FARRALONE ESTATE
The listing brokers are Jeff Biebuyck and Dana Olmes of Frontgate Real Estate.
When does a house become a celebrity in its own right? A home almost as famous as the long list of celebrities who have lived and partied there? Perhaps more than any other home, Farralone has defined Southern California’s quintessential mid-century modern design and Hollywood glamour.
In 1949, socialite Dora Hutchinson, heir to the Chase Manhattan Bank fortune, commissioned futuristic architect William Pereira to design her new home. Not only was Pereira one of the most famous and prolific architects of the time, he had also been a film set designer, director and producer for several 1940’s movies winning an Oscar for his special effects photography work on Cecille B. De Mille’s Reap the Wild Wind in 1942. Pereira later became a professor of architecture at the University of Southern California where one of his students was Frank Gehry. In his career, Pereira worked on over 400 projects including the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, Washington D.C.’s Kennedy Center, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and his most famous – the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco. Pereira made the cover of Time Magazine in 1963 for his work on the city master plan for Irvine, California.
Hutchinson wanted a home that would be modern, dramatic and easy to entertain her celebrity and socialite friends. Pereira was an easy choice, someone who understood the work behind set design and whose futuristic architectural leanings would create a design as contemporary in 2023 as it was in the 1950s. As soon as she moved in, Dora Hutchinson wasted no time in gathering the Hollywood stars and California business leaders for her soirees, many times setting off fireworks from her Farralone perch to signal the start of cocktail hour.
Hutchinson hosted the likes of Lucille Ball, Ava Gardner, Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack as well as the wedding of Judy Garland. When Dora decided to move back to her native New York City, she rented Farralone to Frank Sinatra, who stayed for ten very interesting years. Sinatra started a whole new era of entertaining for Farralone with his Rat Pack and political buddies. Everyone who was anyone passed through Farralone’s doors, grounds and pool throughout Sinatra’s tenure. Marilyn Monroe was one of the regular guests, and as legend goes, the property’s guest house with its private pool was the venue for her scandalous affair with John F. Kennedy.
Farralone has been the backdrop for numerous films, television shows and music videos. The house and grounds have been seen in films such as Swordfish, Dreamgirls, Transformers and Bewitched. It has also starred in the television series Mad Men and Californication and in music videos by Mariah Carey, Usher and Rihanna.
Farralone is located on 4.3 acres in the Chatsworth neighborhood on a hilltop with 360-degree views over Los Angeles, mountains and the surrounding 3,000 acres of nature preserve. Gated and unable to be seen from the road, the 6,661-square-foot, four-bedroom, six-bath structure has 60 percent of its walls as sixteen-foot-tall glass, flooding it with light and capturing the views in all directions. Also included is a bar, formal dining area, a den-office, large chef’s kitchen with island, breakfast nook with view and top-of-the-line appliances, a number of fireplaces, and endless entertainment areas both inside and out. It has also proven to be a significant investment considering its well-established connection with the studios and can bring in considerable income as a bonus.
The Farralone Estate, the home that has enjoyed its own celebrity status, is now available for $8.99 million. The listing brokers are Jeff Biebuyck and Dana Olmes of Frontgate Real Estate.
