The iconic mansion from 'The Godfather' is back on the market at a $105 million discount. Look inside the Beverly Hills estate.
Jim Bartsch
- The iconic mansion seen in 1972 classic film "The Godfather" is back on the market for $89.75 million.
- That's a roughly $105 million discount from its $195 million asking price in 2016.
- In the movie, the mansion was the home of movie producer Jack Woltz, who woke up with a severed horse head in his bed after crossing the Corleone family.
- See more stories on Insider's business page.
Courtesy of Jade Mills, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
The estate's owner, attorney and real-estate investor Leonard Ross, put the property on the market in 2016 for $195 million. Over the past several years, it's seen price cut after price cut, down to $135 million in 2018 and $125 million in 2020.
Now, the Mediterranean-inspired estate is listed at a 54% discount from its original asking price.
The new price comes after Ross was recently ordered to sell the property by a bankruptcy court following a petition from Fortress Investment Group, which said it's owed more than $52 million in unpaid loans and interest, according to the Wall Street Journal. Ross had placed the LLC that owns the estate into chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2019.
Ross and his attorney did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment for this story.
The nearly 30,000-square-foot mansion, built in 1927, sits on 3.5 acres of prime Los Angeles real estate in Beverly Hills.Courtesy of Jade Mills, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Once owned by media titan William Randolph Hearst, the property was formerly known as "the Beverly House" but is now being rebranded as "the Hearst Estate," according to a spokesperson for colisting agent Marguleas of Amalfi Estates.
In 2013, the property was available for rent for $600,000 a month, per The New York Daily News.
With its latest foray onto the market, the estate is now colisted by three brokers: Anthony Marguleas of Amalfi Estates, Gary Gold of Hilton & Hyland, and Zizi Pak of Rodeo Realty.
The Hearst Estate was used in several scenes from "The Godfather," where it portrayed the home of the character Jack Woltz, a movie producer who makes the mistake of crossing the Corleone family.Paramount Pictures
Source: IMDb
It's been widely reported that the mansion was the setting for one of the film's most iconic scenes in which Woltz wakes up to a bloody, severed horse head in his bed.Paramount Pictures
But Marguleas' spokesperson told Insider that scene was in fact filmed inside an estate on Long Island in New York.
Paramount Pictures, which produced the movie, did not immediately respond to Insider's request for confirmation on the filming location of the scene.
The mansion was also seen in Beyonce's 2020 visual album "Black Is King."The Hearst Estate is first shown when Jay-Z rolls up in a vintage Rolls Royce, and the film features multiple additional shots of the interior and exterior of the property.
Visitors to the estate will have to go through a wrought-iron gate and up the 800-foot driveway.Courtesy of Jade Mills, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Source: Amalfi Estates
The home was designed by Gordon Kaufmann, an architect who designed many other lavish mansions in the Beverly Hills area.Courtesy of Jade Mills, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Several additions were made to the home in the 1990s, expanding it significantly, according to a former listing.
Source: Amalfi Estates
The home, which has two swimming pools, once belonged to publishing mogul William Randolph Hearst.Courtesy of Jade Mills, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
In addition to the pools, the home also has a private tennis court.
Source: Amalfi Estates
It's surrounded by pristine, manicured gardens and hedges. Landscape architect Paul Thiene designed the gardens.Jade Mills, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Source: The Beverly House
Before it was listed for $195 million in 2016, the property was up for rent for $600,000 a month in 2013.Courtesy of Jade Mills, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Source: New York Daily News
The interior of the mansion is just as impressive as the exterior. Like the outside, it's mostly decorated in warm, natural tones.Courtesy of Jade Mills, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Source: Amalfi Estates
It includes a two-story library with hand-carved paneling and a detailed ceiling.Courtesy of Jade Mills, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Source: Amalfi Estates
The furnishings are opulent, with gold tones and touches throughout many of the rooms.Courtesy of Jade Mills, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Source: Amalfi Estates
The living room, with its 22-foot-high arched ceiling, was sometimes used as a ballroom.Courtesy of Jade Mills, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Source: Amalfi Estates
The mansion was well known even before its appearance in "The Godfather" - Jacqueline and John F. Kennedy spent part of their honeymoon there in 1953.Courtesy of Jade Mills, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Source: New York Daily News
A stroll through the house would take you through its grand hallways, one of which is 82 feet long and the other more than 102 feet with a 40-foot wide mural.Courtesy of Jade Mills, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Source: Amalfi Estates
The 32-foot billiards room is open to the main hallway.Courtesy of Jade Mills, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Source: Amalfi Estates
The pool area was also used in scenes from "The Godfather."Courtesy of Jade Mills, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Source: IMDb
In the film, it doesn't look too different from today.Paramount Pictures
Source: IMDb
If the 19 bedrooms in the main house aren't enough, there's also a separate five-bedroom house on the property near the entry gate.Courtesy of Jade Mills, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Source: Amalfi Estates
The terrace can reportedly seat up to 400 guests.Jade Miller, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Source: Amalfi Estates
The Hearst Estate is not the only sprawling Los Angeles estate that's gotten a massive price chop recently.Jade Mills, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Another Beverly Hills estate, known as Villa Firenze, once listed for $165 million, just sold at auction for roughly $60 million.
And in December, a contemporary Bel Air home that was once asking $180 million dropped its price to $99 million.