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Fashion

At their shop on Robertson Blvd in Beverly Hills, fashion designer Nolan Miller and Ursula Grimm had many actors, actresses, singers and celebrities as clients. At the time Nolan and Aaron Spelling were very good friends and Nolan was hired to design many of the evening gowns and costumes for Aaron Spelling’s TV shows. Among the shows they worked on together were Charlie’s Angels, Hart to Hart, Dynasty, Fantasy Island, Green Acres, Love Boat, as well as the Folies Bergere at the Tropicana in Las Vegas. She also worked on several Oscar gowns and attire, one of her most memorable being the black tuxedo that 9-year old Tatum O’Neal wore when she was awarded the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 1974. Among Ursula’s favorite clients were Barbara Stanwyck and Joan Crawford for their exceptional generosity and kindness.

Ursula Grimm, Barbara Stanwyck, and Nolan Miller

Ursula Grimm, actress Barbara Stanwyck, and designer Nolan Miller

Ursula Grimm and actress Barbara Stanwyck

Ursula’s client list:

Agnes Moorehead
Ann Margret
Ann Miller
Anne Francis
Barbara Stanwyck
Bobby Gentry
Candy Spelling
Cheryl Ladd
Connie Stevens
Debbie Reynolds
Debby Boone
Dinah Shore
Dionne Warwick
Donna Summer
Dyan Cannon
Eleanor Parker
Ethel Merman
Eva Gabor
Eve Arden
Farrah Fawcett
Frankie Valli
Ginger Rogers
Gladys Knight
Heather Locklear
Helen Redding
Jaclyn Smith
Jane Wyman
Jimmy Durante
Joan Collins
Joan Crawford
John Ritter
Judith Krantz
June Allyson
Kate Jackson
Kay Starr
Lana Turner
Lauren Tweeze
Lesley Ann Warren
Linda Evans
Margaret O’Brien
Natalie Wood
Olivia Newton-John
Petula Clark
Red Buttons
Robert Urich
Rod Stewart
Sally Kellerman
Shari Lewis (Lambchops)
Shelley Winters
Shirley Jones
Stefanie Powers
Stevie Wonder
Susan Hayward
Suzanne Pleshette
Suzanne Somers
Tanya Tucker
Tatum O’Neal
Tori Spelling
Yvette Mimieux

Charlie’s Angels
Dynasty
Fantasy Island
Folies Bergere
Green Acres
Hart to Hart
Love Boat

Three Rivers

In 1971, our grandparents Heinrich & Ursula Grimm bought four acres of land in Three Rivers, California, a small river town nestled in the Sierra Nevada foothills near Sequoia National Park. After many sketches, they hired local architect Gary Cort to help build their dream home on the river. Every weekend, the two of them would drive up from Los Angeles to stay in the trailer, enjoy the river, and lend a hand with the building. Finally in 1984, Heinrich retired from working as an engineer at Howard Hughes in El Segundo and Ursula from working at Nolan Miller’s shop in Beverly Hills, and they made the move to Three Rivers.

Heinrich and Ursula were both very active in the Three Rivers Theater Group and Art Guild. Ursula developed a strong passion for painting & watercolor during her time in Three Rivers, and her work was displayed in many shops and galleries throughout town. My sister and I would spend many summers with them in Three Rivers, enjoying the river, visiting Sequoia, doing arts & crafts, watching Laurel & Hardy movies and tennis (Boris Becker!) with Opa, and watching old black & white movies with Oma. After Opa passed away in 1992, Oma rented out the guest house to a young woman who had arrived in town, Arlene, and with great luck the two of them became wonderful friends, walking to the river together daily with their two dogs and taking trips around California.

We cherish greatly all the memories we made there and Three Rivers will always hold a very special place in our hearts.

Opa walking along the South Fork

Oma with her beloved view of Mt Dennison, this spot would become the ‘backyard’ to their house, & you can see the path to the river behind her.

Opa loved to spend his days clearing brush and blasting rocks! He created a clear path to the river and cleared out a swimming hole for us. I remember Oma would would ring the bell to call him in for lunch.

Nelly their German shepherd overlooking the river. The giant log she is sitting on is still there today, it’s actually a piece of a Sequoia tree trunk that came tumbling down the river from up the mountain, long ago.