THE GREAT RICHARD ARLIN LIVED IN TOLUCA LAKE

CHERISHING OUR VALLEY            2013

Richard Arlin  1899 to 1976

     Richard Arlin, was likely born as Sylanus Richard (Van) Mattimore in Saint Paul Minnesota in 1899. He fought in World War One in the Royal Flying Corps, probably enlisting in Canada. After a few unsuccessful jobs, Arlin headed for Hollywood to be "discovered" and "discovered" he was. While working as a delivery man for a film lab, he crashed his motorcycle right in front of Paramount Studios. Rumor has it that the director who caused the accident and Arlin's broken leg gave him a better break as an extra in a silent movie. His rugged good looks landed him role after role, only interrupted by his training of US Army Air Corps pilots in World War Two. 

      Richard Arlin's first great success was as a pilot in "Wings" in 1927, one of the first awards of the Motion Picture Academy.

Home of Richard Arlen (Toluca Lake)  - Postcard - Gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Gary Fredburg 2013.  (click on images to enlarge them)