Zorthian, Jirayr Hamparzoom (34361495) - Revision history

Admin: Section order: Research notes above Sources

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Section order: Research notes above Sources

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	His first marriage, to the shaving-cream heiress Betty Williams, ended in divorce, but it left him the first acres of the ranch in Altadena, California, where he lived from 1945 until his death. He turned the ranch into what he called "The Center for Research and Development with an Emphasis on Aesthetics", building rental houses, rock walls, towers, bridges, and walkways from telephone poles, railroad ties, and salvaged junk, painting in his studio, and breeding horses. With his second wife, Dabney (1933–2006), he lived largely self-sufficiently, raising livestock, goats, vegetables, and chickens. He chaired the Pasadena Art Fair in 1954 and 1955 and showed his work at the Pasadena Art Museum in 1953. His paintings, mostly of nudes, sold for tens of thousands of dollars, but he was at least as famous in Southern California for his bohemian life: a July 1952 party at the ranch featured Charlie Parker, and in his last decade he hosted springtime birthday parties as "Zor-Bacchus". His friends included Parker, Andy Warhol, and Richard Feynman, whom he met at a party where Feynman played bongos; the two tried to teach each other art and physics, as Feynman recounted in ''Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!'', and Zorthian's lessons led Feynman to draw for the rest of his life. Zorthian died of congestive heart failure on 6 January 2004. Most of his archived artwork was destroyed when the Eaton Fire burned the ranch in January 2025.		His first marriage, to the shaving-cream heiress Betty Williams, ended in divorce, but it left him the first acres of the ranch in Altadena, California, where he lived from 1945 until his death. He turned the ranch into what he called "The Center for Research and Development with an Emphasis on Aesthetics", building rental houses, rock walls, towers, bridges, and walkways from telephone poles, railroad ties, and salvaged junk, painting in his studio, and breeding horses. With his second wife, Dabney (1933–2006), he lived largely self-sufficiently, raising livestock, goats, vegetables, and chickens. He chaired the Pasadena Art Fair in 1954 and 1955 and showed his work at the Pasadena Art Museum in 1953. His paintings, mostly of nudes, sold for tens of thousands of dollars, but he was at least as famous in Southern California for his bohemian life: a July 1952 party at the ranch featured Charlie Parker, and in his last decade he hosted springtime birthday parties as "Zor-Bacchus". His friends included Parker, Andy Warhol, and Richard Feynman, whom he met at a party where Feynman played bongos; the two tried to teach each other art and physics, as Feynman recounted in ''Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!'', and Zorthian's lessons led Feynman to draw for the rest of his life. Zorthian died of congestive heart failure on 6 January 2004. Most of his archived artwork was destroyed when the Eaton Fire burned the ranch in January 2025.

	~~== Research notes ==~~
	* Draftsman
	* DEML

	== Gallery ==		== Gallery ==
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	\| row_source \|\| demographics		\| row_source \|\| demographics
	\|}		\|}

			== Research notes ==
			* Draftsman
			* DEML

	== Sources ==		== Sources ==

Admin: Regenerate biography chronologically, merging site records with Wikipedia (replaces pasted text)

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Regenerate biography chronologically, merging site records with Wikipedia (replaces pasted text)

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	\|death_date=6 January 2004		\|death_date=6 January 2004
	\|death_year=2004		\|death_year=2004
	\|birth_place=Kütahya		\|birth_place=Kütahya, Turkey
	\|known_for=Painting		\|known_for=Painting
	\|photo=Wikipedia_Jirayr_Zorthian.png		\|photo=Wikipedia_Jirayr_Zorthian.png
			\|nativity=Turkey
	}}		}}

	<div class="soldier-lead">		<div class="soldier-lead">
	Jirayr Hamparzoom Zorthian (April ~~14,~~ 1911&~~nbsp~~;— January 6, 2004) was an Armenian American artist.		'''Jirayr Hamparzoom Zorthian''' (14 April 1911 – 6 January 2004) was an Armenian-born American artist and Ritchie Boy, a muralist and painter who painted ''The Phantasmagoria of Military Intelligence Training'' during his wartime service and later became known for his self-built art ranch in Altadena, California, and his friendship with the physicist Richard Feynman.
	</div>		</div>

	== Biography ==		== Biography ==
			Jirayr Hamparzoom Zorthian was born to Armenian parents on 14 April 1911 in Kütahya, in western Anatolia in the Ottoman Empire. Escaping the Armenian genocide with the survivors of his family, he made his way across Europe and reached New Haven, Connecticut, in 1923. Struck by how wasteful Americans seemed, he resolved as a young immigrant to recycle whatever he could. He won a full scholarship to the Yale School of Fine Arts, earned a Master of Fine Arts at Yale, and studied art in Italy in the 1930s. Back in the United States during the Great Depression he painted large murals, including eleven for the Tennessee State Capitol in 1938, which earned him the honorary title of "Colonel", and in 1940 the post office mural ''Early St. Johnsville Pioneers'' in St. Johnsville, New York.

			Zorthian entered the Army as a private at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, on 24 July 1942 (ASN 34361495). He first served in the 603rd Camouflage Engineer Battalion, a unit of many New York–area artists that later became part of the Ghost Army. The following year, still stateside, he was transferred to military intelligence and trained at Camp Ritchie, where records list him as a draftsman. There he painted what he considered his masterpiece, the mural ''The Phantasmagoria of Military Intelligence Training''.

	~~Jirayr Hamparzoom Zorthian (April 14~~, ~~1911 — January 6, 2004) was an Armenian American artist.~~		His first marriage, to the shaving-cream heiress Betty Williams, ended in divorce, but it left him the first acres of the ranch in Altadena, California, where he lived from 1945 until his death. He turned the ranch into what he called "The Center for Research and Development with an Emphasis on Aesthetics", building rental houses, rock walls, towers, bridges, and walkways from telephone poles, railroad ties, and salvaged junk, painting in his studio, and breeding horses. With his second wife, Dabney (1933–2006), he lived largely self-sufficiently, raising livestock, goats, vegetables, and chickens. He chaired the Pasadena Art Fair in 1954 and 1955 and showed his work at the Pasadena Art Museum in 1953. His paintings, mostly of nudes, sold for tens of thousands of dollars, but he was at least as famous in Southern California for his bohemian life: a July 1952 party at the ranch featured Charlie Parker, and in his last decade he hosted springtime birthday parties as "Zor-Bacchus". His friends included Parker, Andy Warhol, and Richard Feynman, whom he met at a party where Feynman played bongos; the two tried to teach each other art and physics, as Feynman recounted in ''Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!'', and Zorthian's lessons led Feynman to draw for the rest of his life. Zorthian died of congestive heart failure on 6 January 2004. Most of his archived artwork was destroyed when the Eaton Fire burned the ranch in January 2025.

	~~Born of Armenian parents on April 14, 1911~~, in ~~Kütahya~~, ~~Western Anatolia, Ottoman Empire, Zorthian escaped through Europe with~~ the ~~remnants~~ of ~~his family to escape~~ the ~~Armenian genocide~~, ~~and arrived in New Haven~~, ~~Connecticut in 1923~~. He ~~earned a Master of Fine Arts at Yale University (where~~ he ~~had a~~ "~~full college scholarship to the Yale School of fine arts~~") and ~~studied art~~ in ~~Italy in the 1930s~~. ~~Returning to the United States during the Great Depression~~, he ~~painted several massive murals~~, ~~including 11 for~~ the ~~Tennessee State Capitol~~ in ~~1938 which earned him the honorary title of "Colonel". In 1940, he painted the mural~~ at the ~~United States Post Office~~ in St. ~~Johnsville~~, ~~New York~~, ~~titled "Early St. Johnsville Pioneers."~~

	~~During World War II~~, he ~~first served~~ in the ~~603rd Camouflage Engineer Battalion~~, ~~a unit including many New York City area artists that eventually became part of the famed Ghost Army. The following year he was transferred (still stateside) to army intelligence~~ and ~~painted what he came to consider~~ his ~~masterpiece—a mural~~ he ~~titled The Phantasmagoria of Military Intelligence Training. His training at Camp Ritchie makes him one of many Ritchie Boys~~. His ~~first marriage~~, ~~to shaving cream heiress Betty Williams~~, ~~ended in divorce but he gained the first acres of the Altadena ranch where he lived from 1945 until his death.~~

	~~Zorthian is known among physicists for his friendship with~~ Richard Feynman, ~~a Nobel Prize winning physicist. They~~ met at a party where Feynman played bongos~~: Zorthian removed his shirt and made funny designs on his own chest with available materials. Zorthian and Feynman's attempts~~ to teach each other physics ~~and art respectively are described~~ in ~~Feynman~~'~~s autobiography~~ Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!. Zorthian's ~~teaching inspired~~ Feynman to ~~take up drawing, a pastime he continued~~ for the rest of his life.


	== Research notes ==		== Research notes ==
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	== Gallery ==		== Gallery ==
	''After you are autoconfirmed, [[Special:Upload\|upload a photo]] and add <code><nowiki>[[File:Example.jpg\|thumb\|caption]]</nowiki></code> here, or set <code>\|photo=Example.jpg</code> in the infobox.''		''After you are autoconfirmed, [[Special:Upload\|upload a photo]] and add <code><nowiki>[[File:Example.jpg\|thumb\|caption]]</nowiki></code> here, or set <code>\|photo=Example.jpg</code> in the infobox.''

			== Timeline ==
			<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
			<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
			* 14 April 1911 — Born in Kütahya, Ottoman Empire.
			* 1923 — Arrived in New Haven, Connecticut.
			* 1938 — Painted eleven murals for the Tennessee State Capitol.
			* 1940 — Painted the St. Johnsville, New York, post office mural.
			* 1942–1943 — 603rd Camouflage Engineer Battalion; then military intelligence training at Camp Ritchie.
			* 24 July 1942 — Entered the Army as Pvt at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia (ASN 34361495).
			* 1945 — Settled on his ranch in Altadena, California.
			* 6 January 2004 — Died.
			</div>
			</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>

	== Technical record ==		== Technical record ==

Admin: Expand documented full name in infobox and lead

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Expand documented full name in infobox and lead

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	\|surname=Zorthian		\|surname=Zorthian
	\|first=Jirayr		\|first=Jirayr
	\|middle=H		\|middle=Hamparzoom
	\|birth_year=1911		\|birth_year=1911
	\|enlistment_place=FT OGLETHORPE GEORGIA		\|enlistment_place=FT OGLETHORPE GEORGIA

Admin: Admin moved page Zorthian, Jirayr H (34361495) to Zorthian, Jirayr Hamparzoom (34361495) without leaving a redirect: Expand documented middle name: Hamparzoom

2026-09-25T03:54:07Z

Admin moved page Zorthian, Jirayr H (34361495) to Zorthian, Jirayr Hamparzoom (34361495) without leaving a redirect: Expand documented middle name: Hamparzoom

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	\|death_date=6 January 2004		\|death_date=6 January 2004
	\|death_year=2004		\|death_year=2004
	\|birth_place=Kütahya~~, Western Anatolia, Ottoman Empire~~		\|birth_place=Kütahya
	\|known_for=Painting		\|known_for=Painting
	\|photo=Wikipedia_Jirayr_Zorthian.png		\|photo=Wikipedia_Jirayr_Zorthian.png

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	== Research notes ==		== Research notes ==
	* Draftsman~~; DEML~~		* Draftsman
	* z		* DEML

	== Gallery ==		== Gallery ==

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Clarify museum roster and Dan Gross research sources

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	== Sources ==		== Sources ==
	* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jirayr_Zorthian Wikipedia: Jirayr Zorthian]		* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jirayr_Zorthian Wikipedia: Jirayr Zorthian]
	* Camp Ritchie ~~class roster~~ (~~classes~~ 1–31), ~~merged~~ research ~~file~~		* Camp Ritchie Museum, Inc. (The Ritchie History Museum), Classes 1–31 roster data
			* Dan Gross research spreadsheets, including original Excel timeline/roster work, combined with other research and records
	* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)		* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
	* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)		* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)

Admin: Enrich from Wikipedia: Jirayr Zorthian

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Enrich from Wikipedia: Jirayr Zorthian

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	<div class="soldier-lead">		<div class="soldier-lead">
	Jirayr Hamparzoom Zorthian ~~({{langx\|hy\|Ժիրայր Զորթեան}})~~ (April 14, 1911 — January 6, 2004) was an Armenian American artist.		Jirayr Hamparzoom Zorthian (April 14, 1911 — January 6, 2004) was an Armenian American artist.
	</div>		</div>

	== Biography ==		== Biography ==

	Jirayr Hamparzoom Zorthian ~~({{langx\|hy\|Ժիրայր Զորթեան}})~~ (April 14, 1911 — January 6, 2004) was an Armenian American artist.
			Jirayr Hamparzoom Zorthian (April 14, 1911 — January 6, 2004) was an Armenian American artist.

			Born of Armenian parents on April 14, 1911, in Kütahya, Western Anatolia, Ottoman Empire, Zorthian escaped through Europe with the remnants of his family to escape the Armenian genocide, and arrived in New Haven, Connecticut in 1923. He earned a Master of Fine Arts at Yale University (where he had a "full college scholarship to the Yale School of fine arts") and studied art in Italy in the 1930s. Returning to the United States during the Great Depression, he painted several massive murals, including 11 for the Tennessee State Capitol in 1938 which earned him the honorary title of "Colonel". In 1940, he painted the mural at the United States Post Office in St. Johnsville, New York, titled "Early St. Johnsville Pioneers."

			During World War II, he first served in the 603rd Camouflage Engineer Battalion, a unit including many New York City area artists that eventually became part of the famed Ghost Army. The following year he was transferred (still stateside) to army intelligence and painted what he came to consider his masterpiece—a mural he titled The Phantasmagoria of Military Intelligence Training. His training at Camp Ritchie makes him one of many Ritchie Boys. His first marriage, to shaving cream heiress Betty Williams, ended in divorce but he gained the first acres of the Altadena ranch where he lived from 1945 until his death.

			Zorthian is known among physicists for his friendship with Richard Feynman, a Nobel Prize winning physicist. They met at a party where Feynman played bongos: Zorthian removed his shirt and made funny designs on his own chest with available materials. Zorthian and Feynman's attempts to teach each other physics and art respectively are described in Feynman's autobiography Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!. Zorthian's teaching inspired Feynman to take up drawing, a pastime he continued for the rest of his life.

Admin: Enrich from Wikipedia: Jirayr Zorthian

2026-08-24T04:57:09Z

Enrich from Wikipedia: Jirayr Zorthian

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	\|first=Jirayr		\|first=Jirayr
	\|middle=H		\|middle=H
	\|birth_year=~~1912~~		\|birth_year=1911
	\|enlistment_place=FT OGLETHORPE GEORGIA		\|enlistment_place=FT OGLETHORPE GEORGIA
	\|state=CONNECTICUT		\|state=CONNECTICUT
	\|education=4 years of high school		\|education=4 years of high school
	\|marital=Married		\|marital=Married
			\|birth_date=14 April 1911
			\|death_date=6 January 2004
			\|death_year=2004
			\|birth_place=Kütahya, Western Anatolia, Ottoman Empire
			\|known_for=Painting
			\|photo=Wikipedia_Jirayr_Zorthian.png
	}}		}}

	<div class="soldier-lead">		<div class="soldier-lead">
	~~'''~~Jirayr H Zorthian~~'''~~ (~~born 1912~~) ~~was a United States Army soldier associated with Camp Ritchie~~, ~~Maryland. Jirayr enlisted at Ft Oglethorpe~~, ~~Georgia~~.		Jirayr Hamparzoom Zorthian ({{langx\|hy\|Ժիրայր Զորթեան}}) (April 14, 1911 — January 6, 2004) was an Armenian American artist.
	</div>		</div>

	== Biography ==		== Biography ==
	~~''Add a biography~~, ~~family details~~, ~~and sources. Click Edit to change this page; no account is required~~.''
			Jirayr Hamparzoom Zorthian ({{langx\|hy\|Ժիրայր Զորթեան}}) (April 14, 1911 — January 6, 2004) was an Armenian American artist.


	== Research notes ==		== Research notes ==
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	== Sources ==		== Sources ==
			* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jirayr_Zorthian Wikipedia: Jirayr Zorthian]
	* Camp Ritchie class roster (classes 1–31), merged research file		* Camp Ritchie class roster (classes 1–31), merged research file
	* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)		* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
	* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)		* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)

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	{{Soldier		{{Soldier
			\|lede_on_page=1
	\|asn=34361495		\|asn=34361495
	\|surname=Zorthian		\|surname=Zorthian
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	\|marital=Married		\|marital=Married
	}}		}}

			<div class="soldier-lead">
			'''Jirayr H Zorthian''' (born 1912) was a United States Army soldier associated with Camp Ritchie, Maryland. Jirayr enlisted at Ft Oglethorpe, Georgia.
			</div>

	== Biography ==		== Biography ==
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	* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)		* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
	* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)		* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)