"Falcon's Lair" Rudolph Valentino / Doris Duke Residence (site)

USA / California / Los Angeles /
 house, historic site
Italian actor, known as the "Latin Lover".
He was one of the most popular international stars of the 1920s, and one of the most recognized stars of the silent film era. He is best known for his work in "The Sheik".

This home was also owned by Doris Duke, American Tobacco Company heir.
Duke was the only child of tobacco and electric energy tycoon James Buchanan Duke.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   34°5'45"N   118°25'59"W

Comments

  • This home was subsequently owned by Doris Duke and is the home where she passed away in the early 1990's. Her estate sold the residence years ago and it supposedly has been totally remodled.
  • Falcon's Lair was built in 1924 for Rudolph Valentino. It has 4,700 square feet and 13 rooms. Doris Duke purchased it from Robert Balzer, who was a wine crite. Mr. Balzer was a friend of Gloria Swanson as was Doris Duke. Doris Duke went to Falcon's Lair on one occassion with Gloria Swanson and supposedly fell in love with the house and purchased it. Duke's Estate sold the property in 1998 for just under $3-million to an architect from Florida.
  • In 1929, tile roofs were added to the buildings by McMannis Tile of Manhatten Beach and set in place by Marvin Dufloth.
  • The house has been completely razed except for the garage. :-(
  • Just like Pickfair, how could someone tear down Valentinos house??? Heartless
This article was last modified 13 years ago