20 Old Hollywood Legendary Mansions That Redefined Style
When stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age weren’t dazzling on screen, they were living in jaw-dropping mansions that became legends in their own right. These architectural masterpieces showcased the glamour, wealth, and distinct personalities of cinema’s earliest icons.
From sprawling estates to intimate hideaways, these homes tell fascinating stories about the lives of silver screen royalty.
1. Pickfair (Beverly Hills)
Dubbed America’s first celebrity mansion, this legendary estate set the standard for Hollywood luxury living. The sprawling property featured expansive gardens where the industry’s elite would gather for lavish soirées.
Pickfair belonged to power couple Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, who transformed a hunting lodge into a 25-room mansion that hosted everyone from Albert Einstein to F. Scott Fitzgerald.
2. Harold Lloyd Estate (Greenacres, Beverly Hills)
Perched high in Beverly Hills sat a magnificent Italian Renaissance marvel with breathtaking city views. Completed in 1929, this 44-room wonderland included a 900-foot canoe run and Olympic-sized swimming pool.
Harold Lloyd’s estate sprawled across 16 acres of meticulously landscaped grounds. The silent film comedian spared no expense, incorporating 44 rooms, 26 bathrooms, and a golf course into his personal paradise.
3. Hearst Estate (Beverly Hills)
Architectural grandeur meets Hollywood history in this Mediterranean-style palace built in 1927. The property boasts a 50-foot entry hall with intricate woodwork that immediately signals its opulence.
William Randolph Hearst acquired this Beverly Hills gem for his longtime companion, actress Marion Davies. The estate later gained fame as a filming location for the horse-head scene in “The Godfather.”
4. Marion Davies Estate (Santa Monica)
Sand, surf, and spectacular luxury defined this beachfront playground for Hollywood’s elite. With 110 rooms spread across five buildings, the compound hosted weekend-long parties that became industry legend.
Marion Davies’ Santa Monica retreat was a gift from newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. The Georgian-style mansion featured marble swimming pools, gold-plated fixtures, and a private beach that stretched 900 feet along the Pacific.
5. Greta Garbo’s Apartment (New York City)
Nestled along Manhattan’s East River sits a surprisingly modest sanctuary compared to Hollywood’s sprawling estates. Pink walls and custom furniture created a personal haven where the enigmatic star could escape the spotlight.
Garbo’s apartment reflected her famous desire for privacy. The Swedish-born actress filled her New York refuge with European antiques, fine art, and a remarkable collection of Renoir paintings that revealed her sophisticated taste and artistic sensibilities.
6. Rudolph Valentino’s Falcon Lair (Benedict Canyon)
Mysterious and romantic, just like its legendary owner, this hillside hideaway became as famous as the silent film heartthrob himself. Stone walls and wrought-iron gates protected the intensely private star from his overzealous female admirers.
Valentino named Falcon Lair after an unproduced film project. The Spanish-style estate featured falcons carved into doorways, a stable for the actor’s beloved Arabian horses, and dramatic canyon views that matched his smoldering on-screen persona.
7. The Harold Lloyd Beach House (Santa Monica)
Sunshine and sophistication merged in this coastal retreat where Hollywood’s favorite comedian escaped city life. Floor-to-ceiling windows captured breathtaking ocean panoramas from nearly every room.
Lloyd’s beach house served as his family’s summer escape. The art deco masterpiece featured a striking circular design, private access to Santa Monica’s golden sands, and a screening room where the silent film star would entertain guests with his latest pictures.
8. Lucille Ball’s Beverly Hills Mansion
Warmth and wit infused every corner of this charming English country-style residence. The queen of comedy’s home featured cheerful yellow walls, bright floral patterns, and comfortable gathering spaces perfect for entertaining fellow stars.
Ball purchased this Beverly Hills treasure with husband Desi Arnaz during the height of “I Love Lucy.” The beloved redhead’s personal touch showed in the property’s lush gardens, informal dining areas, and a special playroom designed for her two children.
9. Jean Harlow’s Brentwood Home
Glamour met simplicity in this surprisingly modest colonial-style house chosen by Hollywood’s original blonde bombshell. All-white interiors created a clean canvas that complemented the star’s platinum hair and fair complexion.
Harlow’s Brentwood residence became known as the “House of Harlow.” The petite star defied Hollywood expectations with her unpretentious home, preferring intimate dinner parties to lavish soirées and selecting comfortable furnishings over ostentatious displays of wealth.
10. Buster Keaton’s Beverly Hills Estate
Whimsy and practicality combined in this Italian-inspired mansion built by silent cinema’s greatest physical comedian. The estate featured custom innovations that mirrored Keaton’s ingenious film contraptions, including a unique indoor-outdoor swimming pool.
Keaton’s 10,000-square-foot residence included elaborate gardens with walking paths and a miniature railroad that delighted his children. The Great Stone Face, as he was known, installed a professional projection room where he edited his groundbreaking silent films.
11. Charlie Chaplin’s Beverly Hills Residence
Understated elegance characterized the home of cinema’s most beloved tramp. Despite his immense wealth, the comedy pioneer chose a relatively modest Tudor-style residence that prioritized comfort over opulence.
Chaplin’s Beverly Hills sanctuary featured wood-paneled rooms filled with books and musical instruments. The Little Tramp installed a tennis court where he regularly played with friends like Douglas Fairbanks, and maintained beautiful gardens that offered privacy from his enormous worldwide fame.
12. Bing Crosby’s Toluca Lake Home
Casual sophistication defined this sprawling estate where America’s favorite crooner relaxed between recordings. The property featured a professional recording studio where Crosby pioneered audio technologies still used today.
Bing’s Toluca Lake residence became known for legendary parties around its Olympic-sized swimming pool. The 7,000-square-foot main house included a trophy room displaying his golf achievements, a projection room for private screenings, and spacious grounds where he hosted celebrity-filled charity events.
13. Gloria Swanson’s Sunset Boulevard Estate
Opulence and drama characterized this Mediterranean palace that could have been a set from the star’s later film “Sunset Boulevard.” Gold fixtures, crystal chandeliers, and ornate furnishings reflected the silent film queen’s larger-than-life persona.
Swanson’s magnificent estate featured marble bathrooms with gold-plated fixtures imported from Europe. The glamorous actress installed a professional projection room lined with silk damask where she screened her latest films for Hollywood royalty during lavish weekend parties.
14. Carole Lombard And Clark Gable Ranch (Encino)
Rustic charm and Hollywood romance blended perfectly in this countryside retreat for cinema’s golden couple. The 20-acre property featured horse stables, vegetable gardens, and a farmhouse atmosphere that contrasted with their glamorous screen personas.
Lombard and Gable’s ranch represented their shared love of simple country living. The property included a modest white colonial-style home, fruit orchards they tended themselves, and plenty of space for their beloved dogs, chickens, and horses away from Hollywood’s constant spotlight.
15. Judy Garland’s Bel Air Estate
Whimsical and colorful, just like her most famous role, this charming colonial-style home welcomed visitors with vibrant gardens and cheerful interiors. The property featured a custom playground for her children and a specially designed music room.
Garland’s Bel Air residence reflected her desire for a normal family life away from MGM’s demanding schedule. The Wizard of Oz star filled her home with comfortable furnishings, family photographs, and her collection of rare dolls that showcased her playful personality.
16. Barbara Stanwyck’s Beverly Hills Home
Sophisticated yet unpretentious, this ranch-style estate reflected the no-nonsense attitude of its legendary owner. Designed by architect Paul Williams, the property featured clean lines, functional spaces, and California indoor-outdoor living decades ahead of its time.
Stanwyck named her beloved home “Marwyck Ranch.” The fiercely independent actress created a sanctuary featuring horse stables, citrus groves, and a swimming pool where she entertained close friends like Robert Taylor and William Holden with intimate dinner parties.
17. Norma Talmadge’s Beverly Hills Mansion
Grandeur and glamour defined this Spanish-style estate built for one of silent cinema’s highest-paid actresses. Ornate ironwork, hand-painted tiles, and dramatic archways showcased the star’s appreciation for Mediterranean aesthetics and Old World craftsmanship.
Talmadge’s magnificent residence featured formal gardens with fountains imported from Spain. The silent film queen installed a ballroom with inlaid wood floors where she hosted legendary parties for Hollywood’s elite, including her sisters Constance and Natalie Talmadge.
18. William Powell’s Beverly Hills Home
Suave sophistication characterized this elegant colonial residence that perfectly matched its debonair owner’s on-screen persona. The meticulously maintained property featured formal gardens, a swimming pool with Art Deco touches, and a library housing rare first editions.
Powell’s Beverly Hills sanctuary reflected his refined taste and appreciation for quality. The Thin Man star installed a professional bar room where he mixed perfect martinis for guests like Myrna Loy and Carole Lombard, and maintained immaculate grounds that hosted some of Hollywood’s most sophisticated gatherings.
19. Dolores Del Río’s Los Feliz Home
Exotic beauty infused this Spanish Colonial residence that mirrored its glamorous Mexican-born owner. Bright colors, hand-painted tiles, and lush tropical landscaping created a vibrant atmosphere that stood out among Hollywood’s more traditional estates.
Del Río’s enchanting home featured a courtyard with a central fountain where she hosted intimate gatherings. The trailblazing actress filled her residence with Mexican art, pre-Columbian artifacts, and hand-crafted furniture that celebrated her heritage while entertaining fellow stars like Marlene Dietrich and Orson Welles.
20. Cecil B. DeMille Estate (Los Feliz)
Cinematic grandeur characterized this magnificent Mediterranean compound built by Hollywood’s greatest showman. The sprawling property featured separate buildings for work and entertaining, reflecting DeMille’s legendary work ethic and flair for the dramatic.
DeMille’s iconic estate served as both home and creative headquarters. The pioneering director installed a professional screening room where he reviewed daily footage, multiple offices for his production team, and formal gardens where he contemplated his next epic while entertaining industry power players.
