Rudolph Valentino's Whitley Heights Home (Los Angeles, California)

USA / California / West Hollywood / Los Angeles, California
 historical layer / disappeared object, 1922_construction, historic ruins
Built in 1922, this beautiful little hillside Italian villa was purchased by silent film-era heartthrob Rudolph Valentino. It was the first nice home Valentino had purchased for himself in Los Angeles, specifically in the then-secluded and exclusive hilltop neighborhood of Whitley Heights in Hollywood. The address of the home was 6776 Wedgewood Place.

The top level of the home featured a one-car garage, courtyard, small living area in the entryway, and 2 bedrooms with baths. The lower level featured the main living room, dining room, kitchen, and servant's quarters.

In the early 1950's the house was purchased and demolished by the City of Los Angeles to make way for the construction of the Hollywood Freeway. The second photo shows the back of the house, which faced the canyon now occupied by the Hollywood Freeway. Curiously, the foundation of the house was left alone and still stands at the site, and can be seen from the freeway.

After a couple of years of living in this house, Valentino purchased the much larger and grander Falcon's Lair, a beautiful 1924 Spanish/Mediterranean palace off Benedict Canyon in Beverly Hills, although he still owned the Whitley Heights home at the time of his death. Falcon's Lair has also since been demolished.

www.valentinoforever.com/Whitley_Heights.html
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   34°6'33"N   118°20'1"W

Comments

  • Thanks for posting this. Good info and photo addition.
  • Hell yes. I've recently taken an interest in the history of Valentino, in addition to my fascination of bits of old LA that have been wiped from existence. Once I found the valentinoforever site and learned that the foundation of the house is still standing, I had to mark it on the map.
  • Anyone interested in the history and life of Valentino should look at the link below. Thank you... https://www.facebook.com/groups/rudolphvalentinofans/
This article was last modified 7 years ago