Greystone Mansion
Encyclopedia
Greystone Mansion, also known as the Doheny Mansion, is a Tudor-style
mansion
on a landscaped estate with distinctive formal English gardens, located in Beverly Hills, California
, United States. The architect Gordon Kaufmann
designed the residence and ancillary structures, with construction completed in 1928. The estate was a gift from oil tycoon Edward L. Doheny
to his son, Edward "Ned" Doheny, Jr., and his family.
Following the purchase of the estate by the City of Beverly Hills
in 1965, the property became a city park in 1971 and was subsequently added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1976 as Doheny Estate/Greystone.
The house and grounds are often used in filmmaking
and television production. The house's descending staircase is one of the most famous sets in Hollywood.
up to that point.
cemetery with the rest of his family, indicating that he had committed suicide
. Both men are buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale
within a few hundred yards of each other. Both were involved in the trial of Ned's father in the Teapot Dome scandal.
Ned’s widow Lucy remarried and lived in the house until 1955, at which time she sold the mansion and its grounds to Chicago
industrialist Henry Crown
, who rented the estate to movie studio
s. In 1963, Crown planned to subdivide the property and demolish the mansion. Beverly Hills stopped the demolition by purchasing the mansion in 1965. The estate became a city park on September 16, 1971, and on April 23, 1976 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places
. The city leased the mansion to the American Film Institute
, from 1965 to 1982, for $1 per year, hoping to get repair and upkeep work from the institute.
Since 2002 The City of Beverly Hills has maintained a Web page for the Greystone Mansion park.
Besides the city's restoration efforts itself, many local volunteers have been contributing to the fund raising and restoration to the park, most notably the friends of Greystone that organize various showcase and garden events yearly.
, and is also used as a location for special events. The estate is popular as a filming location due to its beauty, manicured grounds and Beverly Hills location. Some productions contribute to the upkeep and renovation of the mansion. There Will Be Blood
renovated the downstairs two lane bowling alley to include it in the film.
In addition to the numerous events that take place at Greystone, the mansion plays host each year to Catskills West, a theater arts and drama camp run by Beverly Hills Parks and Recreation, from mid June to early August. The camp presents a play in the pool area twice during the summer.
The mansion is also used for performances of the play The Manor written by Kathrine Bates, directed by Beverly Olevin and produced by Theatre 40, of Beverly Hills. The Manor takes place in a number of different rooms of the mansion. The audience is separated at certain times during the play to watch some scenes in a different order. The plot of the The Manor is a fictionalized account of the Doheny family, involving Doheny's involvement in the Teapot Dome scandal and his son's murder. The Manor has been performed at Greystone Mansion since 2002.
Greystone Mansion is also the location of 'The Annual Hollywood Ball' where hundreds of celebrities gather each year for a grand fashion show, dinner and auction to raise money for the Pure Foundation, helping children in need around the globe. The million dollar gathering also includes live performances by leading artists.
Tudorbethan architecture
The Tudor Revival architecture of the 20th century , first manifested itself in domestic architecture beginning in the United Kingdom in the mid to late 19th century based on a revival of aspects of Tudor style. It later became an influence in some other countries, especially the British colonies...
mansion
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
on a landscaped estate with distinctive formal English gardens, located in Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
, United States. The architect Gordon Kaufmann
Gordon Kaufmann
Gordon Kaufmann was an English born American architect mostly known for his work on the Hoover Dam. He arrived in California in 1914 and during his early career he did much work in the Mediterranean Revival Style which had become popular at that time.He was also the initial architect for Scripps...
designed the residence and ancillary structures, with construction completed in 1928. The estate was a gift from oil tycoon Edward L. Doheny
Edward L. Doheny
Edward Laurence Doheny was an American oil tycoon, who in 1892, along with business partner Charles A. Canfield, drilled the first successful oil well in the Los Angeles City Oil Field, setting off the petroleum boom in Southern California.At first he was an unsuccessful prospector in the state of...
to his son, Edward "Ned" Doheny, Jr., and his family.
Following the purchase of the estate by the City of Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
in 1965, the property became a city park in 1971 and was subsequently added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1976 as Doheny Estate/Greystone.
The house and grounds are often used in filmmaking
Filmmaking
Filmmaking is the process of making a film, from an initial story, idea, or commission, through scriptwriting, casting, shooting, directing, editing, and screening the finished product before an audience that may result in a theatrical release or television program...
and television production. The house's descending staircase is one of the most famous sets in Hollywood.
Description
The 55-room, Tudor-style former residence, 46000 sq ft (4,273.5 m²), sits on 16 acres (64,749.8 m²) of land. At the time it was built, it cost over $3 million and was the most expensive home built in CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
up to that point.
History
On February 16, 1929, four months after Ned Doheny, his wife Lucy and their five children moved into Greystone, Ned died in his bedroom in a murder-suicide with his secretary, Hugh Plunket. The official story indicated Plunket murdered Ned either because of a "nervous disorder" or inflamed with anger over not receiving a raise. Others point out that Ned's gun was the murder weapon and that Ned was not buried in a CatholicCatholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
cemetery with the rest of his family, indicating that he had committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
. Both men are buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale
Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale
Forest Lawn Memorial Park is a privately owned cemetery in Glendale, California. It is the original location of Forest Lawn, a chain of cemeteries in Southern California. The land was formerly part of Providencia Ranch.-History:...
within a few hundred yards of each other. Both were involved in the trial of Ned's father in the Teapot Dome scandal.
Ned’s widow Lucy remarried and lived in the house until 1955, at which time she sold the mansion and its grounds to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
industrialist Henry Crown
Henry Crown
Henry Crown was an American industrialist and philanthropist. Among other things, he founded the Material Service Corporation, which merged with General Dynamics in 1959. At the time of his death, he was a billionaire...
, who rented the estate to movie studio
Movie studio
A movie studio is a term used to describe a major entertainment company or production company that has its own privately owned studio facility or facilities that are used to film movies...
s. In 1963, Crown planned to subdivide the property and demolish the mansion. Beverly Hills stopped the demolition by purchasing the mansion in 1965. The estate became a city park on September 16, 1971, and on April 23, 1976 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The city leased the mansion to the American Film Institute
American Film Institute
The American Film Institute is an independent non-profit organization created by the National Endowment for the Arts, which was established in 1967 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act...
, from 1965 to 1982, for $1 per year, hoping to get repair and upkeep work from the institute.
Since 2002 The City of Beverly Hills has maintained a Web page for the Greystone Mansion park.
Besides the city's restoration efforts itself, many local volunteers have been contributing to the fund raising and restoration to the park, most notably the friends of Greystone that organize various showcase and garden events yearly.
Current use
Greystone is now a public parkPark
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
, and is also used as a location for special events. The estate is popular as a filming location due to its beauty, manicured grounds and Beverly Hills location. Some productions contribute to the upkeep and renovation of the mansion. There Will Be Blood
There Will Be Blood
There Will Be Blood is a 2007 drama film written, co-produced, and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. The film is based on Upton Sinclair's 1927 novel Oil!. It tells the story of a silver miner-turned-oilman on a ruthless quest for wealth during Southern California's oil boom of the late 19th and...
renovated the downstairs two lane bowling alley to include it in the film.
In addition to the numerous events that take place at Greystone, the mansion plays host each year to Catskills West, a theater arts and drama camp run by Beverly Hills Parks and Recreation, from mid June to early August. The camp presents a play in the pool area twice during the summer.
The mansion is also used for performances of the play The Manor written by Kathrine Bates, directed by Beverly Olevin and produced by Theatre 40, of Beverly Hills. The Manor takes place in a number of different rooms of the mansion. The audience is separated at certain times during the play to watch some scenes in a different order. The plot of the The Manor is a fictionalized account of the Doheny family, involving Doheny's involvement in the Teapot Dome scandal and his son's murder. The Manor has been performed at Greystone Mansion since 2002.
Greystone Mansion is also the location of 'The Annual Hollywood Ball' where hundreds of celebrities gather each year for a grand fashion show, dinner and auction to raise money for the Pure Foundation, helping children in need around the globe. The million dollar gathering also includes live performances by leading artists.
Shot on location
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