It’s a Beverly Hills mansion with a rich Hollywood history, yet Beverly House, an 18-bedroom, 25-bathroom property set on 3.5 acres, has been on and off the market for more than a decade without a buyer.
It was listed in 2007 for $165million, in 2010 for $95million, in 2016 for $195million, and most recently for $119million – with its present price making it the most expensive house on the market in America.
But with no buyer coming forward, its US agents, The Agency, have enlisted the help of London-based Beauchamp Estates, known for its super-rich clientele, to assist securing a deal for the former private palace and estate of newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst.
Built in 1927, the house is heralded as a symbol of Hollywood’s Golden Age, and famed for its well-known scenes in The Godfather starring Marlon Brando in 1972, in The Bodyguard featuring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner in 1992 and in Beyoncé’s visual album Black Is King.
Based just three blocks away from Sunset Boulevard and boasting an Olympic-size swimming pool, tennis court, cinemas and colossal terraces for hosting more than 400 guests, the property also hosted Jacqueline and John F. Kennedy’s honeymoon getaway in 1953, and served as JFK’s West Coast presidential election headquarters.
THE LAVISH LIFE OF MEDIA MOGUL WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST
William Randolph Hearst was born into wealth and built a publishing empire on the back of his own father, who gave him control of The San Francisco Examiner in 1867.
Hearst then moved to New York, where he found great success thanks to his brand of sensationalizing stories, a practice which came to be called ‘yellow journalism.’
He soon owned 30 newspapers around the country, and successfully ran for a seat in the US House of Representatives.
He was hit hard by The Great Depression however, and died with little money, but never sold his holdings.
Once put in good hands, Hearst grew into a multibillion-dollar corporation that has provided his heirs millions of dollars a year.
Hearst Castle, which was built from 1919 to 1947, is now a National Historic Landmark. The estate was designed by renowned architect Julia Morgan over the span of 28 years.
Media mogul William Randolph Hearst had commissioned the lavish castle but died soon after its completion.
He did, however, get to enjoy the mansion because it was functional during its nearly three decade long construction. Hearst famously played host to many decadent parties in the mansion before his death in 1951.
The castle had its heyday in the 1920s and 1930s with Hollywood stars flocking to the grounds to rub shoulders with politicians for the outrageous parties thrown by its powerful and influential owner.
The stunning Spanish-style home features a two-story wood-paneled library and a ballroom across 50,000-square-feet adorned with rustic tiles and brimming with natural light, as well as a 800-foot circle driveway and beautifully manicured gardens.
The Beverly House was designed by Gordon Kaufmann, the renowned architect behind the Hoover Dam, and other homes in Beverly Hills. It has a H-form, with long colonnades, wide balconies and arched floor-to-ceiling windows provide a luxurious spaciousness.
In 1946, the home was acquired by Hollywood actress Marion Davies, who bought it for her lover, media mogul William Randolph Hearst, with the couple using it to entertain the movie and business elite of Hollywood.
The couple kept the estate as their Beverly Hills residence until Mr Hearst’s death in 1951, and the property was owned by the Marion Davies estate up until 1967, six years following her passing.
Mr Hearst developed the country’s largest newspaper and media company, Hearst Communications, and his methods of ‘yellow journalism’ were highly influential on the nation’s popular news, emphasizing sensationalism and human interest articles.
He had some 30 papers across the country at the height of his powers and even claimed his persuasive editorial stance had brought the US into the 1898 war against Spain. His life story was the main inspiration for Charles Foster Kane, the eponymous character in Orson Welles’ acclaimed ‘Citizen Kane’ movie (1941).
In 1953, the estate served as a honeymoon destination for JFK and Jackie Kennedy and later served as Kennedy’s West Coast presidential election headquarters.
Scenes from movies The Godfather and The Bodyguard were also filmed at the home, while Beyoncé fans will recognize the property from her 2020 musical film Black Is King, which showed the performer lounging around with her husband Jay-Z and throwing a party.
The mansion’s stunning two-story library is decorated with hand-carved wood paneling and a wraparound walkway; and the living room’s 22ft arched ceiling is hand-painted.
There is a state-of-the-art spa; a billiards room with herringbone parquet floors and an ornate ceiling and carved fireplace, both from the Hearst Castle in San Simeon (which he starting building in 1919 and never completed, now a designated National Historic Landmark).
The grand upstairs hallway is more than 102ft long, leading to lavish bedroom suites, glamorous guest rooms and separate staff quarters. Meanwhile, the lower ground floor contains an Art Deco-style nightclub, a wine cellar, one of two cinema rooms.
The gardens, designed by legendary California landscape architect Paul Thiene, include cascading waterfalls to the pool as well as tall trees and lush shrubs for privacy.
There is also a formal dining room, breakfast room and a family room with an outdoor terrace featured at the property, as well as staff offices and a guest house above an eight-car garage.
Gary Hersham, Founding Director of Beauchamp Estates, said: ‘Beauchamp Estates is delighted to be appointed exclusively as the only agent outside of the USA to manage the international marketing of The Beverly House, one of the most magnificent private estates in California that is truly anchored in American legend.
‘This is one of the most prestigious instructions for an American estate to be given to a London agency in many years and will appeal to our high-net-worth clients around the world.’
Jeremy Gee, Managing Director of Beauchamp Estates, added: ‘Beauchamp Estates is delighted to be the only estate agent outside of the USA to be instructed on this private palace and it underlines London’s role as the hub and destination of choice for the super-rich from around the world.
‘It is London that attracts the Chinese and Hong Kong billionaires, the Russian oligarchs, the Malaysian super-rich and the Gulf oil Royals. This unrivalled pulling power is why London is being used as a platform to market The Beverly House to the world’s super-rich.
‘Beauchamp Estates’ international network of offices will now be used to approach our billionaire clients to showcase this spectacular private palace. There are just around 20 families around the world who have the wealth to buy this Beverly Hills mansion and use it as a holiday home, to be visited perhaps once or twice a year, or used by family members visiting or studying in California.’
