Thursday, February 05, 2026

Don Lee did everything with style, even his tow truck



But since few of you will click through to read the good stuff, and I want you to know it, here:

Don Lee had been a bicycle shop owner who became a protégé of Los Angeles pioneer businessman Earle C. Anthony, purchased his Los Angeles radio station KHJ from Los Angeles Times publisher Harry Chandler in 1927.

Don was the exclusive west coast distributor of Cadillac automobiles in the early 20th century. In 1919 Don purchased the Earl Automobile Works of Hollywood, California.

Harley Earl, the son of the company's owner, was kept on as manager. Renamed Don Lee Coach and Body Works, the company produced many custom designed Cadillacs for the rich and famous. Harley Earl left the company to become the head of General Motors styling department in 1927

Having amassed a fortune selling automobiles, Lee branched out in broadcasting in 1926, purchased or built 12 radio stations, creating his own network, and having such a power base he put his transmitters and antennas on a hill in Griffin Park Los Angeles... now became known as "Mount Lee.".. .just above the Hollywood sign.

Don bought a 20-acre site on a mountain top at the eastern boundary of Griffith Park, widening the transmission field equipment to take in new thousands of homes in the Hollywood hills and the San Fernando Valley. The site is one and a half times higher than the top floor of the Empire State Building in New York. Mount Lee is thus the highest television location in the world. (Info circa 1937)

Part of Mount Lee was sold to Howard Hughes, who intended to erect an estate for his then current love interest, Ginger Rogers

Frank Kurtis got started working with automotive fabrication when he was hired by Willet Brown and Tommy Lee to rework Don Lee Racing Team's midget car bodies.

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