BUILDER CRANK, 77, DIES.

Byline: Jesse Hiestand Daily News Staff Writer

Fillmore Pajeau Crank Sr., husband of actress Beverly Garland and a developer whose projects included the Beverly Garland Hotel in North Hollywood, has died. He was 77.

Crank died of cancer Wednesday, family members said through a spokeswoman.

Crank was born in Los Angeles on Nov. 3, 1921, the youngest of three sons of Chester ``Chet'' Crank, an advertising executive for Gilmore Oil Co., and Margaret Bache Crank, a direct descendant of Benjamin Franklin.

He was a track star at Fairfax High School and at the University of Southern California.

Crank served in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II.

He married Barbara Logan, and they had two children, Cathleen and Fillmore Jr., before Barbara died in an automobile crash in 1957.

Crank and a partner formed the Yankee Farm Homes construction company, which primarily built single-family homes in the San Fernando Valley. On his own, Crank later designed and built apartment complexes in Encino and Sherman Oaks, as well as homes in the Hollywood Hills and Palm Desert.

In February 1960, Crank met actress Beverly Garland on a blind date. They were married on May 23 that year and had two children, Carrington and James.

Crank and Garland started a successful business partnership that lasted nearly 40 years.

They acquired a North Hollywood property from Gene Autry in 1971, intending to build apartments. But at the urging of baseball legend and local banker Casey Stengel, they instead built the Beverly Garland Hotel. The couple and the hotel have received numerous awards.

Crank is survived by his wife; sons Fillmore Jr. and James; daughters Cathleen Smith and Carrington Goodman; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at the First Christian Church, 4390 Colfax Ave. in North Hollywood. A memorial service will follow at Beverly Garland's Holiday Inn at 4222 Vineland Ave., North Hollywood.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to the East Valley YMCA at 5142 Tujunga Ave., North Hollywood, CA 91601.

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PHOTO Developer Fillmore Crank Sr. is seen in this family photo with his wife, actress Beverly Garland. Crank died Wednesday at age 77.