Hollywood at Home: Rudolph Valentino's Falcon Lair

I've been wanting to do a series on the fabulous estates of our glamorous Hollywood stars for some time now. Perhaps my interest, fascination began when I was just a kid growing up in southern California on one particular weekend while our family was doing the touristy things around Los Angeles including a visit to Grauman's Theatre and a drive up to the Hollywood sign.  After a few hours of driving up and down Sunset we managed to find enough nerve to talk our dad into stopping off at one of those busy intersections where an over zealous crowd was eagerly purchasing those cheesy star house tour maps.

If anyone has found themselves navigating one of those old Hollywood home maps, it's not easy. Especially if you're not all that familiar with the steep roads that wind around and up into Benedict Canyon or how Bel Air, Studio City, Brentwood, Beverly Hills, Los Feliz, Holmby Hills and West Hollywood have changed since most of those maps were first printed.  Let's face it! If you are able to locate even five of the estate addresses provided you're very lucky. The only two that I remember are Lucille Ball's large estate which takes up an entire corner and the Falcon Lair estate in all it's grandeur, nestled at the top of a winding road in Benedict Canyon. (For you Lucy fans, I'll be featuring two of her homes in a future post!)

Several years ago while visiting a friend in Los Angeles, I brought up Falcon Lair, how I would love to see it again and before I knew it we were off on a motorbike, spending the entire afternoon (without a star map or proper address) trying to find it.  We never did locate it that day and upon returning home I found out that the main house had been torn down.  I was so sad to hear that, the fact that anyone would purchase the property with the intention of bulldozing it, one of the very first large estates, designed in the Wallace Neff style but lived in by of one of Hollywood's most famous silent stars, Rudolph Valentino before the eccentric heiress, Doris Duke took up residence years later.

'Falcon Lair' can be seen on each side of the main gate. To the left is the servants quarters above the garage. The metal pennant can be seen flying above the main house with it's specially designed V and a falcon. (As it appeared while Valentino was in residence in 1925)

Falcon Lair as it appeared recently via Google Earth. The staff apartment, garages are intact, look the same as well as the gate lamps and the "falcon Lair' signs. The iron gate has been replaced with heavy wooden gates. (The original mailbox is too cute) The garage which was accessed from inside the estate was large enough to house five of Valentino's cars as well as a large gas tank so he didn't ever have to fill up at some gas station during one of his regular drives.  As his career skyrocketed, Rudy did all that he could to avoid large crowds, situations where he would be approached.

Another view of the staff quarters and garage as you approach Falcon Lair coming up from Cielo Drive below. One of the reasons the apartment was built at the front entrance was to house Rudolph's full time security guards who also acted as gate attendants.  

Falcon Lair: How it came to be.

Located at 1436 Bella Drive, Beverly Hills, CA. (At the time the estate was built the address was just 2 Bella Drive). The estate was designed  in the popular "California Style" in 1924.  Upon completion the estate was initially occupied by Realtor George E. Read. At that time the property which sat on over 8 acres of land with it's main entrance on Bella Drive providing access to a large garage and a detached main house at 4700 sq ft. The initial design also included large horse stables with a separate entrance now known as 10051 Cielo Drive. When Rudy bought Falcon Lair, Cielo Drive was not yet named as it was a rarely used dirt road, well hidden in Benedict Canyon. (More on that famous street a bit later.)

It should be noted that when Falcon Lair was built, Benedict Canyon was pretty isolated other than Doug Fairbanks and Mary Pickfords grand Pickfair estate further down the canyon. Then the large and popular Beverly Hills Hotel that still sits at the base of Benedict Canyon, the land behind and above it was just starting to be bought up, developed little by little for the Hollywood elite to build mega compounds, take advantage of the isolation, fantastic views of Los Angeles down below.  Soon after Falcon Lair was built, Harold Lloyd would build his huge, extravagant "Green Acres" mansion just down the hill. (I'll be writing on it a bit later) Corinne Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Tom Mix would also build huge estates just down the hill from Valentino's compound. John Gilbert was one of Rudy's first neighbors, though, having already discovered the untouched beauty of Benedict Canyon in 1923. But I don't want to get ahead of myself here.

A side view of the main house and its retaining walls as it appeared during the 1920's-1990's.

A view of the property at Whitley Heights where Rudy resided before taking up residence at Falcon Lair. This photo would have been taken after Rudy relocated and obviously before it was bulldozed to make way for the new Hollywood Freeway. (Such a shame!),

In 1924, silent actor Rudolph Valentino was married to his second wife, costume and set designer Natasha Rambova. The two were spending a lot of time traveling abroad where they were buying up antiques as fast as they could find them in between their work back in Hollywood. Rudolph was very interested in medieval armory and Spanish sculpture, while Natasha was busy purchasing tapestries, paintings and furniture. They where living in Rudolph's Whitley Heights home at that time which they quickly realized they had outgrown. Not only were they having to keep most of their recent purchases in storage, Rudolph wanted a home with land where he could ride and board his horses, a place where he could build kennels, a proper dog run for his beloved German Shepard's, a Spanish greyhound and his Italian mastiffs.  

Valentino loved his horses, fancy cars and especially his dogs which roamed around his property freely at night to deter intruders, sightseers.

It was Rudolph's friend and Whitley Heights neighbor, Gloria Swanson that first told him about the secluded estate. He fell in love with it instantly, Natasha not so much. Their relationship had been on a downward spiral for some time with Rudy hoping that a new home where they would have plenty of room to hold their lavish parties, a place to spend more time outdoors might bring them back together. Rudolph even offered the entire estate to do whatever she pleased as long as he had a business office and masculine study. She wasn't interested, didn't feel they could make things work at this point so she set sail for Paris while Rudolph moved into the estate which he would soon name Falcon Lair after the screenplay The Hooded Falcon, written for him by his wife Natasha. 

The much smaller Whitley Heights estate owned by Valentino in the early to mid 1920s (Came to be known as Villa Valentino.) Where he resided with his 2nd wife Natasha until he moved to Falcon Lair. The house was at 6776  Wedgewood Place, Whitley Heights. The home has since been torn down to make way for the Hollywood freeway.

Rudolph posing in front of his Whitley Heights home, Villa Valentino during the early 1920's.

Rudolph paid $175,000 for Falcon Lair in 1925. $150,000 for the structures and main property they sat on then another $25,000 for the additional undeveloped acreage.  (Well, he actually got a loan for the estate which George Read would only accept after Rudy's boss, studio chief Joseph Schenck vouched for the loan to purchase the estate and property.) Rudy was making $550,000 a year with a new contract also giving him 45% of any future film profits.  He could certainly afford his new Shangra La and all of the renovations which would start immediately. He needed something to keep his mind off of his broken heart and Falcon Lair offered him plenty to do.

Valentino at his Falcon Lair stables

Upon taking residence, Rudolph was officially separated from Rambova but he wasn't lonely for long. Within a few short weeks a certain actress named Pola Negri could be seen coming and going down that winding driveway all hours of the day and night.  Of course she wasn't the only one trying to gain entry. Once Rudy's address got out, women made their way up Benedict Canyon in droves, hoping to get a glimpse of their idol or even worse, they would walk right up to his front door.  To gain some privacy back, Valentino had a very high concrete wall erected around the estate and his dogs were let loose at night to guard the property.  He also purchased the adjoining six 1/2 acres so that he could ride his horses without the worry of fans, neighbors ogling at him every morning.

 

Pola Negri and Rudolph enjoy the Arabian horses that he rode every morning around his vast estate.

Rudolph not only had a high concrete wall erected around the estate he had a second level added to the garage to use as the new staff quarters.  To the left of the main house is where more horse stables and the dog kennels were built. (The property already had large horse stables as well as proper staff housing with an attached garage for motorcars at the bottom of Benedict Canyon.) Once all of the renovations were complete, every wall was painted taupe. Obviously a color that Rudy adored since he painted every interior wall of the estate taupe to match as well as covering the gorgeous travertine tiled floors with taupe carpet, leaving only the main entryway and dining room tiles exposed. I'm sure the carpet complimented Rudy's vast collection of medieval swords, shields and armor quite nicely.  Oh, and the floor to ceiling portrait he had on display of himself dressed in full armor with a beautiful maiden sat adoringly at his feet. That of course was just one of the splendid things that would catch your eye as you walked through the 17th century Florentine, solid oak front doors.  

The Falcon Lair living room with it's hand carved furniture, many swords, armor and heavy oriental rugs and tapestries purchased during Valentino's travels.

To add to the richness, the library, den and main living room drapes were made of heavy red velvet.  The library shelves were loaded down with the likes of Dickens, Dumas and Goethe to name just a few. Throughout the estate you could find Gothic antiques, medieval weapons, a French throne, closets over flowing with Rudolph's vast collection of hand made suits, hats, shoes, riding clothes and jewelry. He lived like a mini Randolph Hearst, filling his secluded mecca to the brim.  As a matter of fact, if Rudolph had not died so suddenly I'm pretty certain his lavish lifestyle would have had him in a bind eventually.  But he had no worries about what his lavish spending might lead to during 1925. He was enjoying life behind his concrete walls, often entertaining his close friends Charlie Chaplin, Lillian Gish, Mary Pickford and her husband Douglas Fairbanks. 

The fountain was installed by Valentino as well as over 50 Italian Cypress trees and an Italian garden complete with imported European and Chinese plants and shrubs. 

Valentino in his den surrounded by his acquisitions which many visitors to Falcon Lair felt made the home feel more like a movie set than a place to relax.

Throughout 1925 Valentino invested several hundred thousand dollars into Falcon Lair, making it the show place he had dreamed of since first arriving in Hollywood.  Sadly, he would only be able to enjoy it for a year as he died suddenly in August of 1926.  

The estate was left to Valentino's siblings but so much was owed on it, borrowed against it that it was sold off along with it's contents to repay Rudolph's debts. Occasionally the original auction catalogs with a full listing of Valentino's estate items will go up for sale but unfortunately I've not been able to see one let alone purchase one. If I do I'll be sure to share the contents.

Rudy is ready for a bit of fencing at his beloved Falcon Lair.

Rudolph admires his magnificent Falcon Lair from a balcony atop the main house.

Falcon Lair: 1926 and beyond.

In 1933, silent actor Harry Carey moved in to Falcon Lair for a short time. But he soon became spooked upon hearing clanking, footsteps all hours of the night so he exited for quieter, less haunted digs. Silent actor Henry Casey experienced the same thing. One by one, prospective buyers and renters vacated the eery estate, eventually leaving it vacant for a period of eight years.  (Throughout the years, there have been many stories of residents, guests and staff of Falcon Lair seeing Rudy's shadow sitting near his master suite window, seeing his shadow walking through his horse stables as well as odd noises, footsteps and different dogs running about the grounds.)

It was during this time that the hired gardeners and caretakers developed a scheme to profit off of Valentino's continued fame. They would scam the occasional fan that made the pilgrimage up the canyon in hopes of scoring anything once belonging to their idol.  A caretaker would slip them a note instructing them to meet him alone later that evening where he would sell anything from a random piece of clothing, a candlestick, hat pen, etc, claiming they were one of a kind pieces owned by Valentino. (They even sold feathers, claiming they were plucked from Rudy's favorite down pillow). Of course every time they were caught then fired another one would soon get wind of the easy money making scheme and it would start all over again.  (I wonder how many out there have a prized possession of Valentino's that was handed down to them by a love one that in fact is some old hand me down owned by Pee Wee Parsnip the gardener?

Harry Carey Sr. during the late 1920's at Falcon Lair. He couldn't handle the ghosts.

Falcon Lair was purchased then rented out from the late 30's through the 1950's. Some of the more famous renters were actor Edgar Bergen, actress Ann Harding and husband Werner Janssen, actress Gloria Swanson for a few months during 1951.  The mobster, Bugsy Siegel even rented the estate for a few months in the 1940's.

Around 1952, Gloria Swanson told her good friend, tobacco heiress Doris Duke about Falcon Lair. Duke, who had a large estate on the East coast was looking for a large, secluded estate near Hollywood so she would have a vacation home, a place close to her then boyfriend, jazz musician Joe Castro.  (Having lived at Falcon Lair for a short time as well as being a frequent guest of Valentino's while he resided there, she did find it for him as well, I wonder if Gloria let Duke know that the place was haunted and it didn't bring Rudy much luck? That Gloria, what a card!)

The eccentric heiress, Doris Duke would purchase Falcon Lair in 1952, reside there part time until her death in 1993.

A gorgeous view of Falcon Lair as it appeared once Doris Dukes renovations were complete. The house would remain virtually unchanged until the late 1990's, a wonderful reminder of the early days of Hollywood, perched high in the hills of Benedict Canyon.

Although Doris's relationship with Joe Castro didn't last, her love of Falcon Lair would. She used the estate as her only west coast home when not at her east coast farm, Duke Farms or her Hawaiian vacation compound she named Shangra La. Duke spared no expense on Falcon Lair, renovating, adding new buildings, landscaping, a swimming pool, furnishing it with her rare art and other antiquities. Her taste was as eccentric as Rudy's, purchasing Napoleon's war room then having it set up in one of the large dens at Falcon Lair.  Unlike Rudy, Doris spent money but she also invested her money wisely. Her inheritance was 30 million in 1925. At the time of her death, Doris had built her fortune up to a billion dollars.  She was smart when it came to money, investing but not so much when it came to her choices in men.  

Doris, suffering from several ailments and recovering from a recent knee replacement returned to Falcon Lair full time in 1993, accompanied by her beloved pugs and her 'companion', butler Bernard Lafferty.  She would pass away at the end of 1993 while at home at Falcon Lair.  The majority of her estate and Falcon Lair would go to her Doris Duke Foundation.  In 1998 the estate was sold through Christies auction house for 3.9 million.  You can view photos of her expensive furnishings, the interiors of Falcon Lair while she resided there by clicking HERE. Also, if you would like to see the long list of inventory from Doris Dukes personal papers, receipts throughout the time she owned Falcon Lair you can click HERE. The Duke estate and all records are kept through the Duke University Library. I did contact them to see if the folders could be accessed but I was informed that they haven't been loaded into PDF format yet, they can be seen by visiting the Duke Library for now. (You can still scan the provided lists and read all of the routine purchases, maintenance being done on Falcon Lair throughout the years.)

A very overgrown Falcon Lair in the 1980's.

When Falcon Lair was finally purchased again in 1998, the intention of the buyer was to restore it to it's original glory.  Of course after it had sat unoccupied again for over 5 years the original structures were in bad shape.  Realizing the restoration would cost millions it was soon decided that the lower, original stables and staff quarters, garage could be sold off with 3 acres, freeing up some money for the main project.  

The original stables that face Cielo Drive. The large copper loops that Valentino used to tie off his horses remain on the original stable doors.  

You can see part of the old Falcon Lair structures at the top of he hill. Far above the old stables, garage and staff quarters.

The large stables can be seen behind the concrete wall, iron fencing.

The original stables seen above are located at what is now 10051 Cielo Drive. Just recently they have been restored again, a gorgeous pool was added. The house is currently listed for $1.91 million or you can rent it for $6,625/mo.  I hope you'll click on the link HERE to see the listing, the gorgeous photos of the renovation of Valentino's old stables, staff quarters. (I love that the large stable walls, doors and the imported tiles were left intact.

In this aerial view you can see the restored stables (from above link, pics) near the bottom right here and the main Falcon Lair property high above.

I mentioned that Doris Duke lived at Falcon Lair from the 1950's through the 1990's but I also wanted to mention that she was good friends with the actress Sharon Tate who lived just right down the hill from Doris's large house and just several feet down from her stables, garages on Cielo Drive. When Sharon Tate was killed so tragically in 1969 she was residing at 10050 Cielo Drive. The Falcon Lair stables, staff quarters sat on 10051 Cielo Drive (pictured above).  Sadly, Doris and everyone living in the vicinity was of no assistance to Tate or her house-guests that horrible night in 1969. (After Tate's murder the ranch home was occupied for a short time by Nine Inch Nails musician, Trent Reznor. In 1994 the residence and its guest house was completely bulldozed and the addressed changed to 10066 Cielo Drive.  The new mansion that occupies the land is very modern, shares no resemblance to the original which is a good thing.)

An aerial view shows just how close Sharon Tate's Cielo Drive home was to Falcon Lair and staff quarters. (follow the narrow road and Falcon Lair is the first property with the pool in the cliff side 'center of pic')

From, 2000 to 2006 the new owner of Falcon Lair (the main property) was doing his best to restore it while maintaining the integrity of the original structure of the main house. He would eventually strip it down to the frame and foundation leaving only the original Valentino crest above the door frame, the familiar metal pennant and a couple of recessed ceramic pieces which can be viewed HERE and a closer view of the front entrance HERE. You can also see a great photo of the old garages still intact HERE then part of Rudy's prized garden HERE It's pretty sad to see and even sadder when I found out that the owner gave up on the restoration in 2006, bulldozing the main house to the ground.  

In this aerial view the main house is still standing although it's been stripped to the studs. There was still hope for the majestic Falcon Lair. The original gate house and garage are left intact, still are today.

In this more recent aerial view you can see that the main house was leveled. All that's left are stairs and the gate house, garage which you viewed above.  Just so sad to see. You'll notice that the original courtyard fountain remains although it looks a bit sad then the pool which Duke installed is still there ready for a new house and occupants.

 Another aerial view of the property without the main house.

 Another recent view of the gate house, garage as it appears today.

 This is a separate, side gate that you would see when driving onto Bella Drive from Cielo. It appears these gates lead to a drive and other guest houses that were once on the property.

I was able to navigate back behind the gate house enough to capture this image of the added buildings then torn down to the studs. You can still see the corner of the main house behind it. (Obviously Google street view was taken well before the aerial views)

A closer view of the main house, entry as it appeared in the early 1990's while Doris Duke still owned the property.

Well, that's my look back at one of our more famous celebrity homes. I hope you enjoyed it and that you'll return for my future posts showcasing more fabulous estates of our favorite stars. 

*Update! If you're interested in more posts on these grand Hollywood estates, I've since featured Pickfair, Harold Lloyd's Greenacres, The home of Fatty Arbuckle and Theda Bara as well as my two part article on Thelma Todd and her homes, where she died. All can be found in my archives.

Have a great weekend everyone!

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