Samuel Goldwyn Estate

Lore & Background

The house was built over two years by Richard Day and Alexander Gollitzen, with interiors constructed by laborers from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Goldwyn frequently used the estate as collateral to finance his films and walked three miles daily to work, claiming the steep hill kept him fit. Frances Howard became noted for her social gatherings, hosting guests including Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable, Katharine Hepburn, Irving Berlin, Marlene Dietrich, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Harpo Marx. Howard created a croquet pitch for Goldwyn's 1956 birthday, and Goldwyn was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Richard Nixon at the house in March 1971.

Reader's Guide

The Samuel Goldwyn Estate represents a convergence of Hollywood glamour, architectural history, and cultural preservation. Designed in the Georgian Revival style, it was Honnold and Russell's first commission and later became a National Historic Landmark. The property's significance extends beyond its architecture: it was a venue for influential social gatherings that shaped Hollywood and political networks. After the Goldwyn family owned it until 2015, singer-songwriter Taylor Swift purchased and restored the estate, adding a recording studio where albums such as Folklore and Evermore were partially recorded. The estate's preservation underscores its enduring importance to Beverly Hills history and American cultural heritage.

Did You Know?

• The house was designed by Douglas Honnold and George Vernon Russell in the Georgian Revival style and was their first commission.
• Goldwyn's only stipulation for the house design was that it be white; Frances Howard had free rein over the rest.
• Eleanor Roosevelt attended a small dinner party at the house prior to the premiere of Wuthering Heights.
• Taylor Swift's recording studio on the estate, Kitty Committee Studio, was set up in April 2020.