11/19/2024 Chatsworth Historical Society - Harvester Farms 1

Harvester Farms

Los Angeles Historic

Cultural Monument 645

Designated March 5, 1997

•Headquarters of the Palomino Horse Association of America

•Harvester was the father of Mr. Ed –the talking horse, a 1961-66 TV Series

•Located on Devonshire west of Topanga

Harvester Farms includes the 1923

Barn and surrounding buildings as the

cultural monument. The main house is

a California Ranch style structure. The

rear California basilica-type barn still

retains a high degree of remaining

historic fabric. (Virginia Watson 1997)

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•The Harvester was foaled in 1938, bred by James

Fagan.

•Jim was a trainer for William Randolph Hearst at the

Hearst Ranch in Hidden Valley, Camarillo / Thousand

Oaks. Jim and Edna married around 1939 and moved

to their own ranch in Agoura.

•Harvester was a golden Palomino that sired over 100

registered Palominos. These horses were most

successful in Trick, Reined, Western Pleasure and

Parade competitions.

•The Fagans moved to Reseda in 1943, and bred and

trained Golden Palominos.

•In 1952 Jim died at the age of 70 in a horse accident in

San Fernando. He is buried at Oakwood Memorial Park.

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•In 1950 The Harvester starred in the movie "The Palomino"

filmed in Chatsworth.

•The outdoor locations were in the rugged hills above Chatsworth

Lake and on the ranch of Max Schonfeld, who at the time was

the general manager of Devonshire Downs.

•Roy Rogers purchased Max Schonfeld's 130-acre ranch at the

west end of Lassen in 1955

You can watch

the 1950 movie

"The Palomino"

on YouTube

1950-03-30 The

Van Nuys News

and Valley Green

Sheet

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•Edna moved to Harvester

Farms in Chatsworth around

1953. In 1963 Harvester died in

the barn.

•In 1971 Edna rode her horse

Highland Harvest in the Rose

Parade, her 28th year of

participation. (LA Times)

•Alex Madonna, a good friend of

Edna and owner of the Madonna

Inn, told Dan Huffman that Edna

rode in 36 consecutive Rose

Parades.

•Edna died in 1988, 93 years old.

Edna Fagan shown with one of

their many Harvester sired horses.

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•This picture of Harvester

was labeled “Edna’s

favorite photo”, and was

taken at Harvester Farms.

•Four Hollywood Movie

Horses were registered

with the Palomino Horse

Association:

•Harvester

•Trigger

•Trigger Jr.

•Mr. Ed

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•Right: Edna and Jim Fagan

presenting Roy Rogers and

Trigger Jr. a certificate of

registration in the Palomino

Horse Association.

•Below: Trigger and Trigger Jr.

with Roy and Jim

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Roy Rogers had three horses named Trigger:

Trigger, Little Trigger and Trigger Jr.

•Golden Cloud, born 1932, was purchased from

Hollywood Studios in 1938 and renamed “Trigger”.

Trigger retired in 1957 and died in 1964.

• “Little Trigger” was purchased a few years after

Golden Cloud, was smaller than Trigger, and was the

“personal appearance” horse. He knew more than a

hundred cues for tricks and dances, and was

housebroken, a quality that allowed him to

accompany Roy on his many appearances in

hospitals to visit sick children.

• “Trigger Jr.”, born 1941 as Allen’s Gold Zephyr, took

over for Little Trigger in the 1950’s.

Trigger and Trigger Jr. were registered

with the Palomino Horse Association

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•In April 1937 a permit was issued to Ronald J. Houlihan for construction of a new $3,700 residence at

22049 Devonshire. Source Van Nuys News, 1937 April 29.

•In 1943 there was an advertisement for a registered Arabian Stallion, 3 Arabian mares, & 3 stud colts.

•In June 1944 (22049 Devonshire) the 11.5 acre parcel was purchased for production of Cattle and

Horses, and named "Winterset Ranch". Fred Geis advertises it for sale in 1946.

•In July 1947 Winterset Ranch is advertising 9 acres with house, barn for $40,000.

•In 1950, the Erlandson Family (Mrs. Flora Erlandson) lived there. And they advertised a 3yr old

Palomino mare.

Harvester Farms Property History

•Edna Fagan moved to Chatsworth around 1953. Alex Madonna, of Madonna

Inn in San Luis Obispo, told Dan Huffman that he loaned Edna the money to

purchase Harvester Farms.

•In 1957 Edna is advertising The Harvester at stud.

•In 1963 Harvester died in the barn at Harvester Farms.

•In 1964 as a co-developer, Edna Fagan subdivided the 1.3-acre property to its

rear (north) 1957-03-19 Van Nuys News

& Valley Green Sheet

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•Bamboo Harvester was foaled in 1949 in El Monte,

sired by The Harvester. He was a parade and show

horse.

•His trainer was Les Hilton, who had apprenticed

under Will Rogers and worked with the mules in the

Francis the Talking Mule movies.

•The show ran for 143 episodes

•Allan Lane was the talking voice of Mr. Ed

Mr. Ed - The talking Horse, a

1961-1966 Television Series

Connie Hines, Mr. Ed (Bamboo

Harvester), Alan Young

Allan "Rocky"

Lane

1904-1973

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•Guest Stars included Clint Eastwood,

George Burns, Leo Durocher and

Mae West

•To create the impression that Ed was

talking, it was initially done by putting

a piece of nylon thread in his mouth

attached to the halter. Ed was trained

to stop talking when the trainer

touched his hoof with a crop. In fact,

according to Alan Young, Ed

eventually learned to start talking

whenever he (Alan Young) stopped

talking during a scene!

Ed was very smart….

Mr. Ed - The talking Horse, a

1961-1966 Television Series

A Scene from 1963, "Leo Durocher meets Mr. Ed"

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•In 1976, Mr. Ed was 27 years old and

retired, living on Sparks St. in Burbank, CA

with his trainer Lester Hilton.

•Mr. Ed was in distress and died of a

tranquilizer for unknown reasons while a

temporary caregiver was caring for him.

•Lester Hilton, his trainer, died a few months

later on Oct 27, 1976

•Source: Mr. Ed Wikipedia, and 1994 "Mr Ed &

Me" by Alan Young, pgs 181-3)

Mr. Ed - The talking Horse, a

1961-1966 Television Series

At right, in 1962 Connie Hines on Mr. Ed in

Chatsworth, Episode “Ol' Rocking Chair”

s3-e15 aired Jan 10, 1963

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Sources/Acknowledgements

•Scrapbook and Photographs from Edna Parsons Fagan, donated by great-niece Cecilia

Parsons

•Notes and documents supporting the Los Angeles Historical Cultural Monument

designation, provided by Dan Huffman and Virginia Watson, Chatsworth Historical

Society.

• “Hollywood Hoofbeats: Trails Blazed across the Silver Screen”, 2005, Bowtie Press

•Alan Young on how "Mister Ed" really talked –emmytvlegends.org YouTube video

• Facebook site “West San Fernando Valley Then and Now”, and associated researchers

and contributors

•Many thanks to many Chatsworth residents, past and present, for their contributions to

this presentation.

•A special thanks to Bea Berman for donating the Mr. Ed episodes that inspired this

program.

•Prepared by Ann and Ray Vincent, Chatsworth Historical Society, January 2015, revised

Oct 2023, Nov 2024.

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•Showing Next:

•Season 4, Episode 1, aired Sep 29, 1963

• “Leo Durocher Meets Mr. Ed”, 25 minutes

•Including Sandy Koufax, John Roseboro, Willie Davis, Bill "Moose"

Skowrun, and Vin Scully….Announcer

•In all, there were a total of 143 episodes over 6 seasons, from 1961-1966

•Note: a 5-minute clip of "Leo Durocher Meets Mr. Ed" is available on our

YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/B75FZ3UlHMY &t=0

Mr. Ed - The talking Horse, a

1961-1966 Television Series

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•The now famous Dodger

baseball episode with

Leo Durocher was filmed

in 1963.

• “Leo Durocher Meets Mr.

Ed”, 25 minutes

•In all, there were a total

of 143 episodes over 6

seasons, from 1961-

1966

•a 5-minute clip of Mr. Ed

at Dodger Stadium is

available on our

YouTube channel at

https://youtu.be/B75FZ3UlHMY

11/19/2024