Beverly Hills Property with Ties to Silent Film Star and Doris Duke Hits the Market for $10.995 Million
The Falcon Lair property will be transformed into a new 17,000-square-foot home featuring interiors by Mark D. Sikes
Located atop Beverly Hills’s Benedict Canyon is Falcon Lair, a historic property with ties to two storied figures: silent film star Rudolph Valentino and billionaire heiress Doris Duke, both of whom lived here at different points in time. Listed for $10.995 million, the four-acre estate is currently offered as just land, with plans for a 17,000-square-foot home to be built on the site. Appleton Partners LLP – Architects will build the new home, while Mark D. Sikes will design the interiors.
The 3.854-acre property boasts a 167,891-square-foot lot size and is located at 1436 Bella Drive. Valentino purchased the original property in 1925 and named it Falcon Lair, after his unproduced film The Hooded Falcon. The famed actor chose this estate because of its scenic views and privacy. Here, he built a Spanish Colonial Revival home, as well as stables for his Arabian horses.
Decades later, in 1953, Doris Duke purchased Falcon Lair and owned it until her death in 1993. In 1998, the Duke estate sold the home for $2.294 million. The new owners planned to restore Falcon Lair to its original splendor, but it was put back on the market before that could happen. In 2006, the property was purchased once again and soon thereafter demolished.
“Falcon Lair is one of the most legendary addresses in Beverly Hills,” said listing agent Josh Flagg of Compass. “A name everyone knows, from the days of Rudolph Valentino to Doris Duke. To be able to own that history, that pedigree, for under $11 million is truly extraordinary. You simply can’t buy provenance like this anymore.”
He continued, “It’s an opportunity that defies logic. A piece of Hollywood lore at a fraction of what it last traded for. Quite frankly, it’s a no-brainer, especially when it includes Marc Appleton’s plans for a 17,000-square-foot home stamped and approved in the next 30 days by the city.”
Flagg added that the forthcoming home “is exactly what you imagine would be built here. It’s not your Trousdale or Bird Streets glass box. It’s truly one of Marc’s best works, which says a lot considering he has always been a brilliant architect.”
