COMMENT: Do you think the city of Los Angeles should have fought to preserve Falcon Lair for all time - or is this just another case of the “invisible hand” of capitalism paving the way for an even grander estate someday?
Yes, they should have fought to preserve Falcon Lair, just like they are trying to do for Marylin Monroe's house now. Valentino was THE man back then. Thank you for posting this video here. I will be watching it often!
I visited Falcon Lair several times. Last time it was merely a frame. Sat on the ground where Valentino's bedroom had been at sunset. A hawk circled slowly along the hill top. Magical.
In 1979I was 18 years old and my best friend and eye took a 1970 Monte Carlo he just bought to Hollywood from San Bernardino to "ring it out". We got lost in the hills and we had to stop around 2am to take a leak and I looked up and read "Falcon Lair".Out of respect, I moved away and did my business off a cliff. And then it hit me, "Valentino!"
It shouldve been turned into a museum. It kills me that americans spend millions traveling to europe to see huge castles, palaces n country estates in europe because we dont have that here in the states when the truth is we did have them. We just tore them all down to build sky scrapers n office buildings. Just tragic
We have plenty ... just google Newport, RI. Visit the Biltmore Castle in NC. Mark Twain's house still stands, exactly as it looked in the 1800's. Isabella Gardner Museum, Colonial Williamsburg, Boldt Castle, Belvedere Castle, Lyndhurst, Thornhill, etc. etc. ... walk Boston's Freedom Trail. Don't say that we don't have grand manor homes, castles, etc. in the US. We do! They are just few and far between in Los Angeles.
This magnificent estate should have preserved AT ALL COSTS!!!!! Being one of the FIRST Hollywood star homes and having such a legacy!!!! We are going through this again with Marilyn Monroe's home, but it is nothing next to mansions of this magnitude!!!!
A TRUE Statement! The historic home of Pickfaire was also destroyed and it was just as iconic as this one! BUT other places like the famed Brown Derby and much more also have disappeared! If it wasn't for Alice Cooper and a few others buying the letters of the famed Hollywood Sign, it too would have been gone! Recently Marilyn Monroe's home was also slated to be destroyed and somehow the historical societies were able to stop that from happening! Thank you for this beautifuly done vid!
@@vanessahenry7238 The destruction of Pickfair, for a 2-bit tart…please don’t get me started. Thankfully, the demolition of Monroe’s home has been halted. Hopefully, no loopholes will be found, for its tacky buyers.
What history?? Movies?? LOL These houses mean nothing. They have nothing to do with the pubic. They don't contain your life or your memories so who cares. Meanwhile it's just another fire hazard in a dry canyon.
How tragic this storied residence met the same unnecessary fate as Pickfair. We Americans are so incredibly dense in regards to the importance of preserving such dwellings. If it were in the UK, it would not have been demolished. Then again, it would likely be considered a 'new build'. LOL
I was going to comment about, Pickfair, but, you beat me to it. When, I, was younger and lived in Beverly Hills, I used to dream about one day owning the estate and living in that house. Then along came, Pia Zadora and her husband and started destroying the house and I couldn't stop them. They kept saying "it couldn't be repaired it had to be knocked down." It wasn't true. There is no sense of history in Beverly Hills !
@@billgreen1861 Yes, I read about the whole ghastly affair. For what it's worth; I saw an old interview Pia Zadora gave; don't know when it was, but do recall it was a long while after Pickfair's demolition.. She said the REAL reason they opted to raze it had nothing to do with 'excessive termite damage' as had apparently been stated initially.; but because the home was 'well and truly haunted' with an apparition both she and her two young children would see regularly. She stated it was a woman wearing 1920's era attire; who was NOT Mary Pickford, since of course Pia knew what she (Mary) looked like. She said this ghost woman would awaken her children in the middle of the night and try to 'come at them'. Pia also had the same type of 'visits' from it/her, but not as often as the kids. The other part of her statement I recalled was how research was done attempting to identify this ghost, and the best match in appearance they could find was a woman who had a brief affair with Mary's then husband Douglas Fairbanks, then somehow died in the house. Doesn't get any more HOLLYWOOD BABYLON than this, wouldn't you agree? LOL Anyway, Pia concluded how covering up the true reason for their decision to raze the iconic house was to spare her family ridicule. They hadn't counted on the tremendous backlash which ensued, but felt it the only option to protect her family. HER words....many years after the fact. Take from it what you will LOL :)
@@drstevej2527 That's a very good point. :) Suppose the 'big thing' about this place and others in the area like Pickfair represent those embryonic days of the Movie Industry...which remains a mammoth and deeply ingrained part of their ethos. Also suspect its unique style, and how it is.....by American Standards....old. Those symbols of a bygone era.
I'm 9th generation Californian and what is happening to the state of California as a whole, pisses me off completely!! Its despicable!! Los Angles doesn't give a damn about preserving their history. I was also told that Los Angles has an avalanche of developers removing anything and everything that is old and historic. The tech Millennials and Gen Zs want everything totally new. They hate anything and everything old or historic they want MOD, Minimalist, lifeless, boring!! . I was told beautiful old buildings are being replaced by totally ugly, lifeless, boring, minimalist, MOD buildings in Los Angles. I was thinking the Los Angles tourist industry must be hit hard because why would people want to go to Los Angles now? To look at a building that look like they belong in the story "1984" by Orwell? Thank you very much you miserable developers!! I live in northern California and the developers are doing the same thing here. I think these developers are from other states and even globally. They don't give are darn about California's heritage. They view California as a place to exploit and defile any way they want to. However, if you pull this type of BS where they originally come from, all hell breaks loose. There are many, many people here in California wish these developers would get the hell out of here! BTW, the developers also get their way because the governor is on their side, local city officials lean in their favor, possibly there are payoffs made, local officials love the fact that they will benefit through an increase in tax revenue coming. I think we are also witnessing a great increase in reckless greed more than ever in the history of the state of California.
They replace beautiful, historical architecture with ugly box shaped, modern homes. Old Hollywood is fast disappearing while being replaced with the same garbage as its movies.
It's truly sad, I am older and love the old Spanish homes in Hollywood and other areas in California. Everything modern isn't always better, you need both for history.
Always. Greed is their chief concern at all times. It's unfortunate. All the old famous soundstages are gone, as are the sets from the Golden Age of television. Nothing is sacred to those with the most money, and they care not that future generations will never see these historic places.
Erich von Stroheim, famous silent movie director, made a house in Brentwood, another enclave of the Hollywood elite at the time, in 1932, complete with a basement Speak Easy. Still there.
Thanks for your comment. And I happen to be French…. I feel exactly as you do. America is fairly young (compared to Europe), but I’ve noticed how even the little history is removed. Because of my profession, I have researched the birth of Hollywood. It troubles me to realise that I know more about it than most Americans… I mean, who remembers what “nickel odeon” even means. Or the Mack Sennett comedies. Or Theda Bara, Clara Bow (the it girl), Marie Prevost. Or D.W Griffith. And let’s not even talk about the Golden Age…. If I ask any American friend who Gloria Swanson is, or John Gilbert, or Jean Harlow, or even more “recent” ones such as Lana Turner…..how come they look at me as if I’m speaking Chinese? America has roughly 200 yrs of history. Yet they can’t even keep up with it. It saddens me.
Are you really comparing centuries old castles that go back as far as 800 A.D. with some house where a Hollywood star lived in the 1920s? They would tear down those houses in Europe too.
Too many of our historic buildings and homes have been destroyed because of the abject greed of real estate developers! Falcon Lair could have been converted for other uses.
It was a stupid mistake. The architecture of that time was charming, romantic and fun, every time we lose a structure like that our world becomes a little duller.
I visited Falcon Lair in May. What I didn't know is that it's on Cielo Dr, and you can see what was the Sharon Tate Murder house from there. Also, a Lautner house (Schwimmer Residence) shares a driveway with Falcon Lair. An amazing place to visit!
Thanks! Here is it a funny (if morbid) video on the rebuilt Tate House: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-PgkK0oHX7oI.html&pp=ygUYZW5lcyB5aWxtYXplciB0YXRlIGhvdXNl
Falcon Lair was not on Cielo Dr..... it was on Bella Dr, and yes..... you could see 10050 Cielo from there, which is another home that was destroyed for money reasons. The original house was beautiful and understated, charming and peaceful, now replaced with another repulsive faux-Mediterranean mansion that looks more like a hotel than a home.
"Taking morning rides across his vast domain" - which we've just been informed was a massive four acres. It certainly started out as a beautiful house.
That footage of a lone horseman galloping over a vast green mountain wilderness looks like Scotland. It most definitely doesn't resemble the Hollywood Hills. At least, not to those of us who grew up there!
There were other estates that also had horse stables and riding on shared bridle paths was common place for the wealthy all over the USA especially on the East Coast. I remember Hunts taking place in Plymouth and Whitemarsh Townships,Pa. as a boy 1970’s. Those estates are development tracts of houses today. Even in England this happens to those large estates. In the USA we don’t have Land Granted by the Crown as in old England. Those land Grants are for ever as long as you have an Hire to carry on and has enough money to do so. The landed Gentry become poor too. Ie, land rich, cash poor. Rudolph Valentino may well have had Public land of great expanse to ride through and with development then too, there were shared paths to ride on. In those early days, horses dominated the roads and cars were curbed to grant way to the horse traffic. As for waste, LA is about fast money and the new money pretending to be old money. It’s a surface and no substance. I lived there for 34 years. Covid forced me to leave as it squashed my interior painting work. And that all phony too. Look up Whitemarsh Hall if you really want to see a grand loss. Fans of Whitemarsh Hall on fb
Hey, horrible loss.But so typical of what is going on in America. Here in Florida, the tearing down every.Thing they can get their hands-on. No. Matter how beautiful or historic
@ the 11:10 minute mark was Buster Keaton by the car’s running board. That this estate wasn’t kept whole is a travesty. Being from Chicago, I’m familiar with the preservation movement there, which also sometimes fails. It’s always a hard fight whether won or lost.
Falcon's Lair and Pickfair should both have been presrved for future generations. Fortunately, the restaurant/casino where Thelma Todd was found is still standing on the PCH.
A bona-fide American HISTORIC mansion torn down. The mayor, governor, no one did anything to stop it. It would have been a great Hollywood museum to tour like the Hearst Mansion. Americans have to get A LOT BETTER at preserving their past!!
Sadly, it seems that those with money and power ultimately have the final word, at least in this case. Miraculously, Marilyn Monroe's home was ultimately preserved due to fervent protests recently.
Anything in California that makes it to the 20 year mark is lucky beyond belief. The politics and greed is out of control. Cali makes new laws every six months and they could care less about anyone or anything that does not garner millions of dollars in tax revenue. This is a very sad place, California...
Yeah, we tore down the old Penn Station in NYC in 1965. Beautiful historic building. I think that is what motivated people to start preserving buildings and probably saved Grand Central Terminal.
The Breakers Mansion and others in Newport, RI. Biltmore Estate in NC, Boston's Freedom Trail, Wayside Inn, Mount Washington Resort, Oheka Castle, Isabella Gardner Museum, Union Oyster House, Monticello, Breakers in Palm Beach, Boca Resort, Mount Vernon, Salem, MA, Colonial Williamsburg and countless Inns and buildings across New England ... It's not the entire US. That is ignorant to say. Los Angeles seems to be the worst offender ...followed by NYC ... probably because they are the two most populous and expensive cities in the US. The East Coast has preserved a lot of its original buildings and important historical structures. Los Angeles has been around for 100, or so, years as we know it ... and tears down a majority of its 'historic' buildings. Throughout the East Coast tere are buildings which still stand similar to how they did since the 1600's!
@@bluxe7372 Very few, thats all you can name. They tear down everything of beauty where I live(not far from Biltmore). Now its cookie cutter Lego block buildings everywhere that have no charm at all. Our country is not as attractive as it once was and getting worse(same with the people as well).
I love the story of Rudolph, I've read many of his biographies. But the biggest memory I have of him is when I was watching his biography on tv (don't remember which one) when I was attacked by a kidney stone. To this day, almost 20 years ago, I will never forget that pain. I was hooked up to morphine for almost 12 hours. I never got to finish that biography, so I'm glad I'm watching this one, first one since that awful day, feel better now...
New York, Chicago, Los Angeles - all have a sad history of destroying their beautiful, old and significant buildings. The Europeans don't do this. It's very sad.
Does the City of Los Angeles maintain any other landmark sites ? Who owns, and resides on the property now ? If developers were interested in the land for redevelopment wouldn't they have demolished all of the buildings ? I'm surprised there was no one with enough interest, and money to maintain the original property.
A now famous quote from a regular American tourist in Scotland that had us cringing here in the UK, asked WHY COULDN’T EDINBURGH CASTLE HAVE BEEN BUILT CLOSER TO THE TRAIN STATION❓😳(True‼️) & another one dismayed in the former Notre Dame because EVERY ONE WAS SPEAKING FRENCH‼️(Also true….) America gets rid of its old for NEW NEW NEW on a vast commercial scale, to be BETTER - BIGGER! An American drove me nearly 200 miles in the U.S. to view a 125yr old church, when I have a 13th Century one just up the rd in my own area…. It’s a completely different mind set to ours in Europe. Perfect examples are the commercial bastardised version on the true meaning of Hallowed’een & Meghan Markles narcissim over our thousand of yrs of European Royal Families means NOTHING ‼️ Our non commercial Halloween has been destroyed with aggressive Trick or Treat’n & EXPECTION (& don’t get me started on the vacuous ‘Prom Dress’ -we truly dont need the Superficiality of it… Americans MUST DECIDE for themselves if they truly want to hv a History in such matters of architecture whether they want Brand New Meghan Markle Jam OR eventually >Ye Olde Marmalade 🤷🏻♀️
In the 1920's there were many "early Spanish/Moorish California homes in existence, especially in Westside areas. My family owned such a house and the decor was very similar to what one sees in black and white photos of Falcon Lair. The scenes of the property alone are historic, with acreage in all cardinal points. The landscape, like the house and its attached out-buildings are fascinating historical glimpses, becoming all too often just a faint memory, especially with the way developers buy up land and build and sell for more and more cash. I must say that the feeling of time stopping at Falcon Lair, gives visitors a chance to feel that aura of silent films, of houses and decor once owned by stars, and, truly, Rudolph Valentino was one of the most well-known lead actors of his day. To THIS day his name still holds the power of romantic and tragic allure. He worked hard to become such a well-known person, and all that work, and all the elements surrounding his life, hold testament to him. What a story! To come to the United States, poor, non-English speaking, but giving it his all to succeed. Yes, I think his home should be preserved. Neff was the architect. That fact alone should get some attention. We do not have many jewels from the 1920's, especially ones with Rudy's personal flair. I wonder why, for example, there are no tango evenings held in his honor, and I haven't seen even soft-bound photo collections of what was in his home. Arabian horses and all the land you need for a morning jaunt! A professional dancer's home before the age of the marvelous dancers of talking films, Mr. Bojangles Robinson, Eleanor Powell, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, the Nicholas Brothers, Rita Casino Hayworth and so many more! If there were any worry about Rudy's voice, you can listen to him singing on a rare record, and I find his voice fine for talkies. This estate is a time capsule. Everything about it explains so much about Southern California and its era of silent film-making, life in long dresses arrayed in black jet, gaucho pants and boots with spurs, and, we haven't even talked about the menus! Yes, it should be preserved and let those old stories about all aspects of life then emerge. Thank you.
There was once an old website back in the 1990s that was doing a virtual tour. It was ahead of its time and featured beautiful pictures and rooms. It was filled with amazing antiques. It's too bad they didn't save this home. Thank you for the video.
So sad that this historic home was not saved. Makes me thing of Graceland In Memphis Tennessee home of Elvis Presley. Thank goodness it was opened to the public and saved for his daughter Lisa Marie. Now her daughter, Riley is looking after it. Valentino was an important part of film history. Very sad that these old Hollywood homes are not saved.
Any excuse used to tear it down was bullshit. Should never have been torn down. Such crocodile tears over maintenance. It was low maintenance. Tile roofs last a hundred years or more. A tragic loss to film and LA's history.
SO SAD Hollywood is supposed to be filled with creative idea people yet no one who lives and works there manages to value or preserve their rich history. The house could have served as a permanent movie set or B&B Something Just very sad
Los Angeles/ Hollywood is like no other place. And I dont mean that as some sort of brag about the city I have lived in all my life (I’m 61). Los Angeles is a dichotomy unto itself for the good and for the bad. And sure you can say it’s all about money and to an extent that’s true. But there’s this feeling that stretches across the various neighborhoods & towns in the L.A. area that at any moment everything can change for the good and bad.. Be it winning a lottery, making a big money deal, getting killed in an earthquake or some random homicide. Much of the ethos of L.A. noir permeates the psyche of people who live here. You definitely dont have to be born here. You may even struggle or hate living here… But that vibe will become apparent somewhere along the way. The tearing down of old buildings fits in with the idea and need to reinvent even if it isnt needed. I wish they couldve saved the complete Falcon Lair. Some people wish that L.A./ West Hollywood couldve saved the Tower Records building. If every building was to be saved then nothing new would ever spring up. Dont get me wrong. I wish this city would preserve more of its past. But then we would remain stuck in that past. L.A. as a modern city is a creative dream that’s both pleasant and a nightmare. I love this city so much and yet I hate it with the same passion. As a suggestion for a video of an old mansion… I live a block & a half from the old Charlie Chaplin Studios. His old mansion used to be Nextdoor to the studio. Most of the mansion grounds has been taken over by a Ross Dress For Less store. Could you do a video of the history of Charlie Chaplin’s mansion (and studio)? I love this channel. Keep up the great work.
At least his studio was saved. A&M Records bought it, and many great recordings were made there in the 1970s-80s. Our last time in LA before escaping Commiefornia before its inevitable collapse, I took my family down La Brea to see it - and my daughter laughed seeing Kermit The Frog standing on top of the main gate! Yes, it's owned by Jim Henson Studios now. So this part of Old Hollywood has been preserved.
@@elwoodblues9613 I agree. Sadly the Jim Henson Company is selling the studios. They’ll stay there for a while but eventually they’ll move out. I do hope whomever they sell it to keeps the studio as a studio. But this being L.A. anything can happen. One of the things I love about living close to Chaplin’s old studio is that there are a variety of pictures of Charlie hanging out in front of the studio right at the corner of La Brea & De Longpre on some steps. And those steps are still there. It’s incredibly cool to know you can sit where Chaplin did over 100 years ago. The studio is much smaller now than it was back then. With the houses/ condos/ apartments along Sycamore taking up areas where the studio and Chaplin’s mansion properties used to be. But it’s still nice to have a some of the studio still intact.
It should have NEVER been torn down. Pickfair also should have survived. These houses were instrumental to the wonderful age of Hollywood. What a tragedy!
one hundred years later valentino is still breathtaking beautiful. he changed how we think of men and race -for the better. its criminal how LA trashed all that.
I read that because it wasn’t on the historical registry it could be torn down plus had fallen into disrepair. Was built in 1933. I think 3 homes are being built on the property one of which is the Obamas. It’s sad when historic buildings aren’t preserved.
Yes I do think they should have fought to preserve it but look what they've done to Venice Beach and Santa Monica taking out all of the original palm trees. And all of the concrete in Venice Beach and the homeless garbage that are there for a free liberal ride. Just disgusting.
America destroys it's history...of any kind .... It should be preserved as Europe does Most of theirs.... especially landmarks from another Era ... Very sad situation .... just my opinion 😮..
Beautiful and should hav bn saved. In LA but secluded. Fabulous property. Dont undrstand why the gavel wasn't passed on and another wealthy person didnt buy. 😢
As an architect and historic preservationist, It should have been preserved by obtaining historic recognition. However, the american mindset is that "newer is better". I now live and work in Europe where the significance of properties such as this are recognized and revered.
Even in Beverly hills, the new owners are not protecting the old houses. All the rich people are trying to leave a legacy behind. But the next buyer could care less. So they tear down these magnificent palaces and replace them with a modern so-called mansion. A pitiful shame on Beverly hills and Hollywood
I live in Hollywood and during the 70’s lived in his old apt building which had a tunnel from the building, to the Paramount Pictures lot. There were a lot of very old stars from the 30’s and 40’s living in the bldg still. I wish they would not tear down these beautiful old buildings. Peace.
It should have been saved I'm sure with a little tweaking it could have been turned into a public venue where it could have housed weddings receptions and possibly even tours but it's funny how the City of Los Angeles almost seems to be proud of the fact that they can completely eliminate their history
I many times visited the stables which had become the house of the Director Joel Schumacher, and it was a pretty amazing amazing house adjacent to it of course was the lairs home . What a shame.
It seems a though the older our country and cities get , the less we care about their history . Remember that when you destroy something physical , it's gone & there is no bringing it back .
Movies are no longer made in Hollywood. Everything is shot on location. Only editing and CGI, post filming is done. With that, the nostalgia of Hollywood has diminished.
how sad that the beautiful history of these wonderful people are being demolished and left behind. I feel that this home should’ve been left alone as a part of Hollywood history, and it should’ve been protected the way the world is everything‘s too quick to be turned around, and the golden age is being forgotten, they need to leave this historic buildings left alone and preserved
@Ephemeral2023 it's still her house. Think further outside the box. I don't understand people with imaginations as small as their dicks. 😆 😆 😆 smoke some pot or something, do something daring.
They should have made it into a museum for the silent film era and Vaud vile or even a bed and breakfast,it should have kept the ornate style of the golden age,with a lesson in Hollywood . It's shameful that Hollywood doesn't appreciate the opulence of the golden age !
Like many famous old artifacts, keeping it makes it legendary. When visiting countries like Japan, I have visited rebuilt castles and original ones centuries old and the new ones are nowhere near as impressive as the original ones still standing. 🏯
I live directly across from Falcon Laire and have now for 22 years. I was on the property and took some photos of the interior before it was completely gutted. It was one spectacular property when it was in its prime but it was long since past that time when they demolished it. It is still undeveloped as well after 18 years and was sold off to a new owner. Should have been saved and updated. David Oman
Seems it could have been a museum house like the Hollyhock House but you can't rely on local governments to fund every historic project -- there has to be an upwelling of community support $$$$ to make it happen and connections to wealthy private patrons and foundations. It seems these days, if something is to survive, there has to be a profit motive in the equation.
