Take a look inside Helen Mirren's $13 million Los Angeles mansion, first built for a silent film star 116 years ago

By

Gabbi Shaw

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It's not every day you get to peek inside a piece of Hollywood history.

This Hollywood Hills mansion, currently owned by Helen Mirren and Taylor Hackford, was built in 1910 for Dustin Farnum, "the Clark Gable of the silent screen," according to his obituary.

Since then, it's changed hands relatively few times, especially by Los Angeles' standards. It's been called home by journalist and film producer Mark Hellinger, actor and one of the first female executive producers in TV history, Gail Patrick, and now Mirren and Hackford, who've owned the property since the '80s. It was also used as a filming location for the show Patrick is most famous for producing, "Perry Mason."

"This is a truly rare opportunity to acquire one of the Hollywood Hills' most historically significant and private estates," said listing agent Jonas Heller. "Properties of this caliber, with such a rich legacy and expansive acreage, seldom become available."

The gated estate, which has a total of seven bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, is on the market for $12,995,000. It has undergone a few price cuts over the years, as Mirren and Hackford relocated from Los Angeles to Lake Tahoe. It was listed for sale in 2023 at $16.99 million and then saw subsequent price cuts in 2024, 2025, and 2026, per Zillow.

Take a look inside a piece of Hollywood history.

This 6.5-acre Hollywood Hills estate was built in 1910 for silent film star Dustin Farnum.

It's been owned by Helen Mirren and her husband, director Taylor Hackford, since the '80s.

The 6,000-square-foot main house has four bedrooms and five bathrooms.

One of the first rooms you see upon entering the home is this cozy living room.

Double doors from the living room open into a wood-paneled study.

A photograph of Mirren's costar in "The Pledge," Jack Nicholson, hangs over one of the property's three fireplaces.

Off the study is a bar and more seating.

The bar can be hidden behind doors, giving it a speakeasy feel.

On the other side of the living room is this formal dining room.

The home's bright, airy feel continues into the kitchen.

The bedrooms are found on the second floor.

They all have large windows showcasing views of Los Angeles.

Here's the same bedroom at night, with LA's lights twinkling in the distance.

The primary bedroom has a large bathroom with a separate dressing area.

Another bathroom has a vintage-inspired glass-block shower.

This bathroom's centerpiece is, of course, the flamingo wallpaper.

The vintage vibes continue with this bathroom's dark walls, floor, and ceiling, as well as the pineapple light fixtures.

The bathrooms and bedrooms feature plenty of windows to take in natural light. Many of the bedrooms have balconies, too.

Here's the view from one of the terraces.

The property also includes an inground pool, walking paths, a guesthouse, and a four-car garage with a one-bedroom apartment.

The heated pool has a diving board.

There's also a more formal outdoor seating area.

The 3,100-square-foot guesthouse has three bedrooms and its own fenced-in yard.

The pool's views are almost unbeatable.

But the view of the house itself at dusk might have the slight edge.

For $12.995 million, this piece of Hollywood history could be yours.

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Gabbi Shaw

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Gabbi Shaw is a reporter on Business Insider's editorial partnerships team. She covers entertainment, travel, food, and lifestyle for Business Insider, and Insider Inc.'s partners, including MSN, Apple News, and Yahoo.She graduated from Tulane University in 2017 with a degree in public health and now lives in New York City. She can be reached on X or LinkedIn.Please send all inquiries, comments, or tips to [email protected].Selected stories:

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