10/25/23 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.
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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.
•She 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.
•Three Hollywood Movie
Horses were registered with the
Palomino Horse Association:
•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. Source Van Nuys News, 1937 April 29.
•The Houlihans resided there in the 1940 census.
•Around 1948/49 Monroe B. Luthacker lived there.
•In 1950, the Erlandson Family (Mrs. Flora Erlandson) lived there. Source LA
Times, 1950 Feb. 2.
•Alex Madonna, of Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo, told Dan Huffman that he
loaned Edna the money to purchase Harvester Farms.
•Edna Fagan moved to Chatsworth around 1953. In 1963 Harvester died in the
barn at Harvester Farms.
•In 1964 as a co-developer, Edna Fagan subdivided the property to its rear.
Harvester Farms Property History
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•Bamboo Harvester was foaled in 1949, 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, 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 “Old
Rocking Chair”
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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
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•Showing Next:
•the now famous Dodger baseball episode with Leo
Durocher was filmed in 1963.
• “Leo Durocher Meets Mister Ed”, 25 minutes
•In all, there were a total of 143 episodes over 6 seasons,
from 1961-1966
Mr. Ed - The talking Horse, a
1961-1966 Television Series
Chatsworth Historical Society - Harvester Farms 13
•the now famous
Dodger baseball
episode with Leo
Durocher was
filmed in 1963.
• “Leo Durocher
Meets Mister
Ed”, 25 minutes
•In all, there were
a total of 143
episodes over 6
seasons, from
1961-1966
10/25/23
