Everett G. Burkhalter
Encyclopedia
Everett Glen Burkhalter who went by Everett G. Burkhalter, was a film studio electrician who turned to politics in 1941 and became a member of the California State Assembly, the Los Angeles City Council and the U.S. Congress in the middle part of the 20th century.
, on January 19, 1897. He attended schools in Arkansas, Indiana, Colorado and California. He enlisted in the Navy in 1918, was honorably discharged in 1919 and was in the active reserve until 1921. He moved to Los Angeles around 1928 and married his wife, Velma, around 1929. Their home was at 11005 Morrison Street, North Hollywood.
Burkhalter died at age 78 on May 24, 1975, in Duarte, California
. Interment was in Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)
. He was survived by his wife of 46 years, Velma, and two brothers, William of Woodland Hills
and Lawrence of Los Angeles.
Burkhalter made his first bid for local office in 1939, when he finished third in a field of four candidates for the Los Angeles City Council District 1 seat held by Jim Wilson
. At that time, the district covered the San Fernando Valley
, the Los Feliz section east of Griffith Park
Drive and north of Franklin Avenue, the section between Vermont and Talmadge avenues south to Santa Monica Boulevard, and the Riverside Drive area west of Glendale Boulevard. But Burkhalter was elected in his second attempt, in 1953, replacing Leland S. Warburton
in the district, which then covered only the San Fernando Valley
, having given up the Los Feliz and Atwater areas. It was still the Valley's only councilmanic district.
Burkhalter was reelected in 1957 and 1961 to four-year terms, but he resigned from the council in 1962 when he won an election for Congress.
to Chavez Ravine
in Los Angeles and voted for Bunker Hill development. Some of his other positions:
Employment, 1958. He voted in favor of establishing a Fair Employment Practices Commission
in Los Angeles. The plan lost on a 7-7 tie vote.
Television, 1958. Burkhalter voted in opposition to pay television in Los Angeles.
Smog, 1959. He engaged in a war of words with officials at Kaiser Steel
in Fontana when he accused the steelmakers of loosing a "stream of smoke from the plant . . . into the general Los Angeles area. On some days the emissions . . . can be observed from the top of the City Hall."
Movies, 1961. He submitted a resolution urging that a Congressional committee study the problem of American movies' being made overseas. He noted a report that "60% of this country's movies will be made in Europe this year" and that "Communists are being hired in at least one foreign country and that they are doing the work formerly done" in Los Angeles. The resolution was adopted after being amended to include the music industry at the suggestion of Councilman Ernani Bernardi
.
HUAC, 1962. Burkhalter announced he would start a fund to send "to Russia" protesters picketing a House Committee on Un-American Activities meeting in Los Angeles, "if they desired to go."
Zoo, 1962. He fought vehemently—but unsuccessfully—to move the Los Angeles Zoo
from its location in Griffith Park
to Roger Jessup Park in Pacoima, a step that had been recommended by architect Charles Luckman
.
Biography
Burkhalter was born in Heber Springs, ArkansasHeber Springs, Arkansas
Heber Springs is a city in Cleburne County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 6,432 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Cleburne County.-Geography:Heber Springs is located at ....
, on January 19, 1897. He attended schools in Arkansas, Indiana, Colorado and California. He enlisted in the Navy in 1918, was honorably discharged in 1919 and was in the active reserve until 1921. He moved to Los Angeles around 1928 and married his wife, Velma, around 1929. Their home was at 11005 Morrison Street, North Hollywood.
Burkhalter died at age 78 on May 24, 1975, in Duarte, California
Duarte, California
Duarte is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 21,321, down from 21,486 at the 2000 census....
. Interment was in Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)
Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)
Forest Lawn – Hollywood Hills Cemetery is part of the Forest Lawn chain of Southern California cemeteries. It is at 6300 Forest Lawn Drive in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California, on the lower north slope at the far east end of the Santa Monica...
. He was survived by his wife of 46 years, Velma, and two brothers, William of Woodland Hills
Woodland Hills
Woodland Hills is the name of various communities in the United States, including:*Woodland Hills, Cleveland, a neighborhood on the east side of Cleveland, Ohio.* Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in Los Angeles, California...
and Lawrence of Los Angeles.
Assembly
Burkhalter served in the State Assembly from 1942 to 1953.Elections
See also List of Los Angeles municipal election returns, 1939 and following.Burkhalter made his first bid for local office in 1939, when he finished third in a field of four candidates for the Los Angeles City Council District 1 seat held by Jim Wilson
Jim Wilson (Los Angeles)
Jim Wilson was a pioneer banker and businessman of the San Fernando Valley who was on the Los Angeles City Council from 1933 to 1941....
. At that time, the district covered the San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
, the Los Feliz section east of Griffith Park
Griffith Park
Griffith Park is a large municipal park at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The park covers of land, making it one of the largest urban parks in North America...
Drive and north of Franklin Avenue, the section between Vermont and Talmadge avenues south to Santa Monica Boulevard, and the Riverside Drive area west of Glendale Boulevard. But Burkhalter was elected in his second attempt, in 1953, replacing Leland S. Warburton
Leland S. Warburton
Leland S. Warburton, also known as Lee Warburton, was a member of the Los Angeles City Council from 1945 to 1953.Leland S. Warburton, also known as Lee Warburton, was a member of the Los Angeles City Council from 1945 to 1953....
in the district, which then covered only the San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
, having given up the Los Feliz and Atwater areas. It was still the Valley's only councilmanic district.
Burkhalter was reelected in 1957 and 1961 to four-year terms, but he resigned from the council in 1962 when he won an election for Congress.
Positions
Burkhalter supported the plan to bring the Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
to Chavez Ravine
Chávez Ravine
Chavez Ravine is an area in Sulfir Canyon that is the current site of Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California.It was named after Julian Chavez, a Los Angeles Councilman in the 19th century.-History:...
in Los Angeles and voted for Bunker Hill development. Some of his other positions:
Employment, 1958. He voted in favor of establishing a Fair Employment Practices Commission
Fair Employment Practices Commission
The Fair Employment Practices Commission implemented US Executive Order 8802, requiring that companies with government contracts not to discriminate on the basis of race or religion. It was intended to help African Americans and other minorities obtain jobs in the homefront industry...
in Los Angeles. The plan lost on a 7-7 tie vote.
Television, 1958. Burkhalter voted in opposition to pay television in Los Angeles.
Smog, 1959. He engaged in a war of words with officials at Kaiser Steel
Kaiser Steel
Kaiser Ventures is an American corporation, headquartered in Ontario, California. It was founded by Henry J. Kaiser to provide steel plate for the Pacific Coast shipbuilding industry, which expanded during World War II, then shrank, then expanded again during the Korean War...
in Fontana when he accused the steelmakers of loosing a "stream of smoke from the plant . . . into the general Los Angeles area. On some days the emissions . . . can be observed from the top of the City Hall."
Movies, 1961. He submitted a resolution urging that a Congressional committee study the problem of American movies' being made overseas. He noted a report that "60% of this country's movies will be made in Europe this year" and that "Communists are being hired in at least one foreign country and that they are doing the work formerly done" in Los Angeles. The resolution was adopted after being amended to include the music industry at the suggestion of Councilman Ernani Bernardi
Ernani Bernardi
Ernani Bernardi , known also as Noni Bernardi, was a big-band musician turned politician in Los Angeles, California. He represented District 7 on the City Council there from 1961 to 1993—at 32 years the second-longest-serving council member in the history of the city...
.
HUAC, 1962. Burkhalter announced he would start a fund to send "to Russia" protesters picketing a House Committee on Un-American Activities meeting in Los Angeles, "if they desired to go."
Zoo, 1962. He fought vehemently—but unsuccessfully—to move the Los Angeles Zoo
Los Angeles Zoo
The Los Angeles Zoo , is a zoo founded in 1966 and located in Los Angeles, California. The City of Los Angeles owns the entire zoo, its land and facilities, and the animals...
from its location in Griffith Park
Griffith Park
Griffith Park is a large municipal park at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The park covers of land, making it one of the largest urban parks in North America...
to Roger Jessup Park in Pacoima, a step that had been recommended by architect Charles Luckman
Charles Luckman
Charles Luckman was a businessman and an American architect, famous as the "Boy Wonder of American Business" when he was named president of the Pepsodent toothpaste company in 1939 at the age of thirty...
.