Inside the Hollywood homes of Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and more

Inside the former homes of entertainment icons

Ever wanted to do a 'maps to the stars' tour of Hollywood's most famous houses? From Marilyn Monroe and James Dean to Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant, we've brought together some of the world's most amazing celebrity pads, all steeped in cinematic history.

Read on to discover the storied mansions, Golden Age villas and quirky retreats that some of our most beloved silver-screen stars once called home...

Judy Garland's Bel Air bungalow

A beloved actress and singer, Judy Garland won hearts the world over through a succession of hit movie musicals throughout the mid-19th century.

The same year she made her breakout appearance as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, Judy bought this quaint clapboard-clad home sequestered on a quiet back street in Bel Air. After all, "There’s no place like home"!

Judy Garland's Bel Air bungalow

Designed by Wallace Nef, an architect with a star-studded pedigree, whose former clients included Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Fredric March and Charlie Chaplin, the cosy home was built just a few years before Judy bought it.

The house is in one of Bel Air’s most prestigious neighbourhoods and would have made for an easy commute back and forth to MGM Studios.

Judy Garland's Bel Air bungalow

Last on the market for $11.5 million (£8.9m), Judy’s former home has been meticulously updated to meet 21st-century standards. However, much of its original 1930s charm has remained intact.

The two-storey property includes five ensuite bedrooms and six-and-a-half baths, plenty of space to accommodate both the budding starlet, as well as her mother and sisters who lived there with her for several years.

Judy Garland's Bel Air bungalow

At the heart of the home’s first storey is an amply proportioned living room complete with dark hardwood floors, moulded walls, large bay windows and a fireplace, one of several throughout the house.

The adjoining dining room and sunroom feature the same elegant design, suggesting that the home was engineered to act as a showpiece. Indeed, the house was featured in several prominent architectural magazines at the time, including Architectural Digest.

Judy Garland's Bel Air bungalow

Today, after some substantial refurbishment, the spacious chef’s kitchen features top-of-the-line appliances and a large marble island, ideally suited to entertaining.

A set of glass French doors leads out into the backyard, which boasts a brick-lined patio, in-ground pool, plenty of rolling lawn, manicured topiary, and lush foliage to shield the star’s former outdoor sanctuary from prying eyes.

Judy Garland's Bel Air bungalow

The home’s bedrooms can be found upstairs, accessed by means of a sweeping curved staircase with an iron railing in the foyer, a Golden Age architectural detail which dates to the home’s construction.

Other spaces across the 5,513 square-foot (512 sqm) property include an office, a dressing room, and several ‘conversation areas'. There is also a small ‘writer’s cottage’ original to the property, which would have made the perfect retreat for the young actress.

Frank Sinatra's mid-century modern mansion

The ultimate American crooner, Frank Sinatra is synonymous with Hollywood's heyday. In fact, 'Ol' Blue Eyes' has sold over 150 million records worldwide and won Academy Awards to boot, making him one of the world's best-selling musicians.

Built in 1949, his former home is a beautiful example of Modernist architecture and once lay at the heart of Hollywood's glittering social scene. Join us as we take a tour...

Frank Sinatra's mid-century modern mansion

With vast swathes of glass and sleek lines, this marvel is known as Byrdview, one of Hollywood's most famous celebrity estates. Located on Farralone Avenue, it's nestled amongst the star-studded LA enclaves of Hidden Hills, Sierra Canyon and Viewpoint.

As one of LA’s most glamorous retreats, it welcomed the vow renewal of Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli, and Marilyn Monroe is rumoured to have stayed in the guest house.

Frank Sinatra's mid-century modern mansion

Some of the most famous people of the 20th and 21st centuries have called Byrdview home, but. Sinatra lived here in the 1950s and 60s, inviting the Rat Pack and the rest of his exclusive cohort to join him for swinging house parties.

If you were wondering just how much room the celebrity tenants had to entertain in, the property spans a whopping 8,161 square feet (758 sqm), including space for 100 cars out front. More than enough space for one hell of a party!

Frank Sinatra's mid-century modern mansion

Yet this unique property is far more than just a celebrity hotspot. Byrdview is a rare relic, a piece of architectural and art history: it was designed by the legendary William Pereira in 1949 and is one of only four homes he built.

Throughout the seven-bedroom house, you'll find vast expanses of floor-to-ceiling windows that embrace the great outdoors, folding outwards and filling the home with natural light and fresh air.

Frank Sinatra's mid-century modern mansion

Naturally, the time capsule celebrity home offers ample room for entertaining. In fact, this kitchen is one of two in the house and comes equipped with a bar, ready to greet guests with refreshments upon arrival.

As a plus, the agricultural zoning of this estate allows for the next tenants to cultivate their own vineyard should they wish, so those refreshments could even be homegrown.

Frank Sinatra's mid-century modern mansion

In more recent years, Byrdview has been the filming location for smash hits like Dreamgirls, Transformers and Mad Men. International superstars Rihanna, Usher and Mariah Carey have also filmed music videos at Byrdview.

With an incredible view over the Californian valleys it's no wonder it's somewhat of a celebrity hotspot. At the end of 2018, the home was listed for $12.5 million (£9.7m) according to Zillow, but was mysteriously removed from the market in 2019.

Howard Hughes' Spanish Revival mansion

Howard Hughes was one of the most eccentric, talked-about characters of Golden Age America. An entrepreneur, aviation pioneer and film producer, he dated film stars, made movies and, fittingly for one of the richest men in the country, lived in some truly incredible properties.

The home he lived in during the peak of his creative career hit the market in July 2023 for an impressive $23 million (£18m). Let's take a look around...

Howard Hughes' Spanish Revival mansion

Standing right on the 8th green of Wilshire Country Club in LA, California where Hughes himself used to golf, the Hancock Park home was first designed for a socialite by master architect Roland E. Coate in 1926.

Today, the 10,179 square-foot (946 sqm) half-moon-shaped estate exudes 'timeless charm', retaining wood-beamed ceilings and red clay floor tiles, but it has been given a modern update and now has contemporary style interiors.

Howard Hughes' Spanish Revival mansion

Perhaps a nod to the Golden Age of Hollywood or even Hughes' Midas touch when it came to business, the kitchen gleams gold, thanks to polished brass countertops and matching wall tiles.

The kitchen flows into a large family room with floor-to-ceiling fitting bookshelves, which in turn flows outside into one of the home's many secluded outdoor areas.

Howard Hughes' Spanish Revival mansion

The house even appeared in the Howard Hughes biopic The Aviator. The exterior of the Spanish Revival mansion featured in the film, while the interiors were recreated in the studio. Leonard DiCaprio famously depicted Hughes in the 2004 film, alongside Cate Blanchett playing Katherine Hepburn.

Directed by Martin Scorcese, the film was hailed as "a gorgeous tribute to the Golden Age of Hollywood" and garnered 11 Oscar nominations, winning five.

Howard Hughes' Spanish Revival mansion

As well as eight bedrooms and 12 bathrooms, the home also features, appropriately, a screening room and an attached guest residence. Set around a cobbled courtyard, it's hidden away behind a tall hedge and solid electric gates, which combine to exude an air of privacy.

Suffering life-long Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and severe pain caused by several plane crashes, the troubled Hughes, who became reclusive later in life, is said to have found sanctuary at the home.

Howard Hughes' Spanish Revival mansion

Although he could have afforded almost any home he wanted, Hughes spent his later life living in one hotel after another, notably buying many hotels and casinos in Las Vegas.

Ironically, despite surviving multiple plane crashes, the larger-than-life character died from kidney failure while onboard a Lear jet in 1976. His legacy lives on through his contribution to aviation, the films he shot and in this home. With such a rich history, it's not surprising it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Elizabeth Taylor's Beverly Hills mansion

Famed for her spectacular style, her tempestuous marriages, and above all for her formidable acting career, Elizabeth Taylor was an icon of the 20th-century silver screen.

In the wake of divorce from the first of her eventual eight husbands in the early 1950s, Elizabeth fell almost immediately into the arms of British actor Michael Wilding. By 1954 the pair were married and buying their first home together in Beverly Hills…

Elizabeth Taylor's Beverly Hills mansion

Elizabeth would later describe the home in her book, Elizabeth Taylor: An Informal Memoir, as “the most beautiful home I’d ever seen". The 22-year-old actress, still reeling from her recent divorce, planned to take a break from her acting career.

Throwing herself instead into the role of wife and mother in the new house, it was here that she gave birth to two sons. But her domestic dream was sadly short-lived.

Elizabeth Taylor's Beverly Hills mansion

In 1956, Elizabeth accepted a lead role in the western film Giant, opposite Rock Hudson and James Dean. Unfortunately, while on set, rumours began to fly around Hollywood that her husband was hosting a parade of strippers in their family home.

Within a year the pair had divorced and the home was sold off as Elizabeth moved on to husband number three, Mike Todd.

Elizabeth Taylor's Beverly Hills mansion

The property passed through a few owners over the years after Elizabeth left. In 1997, its most recent occupant hired architect Bud Holden to add an additional 2,000 square feet (186 sqm) to the property.

This opened up the space with plenty of windows and glass doors to maximise the view of the terrace, gardens, patio, pool and city skyline from every room in the house.

Elizabeth Taylor's Beverly Hills mansion

In its expanded state, the 7,781 square-foot (723 sqm) home includes six bedrooms, seven baths, four fireplaces, an art studio, a sauna and a library.

The hacienda-inspired property is flooded with natural light from its many windows and is designed to maximise indoor-outdoor living. Set on two private, gated acres (8ha), the palm-shaded property would have made the perfect sanctuary for a young family.

Elizabeth Taylor's Beverly Hills mansion

Last placed on the market for $15.9 million (£12.4m), Elizabeth Taylor’s former family home is a far cry from the cosy domestic haven she sought as a young wife.

The glamourous pad is now worthy of any contemporary star, the perfect place for entertaining Hollywood’s hotshots as you lounge by the pool, gazing out at the ‘city of stars'.

Marilyn Monroe's would-be forever home

A Golden Age bombshell whose fame and iconic image has transcended her own era, Marilyn Monroe is likely one of the most recognisable public figures of all time.

While the star was celebrated for hit films like Gentlemen Prefer Blonds, How to Marry a Millionaire and Some Like It Hot, she was equally famed for her many marriages and love affairs, with flames including Arthur Miller, Joe DiMaggio and John F. Kennedy.

Marilyn Monroe's would-be forever home

However, while she enjoyed many glamorous properties over the course of her career courtesy of her various roles on and off screen, it wasn’t until the very end of Marilyn’s life that she finally had a home that was all her own.

In early 1962, just a few months before her fatal overdose, Marylin purchased a charming home in the Brentwood neighbourhood of Los Angeles in her own name. A first for the 36-year-old actress.

Marilyn Monroe's would-be forever home

The 2,644 square-foot (246 sqm) property had been built in 1929 and sits nestled on a private half acre, shaded by lush California greenery.

With its terracotta roof tiles, whitewashed exterior, and climbing vines, the single-storey home is architecturally reminiscent of a Spanish hacienda, but with a few signature Hollywood touches.

Marilyn Monroe's would-be forever home

Inside, vaulted ceilings and exposed beams add to the character of the property. The living room, pictured here, boasts Saltillo tile floors, arched doorways, large casement windows, and a hooded fireplace with a Mexican tile surround.

Marilyn Monroe's would-be forever home

Back outside, the gated property includes a citrus orchard, a guest house, and a shady brick patio overlooking her famous kidney bean-shaped pool. The yard would have been the perfect place for Marilyn to unwind during what would sadly become the final months of her life.

Indeed, there is a tile arrangement above her front door which reads "Cursum Perficio”, a phrase which translates both poignantly and presciently into “my journey is over”.

Marilyn Monroe's would-be forever home

Marilyn bought the home partially furnished for $75,000 (£58.3), with a monthly mortgage of $320 (£249). Although it’s hard to imagine the glamorous starlet saddled with anything as mundane as a mortgage.

However, the property’s price has come a long way since the '60s, the Brentwood home was last placed on the market for $6.9 million (£5.4m), ultimately selling in 2017 for the substantially higher sum of $7.25 million (£5.6m).

James Dean's Spanish-style hacienda

James Dean's legendary acting career lasted just five years before he tragically died in a car crash in 1955 at the age of 24. Known for his roles in Rebel Without a Cause and East of Eden, Dean got his lucky break due to his early career as a property handyman.

Dean's film roles, fashion and mannerisms the development of rock and roll in the 1950s and 60s, with many copying his look. He remains the only actor to receive two posthumous Academy Award acting nominations, nominated in the Best Actor category for East of Eden in 1956 and Giant in 1957.

James Dean's Spanish-style hacienda

Perched on the east side of the Hollywood Hills, this beautiful Spanish-style villa on Quebec Drive was where the tragic cultural icon was first discovered and where he began his all-too-short career.

According to American publication People magazine, the aspiring actor lived in the downstairs ensuite guest quarters of the home, renting a single room in the 4,000-square-foot house, which was originally built in 1927.

James Dean's Spanish-style hacienda

Dean worked as the live-in caretaker for the home's owner Hal B Wallis, head of Warner Brothers studios. Wallis was known for hosting opulent parties at the house, a stroke of luck for Dean as it would turn out.

At one of these (many) exclusive get-togethers, frequented by acting royalty, Dean was quickly discovered by an executive who cast him in the seminal role of troublemaker Jim Stark in Rebel Without A Cause.

James Dean's Spanish-style hacienda

The property sits on an 11,600 square-foot (1,021 sqm) lot, with the guest suite where Dean lived as he launched his career below the main house.

To this day, the wing is kept as private quarters for visitors, though it lacks none of the luxuries of the main house.

James Dean's Spanish-style hacienda

The guest suite can be accessed via a staircase which opens out into lavish living quarters, or through a private entrance in the garden which leads into Dean’s old bedroom.

The iconic actor’s former bedroom may be modest in size compared to most A-list pads, but we think this is a pretty swell space for the young star to call home before he made his millions.

James Dean's Spanish-style hacienda

The Spanish-style home has been lovingly updated over the years, mixing original charm with newly renovated areas, such as this spacious living area, complete with a roaring fireplace.

Not too shabby for a live-in handyman. Unsurprisingly, due to its unique place in history, the home last sold in 2018 for $3.8 million (£3m).

Lauren Bacall's Dakota apartment

Widely considered to be one of the most beautiful women of her era, Lauren Bacall was easily one of the most prolific actresses of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Bacall married fellow movie star Humphrey Bogart in 1945, and the power couple lived happily until Bogart’s death in 1957.

In 1961, Bacall took a new husband, actor Jason Robards. She also bought a new apartment at the famous Dakota in New York City. And, while her second marriage lasted only eight years, her love affair with her Central Park West home would last the rest of her life.

Lauren Bacall's Dakota apartment

Since its construction in 1884, the Dakota has dominated Manhattan’s Upper West Side as a haven for movie stars, business moguls, and professional athletes.

The building’s iconic façade is a unique blend of Victorian Gothic and French Renaissance architectural styles, with a steeply pitched roofline, dormer windows, and extensive decorative moulding.

Lauren Bacall's Dakota apartment

Upon opening the Dakota boasted a total of 65 suites, each with four to 20 rooms each. There were eight elevators, and nine floors and no two rooms were alike according to the indie architecture and décor website, Apartment Therapy.

Bacall bought her nine-room apartment for $48,000 (£37k) back in 1961 (the equivalent of $504.4k in today’s money), but the property last sold for $21 million (£16.3m), a reduction from its original list price of $26 million (£20.2m). Talk about property value appreciation.

Lauren Bacall's Dakota apartment

However, with its three bedrooms, four bathrooms, and nearly 100 feet (30.5m) of Central Park-facing space, it’s not difficult to see why the home’s value has skyrocketed over the last 85 years.

A true relic of Gilded Age New York, the apartment is full of original 19th-century detail, including 13-foot (4m) ceilings, 11-foot (3m) pocket doors, hardwood flooring, detailed plaster moulding, wainscoting and shutter-framed windows.

Lauren Bacall's Dakota apartment

A 70-foot (21ft) gallery runs the length of the apartment, providing access to the public rooms, which include a library, a dining room with an adjoining butler’s pantry, and a living room which features the original ornately carved fireplace and mantel.

The spread also boasts a Juliette balcony with views out over the treetops of Central Park.

Lauren Bacall's Dakota apartment

Given its prestigious location and architectural opulence, it’s no wonder that so many celebrities have lived in the building. The Dakota is also one of the hardest co-ops to get into in Manhattan. Cher, Madonna, Billy Joel, Carly Simon, and even Melanie Griffith have all been rejected by the building’s super-selective board according to Apartment Therapy.

In spite of an acting career which regularly called her back to Hollywood, Bacall herself continued to call the building home for 53 years, until her death in 2014.

Cary Grant's romantic Palm Springs hideaway

Hollywood’s favourite leading man for nearly three decades, Cary Grant was known for being suave, classy and sophisticated both on screen and off. During the 1940s and 50s, he had a close working relationship with director Alfred Hitchcock, who cast him in four of his most iconic films: Suspicion, Notorious, To Catch a Thief and North by Northwest.

While the star began life humbly as Archibald Leach, the son of a seamstress and a tailor from north Bristol, England, his meteoric rise to fame ultimately saw him racking up a prestigious property portfolio…

Cary Grant's romantic Palm Springs hideaway

In 1952, Grant bought this Spanish farmhouse replica with his third wife, actress Betsy Drake. While the couple’s marriage ended in 1962, Grant continued to live exclusively in the Palm Springs property until 1972. A total of 20 years in the home.

Today, the home has been designated as a Historic Class 1, the highest possible designation for a heritage property.

Cary Grant's romantic Palm Springs hideaway

The house was built in 1927 and is considered to be one of the last of the classic Spanish homes in Palm Springs, with the steeply slanting roofline, white stucco exterior, and tiled roof characteristic of the architectural style.

The property spans two stories, a rarity for a Spanish-style home, and includes six bedrooms and five and a half bathrooms across 6,000 square feet (557 sqm).

Cary Grant's romantic Palm Springs hideaway

Inside, the house boasts vaulted, beamed ceilings, polished tile floors, multiple fireplaces and a dramatic floating staircase.

The open floorplan of the main living spaces would have made hosting a breeze for the A-list couple, and the adjoining guest wing was an additional bonus should parties last late into the night, or even for several days…

Cary Grant's romantic Palm Springs hideaway

With plenty of polished wood and terracotta tile, the interior design exudes warmth and elegance. White walls are accented by cast iron light fixtures, and plenty of built-in shelving units and window seats add character throughout the home.

An unusual bonus feature, the property also includes an art studio, in case the creative urge strikes!

Cary Grant's romantic Palm Springs hideaway

The house sits on 1.5 lush acres (0.6ha) planted with rose bushes, mature trees, and dense palms. The rolling lawns give way to a tiled deck and sparkling saline pool, all of which boast stunning mountain views.

All in all, it’s not hard to see why Grant held on to this oasis for 20 years, or why, when it finally came to the market, the stunning home was last listed for nearly $3 million (£2.3m).

Yvette Mimieux's Bel Air estate

Half-French, half-Mexican, silver screen star Yvette Mimieux was born in LA. She began at the tender age of 17 in the 1960s, starring in The Time Machine, based on H.G. Wells’ 1895 novel and Where the Boys Are. These performances helped launch her as one of the biggest stars of the 60s and 70s when she appeared in (and wrote) multiple films and gained three Golden Globe nominations.

Mimieux left acting in 1992, choosing to pursue other passions including travel, painting and archaeology. She also made the most of lucrative opportunities in real estate...

Yvette Mimieux's Bel Air estate

Yvette and her husband, Howard Ruby, owned "one of Bel Air’s prettiest homes" for over 40 years. Her marriage to Ruby, a property magnate, was her third and lasted until she died in 2022 aged 80.

The power couple bought the house in 1979 and maintained its exquisite Mediterranean design, likening the property to a bejewelled Fabergé egg. Once you step inside you might just understand why.

Yvette Mimieux's Bel Air estate

Known as 'Il Sogno' (which translates to 'The Dream'), the property has been described as one of the great "true" Bel Air estates.

Dating back to 1928, the interior was inspired by the glistening villas found on Italy’s Amalfi Coast. Grand and opulent, the 12,000 square-foot home is kitted out with hand-painted beamed ceilings, carved stone fireplaces, green marble and large arched windows.

Yvette Mimieux's Bel Air estate

There are six bedrooms and eight bathrooms, as well as a ballroom-sized party room and a formal dining room. One of the bedrooms has been finished with a dramatic domed ceiling, decorated with frescoes, while this orangery is almost too grand to be true.

The interiors were designed by Kalef Alaton, who was responsible for the rooms found at the iconic Hotel Bel-Air. Every space is filled with antique rugs, classic paintings and refined upholstery.

Yvette Mimieux's Bel Air estate

Elsewhere on the one-acre estate (0.4ha), you'll find a four-car garage and a characterful wine cellar where intimate tastings can be enjoyed. Step outside and there are spectacular grounds that appear plucked from a European estate.

There's a tiled swimming pool, elegant fountains, dreamy lawns, formal gardens and specimen trees designed by David Jones, the personal florist of Jackie Kennedy and Elizabeth Taylor, the listing claimed.

Yvette Mimieux's Bel Air estate

After Yvette passed away, her husband Ruby sold their longtime home in July 2022 for $35 million (£27.2m), which was $10 million (£7.8m) under their original asking price. Perhaps the home was filled with too many memories for him.

Some of the beautiful furnishings were auctioned by privately owned international auction house Bonhams, including a 17th-century marble table top worth upwards of $38,000 (£30k).

Audrey Hepburn and Mel Ferrer's Colonial Estate

One of the most iconic faces of 20th-century cinema, Audrey Hepburn was born in Brussels, Belgium. She moved first to London in 1948, then to Los Angeles, where she landed her first major role in Roman Holiday in 1953, starring alongside Gregory Peck.

A lifelong advocate for some of the poorest communities in Africa and Asia Hepburn received the US Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of her work as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in December 1992.

Befitting an actress known for her chic personal style, Audrey's homes were dotted across the globe and beautiful. But her Bel Air home was perhaps the biggest showstopper...

Audrey Hepburn and Mel Ferrer's Colonial Estate

Hepburn once lived in this elegant Colonial Revival home on Delfern Drive with her first husband, actor Mel Ferrer. When it comes to kerb appeal, this property has bags of it thanks to double wrought iron gates, double-height columns and an intricate stone entranceway.

A Broadway star, Ferrer also played opposite Hepburn in the movie War and Peace and produced her film Wait Until Dark. He is the father of Audrey's first son, Sean Hepburn Ferrer, born in June 1960.

Audrey Hepburn and Mel Ferrer's Colonial Estate

Hepburn wasn’t the only celebrity tenant to settle in these hallowed halls. The 7,000 square-foot (650 sqm) home's classical architecture and old-school glamour attracted previous residents including Mia Farrow, Eva Gabor and David Niven, making this a truly elite Hollywood estate.

Hepburn lived at the property sometime between 1954 and 1960.

Audrey Hepburn and Mel Ferrer's Colonial Estate

Originally built in 1938, it’s an exquisite, traditional estate that stretches over 1.1 acres (0.4ha). The vast plot includes the majestic main house, a guest house, a staff apartment, tennis courts, manicured gardens and a spacious pool with plenty of surrounding patio areas.

Rather unsurprisingly then, when the Old Hollywood estate steeped in silver screen history went on the market in 2019, it sold for an eye-watering $11 million (£8.6m).

Audrey Hepburn and Mel Ferrer's Colonial Estate

The Holmby Hills home was designed by architect-to-the-stars Paul R Williams who ensured that the timeless dwelling would impress for years to come, using the expansive interior space to create a wow-factor home.

We can only imagine Audrey Hepburn lounging enjoying a book from this well-stocked library. Although she was one of the world’s most beloved Hollywood stars, during her life she often shied away from the gleam of the spotlight, so this would be a wonderful place to hide.

Audrey Hepburn and Mel Ferrer's Colonial Estate

The Property is now better known as The Gabor Estate, thanks to Eva Gabor living in it for over 20 years. With a swimming pool that big we doubt we'd want to move either.

For Audrey however, her heart remained in the sleepy Swiss town of Tolochenaz that she called home for 30 years. At her home 'La Paisible' aptly translating from French to 'peaceful house' Hepburn worked in her vegetable garden enjoying a quieter life. It was here that she passed away on 20 January 1993.