating," his brother Wilson organized boxing matches in Dawson. They built a ring and sold tickets. Wilson was the referee, and Addison was the ticket taker and bouncer. Oh, I forgot to mention that Addison was 6'2" (188 cm) and weighed over 250 pounds (113-115 kg, to be exact, though I don't know at what age). The brothers earned more from the spectacles (according to sources I cannot verify now) than the average prospector washed in gold dust in a year. "Bread and circuses"—no one has repealed that rule yet. It was there, in Alaska, that the brothers realized that atmosphere sells for more than the actual product.
If you can convince a hungry gold seeker that rotten beans are an exquisite dish, it means that in the future, you can convince millionaires that a swamp in Florida is a new Venice! "All the world's a stage"—well, that’s Shakespeare’s world; in Mizner's case: the whole world is a movie set!
I'll give you a selection of "Addison used to say" (and I must say, he was a magnificent storyteller—charming, though unreliable, judge for yourselves).
Addison said:
That he, his father, other family members, and a small party of porters reached the ruins of Copan in Honduras, where no one knew the way, and it required a group of men with machetes to hack a path through the brush;
That he planned the city of Dawson Creek in British Columbia without using a tape measure;
That in 1892, Argelia Benton, the American wife of Guatemalan dictator José María Reina Barrios, invited him to build a new palace for her in Guatemala City;
That "at some point during this time" he entered the University of Salamanca in Spain;
That the Spanish King Alfonso XIII came to his hotel, insisted on meeting him, and gave him panels from the "personal chambers of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain from the 15th century in Salamanca";
That he had a "love affair with the president's daughter" (of Guatemala);
That he fought to a draw with the Australian boxing champion after twenty rounds ("he was slow, and I was fast"), and in the rematch, he knocked out and likely killed his opponent, after which he had to escape through the back door with his share of the winnings, head to the harbor, and board a ship just as the gangplank was being raised (Addison had a severe leg injury and couldn't possibly have boxed!!);
That his administrative buildings were modeled after the house of the Spanish artist El Greco in Toledo, Spain...
Should I continue? Or have you already caught on? The Wikipedia article contains a huge number of similar stories, each with even more explanations: why it couldn't have happened in that place, or why it couldn't have happened at that time, or why it couldn't have happened at all, or why it did happen but was actually the project of other architects...
How many people he gave lifelong jobs to: searching for what is true and what isn't, and writing commentaries! I’m in awe! On the other hand, aren't they tired of writing commentaries instead of just saying: "Ostap was off and running..."
(Oh, I’ve already written about two pages and still haven't even started on Boca Raton itself! I got carried away! I must try to be briefer.)
He traveled, buying and reselling antiques; then he moved to New York, where he didn't build a single house for the first five years. The commissions he received involved interior design (in two cases, yacht interiors) and garden design. He became friends with Paris Singer... (I am so ruthlessly butchering this colorful biography, but I can just feel how tired you are!)
And then at forty-six years old(!)...
believing himself to be terminally ill(!)...
he came to die(!)...
in Palm Beach, Florida, where he settled as a guest in Paris Singer's house.
This is where our story begins!
Congratulate me. Only now, after two days of work, reading an incredible number of stories on the internet, filling several pages (and rewriting several paragraphs), am I starting... the little history of the little town!
"Why did you torture us for so long?!"—that is your crying voice. I wanted to share: the stories are colorful, and without them, everything that follows would appear in a completely different light, the kind some already want to show...
No, he didn't die! This is exactly where his life as an architect began—the man who shaped the look of Palm Beach, the look of Florida, and, well, the life of the creator of that "small town" called Boca Raton began.
Paris Singer, one of the heirs to the Singer sewing empire and, by the way, a man (the name "Paris" is confusing in Russian translation, but he was definitely a man who once had an affair with Isadora Duncan! Imagine that! And she called him Lohengrin. What a gossip has suddenly woken up in me...) commissioned the construction of a huge hospital for veterans of World War I, but the war ended by the time it was completed, and the huge hospital was transformed into the exclusive private Everglades Club (1918–1919). It still stands today; just mentally note: an exclusive private club for social interaction. Its success launched Mizner's career.
And now, for Addison Mizner's career itself.
A small fact sheet: Mizner arrived in Palm Beach in 1918 and completed his first major project, the Everglades Club, in 1919. The most intense period of his work on residential projects in Palm Beach lasted roughly until 1924/1925.
According to historical data, Mizner designed about 38 houses in Palm Beach between 1919 and 1924. The total number of his works in Palm Beach (including villas, mansions, and public buildings like the shopping esplanade) is often estimated at about 67 structures.
To build so much in six or seven years?! A man without, shall we say, a consistent education?! (If not to say practically no education at all...) To actually form his own style and build buildings that still stand today?!
You have to have talent!
But besides talent, you also need the ability to sell that talent (and find who to sell it to), and you have to, as they say, "catch the wave." And he did. He built modern houses that had all the modern conveniences—and even more—but looked like old castles. And the "New Money" (which by our time has become "Old Money") in those years wanted exactly those conveniences and that respectability. He wasn't just selling houses; he was selling a dream! An illusion of paradise on earth, a paradise that can be bought with money. And he sold it to those who had that money.
And here is a list of the most famous "paradise" villas:
"El Mirasol" (The Sunflower, 1919). Built for Edward T. Stotesbury; it had a garage for 40 cars and a private zoo (now demolished).
"La Belluccia" (The Beautiful, 1920). Built for Dr. Wiley Lyon Kingsley; remains one of the most significant on the island.
"Costa Bella" (Beautiful Coast, 1920). Built for Elizabeth Hope Gammell Slater (still stands).
"Casa Bendita" (Blessed House, 1921). Built for John S. Phipps (now demolished).
"La Querida" (The Dear or Beloved, 1923). Later known as President John F. Kennedy's "Winter White House."
Did you notice the names of the villas? That’s Addison! Not just building them, but naming them with artistry. And now I’ll stop at one villa:
El Solano (The Sunny Wind, 1920s). Once owned by John Lennon and Yoko Ono.
I wasn't there and never will be, so I’ll have to call my story a tall tale.
So, "The Tall Tale of the Talented Architect, 'The Sunny Wind,' and One of the Beatles."
(Is it okay if I'm so familiar with John Lennon? The thing is, I love the Beatles, but I only truly revere Bach and Mozart.)
Anyway, villa El Solano...
He planned it for himself. His beloved self. The villa was meant to be his personal residence, the home of a successful architect, but also a showcase of his talent. He named it not just for any reason, but in memory of his native Solano County in California, and "El Solano" is in honor of the hot wind that blows from the Mediterranean Sea into Spain, as the villa is a benchmark of the "Mediterranean Revival" style. Standing on the oceanfront, El Solano has two swimming pools: one designed for swimming at sunrise (the sunrise pool) and the other at sunset (the sunset pool).
(How about that? Are you still reading? Or did you just remember that phrase about "more money than sense"? I'll continue...) Inside the villa are hand-painted wooden ceiling beams, stone fireplaces, and intricate moldings. Mizner personally ensured the house looked like an "ancient Spanish estate," using antique tiles and wrought iron.
The villa stands on the so-called "Billionaires' Row" on South Ocean Boulevard and has about 180 feet (55 meters) of its own private beach. (Private! Beach!) Construction began in 1919, and Addison lived in the villa until 1925.
Due to financial difficulties (which I’ll tell you about later), Mizner sold El Solano to Harold Vanderbilt, who owned the villa for a long time and significantly expanded it. (The sale price remains undisclosed to this day).
After Vanderbilt's death in 1970 and the death of his widow Gertrude, the estate was sold. The new owners were businessmen from the Schrafft family (known for the Schrafft's candy and restaurant empire; sales data hidden).
John Lennon and Yoko Ono purchased the villa from the Schrafft family in 1980 for $725,000. The Schraffts had changed almost nothing in the house's historical appearance during their decade of ownership, so Lennon received the villa in practically the same "Vanderbilt-era" condition that Mizner had once created. Lennon and Yoko Ono sought a house in Palm Beach very secretly. They used a shell company called "Cloud Nine" to hide their identities when buying from the Schraffts. When it became known who had actually bought El Solano, it caused a real furor in the conservative society of Palm Beach. Everyone feared increased press attention and mistrusted the singer who had proclaimed "Say you want a revolution, we better get on right away." Lennon died nine months after buying the villa. Yoko Ono sold the villa after completing renovations in 1986 for $3,150,000 to Howard Fane. He, in turn (also in 1986), sold the villa to Alan and Christine Curtis for about $3,400,000. The new owners, Alan and Christine Curtis, sold the house to investment banker John Sites and his wife Cindy for $12,500,000 in 2004. (Well, at least they lived there for a bit...)
In 2016, John and Cindy Sites sold the villa for $23,188,400 to a person who wished to remain unknown in my story (and in all other stories), but he also sold the villa to another anonymous buyer. Listed for $47,500,000 (that’s forty-seven million, don't count the zeros), El Solano went cheap, for only $36,000,000 in 2018.
And for now, people are living there, not selling—how surprising...
You could make a movie about this villa; it would have everything: the talent of an architect who realized dreams, the collapse of his ambitions, the stuffiness of society, the tragedy of a global rock star, and billionaires hiding their faces under masks... And film it all in chic interiors on the shore of an azure ocean with those same fifty-five meters of private beach! (The irony slipped out after all, and I tried so hard to hide it...)
"But this was all built in Palm Beach!"—you are already shouting at me indignantly. "Where is our little Boca Raton?!!" Yes, yes, I confess, I confess, I’m someone who gets carried away... I was just interested. And I really wanted to share. I’ll tell you quickly, don't be mad.
Addison Mizner was very successful, but you can't escape your character, just as you can't escape your fate. In short, "Ostap was off and running"...
Mizner decided to build his own city. From scratch. Exactly as HE saw it, exactly as HE planned it... That very Boca Raton of ours.
Addison Mizner began by creating the Mizner Development Corporation and attracted investors. Read the names—no, the names!! We, standing far off in time, know these names as symbols of wealth: William Kissam Vanderbilt II, T. Coleman du Pont, Irving Berlin, Paris Singer, Elizabeth Arden—and I haven't even listed all the names yet.
In March, the corporation quietly bought up two miles (3.2 km) of coastal territory totaling over 1,600 acres (650 hectares). On April 15, 1925, the syndicate announced the start of a massive project dubbed the "Venice of the Atlantic," which was to include a thousand-room hotel (well, no more, no less, a thousand-room—why settle for small things?), two golf courses, a polo field, parks, and miles of paved and landscaped streets, including a wide boulevard 160 feet wide, which is about fifty meters!
In his speech before a hundred salespeople, the architect stated: "My plan is to create a city that will be direct and simple... To exclude all that is ugly, to eliminate the unnecessary, and to give Florida and the whole country a resort city as perfect as research and ideals allow."
"Ostap was off and running..."
Well, please, indulge my literary soul, let me quote about our Vasyuki (from The Twelve Chairs): "Chess!" said Ostap. "Do you know what chess is? It moves forward not only culture but also the economy! Do you know that your 'Stargorod Chess Club,' if you manage things correctly, will conquer the world?.." Ostap was off and running. He felt a surge of new strength and chess ideas. "You won't believe," he said, "how far chess thought can travel. You won't believe what horizons open up before lovers of this harmonious game..."
Do you feel the same temperament, the same passion? Only Addison turned out to be luckier.
On the first day of lot sales, May 14, 1925, two million dollars worth of real estate was sold! (Two million dollars at the beginning of the century, when a house on our street in Los Angeles in the sixties—forty years later—cost just over ten thousand!.. Two million is no small amount of money even now.)
The first month brought the corporation another 2 million dollars! A traffic jam formed in front of Addison's office in Miami. Mizner organized bus trips to Boca Raton and also used seaplanes (seaplanes, damn it!—sorry, it just slipped out) to transport potential buyers to the construction site.
The brothers knew how to sell the dream beautifully! (Here it must be said that Wilson was in charge of advertising.)
According to a typically exaggerated advertising brochure, Addison Mizner had offices in "several Florida cities," as well as in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore, Washington (D.C.), and Savannah (Georgia).
Oh, the continents are different, but the archetype is the same! Or was it just the times? Do I need to tell you that in reality, the sales offices were only in Palm Beach, Miami, and the future Boca Raton?
By the end of October, lots worth over 25 million dollars had been sold (though in many cases, payment had not been made). Realizing that building a large hotel would take a long time, Addison Mizner immediately began work on a smaller, hundred-room hotel, the Ritz-Carlton Cloister Inn (it still stands today, now part of the Boca Raton Resort & Club). It was built at the end of 1925 and opened in early 1926; the cost of construction was $1,750,000.
And here, too, they began building villas "in the old style," and here Mizner hired inexperienced workers to lay the tiles crookedly, and once he forced men in hobnailed boots to walk up and down the stairs to create the effect of centuries of wear. In these buildings, just like in Palm Beach, he intentionally stained new rooms with smoldering pots of pitch, scratched the wood and statues with a knife, chipped off pieces of tile, used acid to rust the iron, made wormholes with an ice pick, and chipped off pieces of the mantelpiece with a sledgehammer, creating what he called the "kiss of the ages." One of his original contributions to architecture was the discovery that worm-eaten cypress provides the desired effect of antiquity; thus, "pecky" cypress—weak and unsuitable for structural elements—suddenly became a material for wall finishes.
He built and sold something more than houses. He sold "houses with a history." He sold a dream that turned out to be an illusion.
Are you tensing up already, sensing it?
The crash came quickly.
The brothers lived on a grand—no, a massive(!)—scale; they hoped for an endless housing boom, for an endless rise in prices. But new money practically stopped coming in; wealthy patrons, fearing financial responsibility, left the corporation.
And then... The Great Miami Hurricane of 1926, which hit the Florida coast on September 18, 1926. It was a devastating blow that practically put an end to Mizner's ambitious plans to turn Boca Raton into "the greatest resort in the world." This hurricane became the "last nail in the coffin" of his empire. By 1927, Mizner's company (Mizner Development Corporation) was declared bankrupt. Its assets, including the hotel, were sold for a pittance to utility tycoon Clarence Geist.
In 1929, the Great Depression began.
Wilson, who always had a keen nose for trouble, realized as early as 1927 that it was time to leave the sinking ship—that there was nothing left to catch in Florida. While Addison was clearing the ruins of their shared dream in Boca Raton, his brother—the one he called "my main weakness and a terrible threat"—left him and moved to California, where a new "gold mine" awaited him: the rapidly developing film industry.
While Addison tried to survive in Palm Beach among his empty palaces, Wilson became a real star in Hollywood. He became a co-owner of the famous restaurant The Brown Derby and signed a contract with Warner Bros. as a screenwriter. His criminal past and knowledge of the underworld made him an invaluable writer for the gangland films that were gaining popularity. The Brown Derby on Wilshire Boulevard, in a building shaped like a bowler hat, became a symbol of Hollywood. That was where the entire film elite gathered: from Clark Gable to Marilyn Monroe. While Addison in Palm Beach was trying to preserve the remnants of greatness, Wilson in Hollywood was trading their shared sins and adventures, turning them into entertainment for millions.
In California, Wilson learned of his older brother's death: exhausted by the struggle for his architectural dreams and lawsuits from creditors, Addison died in February 1933 of a heart attack. He died first, at the age of 60, in his beloved Palm Beach.
Eight weeks later, in April 1933, right in his office at Warner Bros. studio, Wilson also passed away from a heart attack at the age of 57.
Let’s give the story one last tall tale. And, of course, like much in the lives of the brothers, it remains unconfirmed by anyone.
The Tall Tale of "Wilson’s Last Words."
Remember the Wilson quotes I started the story with? In the final minutes of his life, when Wilson allegedly regained consciousness in his hospital room and saw a priest, he said: "Why are you here? I just got through talking to your Boss."
Even on his deathbed, he didn't lose his signature cynicism and wit. And when a nurse told him he was looking better, he replied: "That would be a funny thing—to die in perfect health."
One of his Hollywood friends joked, quite in the spirit of the brothers: "With his death, Hollywood became one spark dimmer, and Hell became one problem richer."
The end.
"But what about Boca Raton?!!" — you ask me now, no longer indignant, no longer surprised by anything.
Maybe some other time, okay?
P.S.
1. As promised, here is the story of their father’s "departure" from the diplomatic service.
Lansing Bond Mizner (1825–1893). He arrived in California in 1849 during the height of the "Gold Rush," but not as a prospector—as a lawyer. He served as a California State Senator. The peak of his career was his appointment by President Benjamin Harrison as the US Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Central America (1889–1890), residing in Guatemala.
He held the post for only a year—did you notice? Now for the story of his resignation. Guatemala was ruled by President Manuel Lisandro Barillas Bercián.
General Juan Martín Barrundia, the former Minister of War, was in exile, from where he tried to organize a rebellion against President Barillas. When the attempt failed, Barrundia boarded an American ship in Mexico, hoping to reach El Salvador or New York.
When the ship entered a Guatemalan port, local authorities demanded the general be handed over. The ship's captain refused to do so without a written order from the American ambassador. Lansing Mizner, as the US envoy, made a diplomatic error. He believed the Guatemalan government's promises that the general's life would be spared and gave written permission for the police to board the American vessel for the arrest.
When the police entered the cabin, Barrundia did not want to surrender. He pulled out a pistol hidden under his pillow and began shooting. (That's according to the police report.) In the ensuing shootout on the deck and in the ship's corridors, the police riddled the general with bullets. He died on the spot.
(By the way, President Barillas would later flee to Mexico to save his own life, where he would eventually be assassinated in broad daylight by hired killers on the orders of the new President of Guatemala. Does that assassination remind you of any other murder from our Russian history? Leo Trocki! Returning to the narrative, excuse my digression.)
Juan Martín Barrundia was killed by Guatemalan police on August 28, 1890. This happened right on board the American passenger ship SS Acapulco while it was docked in the port of San José, Guatemala.
A storm of indignation arose in the US. Mizner was accused of "handing over" a man to be slaughtered and allowing foreign police to run rampant on a ship under the American flag. He was immediately recalled from Guatemala and fired.
The daughter of the slain general later came to Lansing Mizner’s office and tried to shoot him. The bullet missed, but this incident finally convinced the family that it was time to leave Central America.
What a story!
Did you believe all of it?
Well, you shouldn't have. My whole narrative is dedicated to "Great Combinators"—it's time to doubt even the "facts" of biographies!
No, the story of Barrundia’s murder is confirmed. But there is no evidence of the general’s daughter shooting at US Ambassador Lansing Mizner: no government reports, and—what’s more reliable in this case, I think—no mentions in the press. Could it be that no one heard the shot, that the journalists didn't sniff it out?! There is no evidence except for one thing: the story told by the ambassador's son in the family biography. By the way, Addison carefully hid the real reason for his father’s resignation from his wealthy clients throughout his life; he repeatedly said the family left Guatemala due to his father’s declining health.
Why did he write the shooting episode in the book? Well, how could he not dramatize his past? How could he not add a cherry on top of the story!
Write your biographies, gentlemen, write them—wide horizons are opening before you...
2. Well, if you’ve made it this far, I might as well tell you!
Boca Raton and its surroundings are not just sunny beaches; it’s that very "comfortable life" Mizner wanted to create—and, you remember Mizner—filled with money and glamour. Boca Raton is a real magnet for world stars. Proof? Here you go. True, I’m "adding" a little bit here and there (it would be more accurate to say "cheating"—I had someone to learn from, Mizner would have done the same, otherwise I won't "sell" the story), as some of those mentioned below live near, but not exactly in, Boca Raton.
If you stroll through the local streets or peek into a cozy restaurant, there’s a high chance of bumping into someone you’re used to seeing only on screens. Comedy legend Adam Sandler (even I, who doesn’t watch TV or go to the movies and doesn't know celebrities, recognize his face). He has an apartment in neighboring Highland Beach, and he bought a separate house here for his mother. Pop diva Ariana Grande considers Boca Raton her home: she was born and raised here, and her family once lived in the prestigious Fieldbrook Estates.
Jon Bon Jovi owns a luxurious $43 million oceanfront estate in Palm Beach, but he is often seen dining in Boca Raton establishments. Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain is a longtime resident of West Boca. He has settled in so thoroughly that he opened his own grill-bar, Rock ‘n’ Roll Ribs, in neighboring Margate. You can also run into Creed frontman Scott Stapp, who lives in the elite Long Lake Estates, and the eccentric comedian Eric André, who graduated from a local school. Even Vanilla Ice traded his microphone for a career in real estate flipping in Palm Beach County.
For world-class athletes, this region has become an ideal training base and a safe harbor. Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods chose to live in exclusive clubs and estates a bit further north in Jupiter, where they not only relax but also own their own restaurants. Sisters Serena and Venus Williams set up their training centers in Palm Beach Gardens, and tennis legend Chris Evert has become a true symbol of the city—her tennis academy in Boca Raton is world-famous. You can also find NASCAR star Jeff Gordon among the locals.
Influential figures from the world of business and politics also prefer the local climate. Twenty-five miles to the north is the famous Mar-a-Lago residence belonging to Donald Trump. Billionaire Bill Gates purchased a massive equestrian estate in Wellington, and former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg has long owned a home directly in Boca Raton. Sometimes Boca Raton is confused with the island of Boca Grande. If you want even more privacy, that’s where you should look—personalities like Matt Damon and Tucker Carlson seek peace there.
So, how do you like little quiet Boca Raton and its surroundings? Oh, this isn't a story, it's a list of celebrities. And the irony of life is that I, writing these lines, know practically none of the people on this list. I had to Google them to find their names and learn what they are famous for. (Except for three or four whom it’s simply impossible not to know.)
3. The Mizner Brothers in Music and on Stage. (Unfortunately, I haven't read the books, I only found excerpts from Addison Mizner’s book online for free, but I’ve already ordered the book from the Los Angeles Central Library. I’m providing the list "just in case" any readers are interested.)
The series of the brothers' adventurous escapades served as the inspiration for Stephen Sondheim's musical "Road Show" (2008), also known as "Bounce" and "Gold!", which was staged in Chicago and London. Earlier, in 1952, Addison’s friend Irving Berlin wrote a musical titled "Wise Guy" (also known as "Palm Beach," "Sentimental Guy," and "The Mizner Story"), which was never produced. It featured Addison, Wilson, and their friends and clients. According to Isaiah Sheffer's foreword, three songs from this work were included in the 1996 sheet music collection The Unsung Irving Berlin.
The Mizner Brothers in Literature:
Addison Mizner’s own book: The Many Mizners (1932). This is Addison’s autobiography. The book covers his youth, adventures in Alaska during the Gold Rush, travels to Guatemala, and the beginning of his career. It is full of humor and self-irony. Unfortunately, Addison died shortly after its release, never managing to write the second volume, which was to be dedicated to the "Florida period" and the construction of Palm Beach.
Addison Mizner in Serious Literature.
Books about him (biographies and studies):
The most famous and influential work is Alva Johnston’s book, which shaped the image of the "adventurous brothers" in popular culture:
1. Alva Johnston, "The Legendary Mizners" (1953) This very book formed the basis for Irving Berlin’s and Stephen Sondheim’s ideas. Johnston describes Addison and Wilson as magnificent scoundrels and visionaries. The book is incredibly engaging, although architectural historians believe the author exaggerated Addison’s "crookedness" for the sake of the plot.
2. Caroline Seebohm, "Boca Rococo: The Fame and Fortune of Addison Mizner" (2001) The most complete and serious biography to date. It details not only his social life but also how he essentially invented the "Mediterranean Revival" style in Florida.
3. Donald W. Curl, "Mizner's Florida: American Resort Architecture" (1984) This is a fundamental study for those who want to understand Mizner as an architect. The book focuses on his buildings, drawings, and influence on the landscape of Palm Beach and Boca Raton.
4. Raymond Vickers, "Panic in Paradise: Florida's Banking Crash of 1926" (1994) If you want to delve deeper into that "crash of ambitions," this book is indispensable. It details the financial machinations and the collapse of the Mizner Development Corporation.
5. Stephen Ochshorn, "Addison Mizner: A Palm Beach Memoir" A more personal look at his legacy and the atmosphere of that time.
*** (Now for the asterisks, because I lost track of the numbers.) For those who remember Sergey Yesenin’s marriage to Isadora Duncan but know little about Duncan herself: Angela Isadora Duncan (1877/1878 – 1927) was an American dancer and choreographer, a pioneer of modern dance. She died when her scarf became entangled in the wheel and axle of the car she was riding in.
What relates to our story: Isadora had a son with Paris Singer. Duncan had three children. Patrick Augustus was born in 1910; his father was Paris Singer, one of the many sons of the sewing machine magnate Isaac Singer. Patrick died in a tragic accident in 1913 when the car he was in drove into the Seine. Paris Singer turned to philanthropy after the death of his son and his separation from Duncan, which led to his trip to Florida and the idea to build a hospital (which turned into an exclusive club). And that club was built by Addison Mizner. And you say you’re not connected to Mizner: have you read Yesenin? There’s your connection! (Did you smile?)
*** A short article about "El Solano," once the home of John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Good photos of the oceanfront villa!
https://www.priceypads.com/john-lennon-and-yoko-onos-former-palm-beach-estate-sells-for-36m-photos/
*** La Querida ("The Beloved"), also known as Castillo del Mar ("Castle of the Sea"), later known as John F. Kennedy's "Winter White House":
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Querida_(mansion)
*** Category: Addison Mizner buildings. Wikipedia article with footnotes to all existing articles on Mizner's constructions:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Addison_Mizner_buildings
*** Youtube.
Palm Beach Confidential: The Story of Addison Mizner, The Society Architect
https://www.reddit.com/r/florida/comments/1i5hwsb/palm_beach_confidential_the_story_of_addison/
Did anyone else make it this far? Well, you are persistent! Thank you all!
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