Why Hollywood's Most Opulent Mansion Was Demolished: Pickfair
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 มิ.ย. 2024
- At one point in time, Pickfair stood as the epitome of Hollywood glamour and opulence.
Nestled in the heart of Beverly Hills, California, the mansion was more than a home - it was a cultural phenomenon created by film legends Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks.
With its sprawling grounds, lavish interiors, and a guest list that read like a Who's Who of the Twentieth Century, Pickfair was Hollywood's unofficial royal palace.
But this mansion - once a vibrant hub for the entertainment industry's elite - met an unfortunate end.
In 1990, new owners demolished much of the estate - leaving the public, and even Hollywood insiders, astonished and heartbroken.
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Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
0:57 Chapter 1: The Birth of Glamour
6:27 Chapter 2: The Pickfair Mansion as Hollywood's Social Hub
8:53 Chapter 3: The Pickfair Mansion in Transition
10:22 Chapter 4: Decline and Public Fascination
12:41 Chapter 5: Demolition and Legacy
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In the early years of the nineteen twenties, Hollywood had yet to evolve into the sprawling capital of stardom that we recognize today - but it was undeniably on an accelerated trajectory toward that future.
Two luminaries-Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks-stood at the vanguard, shaping not merely the cinematic landscape but also defining a lavish way of life that set a benchmark for glamour.
Pickford - known as the "Queen of the Movies” - and Fairbanks - a.k.a. the "King of Hollywood” - were more than just actors - they were co-founders of United Artists - a studio that provided them unparalleled creative control.
Indeed, in the “Roaring Twenties”, the epicenter of Hollywood's effervescent social scene was unquestionably the Pickfair Mansion.
Likened to America's Buckingham Palace by none other than Lord Mountbatten, Pickfair transcended being merely a residence - it was a cultural phenomenon.
As Beverly Hills Mayor Will Rogers humorously noted, his principal task was essentially "directing people to Mary Pickford's house."
Now, what made Pickfair an irresistible draw wasn't solely its architectural splendor or its aesthetic grandeur - but its role as a social vortex that attracted a dazzling array of talents and intellects.
The estate's dinner parties were the stuff of legend - boasting an enviable guest roster that ranged from cinematic giants like Charlie Chaplin and Harold Lloyd to monumental personalities like Albert Einstein and President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
When you walked through the grand entryway, you weren't just stepping into a house - you were entering a circle of influence that extended well beyond the film reels.
This was the pulse of a new, burgeoning America-a nation being shaped and represented by Hollywood glamour epitomized by Pickfair.
An invitation to this hallowed space was more than just a social courtesy - it was a confirmation that you had earned your place among the influential elite.
Thus, as the nineteen thirties drew to a close - a palpable stillness replaced the erstwhile buzz of extravagant social gatherings at Pickfair Mansion.
The subsequent nineteen forties saw the iconic estate transform into a haven of solitude for Mary Pickford - who deliberately withdrew from public life following her divorce from Douglas Fairbanks.
This transformation was more than a personal decision - it served as a reflective lens capturing the fading luminance of Hollywood's Golden Age.
As the nineteen sixties dawned, Pickfair Mansion found itself navigating the same uncertain waters that were sweeping through Hollywood at large.
This period heralded a new chapter of ownership, as Mary Pickford and her third spouse - Buddy Rogers - distanced themselves from Hollywood's buzzing epicenter.
The estate's cultural resonance dwindled - but didn't entirely fade away.
The nineteen seventies further accelerated the mansion's descent - paralleling the diminishing aura that had once surrounded it.
With Mary Pickford's passing in 1979, Pickfair became vacant - transforming into a mute emblem of its past grandeur.
The quietude that enveloped the mansion echoed far and wide - resonating through a film industry that had long shifted its focus elsewhere.
Sadly, Pickfair was no longer Hollywood's vibrant core - it had become a muted observer to its own rich history.
During these years, Pickfair also became the focal point of public auctions - magnetizing a motley crowd of inquisitive spectators, history enthusiasts, and memorabilia collectors.
COMMENT: Do you think it was fair for the last owners to destroy Pickfair - since apparently even Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks thought it was haunted - or do you believe the family should’ve just moved out and saved the building for reasons of historical preservation?
yep i agree it an't fair since AT the time Piaza dora and her husband did not make it public they were gonna demolish (as they knew there would be an outcry) untill it was done and the excuse they gave too much work needed doing and Termites was a total lie and it only came out in later yrs they demolished pickford cause they had paranormal activity ect ..
sadly one of a few historic hollywood / film mansions from the silent era of film onwards that have bit the bullet in the name of progress, objections from neighbours when a historic hollwood home (such as harold lloyds mansion that he wanted to be turned into a meusum upon his passing and didnt happen due to said objections so a lot of the grounds were sold off in 1975 with the loss of the pool and other structures in the grounds and the house now stands in just 5 acres compaired to the original 15-acre site and has been renvated modernised substantualy) or the value of the grounds they stood on .
The same with the falcons lair rudolph valantinos house not much left apart from the garage /gatehouse demolished and a new build put there 😢 PS i dont know IF you have done vids on those two mansions (valantio's and lloyds if not they would be good to see) 😉 Im from the UK but love old hollywood stuff !
also of note is this from wikipedia ...not sure if its the oscar discovered by jerry buss mentioned in the vid but .."in 2007, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences sued the estate of the deceased Buddy Rogers' second wife, Beverly Rogers, in order to stop the public sale of one of Pickford's Oscars" so not sure if it was both of them or her honoray one from 1976 OR from her 1930 win for "coquette! BUT funny that the vid mentions the discovery of an oscar still in place but doest say which one .as she had 2 and for buddy rodgers second wife to try to sell one makes you wonder which one it was ? im opting for the the honurary one myself
First, the term is historic preservation, not historical preservation. Second, to me it is not a matter of what is fair or not, but what is appropriate. One issue is that once a building is demolished, it is gone forever. If the new owners did not want that building, it is not as if they were forced to buy it. Leave it for someone who did want it.
Thankfully it is getting harder to do this now!
I would not have destroyed it because I love history, love the preservation of old homes and anything that shows and tells us of what came before us.
I have a haunted ( demonic) home I cannot live it and none should. I agree with them being destroyed.
As a third generation Californian i despise the fact foreign billionaires have been allowed to destroy California's history, sick
😏 Oh plenty of locals have destroyed our history, too. 🤣
Yea, there is a lot of destroying our past….
I think Pia just used the haunting rumors as an excuse for what she had done. Probably only she knows why she really did it. Perhaps it was revenge because she was pissed Hollywood thought she was a joke. She was.
Pia thought her rich husband would buy her stardom. The public never bought.
To be fair, I don't think it's that complicated. Pia Zadora and her millionaire husband, were very rich people who did not need to care about preserving history, why would they? They were probably superficial people who cared about evolving money and luxury, rather than preserving it. Had they been sentimental, and culturally educated rich people - the mansion would have been preserved.
It is almost criminal the amount of tear downs of beautiful and historical buildings in the 1960s and 1970s especially
Really,it was torn down for nothing as Pia Zadora and her husband wound up divorcing California really doesn't appreciate it's history
I remember the name Pia Zamora - but I’m now saying Pia Zadora who!!! What a disgusting thing to do!!!
Other locations in California do, but LA doesn't
You don’t either. Get your own money and show how much you care. Or do you only care if it’s someone else’s money?
@@debbylou5729 what a stupid comment,
Pia talked about it on celebrity ghost stories. She had a lot of scary activity in the house. A woman who was having an affair with Douglas Fairbanks and she died in the house.
I saw it in the early 1980’s….it broke my heart to see Pickfair torn down for another ugly Ginormous mansion.
Pickfair was an irreplaceable piece of Hollywood history - it should never have been torn down. 💔💔
The mansion should have been sold to someone who would have appreciated its history and beautiful architecture.
Pickfair wasn’t even the most beautiful of the Hollywood estates to be demolished, but it a significant part of the 1920’s and 30’s.
There is sadness when we lose these buildings…at least a few should be kept as a reminder of their craftsmanship and owners.
Most definitely!
I thought Harold Lloyd’s home was quite significant too.
You’re exactly right. Wasn’t over 18 acres a large property then?
The land is so exorbitantly priced and coveted, it was more important to tear it down and make a lot of money from the land by doing so. Unfortunately, cash is king to many people.
I agree. When we lose part of our history, we lose part of ourselves...
In the early '80s when Buss owned it, I was the plant guy - taking care of the indoor foliage. I only went a few times, but it was just amazing...Mr. Buss (usually without toupee) was so nice and told me to wander around all I liked - and I did. Such a cool place, much smaller than it would seem...but to walk out that front door, down the lawn to the pool and pool house - mesmerizing. I only wish I had photographed it. I might add the plants looked great - the few times I was there. Fortunate me!
Thank you for your story. Thats one you will always remember.
Yep...you were a lucky man...
It was a travesty that Pickfair was demolished, and shame on Pia and her millionaire! Hollywood history had a profound loss when it lost such a magnificent home 😢
I was there many times it was lovely
did you happen to catch that 'winning time' series?... just wondering how accurately they portrayed Dr Buss... the character was mostly pretty likeable
My cousin was briefly married to Roxie Pickford, Mary’s adopted daughter. As a teenager, I visited Pickfair in about 1964. Mary Pickford had retired from the world and lived a reclusive life in private apartments. I never met her, though I did meet Buddy Rogers. The mansion was neglected and I think Mary Pickford’s last years there were very depressing. It would have been nice to preserve Pickfair as a museum. It was really a symbol of old Hollywood. I’m sorry it’s gone. Thanks for your video. It was a nice trip down memory lane.
Pia Zamora lives in my neighborhood in Las Vegas. I think that she has owned several homes in the community however. Like many, she is the last person that I really keep up with. Do I think that it is fair that she and her former husband knocked down Pickfair and put up some trash house? It's private property and Beverly Hills has weak laws protecting historic homes. If anyone wonders why the old Beverly Hills is quickly fading away, blame Persian Palaces and modern white boxes that people pay to live in.
I AGREE WITH YOU.
Persian Palaces and white boxes: spot on!
Not just Persian Palaces: there are developers all over Cali (indeed the world). For example where I live, South Africans are gobbling up (unregistered) heritage houses to create unspeakably ugly apartment buildings, perched over the Sydney Harbor. The architecture of a Bellevue Hill or Point Piper mansion, some over 150 years old, can go for $20 to$150 mill and disappear into shoddy high-rise apartments, "peak real estate."
I love old Hollywood and it's architecture and wish Pickfair was still standing. That said, I am very pro private property rights. If Pickfair meant that much to the family they could have donated it to the state or city with conditions. D. Fairbanks Jr could have tried to raise the money. Also, a shame what they did to Charlton Heston's house on Cold Water Canyon.
Zadora
I was raised in a small rural town east of Los Angeles. After working my way through college in 1986 I moved to L.A. for work and in addition to my day job got a side gig assisting a antique dealer in Beverly Hills who mentored me in the trade. I remember attending an auction where we purchased many personal items of Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. I still have a monogramed leather day planner cover that belonged to Mary Pickford. As a small town farm boy when I reflect on the experiences I had and people I met in the mansions of Beverly Hills, Bel Air and Montecito in Santa Barbara, it all seems quite surreal.
Memories
Mary and I were born just a few blocks apart, in Toronto...our houses were nearly identical. She was 70 when I was born, and passed away the year that I graduated and married. Growing up, her family was not well-off or well--connected but working-class. She left her estate to charity -- she is an inspiration to us all! 💐
Mary and I were born just a few blocks apart, in Toronto...our houses were nearly identical. She was 70 when I was born, and passed away the year that I graduated and married. Growing up, her family was not well-off or well-connected but working-class. She left her estate to charity - she is an inspiration to us all! 💐
@@ButterCupMMXXIII Am I having a seizure or are there lines crossing out your previous sentence lol
@@ButterCupMMXXIIIu were 17 and already married?
I used to make cakes in L.A. and worked for the Lakers for almost 4 years while building my business. Jerry Buss's son Jimmy got married at Pickfair and I got to make the wedding cake on the long porch where they show the black screens. It served 800 people, had mirrored displays for each cake to sit on and I remember I hand made little dresses for each of the little bridesmaid dolls on the cake to match the real bridesmaids dresses. Sad to hear Pickfair is gone. Nice memory for me though.
My great-uncle worked as a security guard after he retired. He sometimes worked at Pickfair. He said one room was set aside to hold all the awards ( lots of silver ) that Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks had won.
I once attended a party held at Pickfair Manor back in the days when Jerry and Jeanie Buss owned the property and it was mostly finished with the renovation that they had done to the home and property.
I have been in some of the most famous, expensive, historic, old and new mansions in Malibu, Brentwood, Bel Air, Holmby Hills, Beverly Hills, Hancock Park, Hollywood, etc... estates like Pickfair, Greystone, Playboy Mansion, Sowden Estate, Frank Sinatra Estate, Ed. Weinberger homes in Hancock Park and Broad Beach, Rosaeanne Barr's mansions, and many more famous homes of famous people and the differences of what was considered an opulent estate home back in the 1910s- '30s were different than mansions built in the '40s - '60s and then '70s - '90s and so on.
Pickfair was a beautiful estate. The house actually didn't come across as a castle or oppulent display of money just for the sake of having money. It was an inviting property that was very grand once you walked through the house and followed the paths to the pool and tennis court and size and beautifully maintained grounds is when you bring your imagination of the age of the home and that in those early days of Hollywood and Beverly Hills it was still very rural and woodlands. There were still dirt roads and ranches, Rodeo Drive still had a rodeo ring, thats when it hits home in feeling the grand home that it was. It was the first home to have a movie screening theater and the western themed bar was fitting since in those days riding horseback down Hollywood Blvd or Sunset Blvd to go to a bar or restaraunt was something people still did.
Pickfair should have been bought by the City of Beverly Hills or USC or UCLA and made a historical building and a park and maintained and restored forever and a place to have tours and private parties and weddings just like B.H. did with the Greystone (Doheney Mansion).
Thanks for this in-depth piece of LA history!
And now the owner of Marilyn Monroe's house want to demolish it, another piece of Hollywood history, the home of probably the most iconic and unforgettable movie actress ever. Would be nice if some wealthy philanthropist bought the house and opened it up for tours, that is one place I would love to see.
The US should preserve Marilyn Monroe’s home, we will not have a Star like her ever again.
We visited Monroe's home in Brentwood back in the 90's. It felt so surreal standing near the bedroom she passed away in.
As we you know by now, the house is saved. No demolishing.
I think the fact that other homes are close by and the street is small helped
UGH - there is a fine balance here. The home itself should have been declared a historic landmark WAY before it got into the hands of P.I.A. Zadora and her husband. The I am sure it would have been hard and expensive to restore, and that could be one of the reasons that it was demolished. However, the "Haunted" aspect is B.S. - You don't like the house- MOVE let someone else take on he ghosts and restoration.
Just because someone famous owned it doesn’t make it historic, or a landmark.
@@ranlive1except it does.
Agree 👍 with you. That haunted house excuse is a bunch of crap. Such bullshit. It is shameful and tragic what happened to that mansion. Pure greed.😢😢😢😢
@@ranlive1 It truly was a notable home, even in its time. It's not just that someone famous owned it. It should probably be noted that Falcon Lair (Valentino's mansion,) Jayne Mansfield's Pink Palace, and The Garden of Allah were all demolished with the former still surviving in pieces of its former beauty. LA really isn't much for keeping old things no matter how beloved they are as their history has shown.
That said, as of when I post this, Marilyn Monroe's infamous Brentwood home is slated to be demolished. The current owners recently filed for a demolition permit, however thanks to a unanimous City Council vote on Friday that halted the process. Per the LA Times, the department now plans to revoke the demolition paperwork that was filed. From here, LA’s Office of Historic Resources will research and assess the home and present their findings to the Historic Cultural Commission, which will then make their recommendation to the City Council. Apparently, your assessment my very well be wrong.
Yes the haunted part EVEN by Buddy Rogers is probably bunk. However it’s none of our business because WE never lived there. Fairbanks and Pickford themselves never CARED to make sure the beautiful edifice was cared for and used for wonderful purposes for always. The blame lies with THEM. Same with other ugly things happening to Hollywood homes. The original owner’s families cared more for the investment than the history.
It saddens me to see all the craftsmanship of old homes destroyed not to mention the materials that can never be replicated
It is the job of he Historical Society and the state to list these homes on the Historical Registry. California is failing
in tha regard.
My grandparents lived in Los Angeles in the 1920's. They told many stories about seeing silent films being made on the streets in downtown LA. In the filming of a chase scene for the Keystone Cops, for example, the same group of people would run around a building to make it look like a much larger crowd.
My grandfather was a painting contractor the. Among his jobs, he worked for Mary Pickford at Pickfair. He spoke of carefully matching paint colors, sometimes to just a few snips of thread or a piece of ribbon to achieve the desired wall color for one of that mansion's lovely rooms.
It's a shame that more from that early era of film making haven't been preserved.
I will always regret that no one came along to save and restore Pickfair and live there. Please do a video on the now demolished mansion belonging to Frances Marion and Fred Thompson. They were two of Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks's best friends. Frances and Fred accompanied Doug and Mary on their European honeymoon. Frances and Mary were friends for life.
Id also (if he hasnt done one yet) like one on the falcons lair rudolph valantino's mansion , amd Greenacres Harold lloyds mansion (it still stands but has been modernised) BUT MOST of the grounds were sold off in 1975 and turned into 15 lots for sale so a LOT of the outlying structures such as the original swiming pool were lost!
My villa would manipulated etc, someone ordered terror inside, all my electric products broke down etc. But An Ufo was over my ville one day , than I lost all, all agaist my life and every law, I look for a true lawyer cc
Ah, yes, the destruction of Enchanted Hill: I'm still enraged whenever I think about it! One of Microsoft's founders bought it only to bulldoze every last structure on the site...and let it get overgrown with weeds. A unique true-blue old school Hollywood estate, lovingly preserved for decades, gone in a matter of days because of some rich dude's whim. Why do that? Why buy something so precious just to destroy it? Maybe that was the point? To demonstrate to himself and everyone around him that he had the money and power to do what he pleased?
@@roaringgirl7079 I live in Silicon Valley, and these techies out here hate history and anything old and historic landmarks. They want everything to be MOD and butt ugly! Their mansions are completely minimalist, lifeless, boring, and total lack of imagination and beauty. They are just glass and steel boxes. Their mansions are Maoist. Once you see one of their MOD ugly homes, you have seen them all. I think their homes reflect their ideology, which is Communism! They think they are such an envy of everyone, LOL! totally delusional. I can't stand their homes and I can't stand them!
I so much agree. I was driven to the Marion/Thompson home and could even have seen the inside but no one told me where we were going, and I was embarrassed to disturb the owners. That was in the late '90s. I have read Frances Marion's biography. She gave splendid parties I heard. She also adopted a child as to which there might have been a scandal. I have also visited her father's No. Calif. resort in Pope Valley north of Napa, CA; it has been preserved. I do think it is either haunted or should be. Some of the beachfront mansions might have been saved as well.
A friend of mine , rented a few rooms in an old Hollywood mansion circa 1990 . He loved the place . He was a teacher and taught creative writing classes to adults on the side . He developed an ear infection that wouldn't heal and respiratory issues . Turns out the " mansion " was filled with black mold . The elderly owner had to sell because she couldn't afford the clean up . 🙁 Brian , was heartbroken when he heard the new owners had demolished the place . He talks fondly of the design , stone work , and wrought iron , accents .
What was the address?
She's on Celebrity Ghost Stories, talking about the haunting. It's upsetting. I think it's horrible that they tore the thing down. If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen! A lot of old Hollywood houses have entities attached to them it's part of their charm! It was an historical building. They had no right.
$6.7M buys all the rights they need - this is America, not Italy. Here you own your home, not the mob...
nothing "charming" about having a possible demon hanging around
@@SR-iy4gg Nothing rational about buying a house you imagine dementedly has such demons! Just don't buy it then!
@@SR-iy4gg That "demon" was Pia Zamora herself! Nothing she and her husband have to say can justify the destruction of such a historic part of Hollywood's past.
They had every right. They owned it.
The American way seems to its total disregard for its heritage. Just add this home to the lengthy list of other lost treasures.
SADLY, YOU ARE CORRECT. AS AN AMERICAN, IT HAS ALWAYS BAFFLED ME AS TO WHY THESE SORT OF DEMOLITIONS ARE ALLOWED. IT IS BEYOND HEARTBREAKING.
Worked security for a myriad of parties / events at Pickfair (from 84 ish to 90 ish) when Buss owned it. Too much fun. Believe the venue was a hunting lodge before becoming Pickfair. Buddy Rogers (Pickfords' ex hub) lived in the home behind it. He had stories.
Please tell us about Buddy’s stories
Yes I do believe the Pickfair home should have been preserved for future generations, everytime I walk along University Avenue here in Toronto Canada I stop at the plaque dedication at Sick Kids Hospital & try to imagine Mary Pickford as a child running around outside her childhood home ...great video Thank you 🇨🇦
She was so tiny, I thought she may have been from a malnourished mother and premature birth😢
I appreciate OMM covering this historic house. As with the Agnelli video, better research is necessary though. Pickford and Fairbanks were married in 1920 (not 1949). Charles "Buddy" Rogers who starred with Clara Bow in Wings is identified as her 2nd and 3rd husband at various points. He was #3. Lots of great footage and photos but the editing was frenetic jumping back and forth at a confusing pace. Unfortunate that Pickfair was not placed under historic status. It was THE place in the 1920s where world leaders even visited. It was the western White House in a sense. The demolition of Pickfair reminds me of Citizen Kane in part. Moneyed fossil tries to buy career for untalented mate.
Thanks, I saw that marriage date to as being incorrect. I am pretty sure also that the house had only been restored completely just a brief time before it was demolished. Good video but I agree with all your comments!
Which fossil? Ammonite?
@@user-qf7ud5de9h😂I believe he meant the old guy trying to buy a career for a wannabe that never was.
I thought I heard him say it wrong - and I realized it as the narration went on. No, they weren't married and on their honeymoon in 1949, especially if they divorced in 1936!
I remember driving past Picfair when I was a child. My mother had seen it being built. When Pia's sugar daddy bought it, I also remember them saying they would not tear it down and then, after the deal was closed, saying they had to tear it down because it had too many termites. The issue with a lot of historic buildings in LA is that people say they will protect the property when trying to buy it and once bought, do whatever they want.
"sparky3156," Would YOU trust anything Pia ['Mi$$ Golden Globe' - 'ha'] Zadora or $ir $ugar Daddy said?
Seriously, anybody with 'eff you' money [i.e., unlimited funds] could well afford to have termite pros take care of the infestation COMPLETELY and FOREVER.
Many buyers are liars. Also, many don't have enough common sense to live in a place for 2 years before trashing buildings, cutting down trees, clearing out gardens, etc. That happened to my childhood home with people just moving in and doing what they liked. One later family didn't like the little culvert behind the house so they filled it in and then wondered why water came through the walls each spring.
True, they could have restored it. Replaced the termite infested area's to the original Pickfair home.
Maybe it should have been in the contract that they would not raze it. If you think you have a good deal, somebody should negotiate harder.
Good point!@@sharpear1031
It was very confusing to repeatedly show pictures of the new house on the site while describing and discussing Pickfair -- it was difficult to sort out the images of the historic Pickfair with the new monstrosity on the site.
I noticed that also!
I agree! Ridiculous. Not well done, at all. If you can't match the audio and the video, maybe you should hire someone who can.
Thanks, I thought it was just me.
Go away.
Pickfair had been remodeled a couple of times before the demolition, making it appear a lot different. And not all of Pickfair was torn down. The guess wing and the living room remained and is now fused with the new construction.
I was at many of Jerry Buss parties in the 80's and indeed he and his children said it was haunted, but not by a servant but by a woman who was shot there when Beverly Hilss was hunting grounds and she was shot while reading beside a tree. They all saw her, a woman in white with no head. It's sad that the original structure is gone, I wonder if tearing it down stopped the hauntings
how interesting!!
I’m sure I saw you there ☝️
I doubt it, once haunted, especially a tragic shooting. They should have had paranormal experts go in there with a medium.
Good question. I'd like to know that as well.
They should have saved the building despite the rumors of hauntings! How very sad to destroy a bit of vaunted Hollywood history! :((
Yes they should’ve saved it. I can not believe a few ghosts made them tear it down
@@daryljackson3430 The "ghosts" were in her head. it was just a ploy to allow them to tear down the iconic structure.
That building should have been turned into a museum, also available for movie shoots. They purchased it for the land. I suspect razing it was the goal, and reported "haunting" nothing but an excuse.
It does sum up Hollywaood though; older, no longer fresh and modern--tear it down and start over.
A lot of older homes in BV have very low ceilings, 8 feet or so and that is an issue that is impossible to correct without doing a total rebuild. The old layouts are not conducive to todays' lifestyle. If you want to retain the past, buy a historic home in Charleston, SC, south of Broad St. There, you can't change the exterior and in most cases, you can do anything you want on the inside and pretty much what want in the back so as long as it can't be seen from the street.
@@kennixox262 I've seen this throughout northern California, as well.
"Expropriated" By the City of Beverly Hills? That sounds "Communist". As you may know, BV has relatively weak preservation laws and allows homeowners wide latitude in demolition and redevelopment of residential properties. A museum in a residential area would be a traffic problem as BV parking is a nightmare as it is and the neighbors would have issues. As far as private property rights, there ARE limits on what you can do in residential zoning in just about any city or town. @@violamateo
@@violamateo A museum would never have worked. Just look at the area: it's fairly tight residential. Do you think all the powerful people living in those houses would allow their neighborhood to get clogged with tourists? A similar situation occurred with Greystone -- the Doheny mansion that the city bought and operates as a park -- it's better situated with more room around it, but they still have to close up at 6 p.m.
@@kennixox262True mansions like this one have ceilings higher than new construction today
Mary and I were born just a few blocks apart, in Toronto...our houses were nearly identical. She was 70 when I was born, and passed away the year that I graduated and married. What an amazing life she lived, and an incredibly generous philanthropist, so inspiring, thank you!
My great grandfather built and owned the Hippodrome in Toronto, where Mary and Charlie Chaplin and a host of others performed. It was the most luxurious and beautiful theater of its time. When I go to Toronto, to see the ugly edifice of Nathan Phillips Square on its former site makes me sad. We need to cherish our past like the Europeans do instead of building the endless Brutalist style concrete buildings that now inhabit the city.
I'm 9th generation Californian and I was born and raised in Northern California. I have a lot of historical ancestors originally from Monterey California, Santa Barbra and Los Angles. Beverly Hills should have made Pickfair into a museum! Also, possibly a venue for weddings etc. Some people said on here it wasn't that pretty inside etc. That is not the point, its Hollywood history, Beverly Hills history, and California history. I have heard that Southern California has a horrible reputation for neglecting historical landmarks and local history as a whole. In fact, I know of people who moved out of LA becuase they are tarring old buildings down and replacing them with ugly MOD buildings at a rapid rate. They said its extremely depressing, and it looks depressing. I was told they are hurting the tourist interest in LA becuase it's becoming a place where there is nothing to see anymore.
How could Pickford and Fairbanks divorce in 1936.if they married in 1949? They married in 1920. It also became a haven as Mary declined into alcoholism.
I had to replay it when i heard 1949, that should had been edited to correct that. it's very unusual to wed 10 years after your death.
@@nightstalkerck INDEED IT WOULD BE...
Thought I was mishearing things!
I just knew the wedding date was incorrect as her wedding dress in no way reflected 1949. Plus wasn’t the house built in the teens or twenties?
In spite of self-medicating with alcohol, at least Mary remained in her own home and didn't have to live out her last years in a nursing home. 😉
It's deplorable that people buy old buildings just to tear them down.
Hi, this was just great to watch. My Great Grandmother was from French Polynesia and worked there to iron the clothes and other things such as ironing sheets and towels. It was a great thing for my Grandmother I am told, because it helped her with the language and YES wearing shoes regularly. She noted, I am told, to one of her sisters she was even learning to read a little bit and clearly it modified the language barrier. To the extent of any kind of commentary @ that home, is not noted. However, I am told she was thankful for having that kind of opportunity . Finally, she was able to send her 3 kids to college, Two of them to USC and the final one to Spelaman College in Atlanta... Thank you for posting ...Blessings
Fairbanks and Pickford were not married at Pickfair; the shots of the wedding are from a relative's wedding (Jack Pickford ?) in the 20s. The shot of the couple at 6:15 is of Fairbanks and Bebe Daniels in the movie "Reaching for the Moon."
The structure on the property when Fairbanks bought it was a 2 story Clapboard building, to which a 2nd wing was added making an L shape . . . Fairbanks and his neighbor Charlie Chaplin were notorious for using Set Builders from their studios to remodel their homes. . . this was a Rambling structure that was probably decent construction but by the 80s extensive damage was visible.
Vintage structures often have complex damage/decay and are more effectively Razed and rebuilt than "mummified."
"This is the Axe used by Washington to chop down the Cherry Tree ; it is all original except for the Handle . . . and the Head. But it occupies the Original Space . . ."
Jack Pickford was Mary‘s brother. He married his second wife, Marilyn Miller, a former Ziegfeld Follies star at Pickfair.
In Los Angeles this seems to happen. Historical buildings/ homes seem to be up for grabs to the highest bidder before any historical preservation is implemented . The Ambassador Hotel for instance. They bulldozed it to put an unneeded high school with no architectural ingenuity.
The Ambassador Hotel was magnificent. Also the Alexandria Hotel and the Brown Derby. I lived 1.5 blocks north of Lafayette Park. That was the old Wilshire Blvd of early days. There were other hotels around it. Also Bullocks Wilshire, the most beautiful department store I ever saw, took me 3.5 days to go through it on my lunch hours. If it was built up to early 1930s of any splendor, it should have been mandated to save it by the 1970s. Horrible what was taken down on Main St. and Broadway in downtown L.A., especially of the movie palaces. Also Tom Inge's building on Franklin Blvd., taken over by the Scientology org. It was kept for years; don't know its status now.
No they should have not demosihed it. Much like Valentino's "Falcon Lair" it too is also gone. Tear down and rebuild seems to be the thing to do in Beverly Hills. Thanks for the clips from MPF. I never knew that website existed.
I was sickened when I learned of the demolition of " Falcon Lair " . I would be thrilled to live in one of those old beauties, ghost and all .
This isn't just a Beverly Hills thing; it's an American thing. I live far from CA and the big city I'm in does the same thing to perfectly good buildings; tear down and rebuild. In Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa, buildings still stand that are thousands of years old...even South America keeps its old ruins...but the US always has to destroy and rebuild rather than preserve and use for historical purposes...we're the most wasteful country in the world!
I think it should have been saved because of its historical value.
Saved and who would pay to buy it and up keep it, it cost a lot of money to up keep these old houses.
@@jimmyk2222222 The city or Historical Society, maybe even a university. The idea is a museum. Pickfair is history
I agree. I can picture it as the long ago beauty she was now with a fresh coat of paint and some pretty posies in the yard and hundreds and thousands of tourists handing over their dollars to escape to a bygone Hollywood era for a few hours. As I heard someone say, " if you build it, they will come".
@jimmyk2222222 A new home the same size would also cost a lot of money to build and maintain.
@Tam5115 yeah. I would have paid to see it
There is a great YT video from 1979 Academy awards, where they go right into Mary's house to present her with an Honorary Academy Award! You can see how it looked inside and out! Mary is so very old though, and it's the last time she was probably seen by the public. Some clips are used in this video.
Do to the turmite infestation, it made restoring Pickfair difficult. That's why it needed to be demolished. Renovations were still going on at times. The 1994 Northridge earthquake damaged structural integrity. I was working for a welding contactor as a certified welder when the earthquake caused the 3 chimney's to collapse, nearly injuring or killing the family as they tried to escape. The company I worked for made structural tubing "cages" to make the chimey's more solid rather than just brick, wood and weak steel support.
It was haunted. I used to deliver letters I'd written for Priscilla Pressley (Elvis fan answers). You had to go by Pickfair to get to Priscilla's house. One day, coming back from her house, with our mutual friend in the car, I stopped across the road and we watched a 1920s Rolls Royce Phaeton pull up to the entrance and stop. Two people got out, the woman in a flapper dress, and they went inside. Then the Rolls Royce vanished. Wildest apparition I ever saw.
Well narrated. Interesting and educational. Informative. 😔 sad too that the mansion was not preserved or protected. Once a buyer gets their hands on their property I guess they can do whatever they want. Nothing the public or community can do to stop it. Very upsetting and disturbing but atleast some things still remain on the property. And there are still pictures and memories. 😊
PickFair was not the most amazing of the Old Hollywood mansions or Wallace Neff designs by a long shot, but it was more famous for its occupants and had a great location and lovely grounds. I worked on a charity fundraiser there in the early 1980's and walked around inside. It was a very simple place and not that large I thought. I was pretty underwhelmed after hearing about it my whole life. I had been in much grander homes growing up in Los Angeles, but it still should have been preserved as a part of Hollywood History. So many beautiful old buildings in L.A. are gone. Its a shame.
Are you from the Goodson-Toddman family of TV production fame?Thank you for your perspective.I think Pickfair is lovely,but Ellen De Generes's mansion photographs are very attractive also.In my humble opinion,Ellen's is one of my favorite currently existing homes.So I guess you were around when they tore down George Harrison's mansion by the Elvis Presley mansion.
Such a beautiful estate and such a waste for its destruction.
Pls do more videos on historical Hollywood mansions that no longer exist
First: there's no such thing as ghosts. Actually, first, and last. Zadora and her Zillionaire sugardaddy wanted a new home that they thought would create more valuable real estate. The problem with "priceless" things (like Pickfair) is that they are, well, priceless. LA needs real numbers. Btw: a few weeks ago, the considerably less important Marilyn Monroe house in Brentwood was about to be demolished by its new owner, but people screamed bloody murder and stopped it. MM is more famous today than Pickford and Fairbanks were in the 1980s, I guess.
Like many of the mansions that grace the cliff walk in historic Newport, RI, and were summer homes of the Morgans, Vanderbilts etc. of New York City in the 1900-1920's, "Pickfair" could and should have been the mirrored reflection of Newport in Beverly Hills. When the mansions were donated to the City of Newport, they made them living museums and tourist attractions via The Newport Historical Society. The Newport Music Festival and Newport Jazz Festival are held every summer in nearly all the of the mansions and thousands from around the country and the world come to listen to the concerts and tour the 25-30 rm. mansions, i.e. The Marble House, Rose Cliff, The Breakers, etc. on sprawling green lawns with trees and shrubs and overlooking the Atlantic Ocean below. Similar things could have been done with "Pickfair": A concert season for much of the year, public tours, and special rooms reserved for private functions/dinners/wedding receptions, etc. And if run by the City of Beverly Hills and its Historical Society, the revenues collected from the tours/concerts/functions at "Pickfair" could have served to keep up the maintenance and running of the estate. Perhaps Pickfair wasn't the most glamorous celebrity home in Beverly Hills, but its architectural history, and interior design by highly respected people in their fields, with the attention to details specified by Pickford and Fairbanks would have attracted tourists by the thousands. Definitely a sad loss, selling it to new buyers, who did keep some of the structure but not all of it intact. So many historical bldgs. in this country have suffered similar fates over the decades and centuries. It calls to mind the historical Bonwit Teller bldg. on 5th Avenue, purchased by Donald Trump, and razed to build his Trump Tower. As a society, how can we proceed ahead, if we don't know from where we have come---especially in the performing and visual arts, such as architecture, design, literature, music, dance and art? If we destroy or deny access to all of these things, we are limiting our abilities to absorb, appreciate, and educate ourselves, so that we can have at least some point of reference to our history, and maybe even discuss its pros and cons and our likes and dislikes of it. Otherwise, we merely shut ourselves off from at the very least, curiosity about what has come before.
I agree. The craftsmanship of old homes is mindboggling. We will probably never again acquire that level of beauty. It is truly a lost art.
I agree with you, however, it prob cost more to try to restore it than tearing it down and starting over. They can use cheaper materials now. It’s a shame but that is one reason there are so many abandoned mansions. Too costly to repair and keep up.
From the photographs it seems Ms Pickford preferred light and an airy feel, lightly colored walls and furniture, many windows and French doors; it's value in that way would have set it off as the grounds let in so much light. I do think filming went on there, even for television movies. I think there was extra footage used in a documentary with Roddy McDowell that showed the hidden passageways back to the lengthy garages.
My father and mother were contractors in the WWII post-war building boom. They built many homes and mini malls in the S.F. Bay Area, including our family home. In the 2000's, all but the family home had been demolished and replaced. And then it happened. Our home was also gone. It felt to me like a kind of death of its own, as if my parents were being erased from history. Rationally, I know it had to come someday, that the land was too valuable to let old buildings remain, and I know too well that refurbishing is more difficult than building new. Changes needed to be made. It's practical. Yet, something irreplaceable has been taken away, and at some future date, even the new structures will also be demolished and replaced. It's the way of the world and history.
so true...my childhood home had a spiral staircase, a kitchen and pantry, and spacious grounds with trees where I could climb and play to my heart's delight
The British are very skilled at preservation. They figure out ways to do it; don't give up, and are engineers.
That is one thing I wish America would start doing is to start preserving our architectural heritage the way other other countries do. Some crountries have preserved buildings that are almost 1000 years old that are timelessly Beautiful. Just look at some Beautiful American architecture that has been torn down just for dollar signs and their Beautiy and history is lost forever from us with the only thing left is old pictures in a old book. Thank God Europe and Canada don't tear away all of their architectural history and lets the rest of the world enjoy and explore it's history and beauty.😢
Permit me to describe just a portion of the basement. One room was storage for the musical instruments of her husband who was a very popular band leader in the 1930s. It was a collection that should have had a display in the Smithsonian.
Ok. Now for the biggest item. She had been in silents. She had a huge room that was a saloon bar taken from a movie set she had acted in.
Yes, I remember the old Beverly Hills. Time doesn't stand still.
Watching Mary "silent acting" in these home movies is amazing! Yes, time marches on...
Candy Spelling tore down Bing Crosby's estate to make way for her monstrosity (former) home. She resented people referring to it as The Crosby Estate. The Bob Hope estate sold and will most likely be divided into several lots.
People need to get a grip. Just because someone buys a property doesn't mean the rest of the world is going to instantly change what they've been calling it for the last 40 years.
It’s tragic that the original building was torn down. If indeed it was haunted destroying the property would not exorcise the spirit anyway. BTW, the Oscar that Mary Pickford received was not one of the first. It was an honorary one presented to her very late in life as evidenced by the photo of her, receiving it from Gene Kelly in the documentary.
It should have been declared an historic site and turned into museum of old time hollywood
Pickfair was purchased by Jerry Buss about early 1990s just above Charlie Chaplin’s home off CoveWay and Summit Drive. Like the Whittier Mansion, the owners ruined the historical context of the neighborhood. Fortunately, the Greystone Mansion was preserved structurally except for the sandblasting of fabulous wood stairways by American Film Institute - only interesting historical fact about was Early California’s harvest of Beverly Hills olive trees.
Forgot about Pia Zador and Riklis purchase - what a terrible actress promoted by Schenley’s Rikilis. My parents sold their remodeled Cove Way home which remains essentially in the 1920 patina.
As someone raised in a beautiful Wallace Neff in Santa Barbara, I was always intrigued by the architecture. The plentiful windows with views of the ocean, the balconies off each bedroom, the bedrooms that were actually a suite of rooms always made the house so lovely to be in - it never got old, and my family owned the home for over 40 years. A Neff house is a piece of art, and to destroy it is ignorant and unconsciousable.
Unfortunately, some places can't be saved because of termites, structural, but I love old architecture.
Such a shame to destroy such beauty and history.😢
Well written, well spoken, and very entertaining! Those days can never be recaptured, but it's lovely to go back for a visit.
I love old Hollywood and it's architecture and I wish Pickfair was still standing. That said, I am also a strong private property advocate. If it meant that much to the family they could have donated it or sold it to the state or city with conditions. D. Fairbanks Jr could have tried to raise the money. Also a shame what happened to Charlton Heston's house.
Not just California, but the entire west coast has no regard for its history. Many of the buildings were originally built with an eye towards the temporary, perhaps that influences decisions. But I would love to see Pickfair, restored by the buses.
Really sad and unforgivable to totally destroy a wonderful piece of cinematic history!
What a beautiful and tragic story on this beloved mansion. Wish they would've restored it....
Thanks for sharing 😊✨🍿🎥✨🤩✨
They married in 1919 not 1949
So amazing: Joan Crawford was once a resident of Pickfair as she was once Mary's daughter in law, when she married Douglas Fairbanks, Junior, in the 1920s leading to a very unhappy family relationship.
Pickford was a product of the Victorian era, and Crawford had been a carefree 1920s flapper. That's why.
Pickford and Fairbanks were married in 1920 and divorced in 1936. The video says they were married in 1949. Douglas Fairbanks died in 1939 REGARDING THE REAL REASONS FOR TEARING DOWN THE HOUSE
It was a mess as
it was being consumed by old age, poor maintenance plus significant termite damage and would have cost more than it's worth to repair.
I love to see old houses given new life. However, new owners can do what they want, barring historic/association bylaws. I personally wouldn't have torn it down.
Pia Who - flash in the pan. I can believe termites were in it. But, don't be near those pillars if a quake hits. i liked the interior and its furnishings better than the exterior. I grew up in a house which began as a log cabin - ghosts, oh yeah. They don't take up any space.
Sad to see old landmarks go. But if you own it, you can do what you want with it.
As a historian and a lover of all things Hollywood Golden Age, it should have stayed and been restored.
What a shame! What a loss! It could and should have been preserved as a museum to old Hollywood! It might have been a major tourist attraction!
Trashy people seldom appreciate history, outstanding cultural architecture, elegance and high style. Too bad there isn't a historical preservation society there or have stringent laws forbidding mindless destruction of historical homes and buildings.
Same thing happened to the home of Bette Davis and actor husband Gary Merrill in Cape Elizabeth,Maine. It had been allowed to deteriorate to a point where tearing it down was the only reasonable choice. The community was very outraged by this,but there was little that could be done to save it and the new owners wanted something more modern.
With such an iconic house with genuine historical links and pictures it's a really great shame it was demolished. At least there are still lots of really good quality pictures and video of the place. Far more than copies of the Pickford films that generated the money to have the house built by a foremost architect in the first place!
I was a nurse at Danta Monica Hospital in late 1970’s and Mary Pickford was a patient there dying. She was in a private room large and typical of hospital room. Such stark contrast to life she led. One day at work I arrived and was told she had just died. Sweet, quiet, kind elderly lady…..
Well done indeed!! 🙏🏽 All news to me.
First off, any homeowner has the right to do as they will with their property, even if I’ll advised. But it seems profoundly self centered to destroy the fine work that was the Pickfair estate. And for what? Hard to imagine being so ignorant.
Sadly we see this time after time here in California. 🥺 People with more money then they no what to do with, seem to love to rebuild! It needs to stop , we are such a wasteful country.
Yes, people with more dollars than 'sense'! 😉
I feel that the home should have been preserved long before Pia Zadora and her husband got it. If so they would never have gotten a permit to tear it down. Besides if it was haunted tearing it down was not going to drive the spirit away, especially since they kept a portion of the original building.
Nothing lasts forever, but it's sad that it was demolished. As the old song goes all we are is dust in the wind.
Not mentioned....In Marys will her last husband (Buddy Rogers)--was allowed to live as long as he lived; in that 2 Bdrm guesthouse (not shown). In the late 80s I went with a mutual friend and met him there (he was quite old). I dont remember the house...It was on the same property, but not connected.
What was he like?
Once an historic property is demolished, it is gone for good. I hope that Pia and her husband are happy with the choice of demolishing this beautiful piece of history. They bought it and they tore it down. It was their right to do so, but it still makes me incredibly sad.
When I was a kid I used to walk past The Garden Court on Hollywood Blvd: it was, ALSO, absolutely MAGNIFICENT. I cried the day they demolished it-not that long after PickFair was; even Debbie Reynolds tried to turn it into a “Hollywood Museum.”
They should have sold it instead of tearing it down,I love old Hollywood history ❤️
Mary Pickford wasn't married in 1949. She married Douglas Fairbanks in 1920, and afterwards toured Europe on their Honeymoon. They divorced in 1936, and she married Buddy Rogers a year later (1937.)
I see such Heart and creative spirit invested in the original home. that makes the loss so significant. the new home was an empty shell for ego. know the scale of the original home was most likely much smaller to modern standards. it would have been a great museum for the early Hollywood history. it just takes $$$$s and commitment. so much passes away when the souls of the original owners go. a new energy has to be brought in with a museum. or the walls become hollow and sad... ive walked into such "historic homes" that feel DEAD and sad inside.
The 1920-30s was the tail end of the Guilded Age.
How many incredible mega mansions belonging to families like the Phipps, Whitney, Guggenheim, Astor, Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, Ford, etc...leveled because the extreme money it took to rehab and maintain? They were simply impossible for the successive generations to handle. Many were given to States.
And of course the great depression in 1929-'39 took its toll.
Picfair was tiny in comparison to some of the aforementioned mega mansions.
Although lovely, and filled with cinematic history...
We have become a disposable nation.
Scrapped for the new and shiney, and in many cases, over the top ostentatious ultra modern boxes with windows.😢...
Thank you for this post with the pictures.
I enjoyed this immensely, as one tiny tear escaped my eye and rolled down my cheek.
Houses can “absorb” and attract energy from people that lived there. I’m wondering WTH happened there to make it haunted.
Why doesn't ANYONE PRESERVE ANYTHING ANYMORE?! That was an INCREDIBLE ESTATE!!!! They could have sold it to a Company that could have made a Hotel out of it!!!! I just don't understand it. These companies put up these ugly buildings that look like it took THREE DAYS TOBUILD THEM!!!!
Pia Zadora had it torn down because she said it was haunted. Too bad they didn’t tear her down instead.
ha ha! right!
I remember the uproar surrounding the sale of Pickfair. It was so obvious that Zadora and her husband lied through their teeth when they were negotiating the sale. There really wasn’t any reason to demolish it other than selfishness. It’s all such a shame because once a historic home is gone, it is gone. I’ve read that when Truman was in the White House, and he was told that the mansion was in such bad shape, that the governments only solution was to demolish, and start over again. What many people don’t know is, the interior of the White House was completely scooped out and all that was left were the 4 exterior walls. It’s a big responsibility to own a historic home, they are money pits. Just recently the uproar surrounding Marilyn Monroe’s home and it’s almost demolition is another example. The people in Brentwood did the right thing by canceling the permits. They were too quick to tear down Pickfair in the 80’s. I hope it serves as a lesson that we need to appreciate our history.
The government of California should have declared it a heritage site and stepped in to save it.
I worked at Pickfair with my sister during the "renovation" in the 90s. I could tell you some crazy stories about that project! The best one is having linch a few times with Buddy Rogers who still lived on the property. He would invite us to have lunch while he entertained us with the piano and amazing stories of the old days. He was a sweet and charming man. Ge showed us the Oscar that they talked about in this video. Ir was proudly displayed in a glass casde in his home. The hundreds of other happenings at Pickfair were sometimes horridying and other times shamefl but it was definitely a cool experience! experiences
Share more stories!
Wow, lunch w/ the delightful Buddy Rogers - you were indeed blessed! Would love to have enjoyed his company & heard his stories... 🎹🎬
I was alive when the house went down. I really can't say. Now if it was in really bad shape, then okay, but just can't say. I would always be more concerned over her Oscars she actually had 2 Oscars, so if they only found one, then one is missing. But I am sure her son has it, or his children do. We have her movies and we have so much of hers the same with Lillian Gish who was a dear friend of Mary's, Just keep those movies showing so we all can remember these great actors.
Why didn’t Los Angeles declare it a historical property?
I recently watched a video of Robin Gibb from the Bee Gees showing his palatial property. He had so much humility, respect for what he owned and appreciation for history. He would restore rather than destruct.
People can do whatever they want with their own property, to a point.
I've seen idiots destroy their own possessions.
Here we are in a point of time where being environmentally conscious is paramount. Destroying a building without forethought is selfish.
Was Robin's home in the U. S.?
@@Dana9437 No it wasn't. I mentioned him because if the regards he had towards beautiful property. They are like fine works of art.
His home was in Oxford it was absolutely gorgeous just like Robin rip beautiful man
Many beautiful old celebrity homes have been torn down and it's a shame. I met Buddy Rogers back in the 80s and i wss surprised how tiny he was. Very stylish and elegant, though.
Hard to believe such beauty got demolished ☹️ then again anyone who has sold their house would know the next owners add their own imprint on the house which is usually pretty awful 😣
as a sidenote, I have noticed celebrities and people in general, have a tendency to married 2 to 3 times if not more in their lifetime it seems to be the average thing to do which being a romantic is very sad but perhaps that’s the way it goes in life .
They were not married in 1949. They were married on March 28, 1920.
Same as so many other places. When the land get to be worth crazy money,, the existing house is expendable.