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Chartwell Mansion

Chartwell Mansion is a Chateauesque estate in Bel Air, Los Angeles, California, built in 1933 and designed by architect Sumner Spaulding in the French neoclassical style.^[1] Originally constructed for civil engineer Lynn S. Atkinson as a surprise for his wife, the 25,000-square-foot mansion spans over 10 acres and features 18 bedrooms, 24 bathrooms, a 12,000-bottle wine cellar, a 75-foot swimming pool connected by a secret tunnel, manicured gardens, a tennis court, and a guest house designed by Wallace Neff.^[2] The estate gained widespread fame as the fictional home of the Clampett family in the opening credits of the CBS sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies (1962–1971), though interiors were not filmed on location.^[1] Ownership passed to hotelier Arnold Kirkeby in the 1940s, then to entertainment executive A. Jerrold Perenchio in 1986 for $14 million, who renovated it with designer Henri Samuel and expanded the grounds. In 2019, it was sold to Lachlan Murdoch for approximately $150 million, setting a record for the highest home sale price in California history at the time.^[2]^[1]

Location and Overview

Site Description

Chartwell Mansion is situated at 750 Bel Air Road in the prestigious Bel-Air neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, with precise coordinates of 34.0870412°N, 118.4421269°W.^[3] This location places the estate within one of the city's most affluent and secluded residential areas, nestled in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains, where rolling hills and lush landscapes contribute to its sense of isolation and grandeur.^[4] The property encompasses 10.39 acres of meticulously maintained land, offering sweeping panoramic views that extend from the downtown Los Angeles skyline to the Pacific Ocean and the surrounding mountain ranges.^[5] These vistas are a defining feature, enhanced by the estate's elevated position on the hillside, which provides unobstructed sightlines and a profound connection to the natural topography. The site's scale underscores its status as a premier example of Bel-Air's elite real estate, where expansive lots are rare amid the neighborhood's dense concentration of luxury homes.^[6] Encircled by secure gated access, Chartwell benefits from the inherent privacy of Bel-Air's exclusive enclave, an area celebrated for housing some of the nation's most opulent residences and shielding inhabitants from urban intrusion.^[7] The estate's surroundings emphasize seclusion, with high perimeter walls and strategic landscaping that integrate seamlessly with the terrain, fostering an atmosphere of timeless estate living.^[2] At its core, the site's layout revolves around the central main residence, complemented by a dedicated guest house and vast grounds that adapt to the undulating hillside. This configuration allows for fluid transitions between built structures and open spaces, with pathways and terraces that capitalize on the property's natural contours for both functionality and aesthetic appeal.^[5]

Architectural Style

Chartwell Mansion exemplifies the Châteauesque architectural style, a revivalist approach drawing from the French Renaissance châteaux of the 16th century, particularly those in the Loire Valley region.^[8] This style is characterized by steeply pitched roofs, prominent towers, and elaborate ornamental detailing that evoke the grandeur of historic French country houses like Chambord and Chenonceau.^[9] At Chartwell, these elements manifest in its symmetrical limestone facade and copper-roofed structure, creating a facsimile of an 18th-century French château transported to the California landscape.^[9] The design adapts traditional Châteauesque features to early 20th-century California modernism by incorporating neoclassical proportions and balanced facades that harmonize with the site's elevated position in Bel-Air.^[7] While rooted in Loire Valley inspirations—such as ornate stonework and vertical emphasis—the mansion integrates subtle modernist restraint, avoiding excessive Gothic flourishes in favor of clean lines suited to the region's Mediterranean climate and expansive views.^[9] This fusion reflects broader trends in 1930s Los Angeles architecture, where European revivals were tailored for affluent residents seeking timeless elegance.^[8] Chartwell played a pivotal role in Bel-Air's emergence as a premier luxury enclave during the 1920s and 1930s, when the area transitioned from ranchland to an exclusive neighborhood for Hollywood and business elites.^[10] Its imposing Châteauesque form contrasted sharply with the dominant Spanish Revival style prevalent in contemporaneous California estates, which favored stucco walls, red-tile roofs, and rustic Mediterranean motifs inspired by local missions.^[11] By embracing French opulence over regional vernacular, Chartwell underscored Bel-Air's aspiration to international sophistication, setting a benchmark for palatial residences amid the area's gated, hillside developments.^[12] Overall, the mansion's aesthetic is one of romantic grandeur and imposing scale, designed to convey the lavish lifestyle of the Hollywood-era elite through its romanticized European heritage blended with American innovation.^[7]

Construction and Design

Original Commission and Builders

Chartwell Mansion was commissioned around 1930 by civil engineer Lynn S. Atkinson, who sought to create a grand estate inspired by 18th-century French châteaux as a dream home for himself and his wife, Bernice Stephens Atkinson.^[9]^[5] The project reflected Atkinson's success in large-scale engineering projects as a public works contractor known for building highways and dams in California and Arizona, and his ambition to build an opulent residence amid the economic constraints of the Great Depression.^[13]^[14] Los Angeles-based architect Sumner Spaulding was selected to design the mansion, drawing on his expertise in residential architecture to craft a Châteauesque structure suited to the site's topography.^[14]^[15] Construction began in 1933 and extended through the mid-1930s, with completion around 1935, though some records indicate work continued until 1938 due to the project's scale and detailing.^[9]^[14] The build adapted to the challenging hillside location in Bel Air, requiring careful grading and foundation work to ensure stability on the sloping terrain while maximizing panoramic views.^[16] High-quality materials underscored the mansion's luxury, including limestone walls sourced from France and a distinctive copper roof that contributed to its enduring patina.^[9]^[14] Additional elements like gold-plated hardware and black marble accents highlighted the attention to opulent finishes.^[14] Despite the meticulous planning, the Atkinsons never occupied the finished estate; Bernice Atkinson reportedly deemed it overly pretentious and extravagant, leading to its sale shortly after completion without residency.^[9]^[14] The initial gardens incorporated formal European elements, such as structured parterres and manicured lawns, to complement the mansion's architectural grandeur and integrate with the natural hillside contours.^[15]

Interior and Exterior Features

The Chartwell Mansion exemplifies French Neoclassical architecture through its exterior limestone facade and copper roof, which has developed a characteristic soft green patina over time.^[17]^[7] The grand entryway features multicolored marble floors and is framed by intricately wrought-bronze gates set into stone posts, leading into a formal reception hall with an 18-foot-high ceiling and marble staircase.^[17]^[7] Inside, the mansion spans approximately 25,000 square feet and includes 11 bedrooms and 18 bathrooms, providing expansive public spaces that blend opulent formality with residential comfort.^[2] Key interiors highlight luxurious materials such as walnut paneling in formal areas like the dining room and library, where vertically grained oak bookshelves are integrated into the walls.^[17]^[7] Bathrooms incorporate mother-of-pearl fixtures, while hand-tooled leather accents appear in furnishings throughout the grand formal rooms, including a ballroom equipped with an orchestra stage and pipe organ.^[17] Significant decorative enhancements were made in the late 1980s under the direction of renowned French interior designer Henri Samuel, who introduced French-inspired furnishings and reassembled elaborate elements like the domed plaster ceiling in the Morning Room to evoke 18th-century elegance.^[5]^[17] These contributions preserved the mansion's neoclassical roots while adding layers of refined sophistication to its public salons and private suites.^[5]

Ownership History

Early Ownership (1930s–1980s)

Following its completion in 1938 after five years of construction, the mansion initially stood unoccupied, as Bernice Atkinson declined to move into the sprawling estate her husband, Lynn S. Atkinson Jr., had built as a surprise gift.^[14] The property remained vacant until 1945, when it was purchased by Chicago-based hotel magnate Arnold Sigurd Kirkeby for $250,000, marking the beginning of its use as a high-end private residence in the exclusive Bel Air enclave.^[14] Kirkeby, who had built a chain of luxury hotels including the Beverly Wilshire in Los Angeles, transformed Chartwell into a personal retreat that reflected the opulent glamour of Hollywood's golden age during the mid-20th century.^[14] As a financier, art collector, and real estate investor, he maintained the estate's grandeur for social and leisure purposes among elite circles, leveraging its expansive ballroom and landscaped grounds for intimate gatherings.^[14] Following Arnold Kirkeby's death in a plane crash in 1962, his widow, Carlotta Cuesta Kirkeby, retained ownership and continued residing there until her passing in 1985.^[14] Public records from this mid-century period are sparse, but the mansion was preserved as a symbol of high-society living amid Hollywood's evolving landscape, with only minor functional updates to sustain its original Chateauesque features without significant alterations.^[14]

Recent Ownership and Sales (1980s–Present)

In 1986, entertainment executive and former Univision chairman Jerry Perenchio acquired Chartwell Mansion for approximately $14 million from the Kirkeby estate.^[2] During his ownership, Perenchio relocated the main entrance from its original position on Bel Air Road to 875 Nimes Road to enhance privacy and shield the property from public view, closing the iconic front gate featured in earlier media.^[14] He also invested heavily in renovations, including a complete gutting of the interiors over five years, the addition of modern amenities such as a helipad, a 12,000-bottle wine cellar, secret tunnels, and a 5,700-square-foot guest house converted from an adjacent property, while preserving the estate's historic architectural elements.^[2]^[9] These upgrades, which reportedly cost over $9 million, also strengthened security measures and modernized infrastructure systems without altering the core chateau-style facade.^[9]^[18] Perenchio expanded the estate to about 10 acres by acquiring three contiguous parcels in the 1980s and, in 2016, the neighboring former home of Ronald and Nancy Reagan, further integrating it into the property.^[2]^[19] He maintained the property as a private retreat until his death in 2017 at age 86, after which his estate listed Chartwell for $350 million in 2017—the highest asking price for a U.S. home at the time—before reducing it multiple times.^[20]^[21] In December 2019, the estate sold to Lachlan Murdoch, son of media magnate Rupert Murdoch and CEO of Fox Corporation, for approximately $150 million, setting a record for the most expensive home sale in California history.^[2]^[22] Since the purchase, Chartwell has remained a private family residence under the Murdoch ownership, with strict measures to preserve its seclusion and limit public access.^[23]

Cultural Significance

Role in The Beverly Hillbillies

Chartwell Mansion's exterior served as the iconic Clampett family residence in the CBS sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies, which aired from 1962 to 1971 and featured in the show's opening credits as well as numerous episodes.^[9]^[24] Under owner Arnold Kirkeby's stewardship, production teams filmed only the mansion's exteriors on-site, paying him $500 per day for access to the Bel-Air grounds, while all interior scenes were recreated on soundstages to avoid any disruption to the property's private spaces.^[9] This selective filming arrangement heightened the estate's visibility without compromising its residential integrity, as Kirkeby granted permission specifically for publicity purposes, though he insisted the network withhold the exact address to deter excessive visitors—efforts that ultimately failed as fans located the site via its distinctive front gate.^[9] Within the series, the mansion embodied the Clampetts' rags-to-riches ascent from Ozark poverty to Beverly Hills wealth after discovering oil, underscoring themes of cultural dislocation and social satire that propelled the show to become a top-rated cultural phenomenon of its era.^[25]^[26]

Media and Public Perception

Chartwell Mansion has been prominently featured in real estate documentaries, television tours, and luxury lifestyle publications, often showcasing its grandeur beyond its television fame. In 2019, Forbes highlighted the estate as one of the priciest homes in the United States, detailing its $195 million listing and architectural opulence in a video tour that emphasized its 25,000-square-foot interiors and expansive grounds.^[10] CNBC aired an exclusive inside look at the property during its market peak, focusing on features like secret tunnels and a 12,000-bottle wine cellar to illustrate its status as a pinnacle of Bel Air luxury.^[2] Architectural Digest also covered the mansion in video segments and articles, portraying it as a timeless emblem of high-end estate living with panoramic views and manicured gardens spanning over 10 acres.^[4] Public fascination with Chartwell stems largely from its legacy as the Clampett family home in The Beverly Hillbillies, drawing visitors and media attention that romanticizes its connection to celebrity excess and sudden wealth narratives. Articles frequently reference this television role to evoke nostalgia, with tours and features noting how fans have historically tracked down the estate despite owners' efforts to shield its location for privacy.^[9] This enduring appeal positions Chartwell as a cultural touchstone in discussions of Hollywood's extravagant lifestyles, where its Chateauesque facade symbolizes the allure of unattainable riches. In modern perception, Chartwell stands as an icon of ultra-luxury real estate, routinely spotlighted in coverage of record-breaking sales that underscore its market dominance. The 2019 transaction for $150 million marked the highest home sale in California history at the time, generating widespread media interest in its value as a trophy property.^[1] It receives occasional mentions in profiles of the Murdoch family, particularly Lachlan Murdoch's acquisition, which expanded the estate and reinforced its prestige within elite circles.^[27] Culturally, Chartwell embodies the American Dream and Hollywood opulence, capturing the essence of rags-to-riches ascent through its association with The Beverly Hillbillies and its limestone-clad, copper-roofed splendor. This symbolism has persisted without entanglement in major controversies, allowing the mansion to remain a celebrated fixture in narratives of aspiration and extravagance.^[9]

Estate Grounds and Amenities

Gardens and Landscapes

The gardens and landscapes of Chartwell Mansion encompass over 10 acres of meticulously designed outdoor spaces in Bel-Air, California, reflecting an 18th-century French neoclassical style that harmonizes formal elements with the site's rolling terrain. Originally developed alongside the 1933 construction of the Chateauesque mansion, the grounds feature expansive, downward-sloping lawns bordered by precisely trimmed pittosporum hedges, leading to decorative pools adorned with white marble statues of Greek maidens. Stone pathways and winding stairs traverse rustic hillsides, integrating flower gardens, dense hedges, and additional marble sculptures to create a sense of structured elegance and seclusion.^[7]^[16] Key features include a palm garden cascading down a steep hillside between the main residence and swimming pool area, where a controlled waterfall flows over artfully placed boulders into a lower pool, enhancing the auditory and visual serenity of the space. Cascading water fountains, koi ponds, and a grand central fountain further emphasize the water elements, drawing on classical European influences to foster tranquility and privacy amid the urban setting. Mature trees form a natural barrier around the perimeter, shielding the estate from neighboring views while wooded hillsides provide shaded, naturalistic transitions between manicured areas.^[7]^[28]^[4] Over the decades, the landscapes have been maintained and substantially enhanced, particularly during Jerry Perenchio's ownership starting in 1986, when millions were invested in horticultural improvements to amplify the estate's opulence and adapt to Southern California's Mediterranean climate through advanced irrigation systems. Noted landscape designer Michael Baer contributed to these upgrades, incorporating specimen trees and divided sections of formal gardens and open fields that prioritize lush greenery and low-maintenance resilience. Despite these adaptations, the expansive water features and lawns have positioned Chartwell among Los Angeles' higher water-consuming properties, underscoring the balance between aesthetic grandeur and environmental demands.^[16]^[2]^[29]

Additional Structures and Facilities

Chartwell Mansion features a variety of supporting structures and recreational facilities that enhance its functionality as a private estate. Among these is a five-bedroom guest house designed in 1931 by renowned architect Wallace Neff in the Spanish Revival style, offering separate living quarters with six bathrooms for privacy and comfort.^[4]^[30] Recreational amenities include a 75-foot swimming pool accompanied by a dedicated pool house equipped with a round bar, full kitchen, and separate men's and women's locker rooms, providing a resort-like experience for residents and guests.^[4]^[30] The estate also boasts a championship-sized tennis court oriented north-south, complete with a viewing pavilion and double umpire stands to facilitate competitive play and spectatorship.^[4] Complementing these is a 12,000-bottle wine cellar featuring a dedicated tasting room, designed for connoisseurs to store and enjoy extensive collections.^[4]^[30] Additional facilities underscore the estate's emphasis on privacy and entertainment. A car gallery accommodates up to 40 vehicles, serving as a secure showcase for automotive collections.^[20]^[4]^[30] Secret underground tunnels, constructed in the 1930s, connect the main house to the pool and grounds, originally intended for service access and later appreciated for their acoustics by visitors like Luciano Pavarotti.^[4]^[30] Outdoor entertaining is supported by pavilions, including a garden pavilion with seating areas, a hidden staircase cave, and proximity to a helipad and barbecue zone.^[4] During the ownership of A. Jerrold Perenchio from 1986 until his death in 2017, the estate saw modern enhancements, such as the acquisition of three contiguous lots to expand the grounds to 10.4 acres and the addition of entertainment-oriented spaces like refined pavilions to bolster recreational use.^[4]^[20]

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