Sunday, May 21, 2017

Spotlight: Los Angeles - Greystone Mansion

Spotlight: Greystone Mansion (aka. Doheny Mansion) was designed by Gordon Kaufman, and built in 1928 in the Tudor Revival style at a cost of more than $3 million. Each of the seven chimneys was designed by a different artist. The estate was a gift by oil magnate Edward Doheny to his son, Edward Doheny Jr. - "Ned." Among the 55 rooms, the mansion included servant's quarters, which accommodated a live-in staff of fifteen. The mansion boasts a Grand Hall with black and white inlaid marble. The ornate living room includes a balcony where musicians would perform for special events. The recreation wing was complete with a theater and a bowling alley. The grounds include beautiful gardens, fountains, kennels, tennis courts, a fire station, swimming pool and a greenhouse.



     Ned, his wife Lucy, and their five children lived in the mansion moved into the mansion in 1928. Four months later, Ned died in a guest bedroom as part of a murder-suicide with his secretary Hugh Plunket. The details of the murder remain sketchy, but the official story states that Plunket killed Ned, then took his own life. After Ned's death, his wife re-married, and remained on the estate until 1954.


     In 1965, the estate was purchased by the city of Beverly Hills and converted into a public park in 1971. It has appeared in hundreds of movies, TV shows, commercials and music videos, including: National Treasure II, Star Trek 2, all three Spiderman films, The Muppets, X-Men, Batman and Robin, The Bodyguard, The Witches of Eastwick, Ghostbusters II, There Will Be Blood (loosely based on the life of Edward Doheny) and many more.

Location: Greystone Mansion is located at 905 Loma Vista Dr., Beverly Hills, CA.

Cost: Admission to the grounds is free. Admission to special events may cost extra. Ranger-led tours are available on select dates for $15/person.

Time: The park is open from 10:00 am - 5 pm (Oct.-Mar.) and until 6:00 pm from April - September. Plan on spending about 1-2 hours walking the grounds.

Description: Today, the Greystone Mansion hosts a variety of seasonal cultural events for the city of Beverly Hills. These events are designed for a wide variety of audiences, including: Beverly Hills Flower & Garden Festival, Catskills West Summer Camp, Classics in the Courtyard, Concours d'Elegance, Greystone Tours, Music in the Mansion, Showcase House and The Annual Hollywood Ball.
     Unless you are there for a special event, most visitors to the estate explore the grounds on their own. Rangers are often on hand and can answer questions you may have. Anyone can tour the grounds, but you can only tour the mansion for special events. Special two hour ranger led tours are available on select dates, but you must pre-register to join one.



Rating: 3 1/2 stars (out of 5)

Things You Should Know: - Every year, the mansion is used to perform the play The Manor, written by Kathrine Bates. The Manor is performed by Theatre 40 of Beverly Hills, and takes place in different rooms of the mansion. The audience is split into groups that view scenes in a different order. The plot is a fictionalized drama of the Doheny family, including their involvement in the Teapot Dome Scandal and Ned's murder.
- Greystone Mansion (both interior and exterior) is available to rent for special occasions. The Formal Gardens can comfortably accommodate 400 guests. The Courtyard can accommodate 200 guests. The Pool Area can accommodate 150 guests. The Terrace can accommodate 60 guests.
- The grounds are open seven days a week unless closed for holidays, filming, or special events; so check this site before you go.
Parking in free.
- One of the chimneys has a red signal light. Because the mansion was so remote, they used it to signal the city if there was an emergency.

Nearby: Virginia Robinson Gardens, Franklin Canyon Park, The Getty Center, Hollywood Bowl

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