Sunnylands Series • Variations to a Theme: William Haines at Sunnylands In-Person
William “Billy” Haines was one of the silver screen’s leading men in the 1930s. He quit showbiz and reinvented himself as an interior designer, becoming one of the most sought-after decorators in Hollywood. In the 1960s, Walter and Leonore Annenberg brought Haines to Rancho Mirage to oversee the creation of their new winter home, Sunnylands. Haines found the couple an architect, the award-winning A. Quincy Jones, and created more than 450 pieces of furniture for the estate. Now, an exhibition of Haines’ remarkable furnishings is on view at Sunnylands Center & Gardens. The designer’s life and legacy are explored in this presentation by exhibition curators and Sunnylands staff members, Anne Rowe, Director of Heritage, and Frank Lopez, Archivist and Librarian; and interior designer Patrick Dragonette.
This series is presented in partnership with Sunnylands.