Although married, during the 1950s Criswell maintained a private penthouse apartment (complete with roof garden) at the Highland Towers Apartments at 1922 Highland Avenue in Hollywood. He was listed in the city directory as "Mr. King" and used the apartment to entertain private friends. Close friend Liberace was an occasional guest at his private cocktail parties there. The building (designed for young, single film players during the 1920s) was also one-time home to Mary Martin and young son Larry Hagman, Thelma Todd, and Lyle Talbot.
