Famous Historic Houses in Los Angeles
All throughout Los Angeles, you can find some incredible architecture and beautiful neighborhoods. The playgrounds of some of the most rich and famous in Hollywood, some of these homes are entrenched in the history of the City of Los Angeles. Here are 10 of our favorite famous LA Homes.
Sheats-Goldstein Residence
10102 Angelo View Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
The Sheats-Goldstein Residence, located in the affluent Beverly Crest section of Los Angeles, is an iconic mid-century marvel that has been featured in numerous films and TV shows. Built in 1963 by renowned architect John Lautner, it is one of the most recognizable residential structures in Los Angeles and a beloved architectural landmark.
The unique design of the Sheats-Goldstein residence includes several levels with a central courtyard, allowing for spectacular views of the surrounding hills from inside the house. Visually stunning elements such as exposed wood beams and solid concrete walls also make this residence stand out in today’s architectural landscape.
The living areas of the Sheats-Goldstein Residence are expansive, featuring five bedrooms and six bathrooms across two floors, as well as four fireplaces to keep the interior comfortably warm. Notable features include a built-in bar, two swimming pools, and a beautiful garden terrace perfect for entertaining guests. An interior glass atrium allows natural light into the main living areas, creating a sense of airiness and harmony.
If you’re looking to experience this architectural wonder for yourself, guided tours can be arranged through the Griffith Observatory or Los Angeles Conservancy. Whether you’re an architecture enthusiast or simply admire beautiful homes, the Sheats-Goldstein Residence is worth checking out!
Chemosphere House
7776 Torreyson Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90046
Chemosphere House, designed by architect John Lautner in 1960, is a Los Angeles landmark located in the Hollywood Hills. Built to be a place of refuge and privacy, this unique dwelling was the first of its kind to be constructed in the area. With its striking modernist design, the house’s single-level perches atop an octagonal steel pole planted deep into the ground, giving it an air of grandeur and mystery that has captivated many throughout the years.
The structure is made up of six individual rooms connected by a central core, surrounded by glass walls that provide breathtaking views of the surrounding hills and cityscape below. Inside, the house boasts luxurious features such as bold colors, mid-century modern furniture, and recessed lighting, all of which combine to create a space that is both inviting and futuristic. Even today, after nearly 60 years, Chemosphere House continues to be a source of inspiration for architects around the world who seek to replicate its unparalleled beauty and charm.
Ennis House
2655 Glendower Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Ennis House, located in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, is an architectural marvel designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1924. The house was commissioned by Charles and Mabel Ennis, who sought a unique residence that was both modern and timeless. With its unyielding Mayan Revival style, the residence still stands as an enduring symbol of Wright’s vision. From its sprawling open-air living spaces to its unorthodox terraced roof, no two rooms are alike in this meticulously crafted masterpiece.
The home is decorated with custom furniture and fixtures, as well as intricate art glass windows depicting Navajo and Aztec figures. The entire estate is composed of 22,000 interlocking concrete blocks, making it one of the most impressive and resilient structures ever built. From its rustic rust-colored patina to its dramatic low-pitched roofs, Ennis House stands out among other famous homes in Los Angeles, offering an unforgettable glimpse into the past while maintaining its relevance in modern times.
Spadena House (The Witch’s House)
516 Walden Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
The Spadena House, located in Beverly Hills, California, is an iconic and instantly recognizable structure that has inspired many over the years. Popularly known as ‘The Witch’s House” due to its distinctive architecture, this Tudor Revival cottage was built in 1921 by Hollywood art director Harry Oliver for silent film producer William Desmond Taylor. Its unique look is a combination of Gothic, English Cottage, and German Storybook styles, which gives it an enchanting fairy-tale quality.
As part of the Golden Age of Hollywood, Spadena House has served as a backdrop for several films, including the 1939 musical Babes in Arms and the classic 1967 comedy The Gnome-Mobile. This legendary house has also made appearances in TV shows such as Charmed and Buffy the Vampire Slayer and continues to be a popular site for film shoots and television programs. For those looking to catch a glimpse of this iconic house, the exterior is accessible with permission from the current owners.
Alfred F. Rosenheim Mansion
1120 Westchester Place, Los Angeles
The Alfred F. Rosenheim Mansion, located in the historic Hollywood district of Los Angeles, is a stunning example of French-inspired architecture. Built in 1908 by renowned architect Alfred F. Rosenheim, this sprawling mansion exudes opulence and grandeur. Featuring intricate detailing, hand-painted ceilings, and exquisite stained glass windows, the house has been called one of the most ornate residences ever built in Los Angeles.
In addition to its beauty, the home also has an interesting history. It appeared in multiple films such as Hitchcock’s classic horror movie Psycho, and was famously used as the backdrop for Thackery Binx’s haunting in Hocus Pocus. The house is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is a popular destination for tourists looking to get a glimpse of bygone Hollywood glamour.
Greenacres
1740 Green Acres Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Located in Beverly Hills, Greenacres was built by silent film star Harold Lloyd in the 1920s. The land was sold to Lloyd by P.E. Benedict and is close to the famous Pickfair estate. On the National Register of Historic Places since 1984, Greenacres has been called “the most impressive movie star’s estate ever created.”
The estate originally boasted a 44-room mansion, golf course, outbuildings, and 900-foot canoe run on 15 acres. Every Sunday, Lloyd would host about 30-40 friends and family members for a ‘at home’ day at the estate. There were activities set up and a large buffet before a movie was shown. When Lloyd’s career started to wind down in the 40’s, the estate fell into disrepair. When Lloyd died in 1971, he left the land and home to be used as a museum.
However, due to high costs, it ended up being sold off to a developer who turned 10 of the acres into 14 individual lots with the mansion still remaining on 5 acres. The home and acreage were sold to the heir of Marshall Field who updated and renovated it extensively and used it as a family home and for major political fundraisers. While previous guests included Mary Pickford, Ginger Rogers, and Fay Wray, recent visitors have included Bill Clinton, Natalie Cole, and Barbara Streisand. It is now owned by billionaire Ron Burkle.
Pickfair
1143 Summit Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Pickfair was a masterpiece of architecture, crafted from the vision of silent film stars Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. Originally built as a hunting cabin in 1919, the presence of renowned architect Wallace Neff soon transformed it into a luxurious mock Tudor style mansion with four stories and 25 rooms. Aptly named by the press, Pickfair also featured stables, servants quarters, tennis courts, a large guest wing, and garages.
Pickfair quickly became world-renowned as the “it” place for celebrities to gather. Its illustrious list of guests included Charlie Chaplin, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Greta Garbo, George Bernard Shaw, Albert Einstein, Helen Keller, H.G. Wells, Amelia Earhart, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Joan Crawford, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt, Pearl S. Buck, Charles Lindbergh, Max Reinhardt, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Thomas Edison, Lillian Gish, Gloria Swanson, the Duke and Duchess of Alba, the King and Queen of Siam and many more.
After the divorce of Pickford and Fairbanks in 1936, Pickford lived there until her death with her third husband. The house was eventually sold to Pia Zadora and her first husband who caused outrage when they demolished most of it. It was later revealed that a ghostly woman repeatedly appeared to Zadora and her family, prompting their decision to tear it down.
Today, the only remaining artifacts from the original Pickfair are the gates to the estate, the kidney-shaped pool and pool house, remnants of the living room, as well as the two-bedroom guest wing that hosted visiting royalty and notable film celebrities for over half a century. In the mid-2000s the property was sold off for an eye-watering $17 million to a businessman. Although much of its grandeur has been lost to time, Pickfair will always remain one of the most celebrated homes in history.
Playboy Mansion
10236 Charing Cross Road, Los Angeles, California
Probably one of the most iconic homes in Los Angeles and the one that many people want to visit. Known for its lavish parties and famous residents, the mansion is almost 22,000 square feet and is a “Gothic Style” Tudor home. It sits on over 5 acres and has 22 rooms.
The expansive property includes an impressive wine cellar, a dedicated screening room with a fully integrated pipe organ, a game room, three aviary buildings, a tennis court as well as a basketball hoop, a cascading waterfall feature, and a luxurious pool area complete with a patio, barbecue facilities, and even a subterranean grotto. In addition, guests are treated to carefully manicured landscaping including a tranquil koi pond with a man-made stream plus a quaint citrus orchard and two verdant forests of tree ferns and redwoods. Last but certainly not least, the estate also plays host to the editorial offices of Playboy Magazine, promoting a unique work/life balance for its illustrious occupants and visitors alike.
Greystone Mansion
905 Loma Vista Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
You might recognize Greystone Mansion from some of your favorite films including Star Trek 2, The Muppets, The Social Network, The Prestige, Rockstar, Spiderman, X-Men, The Big Lebowski, Air Force One, and Ghostbusters just to name a few. Built by the heir to one of the world’s greatest financial empires, Greystone mansion was originally built over 3 years ago at a cost of more than 3 million dollars (which in 1927 is equivalent to roughly $41 million today).
Greystone Manor is renowned for its abundance of stone architecture, which gives it an imposing, yet somber appearance. Initially constructed on sprawling grounds, the original estate included stables, kennels, and a tennis court, in addition to the manor itself. A fire station, gatehouse, swimming pool and pavilion, greenhouse, lake, babbling brooks, and cascading waterfalls completed the complex. Tragically, the original owner was murdered inside the home soon after its completion by a frazzled friend.
In spite of this tragedy, the manor has remained essentially unchanged since then, with his widow ensuring that the structure maintained its same form. Recently, Greystone Manor has seen an increase in utilization; not only for various film production sites, weddings, and photoshoots, but also for the popular Murder & Madness dinner theatre held there annually.
Hearst Estate
1101 N. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills CA 90210
Boasting 36 bathrooms (yes, 36), the Beverly House was once considered the most expensive private home in the United States. 36 bathrooms aside (yes, we said it again), the home (located on 3.7 acres) also has 29 bedrooms, 3 swimming pools, tennis courts, its own cinema, and a nightclub. Owned by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst and silent film star Marion Davies, legend has it that John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier spent part of their 1953 honeymoon at the property and they watched their first film together as a married couple in the mansion’s cinema.
It was a Hearst-produced film from the 1920s (of course!). The mansion was also supposedly used as the West Coast headquarters for the Kennedy Presidential Campaign in the 1960s. Perhaps most famously, however, the production team of the movie “The Godfather” made the owners an offer they couldn’t refuse because the house was used in the scene depicting the severed head of a horse in the bed of a film producer. It was also featured in the movie “The Bodyguard”. It went on the market in 2014 for $135 million dollars.
Final Word
Los Angeles is home to some of the most iconic and luxurious homes in the world. From classic Hollywood-style mansions to modern contemporary villas, the city is full of remarkable residences that have become true landmarks. These properties represent the wealth and status of their owners, but more than that, they offer a glimpse into LA’s unique culture and history. Whether you want to admire the stunning architecture or marvel at opulent amenities, these famous houses in LA are must-sees for any visitor to the city. So start exploring today, and find out what makes these homes so special.