Tidbit: I dispatched many taxi cabs to the PBM. The instructions given to every driver was NO MATTER WHAT, DO NOT GET OUT OF THE CAB! Door guys took care of all that because there were off leash attack dogs close enough to take you down before you could get back into the car.
I was a bartender at the Mansion going on 6yrs until Hef passed away … best job ever never missed a day of work. I have memories and stories to last a life time.
It was built originally for the founder of holmby hills actually, and the house next door was for his sister and Owlwood for his mom I believe. He named holmby hills after his hometown in England (also why he commissioned a Tudor revival house) After this death, the house fell into disrepair with a subsequent owner so the house being bought by Hefner is certainly a blessing and a curse; although he saved it, the house will forever be associated with him
I would get rid of everything associated with Hefner. EVERYTHING! Take it back to rounding lawns and antique fountains and statuary, and restored parterre’. The interiors need to be fully restored to its original plans and interior design. Surely the house had a Name. Was the estates called Hombley Hills too?
At Lemmy's funeral, Dave Groll told the story of the first time he met Lemmy at the mansion. The first thing Lemmy said was 'Hey, I'm really sorry about what happened to your friend'.
Beverly Hills has not been known to protect Historic Homes, having many of the homes torn down such as Mary Pickford's "Pickfair" and Rudolf Valentino's "Falcon Lair". Hopefully the appreciation of Historic Homes has taken a new and more preserving attitude than has been the case with past homes.
@@John-14798 I have read where attempts have been made to tear down the home of Marilyn Monroe, but hopefully the Los Angeles Conservancy can stop them. Sadly the Los Angeles Conservancy tried for 15 years to save the Ambassador Hotel but to little avail as the Historic Hotel was destroyed.
I was there in 1999 introducing the co-branding of Cigarette Racing offshore boats. The Playboy addition 35TS. Hef was wonderful to everyone. Epic night
The “demo protection” must be historic preservation, therefore eligible for tax breaks. God knows it is big enough not to be a tear down. We need more historic preservation in this country.
I'm from England and I have wondered what was to happen to the Play Boy Mansion. I used to watch The Girls Next Door/The Girls of the Playboy Mansion on the E! TV channel. Back when Holly Madison, Bridget Marquardt and Kendra Wilkinson were in the cast. It's great to hear that it can't be demolished and it has to be preserved, as it should be, for historic purposes.
I went to a wear all white party at the mansion in May of 2009. Hef was a very gracious host. I played some pool in the game house, visited the zoo, hit the dance floor and ate great food. Thankfully I have pictures of the great memories roaming all over the grounds. I'm female and felt safe the entire time I was there.
I was hired to set up and run a sound system for a fundraiser at the mansion back in 2009. I was only inside the house briefly. It was a bit of a dump. On the plus side, I can say that I went to a party at the Playboy Mansion...even if it was only a fundraiser on a Tuesday afternoon.
@@internetcancer1672 Search Google for "Vice I went to the Playboy Mansion (and it was kinda depressing.)" There's an entire article about how it was in disrepair.
I went to a party there in 1993. The hostess asked me before dinner, whom I'd like to sit next to. I told her please place me next to someone id have something in common with.. She sat me next to Phyllis Diller.
🤔😮😢😅🎉❤ Comedy worthy of Phyllis Diller herself. I can hear her big, deep laugh.😂🤣😂 That might have been the best 💺🪑 seating arrangement in the house that night.🏠🏡🏠🏡✨🕯️🕊️🤍Let 🕯️ light perpetual shine upon Phyllis Diller.💐🌹❤️😻😍
Phyllis was a hoot! Seemed very down to earth to me so must have been fun to sit next to. I would imagine her openness to all genres of people irrespective of age would have made for a great dinner companion, no?😁😎👍✌
@@Keenan-w5v Sorry to hear about your loss. I was really just being sarcastic about Phyllis, who always made a joke about her boyfriend "fang". I used to love her jokes about him.
Hefner used to have a neighborhood block party once a year, the most expensive block , actually blocks, in the world. Many people in the neighborhood are devout Mormons but they all went to the block party. The house was run down but the grounds were impressive.The neighborhood sought historic preservation status so houses couldn't be torn down . 87% of homeowners voted for it but somehow Century City lawyers prevented it . Now many beautiful houses are being torn down and replaced by ugly Persian places.
I worked there once. It was 1991 new years. I parked cars back then. There were a bunch of car parkers hanging out in front of the mansion. I saw Wilt Chamberlain walking to his car just at midnight when the celebration started. I thought it was odd that he was leaving. Nonetheless I told him; "Happy New Year." Wilt said; "Happy New Year to all you guys."
@@sterling557 I saw her on a Fantasy Island rerun a few weeks ago too! The one where she was a mannequin that came to life. Have only watched a couple of FI episodes recently, before that it's been since the show originally aired so it's a funny coincidence to find someone else who recently saw her on that very old show, lol!
Barbie was a college student when she was swept off her feet by this glamorous older man. Then she grew up as all of us must. She began to want something out of the relationship for herself and wisely realized it wouldn’t be with that man. Apparently they parted on good terms. Kimberly Conrad’s mistake was to try to make Hef into someone he wasn’t. And he tried to be someone he wasn’t. I hope all these women find happiness in their lives. What Hef chose to do with his life reflects only on him
@@wendiwonderly1419 On one episode of "The Girls Next Door," Barbie invited them all to Aspen to stay the weekend with her and her husband. They were great friends even up until his passing.
Yes. I did go twice to the Playboy Mansion. I used to work for a special decorations company and Hef hired us to go do decorations for two events. The first time I got there I saw Kendra Wilkinson (playmate) walking by us on her way to the kitchen. She was wearing regular clothes (jumpsuit pants and a tiny belly shirt. Her hair was pulled back. She looked like a doll. The second time it was a bigger event. That's when I saw Pamela Anderson. She looked like a freakin rock star. This was around the time of Baywatch. She was the Kim Kardashian of that time. She walked towards us in the back garden area. I thought I was gonna have a heart attack the closer she got. She came over to see the decorations we were preparing. She smiled and said in that child voice of hers "I Love It !!" and walked away eating a banana. As we were getting ready to leave a couple of celebrities arrived for the party. Bill Maher (the host of Politically Correct who is amazingly tiny) arrived in his suit, no tie and the top buttons open. Then Rob Lowe arrived and he went straight in. I heard that Michael Jackson was also there that night. But, I did not see him. I checked out the Grotto and went inside it. It's like a cave area with a pool in it. On the outside there is like a little water fall leading into the cave. That was interesting. I also walked a little inside the mansion to use the bathroom on the first floor only and came right back out. There were random Playmates in actual bunny uniforms walking around frantically trying to get everything ready for the party. But, Pamela and Kendra were my two favorite sightings. I never saw Hugh Hefner in person. He was always hiding somewhere when we came over. Also, I remember the smell of tobacco cigars when I went inside. But, overall it looked like a museum with the decorations. That mansion is one of the top celebrity mansions we worked at and to this day it's insane that I was in that property for hours.
I work a couple of days in the mansion and let tell you, I’m glad I’m not the super intendent, must be around a 100 people working there, and it gets wild. The mansion it’s getting a renovation in every corner in end outside, I think the only thing they haven’t touched is the pool, and looks like are not going to finish any time soon 😮
I'm sure they will fill the pool with Clorox before they commence any work on the pool. The horror stories about the STD's that people caught from that pool and the grotto.....it's sickening.
@@lindabrennan4455 you don't catch stis from a pool. 🤦🏼♀️Since the site has essentially been abandoned, the bacteria and viruses associated with stis would have been long-dead, and require person-to-person contact. Not surface.
@@lindabrennan4455 That’s just gross, and extremely possible. STD’s can be caught through improperly chlorinated water, just like Ecoli can infect water parks. Maybe PBM pool needs a “rinse and repeat” of Clorox at least 10x, but there’s still no guarantee….
I've been to many functions there. There is a driveway through the mansion from Charring Cross to Mapleton. FYI, that's Los Angeles CC North coarse adjacent.I knew the old lady who lived in the sister property to the south. Supposedly, she was an heiress to the TV guide magazine fortune.
Haven't read the documents, but my hunch is that they protected it not because it was the Playboy Mansion, but because it was the Letts Mansion, built by the founder of the Broadway Hollywood department store. It was already historic before Hef got to town.
@@Mark-vk7dc Nope. Lol. Playboy's not THAT important. They gutted it and all the "extras" (the grotto, etc.,) and all of the "Hefner effects" have been demolished or removed. They want to restore it to "its former glory"-Before Hef had it. There's a bunch written about this...
Been to a party at the mansion, around 2011/12. Definitely loved the grounds, the house inside looked terrible. The party was epic not sure how Hef was allowed to invite so many people. Shocked his neighbors were okay with the weekly insanity
Money, power, status, gets you a lot of privileges lol. But also, he was there before almost all of them were, so they all moved around him knowing they were moving next to the playboy mansion and it’s obvious parties. They actually did it pretty well, the two times I was there we were shuttled in, actually seemed pretty organized
I really hope we get a tour of the mansion after the rennovation is finished! I was such a fan of the Girls Next Door back in the early 2000s, and always loved the Gothic Tudor influences in the architecture of the house. I know the mansion needed to be updated, so it'll be interesting to see what they did with it!
The parties were epic especially the pajama party’s. Food, music, open bars, swimming in the grotto w like 10 private bathrooms 😳. All the bunnies and girls with pj’s painted on. 100 celebrities and Hef always happy to take tons of pictures with everyone. Greatest host ever. Wish I was old enough to go to the parties at the mansion on State street bc I grew up a block away on Astor street. I was about 10 yrs old but frequently snuck into the Playboy club across from the Drake hotel at 919 N. Michigan and would say I was waiting for my father to meet me after work. And yes the waitresses did wear the bunny outfits. At least dad had a subscription to Playboy! Bunny 🐰 🐰🐰
Interesting fact I learned recently from Holly and Bridget’s new podcast. Hugh did not own the Playboy mansion. The magazine actually owned the mansion. They converted a bunch of the bedrooms at the back end of the house into office space. The headquarters of the magazine was the mansion. In addition, Hugh had to pay rent for his bedroom and any additional bedrooms his girlfriends occupied or his children would occupy when they were teenagers.
His corporation owned it Playboy Enterprises, Inc. They also had an office in Itasca off Rowling Rd. I worked there in college. He owned Playboy Enterprises, Inc. It was probably structured that way for tax purposes. All the parties were probably tax write off's also and so were the ladies salaries I bet.
In several ways it reminds me of the mansion in the Sunset Boulevard movie - a moldy, creepy, relic of the past; occupied by Hefner, (who mirrored Norma Desmond). I've read he had problems with hoarding, which undoubtedly contributed to the mold problem.
I went to a party in 2010. It’s was pretty cool. I had about 100 photos with playboy bunnies and my girlfriend made me delete all of them from Facebook. She said it was pretty disgusting, but I regret deleting those photos because it was very classy as I remember. It wasn’t as bad as it was when Hefner was much younger. Also my brother has a photo with Kevin Hart at the time. Which is still on my Facebook.
Kimberbly Conrad said this about Hefner, "'We should be wary of those who try to destroy things because they are no longer benefiting from them.' Adding that Crystal gained 'notoriety, opportunity, and money' by 'willingly' choosing to live with Hefner and marry him - Conrad said: 'If you want to talk about exploitation, this is exactly what these women have done with Hef in his later years and at the end of his life.'
_Incredibly well articulated and researched. Great job with your recent vlog here about one of the most famous men, and one of the most famous addresses in all of Los Angeles. (Side note: Hugh Hefner was an advocate and voice for all minorities. And yes, his third wife, Crystal was certainly entertaining during her five-year marriage to Hef, until his passing in 2017). Something to remember though, second wife, Kimberly Conrad(Mother of Marsten, and Cooper) really thought Crystal was an opportunist(in the end capitalizing on her time with Hef to sell her book. Be reminded in the pre-nuptial agreement, she received nothing from his estate). As the vlogger stated, no matter what your opinion of the founder of the Playboy Empire, this second mansion he lived in was an incredibly beautiful place(and will be restored)._
In the 70s my Aunt was the caterer to the stars she even catered to the White House when Richard Nixon was president. She has many wiled stories about the Playboy Mansion. One story I can tell is pretty tame. The monkeys would come down from the trees and eat the grapes she put out on all the tables it became a real problem..lol. That’s the tamest I can tell. it was the 70s and the old white powder was very prevalent. I can tell you that or maybe I can’t lol. I went to many parties to help with the catering but the Playboy mansion was off limits for me since I was only 11 years old.
Good call. It’s like a “ period piece “ of societal history that at one time meant something. It was possibly one of the more interesting periods of the sixties in Chicago, the seventies,eighties,nineties, and early 21st century …
I hope to fuck the renovation is just fixing all the years of partying and not ruining the place. Honestly it's a damn shame it won't be the Playboy Mansion anymore. Hef dying was the end of an era, and before anyone jumps down on me, Playboy was classy compared to other magazines of the time, and incredibly mundane compared to today's porn. RIP Hef
u mean online killed playboy cause u think how many dudes actually read a playboy besides old people who still read mag's. that era died when internet gave freeness
Like these girls are now complaining. I was young and I thought I knew everything. Meaning they were willing to sleep with anyone to get noted. These days young university students with purple hair also think they know everything. Happily prostituting their time to any cause that they are gullible enough to believe.
I don’t regret my time at the mansion, it was a magical time in 2009. HOWEVER….the legend it left, that Hugh Hefner left, leaves a lot to be desired. I don’t regret going, it was a bucket list item for me, but I was sad when I found out about the bad things that happened to so many there.
I believe I must be the most sheltered person in the world because in my opinion, all of those women went to the mansion willingly, there were no armed guards in the house patrolling and no one held a gun to their head to get them to stay. I just don't get it. I heard an interview with one of his ex-wives or gf's talking about how great it was until one day she realized how much damage it was causing her. Okay, then leave! Like I said, I'm just not seeing it. Especially when there are real time horror stories of people kidnapping and hurting children. Need I go on???
I had the opportunity to go to the mansion a few times back in the eighties , early nineties. This was thirty to forty years ago. I just never took the time to visit the place. I regret it now. When you’re younger you believe “ There’s always another day, I’m never going to be growing old “ I kept putting it off. The older you get, the faster time flys, and you reflect on experiences that you took for granted . Regardless of all else it would have been an unforgettable experience . Point being . If you’re in your thirties or forties experience life NOW !
The house was never truly renovated throughout the years because it wasn’t possible with all the events going on. It was sectional, but limited, room remodeling.
i was a catalogue model and went to the mansion on charing cross road back in 1980. what a great time! unfortunately aids put a lid on things. hefner was low-keyed and made you feel that you were the only woman in the world. that was his ticket!
It's owned by the Metropoulis kids... they owned Hostess and Pabst, also own the house next door.The photos at 11:01 are of two different people... the curly haired one is Evan not Darren, we sold him a couple of high end muscle cars for near a million.
but they all stayed and partied because all the free booze and food, money and "connections" to be made... yet they were all adults and knew full well what was going on.
Excellent coverage! I went there when I was young delivering electrical parts and was able to walk around amazed at what I saw. Nice history and report!
I worked as a valet there. I some strange actions by actors and athletes. Sexual misconduct was the norm. That includes Bill Cosby. I saw a "model" naked running from him screaming, "Don't let him beat me!" Everyone started laughing saying "Cool Cos." I was told this was just an act and the girls and guys are paid to do this...
No, they were all adults they knew EXACTLY what they signed up for.... had a chance but, no its come and gone if anything they are guilty by association. ..
i don't think they totally knew what they signed up for. they probably had some weird dream of being a famous bunny and showed up all innocent and unexperienced. then they found out EXACTLY what they signed up for.
I was invited to live at the mansion and resided there for almost eight months. Loved my time there. Nothing happened that I didn't consent to. I think there may be a few women trying to get their 15 minutes of fame now they can't get sued for lying. Thanks for all the great times Hef, RIP good soul. X
Thank you for saying this! They tried to get Pam Anderson to disrespect Hefs legacy on the view (as many others have done) and asked her if he felt that Hef exploited women. Her answer was incredible. She said “if anything we exploited ourselves” as in they knew what they were doing. SO often the media tries to paint them as helpless victims. To imply that none of those women who kept returning and moved in were so dumb that they couldn’t decide to leave is ACTUALLY sexist! They all knew what they were there for and all knew that leaving would effect their careers. Instead of choosing to leave they stayed. And a few were his girlfriends. If it was so terrible as they claim they didn’t have to go back a 2nd time, or a 10th time! Or move in! So proud of Pamela sticking up for Hugh!
Arthur Letts was an Englishman who made a fortune in Los Angeles in the early 1900s with his department store, The Broadway. After WWI, bursting with cash he wanted to develop the last remaining empty land between central Los Ageles and Santa Monica. He bought the Wolfskill Ranch for $2 million and with the help of his son-in-law from the janus family, developed the 3,200 acres that became Westwood and Holmby Hills. He pictured the Holmby Hills area to be an area of large lots and manor houses, like the English countryside where was born. Several off those large Holmby lots were set aside for the Letts family, including large lot for his son Arthur Jr. who built what ultimately became the Playboy Mansion, completed in 1927. Experience craftsman from England were brought over to do the finishing work on the building giving it unique and authentic architectural detail.
I was fortunate to attend 3 parties over the years in the late 90s/ early 2000s. Among the celebrities, I most notably had an opportunity to meet THE Captain Morgan during one where I graciously thanked him for getting me through college ;). Good times!
Wahhh, I lived for free in a $100,000,000 mansion in Holmby Hills for 10 years. Now I want to cry about it. I have zero sympathy for any woman who chose to live there.
I love at the end of this, the boo-hoo for me story about the bunnies. They aged out of being party girls, never got the big fish husband they wanted and look back at their salad days with regret. I wonder if in 40 years, all these only fans girls will feel the same?
@@ramblerdave1339 Majority of OF girls are not making anywhere near Hefner money. For those that can make a living from it, the window to do so is very short and not sustainable. For 99% of those girls, it’s going to have a tragic end.
Got to go there twice for domain fest industry Party Contracted legionnaires disease, the second time . Was definitely experienced. I will never forget.
I worked on The Girls Next Door and so we all felt like it was a second home because we were there everyday for 12-14 hour days. I think Darren knows what he has wanted since he bought the property. The mansion definitely needed it after so many years and all the parties and animals on the property plus it was just dated
*I think it’s so ridiculous when women come out years later, speaking about how they were wrongly treated in this case especially they could’ve easily just left, but they chose to stay!😅*
They were chasing fame with only their good looks, when they didn't get out of it what their fantasies sought they became bitter and remorseful, blaming everything but themselves. The last ditch attempt at notoriety is to cash in on juicy stories about Hef and the mansion, with Holly leading the way, scorned by her "Puffin"...
Absolutely facts. Watch Pam anderson on the view on here she speaks about it. She didn’t fall into the trap they tried to set to get her to speak ill of Hef!
I accidentally drove by that house last week and it seems that it is still under construction. Considering that someone purchased it for $100 mil I don't see how anyone can make profit on that turkey.
dobacor is also developing a pretty insane estate right across the street, think the architect is richard landry but the project seems to be stalling, not sure if its a spec house
The drone shots of the house under construction looks like the Money Pit lol I'm waiting for Tom Hanks to fall into a wheelbarrow full of cement and wind up in the grotto with a statue peeing on his head!
Hugh Hefner made sure to make them stay by giving them curfews, controlling their lives, giving them a very small allowance to make sure they'd never leave, forcing them to participate in orgies... It was awful. I feel bad for the girls. They only scaped because they had boyfriends on the side.
I live in L.A. and had the opportunity to visit the Playboy Mansion twice, once in 2007 for a charity event and again in 2010 for an event called the WeHo Awards. Didn't get to meet Hef but, since both events took place during "The Girls Next Door" era, Kendra came out to mix with the crowd at the first event, and Bridget was there for the event in 2010. I remember the first time I arrived at the mansion, I couldn't help but feel a little like, "Wow, I'm really here," as I guess most people would, when you're standing in front of an iconic residence you've seen so many times on TV and in the news. Great memories!
I went to a few epic parties there mid 2000s and even a movie night with Hef. He had a twinkle in his eyes despite being very old. The whole place, however, did have a sort of a sinister vibe to it and I can definitely tell you the women living there at the time that I saw did not seem happy at all. Almost seemed like they were being trafficked or something. Luckily I got some pictures though phones didn't take great photos at the time.
@@sterling557 I was there right after the girls next door cast had left but he definitely had girlfriends at the mansion. These girls never got shows but I'm sure they got something. Money? STDs?
@@MasonLeCompteHaHa! I hope they got something Nice out of the deal. Bragging rights is worth something, and I imagine they made connections to important people... possible matrimony? More than one Playmate has a piece of my heart ❤️ I wish them the Best.
My wife was a playmate in 89....we used to go to the partys.....I went 7 times...even went to a movie night....place was great,hef was great....always a good time....I think alot of girls made up stories....I never saw anything bad....drunk movie stars maybe....I don't think hef was a bad guy either....he was always very pleasant to me....
Brutal to declare it untouchable. I get the idea it's just somewhat at odds with reality. At some point a certain style of architecture is no longer liveable. You can't just impart museum duty on private owners. The girl in the picture and video is Holly Madison, she has a youtube channel, still remarkably beautiful despite turning 45 next. I get the impression that they weren't treated badly. She seems to remember it fondly. They probably enjoyed the barbie dynasty pretend life. It's not a P Diddy thing :)
All that research and you said “I’m not sure this must be one of hefs gfs” that’s Holly Madison you had multiple clips of her and she was on the show Girls Next Door lol how did you miss that show during your research?
The house was run down and dirty and out of date in the 90's. It was kept as it was merely for the image, Hef didnt care, and the cost to reno it was nothing the brand could afford to pay. I was thoroughly unimpressed. So many people had passed through it over the decades it had the vibe of an old downtown Greyhound bus station. Hefner was a sleazy bore and the whole scene reeked of desperation with old actors running about with scowls on their faces. The women were there for one thing, hoping to make a connection to find legit work and to get free from that awful nightmare. I became friends with a couple women there and they luckily did do well afterwards and both lead happy normal lives.
I was at the last PDiddy Playboy mansion party, called Fame at the Manion. It was a scene of celebs and girls. It was unreal and even today I feel incredibly lucky to have gone. I was a normal 9-5 guy at the right time and place... I will die with the memory feeling complete. Lastly, don't feel bad for the girls. They come to the Playboy mansion with hope$ and dream$ like flies on maggots.
Judge Arthur Engoron, the foremost real estate valuation authority in the world has stated that none of those properties are worth $55 million plus. Rather, their correct valuations are $8 million each.
@@Liam_Maddog You are correct . The reality of ANY purchase is that the true value of the item is written at the bottom of the receipt , after the word TOTAL !
I was there working sound for the broadcast of the New Years 2000 party. The biggest tent Ive ever seen covered a huge section of the back yard. I basically had to run the wireless mic to the hostess wherever the next shot was gonna be. Hef came out in the afternoon to our little production tent to say hello and thank us for doing the work. My boss, who was in the truck doing the sound, gave me a tour of the pool and grotto and bathrooms. Definitely a 70's Boogie Nights vibe to it. It was a crazy night with so many Stars and Playmates there that night. All the hostess (current and former Playmates) where super cool. I remember Fred Durst and Rick Rubin showing up late and I guess Fred saw me with an mic. Figuring I knew where everyone was came up to and ask "wheres Mini Me at?" I said somewhere over there. I had a disposable camera with me so after the show I got some photos with some people. I'll never, in my life, have another New Years like that one.
God, can you just IMAGINE what you'd see if you were in the mansion and turned down all the lights while holding an ultraviolet light? Jesus. A complete collage of bodily fluids.
Wow! I have been subscribed to your channel for quite a while. But, I don't remember watching your channel. My loss, I will keep tabs on this from no on. Thanks for the video. Vey interesting, as I have maybe 30 to 50 or more old PB Mags. dating back to the late 60's
The mansion in it's prime existed in such a different era - in the 70s and 80s and even into the early 90s, we didn't consider the power dynamic between men and women. I know many will say, 'but they wanted to be there,' and while that might be true, it didn't mean these young women felt any autonomy as objects of Hef and other male party guests gaze.
Funny all these bunnies were ok being financially supported when Hef was alive. Now that he's gone he is a monster. Why didn't they leave the mansion. They weren't being held captive
I read an article in a magazine that had photos of Hef putting together a scrapbook. He had the largest scrapbook collection featuring every encounter with photography and his own text. I wish someone would turn that into a coffee table book.
The home was built by the person that owns the home next door. He paid $100M and let Hefner live in the house for the rest of his life. He's obviously giving it a top to bottom renovation. Vid over.
Anyone who talks shit about a person when they are dead and cannot defend themselves, but never said anything when they were alive, doesn't warrant the attention. This type of coward isn't someone I believe.
Tidbit: I dispatched many taxi cabs to the PBM. The instructions given to every driver was NO MATTER WHAT, DO NOT GET OUT OF THE CAB! Door guys took care of all that because there were off leash attack dogs close enough to take you down before you could get back into the car.
The women are pure golddiggers. They were only somebody when hef was alive.
I was a bartender at the Mansion going on 6yrs until Hef passed away … best job ever never missed a day of work. I have memories and stories to last a life time.
Tell us some!
@dirtysteez1569 Don't take those stories to your grave. We would love to hear them!
I wouldn't have missed a day of work either
Share the history 😅
tell us one please u would have a great book
It was built originally for the founder of holmby hills actually, and the house next door was for his sister and Owlwood for his mom I believe. He named holmby hills after his hometown in England (also why he commissioned a Tudor revival house) After this death, the house fell into disrepair with a subsequent owner so the house being bought by Hefner is certainly a blessing and a curse; although he saved it, the house will forever be associated with him
Thanks for sharing that extra context. Helps explain why they wanted it preserved.
I think the vast majority of people would consider that a blessing, most definitely and not a case.
I would get rid of everything associated with Hefner. EVERYTHING!
Take it back to rounding lawns and antique fountains and statuary, and restored parterre’.
The interiors need to be fully restored to its original plans and interior design.
Surely the house had a Name. Was the estates called Hombley Hills too?
Such an evil place.. ...
@@cynthiamckenzie1034 Oh HONEY……get off the cross! Someone needs the wood‼️🙄🙄🙄
At Lemmy's funeral, Dave Groll told the story of the first time he met Lemmy at the mansion. The first thing Lemmy said was 'Hey, I'm really sorry about what happened to your friend'.
Lemmyyyyyyy 😌
The Rainbow.
Dave groll wiped the spit off his face and said thank you
Lemmy lost the love of his life to heroin. That stuff is so bad. It's ruined my life and I never even did it. It destroys communities and families 😢
Beverly Hills has not been known to protect Historic Homes, having many of the homes torn down such as Mary Pickford's "Pickfair" and Rudolf Valentino's "Falcon Lair".
Hopefully the appreciation of Historic Homes has taken a new and more preserving attitude than has been the case with past homes.
*Yeah I hope Marilyn Monroe home is protected, especially from Kim K or people like her smh*
@@John-14798 I have read where attempts have been made to tear down the home of Marilyn Monroe, but hopefully the Los Angeles Conservancy can stop them.
Sadly the Los Angeles Conservancy tried for 15 years to save the Ambassador Hotel but to little avail as the Historic Hotel was destroyed.
Pave Paradise & put up a parking lot....
Yes pickfair should of never been torn down. Should of been a museum !
@@keithmarlowe5569 Pullman, just the name evokes a glorious past for both the trains and the homes in which they lived.
I was there in 1999 introducing the co-branding of Cigarette Racing offshore boats. The Playboy addition 35TS. Hef was wonderful to everyone. Epic night
Awesome
The “demo protection” must be historic preservation, therefore eligible for tax breaks. God knows it is big enough not to be a tear down. We need more historic preservation in this country.
nah, I love all the ugly Brutalist glass and concrete blocks were no effort for any amount of esthetics is made.
@@xxxBradTxxx There is more than one. Good god.
How can you not know about Chicago being the first home of Playboy?
@@r.c.reasor4807 Who the F cares?
we need more homes in this country really.
I'm from England and I have wondered what was to happen to the Play Boy Mansion. I used to watch The Girls Next Door/The Girls of the Playboy Mansion on the E! TV channel. Back when Holly Madison, Bridget Marquardt and Kendra Wilkinson were in the cast. It's great to hear that it can't be demolished and it has to be preserved, as it should be, for historic purposes.
I’m 25 I remember that being on in my house in the mid 2000’s. Core childhood memory 😂
The whole property should've stayed the way it was (all 5 acres). Could clean the pools.
I went to a wear all white party at the mansion in May of 2009. Hef was a very gracious host. I played some pool in the game house, visited the zoo, hit the dance floor and ate great food. Thankfully I have pictures of the great memories roaming all over the grounds. I'm female and felt safe the entire time I was there.
The parties were about as sexy as a farm equipment convention since all the women were there to find acting work.
Diddy has underground tunnels going to the playboy mansion! Allegedly!
@@SandraUrquiaDiddy has nothing nowadays not even the tunnel.
I'm sure in 2009 things were much more reserved, than say the 80's..OMFG, can you imagine that place in the 80's?..Glad you had a great time!
@@jmar808 I envy you.
I would have loved to have had that experience.
It’s nice to hear that the mansion is being completely renovated. I’m sure it will be absolutely stunning when it is finished.
I was hired to set up and run a sound system for a fundraiser at the mansion back in 2009. I was only inside the house briefly. It was a bit of a dump. On the plus side, I can say that I went to a party at the Playboy Mansion...even if it was only a fundraiser on a Tuesday afternoon.
Hey that counts! Cool that you got to experience it in person. I bet that sound system rocked
Great story 😅
How was it a bit of a dump?
@@internetcancer167211:29 this. Hef never renovated, never updated the place.
@@internetcancer1672 Search Google for "Vice I went to the Playboy Mansion (and it was kinda depressing.)" There's an entire article about how it was in disrepair.
I think regardless of the current opinion of Hugh, the house is a heritage building with unique architecture worthy of preservation.
I went to a party there in 1993. The hostess asked me before dinner, whom I'd like to sit next to. I told her please place me next to someone id have something in common with.. She sat me next to Phyllis Diller.
🤔😮😢😅🎉❤ Comedy worthy of Phyllis Diller herself. I can hear her big, deep laugh.😂🤣😂 That might have been the best 💺🪑 seating arrangement in the house that night.🏠🏡🏠🏡✨🕯️🕊️🤍Let 🕯️ light perpetual shine upon Phyllis Diller.💐🌹❤️😻😍
Like Phyllis, did you also have a boyfriend named Fang?
Phyllis was a hoot! Seemed very down to earth to me so must have been fun to sit next to. I would imagine her openness to all genres of people irrespective of age would have made for a great dinner companion, no?😁😎👍✌
@@007gunlogo No, my boyfriend's name was Robbie. We lived together until he died March 5 2024
@@Keenan-w5v Sorry to hear about your loss. I was really just being sarcastic about Phyllis, who always made a joke about her boyfriend "fang". I used to love her jokes about him.
Hefner used to have a neighborhood block party once a year, the most expensive block , actually blocks, in the world. Many people in the neighborhood are devout Mormons but they all went to the block party. The house was run down but the grounds were impressive.The neighborhood sought historic preservation status so houses couldn't be torn down . 87% of homeowners voted for it but somehow Century City lawyers prevented it . Now many beautiful houses are being torn down and replaced by ugly Persian places.
I worked there once. It was 1991 new years. I parked cars back then. There were a bunch of car parkers hanging out in front of the mansion. I saw Wilt Chamberlain walking to his car just at midnight when the celebration started. I thought it was odd that he was leaving. Nonetheless I told him; "Happy New Year." Wilt said; "Happy New Year to all you guys."
He wasn't down with the filth that was going on . . .
@lesisbest11 Apparently you don't know his history. He was a pig.
Wilt the Stilt fit in a car??😂
@lesisbest11 Absolutely, he was.
@@lisamelander3262 Bentley with the seat shoved back.
The Holmby Hills house was no new when Playboy bought it. Then it was partied in constantly. Mold must be just one in a long list of issues.
It did smell. The carpets were disgusting and the bathrooms grotesque.
@@MA_808yup
I have a friend who is good friends with Barbi Benton. One day I met Barbi through this friend. She was nice. Small. Of course older now.
Barbie was super hot. I wish her the best❤
I just saw her on a Fantasy Island rerun last week.😃
She was gorgeous!
@@sterling557 I saw her on a Fantasy Island rerun a few weeks ago too! The one where she was a mannequin that came to life. Have only watched a couple of FI episodes recently, before that it's been since the show originally aired so it's a funny coincidence to find someone else who recently saw her on that very old show, lol!
Barbie was a college student when she was swept off her feet by this glamorous older man. Then she grew up as all of us must. She began to want something out of the relationship for herself and wisely realized it wouldn’t be with that man. Apparently they parted on good terms. Kimberly Conrad’s mistake was to try to make Hef into someone he wasn’t. And he tried to be someone he wasn’t. I hope all these women find happiness in their lives. What Hef chose to do with his life reflects only on him
@@wendiwonderly1419 On one episode of "The Girls Next Door," Barbie invited them all to Aspen to stay the weekend with her and her husband. They were great friends even up until his passing.
It's a blessing that the now-owner has the money and the desire to renovate the place.
blessing?
Should have been demolished, he was the first Epstein..
And sanitize it
A blessing? Are you okay?
Hugh Heffner, the original Epstein
Yes. I did go twice to the Playboy Mansion. I used to work for a special decorations company and Hef hired us to go do decorations for two events. The first time I got there I saw Kendra Wilkinson (playmate) walking by us on her way to the kitchen. She was wearing regular clothes (jumpsuit pants and a tiny belly shirt. Her hair was pulled back. She looked like a doll. The second time it was a bigger event. That's when I saw Pamela Anderson. She looked like a freakin rock star. This was around the time of Baywatch. She was the Kim Kardashian of that time. She walked towards us in the back garden area. I thought I was gonna have a heart attack the closer she got. She came over to see the decorations we were preparing. She smiled and said in that child voice of hers "I Love It !!" and walked away eating a banana. As we were getting ready to leave a couple of celebrities arrived for the party. Bill Maher (the host of Politically Correct who is amazingly tiny) arrived in his suit, no tie and the top buttons open. Then Rob Lowe arrived and he went straight in. I heard that Michael Jackson was also there that night. But, I did not see him. I checked out the Grotto and went inside it. It's like a cave area with a pool in it. On the outside there is like a little water fall leading into the cave. That was interesting. I also walked a little inside the mansion to use the bathroom on the first floor only and came right back out. There were random Playmates in actual bunny uniforms walking around frantically trying to get everything ready for the party. But, Pamela and Kendra were my two favorite sightings. I never saw Hugh Hefner in person. He was always hiding somewhere when we came over. Also, I remember the smell of tobacco cigars when I went inside. But, overall it looked like a museum with the decorations. That mansion is one of the top celebrity mansions we worked at and to this day it's insane that I was in that property for hours.
Your timeline doesn't make any sense. Kendra was around 10 years after Baywatch. How did that story happen first?
I work a couple of days in the mansion and let tell you, I’m glad I’m not the super intendent, must be around a 100 people working there, and it gets wild. The mansion it’s getting a renovation in every corner in end outside, I think the only thing they haven’t touched is the pool, and looks like are not going to finish any time soon 😮
Crazy! It’s almost like a commercial development project
I'm sure they will fill the pool with Clorox before they commence any work on the pool. The horror stories about the STD's that people caught from that pool and the grotto.....it's sickening.
@@lindabrennan4455 you don't catch stis from a pool. 🤦🏼♀️Since the site has essentially been abandoned, the bacteria and viruses associated with stis would have been long-dead, and require person-to-person contact. Not surface.
@@lindabrennan4455 That’s just gross, and extremely possible. STD’s can be caught through improperly chlorinated water, just like Ecoli can infect water parks. Maybe PBM pool needs a “rinse and repeat” of Clorox at least 10x, but there’s still no guarantee….
I was there for a party in 1973 and of all the rock n' roll, LA parties I went to in the 70's, that one is the one I remember the most vividly.
You forgot to mention they had the only license in LA to shoot off fireworks.
And to run a Zoo
*one of the only private licenses.
A class A pyrotechnic license isn’t that much to own. My ex husband has one.
@@Mandalynn_Bay It's hard to get one in LA city limits though. I think that's what they're getting at.
@@amandahugenkiss really???? I thought Homby Hills was outside the city limits, like its own neighborhood/ estate area?
I've been to many functions there. There is a driveway through the mansion from Charring Cross to Mapleton. FYI, that's Los Angeles CC North coarse adjacent.I knew the old lady who lived in the sister property to the south. Supposedly, she was an heiress to the TV guide magazine fortune.
Haven't read the documents, but my hunch is that they protected it not because it was the Playboy Mansion, but because it was the Letts Mansion, built by the founder of the Broadway Hollywood department store. It was already historic before Hef got to town.
Seriously??? It was preserved because it was the Playboy Mansion.
@@Mark-vk7dc Nope. Lol. Playboy's not THAT important. They gutted it and all the "extras" (the grotto, etc.,) and all of the "Hefner effects" have been demolished or removed. They want to restore it to "its former glory"-Before Hef had it. There's a bunch written about this...
@@pogo9876 There are three famous homes in America, The White House, Graceland and The Playboy Mansion.
*Who is Letts? Is she/he famous or invent something?* 🤔
@@Mark-vk7dc forgot Arlington lee's-home and now his front porch is the toom of the unknown solder's memorial's
Been to a party at the mansion, around 2011/12. Definitely loved the grounds, the house inside looked terrible. The party was epic not sure how Hef was allowed to invite so many people. Shocked his neighbors were okay with the weekly insanity
Money, power, status, gets you a lot of privileges lol. But also, he was there before almost all of them were, so they all moved around him knowing they were moving next to the playboy mansion and it’s obvious parties. They actually did it pretty well, the two times I was there we were shuttled in, actually seemed pretty organized
That must’ve been quite the experience. What industry do you work in that got you an invite if you don’t mind my asking?
Hef also owned the house next door (his ex wife & sons lived there) and house across the street ** bunny prep & possibility** who would complain?
@@danzer369 A SWING and BIG MISS there Einstein! Take your conspiracy horse sh!t and get & stay lost.
@@danzer369 I never heard that Hef did human trafficking.
I really hope we get a tour of the mansion after the rennovation is finished! I was such a fan of the Girls Next Door back in the early 2000s, and always loved the Gothic Tudor influences in the architecture of the house. I know the mansion needed to be updated, so it'll be interesting to see what they did with it!
The parties were epic especially the pajama party’s. Food, music, open bars, swimming in the grotto w like 10 private bathrooms 😳. All the bunnies and girls with pj’s painted on. 100 celebrities and Hef always happy to take tons of pictures with everyone. Greatest host ever. Wish I was old enough to go to the parties at the mansion on State street bc I grew up a block away on Astor street. I was about 10 yrs old but frequently snuck into the Playboy club across from the Drake hotel at 919 N. Michigan and would say I was waiting for my father to meet me after work. And yes the waitresses did wear the bunny outfits. At least dad had a subscription to Playboy! Bunny 🐰 🐰🐰
PartIES,actually..lol.
tell me more
I went to Pajama parties and they were disappointments.
@@MA_808liar
Interesting fact I learned recently from Holly and Bridget’s new podcast. Hugh did not own the Playboy mansion. The magazine actually owned the mansion. They converted a bunch of the bedrooms at the back end of the house into office space. The headquarters of the magazine was the mansion. In addition, Hugh had to pay rent for his bedroom and any additional bedrooms his girlfriends occupied or his children would occupy when they were teenagers.
I’m sure all those parties were tax write offs too. “Promotional”
That was in Holly’s book too
His corporation owned it Playboy Enterprises, Inc. They also had an office in Itasca off Rowling Rd. I worked there in college. He owned Playboy Enterprises, Inc. It was probably structured that way for tax purposes. All the parties were probably tax write off's also and so were the ladies salaries I bet.
a friend of mine was there in the 70s and got stoned with John Lennon! He only remembers waking up the next morning out in the hedge.
In several ways it reminds me of the mansion in the Sunset Boulevard movie - a moldy, creepy, relic of the past; occupied by Hefner, (who mirrored Norma Desmond). I've read he had problems with hoarding, which undoubtedly contributed to the mold problem.
Big houses like that mostly get mould cause theyre impossible to heat.22ft high ceilings?how do u heat those rooms.
I went to a party in 2010. It’s was pretty cool. I had about 100 photos with playboy bunnies and my girlfriend made me delete all of them from Facebook. She said it was pretty disgusting, but I regret deleting those photos because it was very classy as I remember. It wasn’t as bad as it was when Hefner was much younger. Also my brother has a photo with Kevin Hart at the time. Which is still on my Facebook.
If you go on the Wayback Machine you pictures might still be there. But yeah, Hef was essentially a behind the scenes pimp and drug dealer.
If a girl asks you to delete your photos, find another girl..
You should have printed the photos , but I do t think its good to have on your facebook.
Sounds very insecure... did you dump her?
Ahh a woman's insecurity knows no bounds
Kimberbly Conrad said this about Hefner, "'We should be wary of those who try to destroy things because they are no longer benefiting from them.' Adding that Crystal gained 'notoriety, opportunity, and money' by 'willingly' choosing to live with Hefner and marry him - Conrad said: 'If you want to talk about exploitation, this is exactly what these women have done with Hef in his later years and at the end of his life.'
And so did he with the girls
What the heck is wrong with calling the servants quarters, the servants quarter??
They Serve and you!
I get it, but servants feels a little XIX century. They're called house staff now.
Exaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaactly...
Ok servant.
@@geemee3364I do think staff sounds better than servants.
waysist...
I was at the Playboy Mansion for several parties in the ‘90s… after your first visit, it’s not “All That.”🎉🎉🎉
Its never all that unless you're a celebrity with all that money.
Agree 👍🏻
My cousin worked there as security for the parties.
He loved it!
He didn’t have to live there.
_Incredibly well articulated and researched. Great job with your recent vlog here about one of the most famous men, and one of the most famous addresses in all of Los Angeles. (Side note: Hugh Hefner was an advocate and voice for all minorities. And yes, his third wife, Crystal was certainly entertaining during her five-year marriage to Hef, until his passing in 2017). Something to remember though, second wife, Kimberly Conrad(Mother of Marsten, and Cooper) really thought Crystal was an opportunist(in the end capitalizing on her time with Hef to sell her book. Be reminded in the pre-nuptial agreement, she received nothing from his estate). As the vlogger stated, no matter what your opinion of the founder of the Playboy Empire, this second mansion he lived in was an incredibly beautiful place(and will be restored)._
In the 70s my Aunt was the caterer to the stars she even catered to the White House when Richard Nixon was president. She has many wiled stories about the Playboy Mansion. One story I can tell is pretty tame. The monkeys would come down from the trees and eat the grapes she put out on all the tables it became a real problem..lol. That’s the tamest I can tell. it was the 70s and the old white powder was very prevalent. I can tell you that or maybe I can’t lol. I went to many parties to help with the catering but the Playboy mansion was off limits for me since I was only 11 years old.
To see that place, empty, quiet,cold! After all those years!!!! I would think it would be like a time capsule?
Good call. It’s like a “ period piece “ of societal history that at one time meant something. It was possibly one of the more interesting periods of the sixties in Chicago, the seventies,eighties,nineties, and early 21st century …
I hope to fuck the renovation is just fixing all the years of partying and not ruining the place.
Honestly it's a damn shame it won't be the Playboy Mansion anymore. Hef dying was the end of an era, and before anyone jumps down on me, Playboy was classy compared to other magazines of the time, and incredibly mundane compared to today's porn.
RIP Hef
Ends of eras are always sad to some degree or another. History is irresistible and poignant.
u mean online killed playboy cause u think how many dudes actually read a playboy besides old people who still read mag's. that era died when internet gave freeness
I feel the same nostalgia. Those times seemed like epic fun. Today everyone wants to complain about everything
Like these girls are now complaining. I was young and I thought I knew everything. Meaning they were willing to sleep with anyone to get noted. These days young university students with purple hair also think they know everything. Happily prostituting their time to any cause that they are gullible enough to believe.
As you’re complaining about it🤣😂the irony
I don’t regret my time at the mansion, it was a magical time in 2009. HOWEVER….the legend it left, that Hugh Hefner left, leaves a lot to be desired. I don’t regret going, it was a bucket list item for me, but I was sad when I found out about the bad things that happened to so many there.
I believe I must be the most sheltered person in the world because in my opinion, all of those women went to the mansion willingly, there were no armed guards in the house patrolling and no one held a gun to their head to get them to stay. I just don't get it. I heard an interview with one of his ex-wives or gf's talking about how great it was until one day she realized how much damage it was causing her. Okay, then leave! Like I said, I'm just not seeing it. Especially when there are real time horror stories of people kidnapping and hurting children. Need I go on???
@@lindabrennan4455 EXACTLY.
@@lindabrennan4455I’ve always felt that way as well. However, I am not brave enough to flat out state that.
@@Kris-zy7is That's okay, my dear, I'm sure the majority are thinking like us. :)
I had the opportunity to go to the mansion a few times back in the eighties , early nineties. This was thirty to forty years ago. I just never took the time to visit the place. I regret it now. When you’re younger you believe “ There’s always another day, I’m never going to be growing old “ I kept putting it off. The older you get, the faster time flys, and you reflect on experiences that you took for granted . Regardless of all else it would have been an unforgettable experience . Point being . If you’re in your thirties or forties experience life NOW !
The house was never truly renovated throughout the years because it wasn’t possible with all the events going on. It was sectional, but limited, room remodeling.
I went back in 2007. Spoke into the rock. That’s the driveway intercom for those who haven’t been. Glad it’s being preserved.
i was a catalogue model and went to the mansion on charing cross road back in 1980. what a great time! unfortunately aids put a lid on things. hefner was low-keyed and made you feel that you were the only woman in the world. that was his ticket!
It's owned by the Metropoulis kids... they owned Hostess and Pabst, also own the house next door.The photos at 11:01 are of two different people... the curly haired one is Evan not Darren, we sold him a couple of high end muscle cars for near a million.
Hi. One of my neighbors bought that mansion. Hi from your friend from Beverly Hills 😊
Ohhh interesting! Great neighborhood
Trousdale Estates. You should visit me, if you’d like 👍🏻
Nice humble brag.
Women who stayed at the Playboy Mansion have been saying bad things about Hugh Hefner long before he died.
@@danzer369I read Holly's memoir and I was shocked
I couldn't possibly care any less.
but they all stayed and partied because all the free booze and food, money and "connections" to be made... yet they were all adults and knew full well what was going on.
AND THIS IS PRECISELY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!!!
They were all paid well.
Wonder if there is any correlation with the fall of Playboy mansion parties and the rise of Diddy mansion parties.
No! It's called being a celebrity and having money to throw around and enjoy yourself. No correlation whatsoever!
🎯
Excellent coverage! I went there when I was young delivering electrical parts and was able to walk around amazed at what I saw. Nice history and report!
I worked as a valet there. I some strange actions by actors and athletes. Sexual misconduct was the norm. That includes Bill Cosby. I saw a "model" naked running from him screaming, "Don't let him beat me!" Everyone started laughing saying "Cool Cos." I was told this was just an act and the girls and guys are paid to do this...
He probably gave her a Kamacosby cocktail!
Wow!!
If you can spend $3 million on a condo, why would you buy a condo?
Views, security, neighborhood…
If the condos are 3 million in that neighborhood the homes are going to be 9 or 12
Your thinking like 90% of American's (myself included) trying to figure out gas prices horrified by grocery costs.
Probably because you already have a few mansions
No, they were all adults they knew EXACTLY what they signed up for.... had a chance but, no its come and gone if anything they are guilty by association. ..
i don't think they totally knew what they signed up for. they probably had some weird dream of being a famous bunny and showed up all innocent and unexperienced. then they found out EXACTLY what they signed up for.
I don't want to thinkof the fluids involved that created the mold; but I'm betting the mold has DNA...
I was invited to live at the mansion and resided there for almost eight months. Loved my time there. Nothing happened that I didn't consent to. I think there may be a few women trying to get their 15 minutes of fame now they can't get sued for lying. Thanks for all the great times Hef, RIP good soul. X
When victimhood is monetized there are bound to be counterfeits.
Just because nothing happened to you doesn’t mean nothing happened to anyone else.
When victimhood is monetized there are bound to be counterfeits.
@@theheartoftexasjust let her tell her story without your nagging.
Thank you for saying this! They tried to get Pam Anderson to disrespect Hefs legacy on the view (as many others have done) and asked her if he felt that Hef exploited women. Her answer was incredible. She said “if anything we exploited ourselves” as in they knew what they were doing. SO often the media tries to paint them as helpless victims. To imply that none of those women who kept returning and moved in were so dumb that they couldn’t decide to leave is ACTUALLY sexist! They all knew what they were there for and all knew that leaving would effect their careers. Instead of choosing to leave they stayed. And a few were his girlfriends. If it was so terrible as they claim they didn’t have to go back a 2nd time, or a 10th time! Or move in! So proud of Pamela sticking up for Hugh!
Fascinating video man!!!! Thanks for sharing...
Arthur Letts was an Englishman who made a fortune in Los Angeles in the early 1900s with his department store, The Broadway. After WWI, bursting with cash he wanted to develop the last remaining empty land between central Los Ageles and Santa Monica. He bought the Wolfskill Ranch for $2 million and with the help of his son-in-law from the janus family, developed the 3,200 acres that became Westwood and Holmby Hills. He pictured the Holmby Hills area to be an area of large lots and manor houses, like the English countryside where was born. Several off those large Holmby lots were set aside for the Letts family, including large lot for his son Arthur Jr. who built what ultimately became the Playboy Mansion, completed in 1927. Experience craftsman from England were brought over to do the finishing work on the building giving it unique and authentic architectural detail.
I was fortunate to attend 3 parties over the years in the late 90s/ early 2000s. Among the celebrities, I most notably had an opportunity to meet THE Captain Morgan during one where I graciously thanked him for getting me through college ;). Good times!
Heff’s gonna be glad he’s passed on, with all the lawsuits going on these days.
Yeah, he skated.
I never wondered about that place but you got my interest...great video Scott !
Haha I hadn’t either
Wahhh, I lived for free in a $100,000,000 mansion in Holmby Hills for 10 years. Now I want to cry about it. I have zero sympathy for any woman who chose to live there.
Same lol
Incel Alert.
I love at the end of this, the boo-hoo for me story about the bunnies. They aged out of being party girls, never got the big fish husband they wanted and look back at their salad days with regret. I wonder if in 40 years, all these only fans girls will feel the same?
Probably not, they make Hefner money, without the middleman.
only fans women will never be housewives.
@@ramblerdave1339 Majority of OF girls are not making anywhere near Hefner money. For those that can make a living from it, the window to do so is very short and not sustainable. For 99% of those girls, it’s going to have a tragic end.
Huh, my office is at Charing Cross - except it's in Glasgow, Scotland.
😂😂😂
Isn’t there also a Charing Cross in London..
@@wildfireintexas yep, potentially what others are named after.
@@wildfireintexaswhere Harry Potter was filmed
I was a bunny in England back in 77 right out of high school. I would gave loved to have gone to one of those parties in my floral bunny costume 🤩
You have any wild stories?
My 1st ever Playboy was the July 1977 issue. What an awesome time to be in the Playboy orbit. You lived a charmed life.
Are you married?
tell us some stories please
Got to go there twice for domain fest industry
Party
Contracted legionnaires disease, the second time . Was definitely experienced. I will never forget.
Are you sure it wasn't the CRACK you've been consuming?
I would assume a near death experience would be pretty momentous - legionnaires disease.
Great video about such an infamous, historical property. ☺️
I worked on The Girls Next Door and so we all felt like it was a second home because we were there everyday for 12-14 hour days. I think Darren knows what he has wanted since he bought the property. The mansion definitely needed it after so many years and all the parties and animals on the property plus it was just dated
If you can follow the progress of the mansion so we can see how it comes out
*I think it’s so ridiculous when women come out years later, speaking about how they were wrongly treated in this case especially they could’ve easily just left, but they chose to stay!😅*
They were chasing fame with only their good looks, when they didn't get out of it what their fantasies sought
they became bitter and remorseful, blaming everything but themselves. The last ditch attempt at notoriety is
to cash in on juicy stories about Hef and the mansion, with Holly leading the way, scorned by her "Puffin"...
Absolutely facts. Watch Pam anderson on the view on here she speaks about it. She didn’t fall into the trap they tried to set to get her to speak ill of Hef!
the complainers are all a bunch of C- words. ( youtube won't allow the C words)
I never wondered until this came up all of a sudden 😂
I was there in 2015, it was a cool experience!
Have you wondered. Well I haven't LOL
Lol
That was so hilarious 😆
I accidentally drove by that house last week and it seems that it is still under construction. Considering that someone purchased it for $100 mil I don't see how anyone can make profit on that turkey.
dobacor is also developing a pretty insane estate right across the street, think the architect is richard landry but the project seems to be stalling, not sure if its a spec house
The drone shots of the house under construction looks like the Money Pit lol I'm waiting for Tom Hanks to fall into a wheelbarrow full of cement and wind up in the grotto with a statue peeing on his head!
that is my favorite movie because I live in a house like that! I just keep waiting for the tub to go through the floor.
LOL
The new owners stuck in a rug upstairs, surrounded by care bears!
Women living in the mansion for ten years can't understand why they are messed up. Question is why where you their in the first place?
@@danzer369
Wrong, they were gold diggers.
Hugh Hefner made sure to make them stay by giving them curfews, controlling their lives, giving them a very small allowance to make sure they'd never leave, forcing them to participate in orgies... It was awful. I feel bad for the girls. They only scaped because they had boyfriends on the side.
@@danzer369 No abuse. They were there of their own accord. Class dismissed.
@@danzer369 You are not naive when you just spent ten grand for a boob job before entering the Mansion.
Can’t
Always
Say
How
I live in L.A. and had the opportunity to visit the Playboy Mansion twice, once in 2007 for a charity event and again in 2010 for an event called the WeHo Awards. Didn't get to meet Hef but, since both events took place during "The Girls Next Door" era, Kendra came out to mix with the crowd at the first event, and Bridget was there for the event in 2010. I remember the first time I arrived at the mansion, I couldn't help but feel a little like, "Wow, I'm really here," as I guess most people would, when you're standing in front of an iconic residence you've seen so many times on TV and in the news. Great memories!
Flew over it in a helicopter a couple years ago. Looked like they were doing alot of work on it.
Helicopter ride over holby hills sounds fun… as long as it wasn’t a medical helicopter
I went to a few epic parties there mid 2000s and even a movie night with Hef. He had a twinkle in his eyes despite being very old. The whole place, however, did have a sort of a sinister vibe to it and I can definitely tell you the women living there at the time that I saw did not seem happy at all. Almost seemed like they were being trafficked or something. Luckily I got some pictures though phones didn't take great photos at the time.
It was a business arrangement. They got a cable show out of it.
Not too bad really, considering they weren't brain surgeons.
@@sterling557 I was there right after the girls next door cast had left but he definitely had girlfriends at the mansion. These girls never got shows but I'm sure they got something. Money? STDs?
@@MasonLeCompteHaHa! I hope they got something Nice out of the deal. Bragging rights is worth something, and I imagine they made connections to important people... possible matrimony? More than one Playmate has a piece of my heart ❤️ I wish them the Best.
My wife was a playmate in 89....we used to go to the partys.....I went 7 times...even went to a movie night....place was great,hef was great....always a good time....I think alot of girls made up stories....I never saw anything bad....drunk movie stars maybe....I don't think hef was a bad guy either....he was always very pleasant to me....
Always been fascinated by this place. Very informative video! Thank you!
Brutal to declare it untouchable. I get the idea it's just somewhat at odds with reality. At some point a certain style of architecture is no longer liveable. You can't just impart museum duty on private owners. The girl in the picture and video is Holly Madison, she has a youtube channel, still remarkably beautiful despite turning 45 next. I get the impression that they weren't treated badly. She seems to remember it fondly. They probably enjoyed the barbie dynasty pretend life. It's not a P Diddy thing :)
You all go ahead and comfort yourself with the pr. At some point in your life you may come to see individuals as human beings.
@@communitygardener17 what are you talking about?
Rumors are, it WAS a PDiddy thing. Time will tell.
@@communitygardener17 They made the choice, They need to hold themselves responsible.
All that research and you said “I’m not sure this must be one of hefs gfs” that’s Holly Madison you had multiple clips of her and she was on the show Girls Next Door lol how did you miss that show during your research?
The house was run down and dirty and out of date in the 90's. It was kept as it was merely for the image, Hef didnt care, and the cost to reno it was nothing the brand could afford to pay. I was thoroughly unimpressed. So many people had passed through it over the decades it had the vibe of an old downtown Greyhound bus station. Hefner was a sleazy bore and the whole scene reeked of desperation with old actors running about with scowls on their faces. The women were there for one thing, hoping to make a connection to find legit work and to get free from that awful nightmare. I became friends with a couple women there and they luckily did do well afterwards and both lead happy normal lives.
Sounds about right.
I was at the last PDiddy Playboy mansion party, called Fame at the Manion. It was a scene of celebs and girls. It was unreal and even today I feel incredibly lucky to have gone. I was a normal 9-5 guy at the right time and place...
I will die with the memory feeling complete.
Lastly, don't feel bad for the girls. They come to the Playboy mansion with hope$ and dream$ like flies on maggots.
If abusive shit actually happend having hopes and dreams isn’t a reason that that’s ok come on 💀
Don't compare women to maggots- women hater!
@@no-lz1mq the def of abuse has expanded way too much. they were there for a reason but think they were there just to have fun and be happy.
flies are adult maggots so you need to adjust your metaphors.
Judge Arthur Engoron, the foremost real estate valuation authority in the world has stated that none of those properties are worth $55 million plus. Rather, their correct valuations are $8 million each.
LOL
The property, like everything else, is worth what a buyer is willing to pay. You should know that.
@@Liam_Maddog You are correct . The reality of ANY purchase is that the true value of the item is written at the bottom of the receipt , after the word TOTAL !
Well I’ll just add that any item I’ll be it a watch, painting or a house is worth what someone is willing to pay for it.
I was there working sound for the broadcast of the New Years 2000 party. The biggest tent Ive ever seen covered a huge section of the back yard. I basically had to run the wireless mic to the hostess wherever the next shot was gonna be. Hef came out in the afternoon to our little production tent to say hello and thank us for doing the work. My boss, who was in the truck doing the sound, gave me a tour of the pool and grotto and bathrooms. Definitely a 70's Boogie Nights vibe to it. It was a crazy night with so many Stars and Playmates there that night. All the hostess (current and former Playmates) where super cool. I remember Fred Durst and Rick Rubin showing up late and I guess Fred saw me with an mic. Figuring I knew where everyone was came up to and ask "wheres Mini Me at?" I said somewhere over there. I had a disposable camera with me so after the show I got some photos with some people. I'll never, in my life, have another New Years like that one.
God, can you just IMAGINE what you'd see if you were in the mansion and turned down all the lights while holding an ultraviolet light? Jesus. A complete collage of bodily fluids.
Here in Los Angeles, the average property has easily 30X to 60X depending on the area since 1970.
Great if you own some, tough if you don't.
If you took a black light through it and threw the area around it to detect for bodily fluids. How bad is disgusting.
hence the mold everywhere
@@smiddysmidton8313 😂 more like hot tubs and the “grotto” steaming the place into an indoor rainforest and nothing for ventilation for far too long.
I went to several parties at the Chicago Playboy mansion, back in the early 80s. What a place. So much fun!
Wow! I have been subscribed to your channel for quite a while. But, I don't remember watching your channel. My loss, I will keep tabs on this from no on. Thanks for the video.
Vey interesting, as I have maybe 30 to 50 or more old PB Mags. dating back to the late 60's
The mansion in it's prime existed in such a different era - in the 70s and 80s and even into the early 90s, we didn't consider the power dynamic between men and women. I know many will say, 'but they wanted to be there,' and while that might be true, it didn't mean these young women felt any autonomy as objects of Hef and other male party guests gaze.
I heard they can't get the smell of tuna out of the place
Funny all these bunnies were ok being financially supported when Hef was alive. Now that he's gone he is a monster. Why didn't they leave the mansion. They weren't being held captive
I read an article in a magazine that had photos of Hef putting together a scrapbook. He had the largest scrapbook collection featuring every encounter with photography and his own text. I wish someone would turn that into a coffee table book.
They sold them to someone else
@@tiffprendergast7 wow. I hope they make a book. Must be filled with trippy stories.
i thought it was many volumes from his whole life
I lived in California and would have loved to have gone to the Playboy Mansion.
I actually got laid at the mansion in 1983. By well-known blonde acdress, I was 20.. She has passed away recently
Suzanne Summers!
@@IanPunter Great guess
Wow, you banged Chrissie Snow?
Yeah ok we believe you
AWESOME man!!
The home was built by the person that owns the home next door. He paid $100M and let Hefner live in the house for the rest of his life. He's obviously giving it a top to bottom renovation. Vid over.
Wrong. The Twinkie king did not build the Mansion.
You way off bill did you even read the story dumb A_S
@@MrMoe158 Is that English Moe? Just because it's on YT doesn't make it accurate. Can't fix stupid I guess.
place is haunted asf too .
don’t forget about that now
Anyone who talks shit about a person when they are dead and cannot defend themselves, but never said anything when they were alive, doesn't warrant the attention. This type of coward isn't someone I believe.
Well said dude
1:58 right next to UCLA… for 60s, 70s and 80s perfect!