Why LA’s Most Luxurious Beach Mansion Was Demolished (Marion Davies House)

On the golden shores of Santa Monica, California - where the waves whispered secrets to the stars - stood a mansion so grand, it made the heavens seem within reach.

Yet, this was not just any mansion - it was a one hundred room behemoth of extravagance - a seaside party palace where Hollywood's brightest stars convened for nights of uninhibited revelry.

In today’s episode of Old Money Mansions, we’ll describe how this decision was more than just the demolition of a building for profit - it was the end of a legendary era in the City of Angels and the extinguishing of a light that once burned brightly on the shores of Santa Monica, as we describe the Marion Davies Beach House and why was it demolished.

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TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Introduction
1:45 Chapter 1: Marion Davies – The Star Behind the Mansion
4:34 Chapter 2: Building Santa Monica’s Best Mansion
7:48 Chapter 3: The Mansion’s Santa Monica Unveiling
10:00 Chapter 4: The High Life of Marion Davies at the Mansion
12:43 Chapter 5: Decline and Demolition

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Born on the third of January, 1897, into a close-knit family, Marion Cecilia Douras - who would become the illustrious Marion Davies - early years were a blend of familial warmth and personal challenges.

Her father - Bernard J. Douras, a distinguished lawyer and judge - and her mother, Rose Reilly, a devoted homemaker - provided a nurturing environment for Marion and her siblings.
Despite battling a stutter, Marion's resilient spirit propelled her to leave school and step into the limelight of show business.

As a teenager, Marion embarked on her theatrical voyage - joining the ranks of chorus girls.
Inspired by her sister Reine - who had adopted the stage name “Davies” - Marion too embraced this persona, stepping onto Broadway's glittering stages.

Her early career saw her star in the 1917 film "Runaway Romany” - marking the beginning of a dazzling journey in the entertainment industry.

Soon thereafter, Marion’s fate intertwined with that of William Randolph Hearst - the fabulously wealthy newspaper tycoon - during her stint in the Ziegfeld Follies.

Captivated by her charm, Hearst pledged to elevate her to stardom - establishing a production company dedicated to her craft - and under his patronage, Marion flourished - gracing over 45 films with her presence.

However - Marion’s ascent was not without its shadows.
The untimely demise of film producer Thomas Ince at a party on her lover William Randolph Hearst’s yacht cast a pall over her career in 1924.

In the radiant panorama of Santa Monica's architectural landscape, the inception of the Marion Davies Mansion in 1926 marked the beginning of a remarkable era.

Envisioned as an icon of grandeur and sophistication, its genesis was entrusted to architecture Julia Morgan - a luminary in creative design at the time.

Morgan - celebrated for shattering glass ceilings in a then predominantly male-dominated field - had an impressive portfolio of over 700 structures.

And her design ethos - characterized by meticulous attention and hands-on involvement - set a high bar for architectural excellence.
The mansion's patron - William Randolph Hearst - helped chose Morgan for Davies, drawing on their prior collaboration at the illustrious Hearst Castle.

The Santa Monica venture was therefore a further embodiment of Hearst's architectural aspirations - mirroring his deep engagement in the creation of his own San Simeon estate.

Now, Morgan’s architectural blueprint was a masterstroke of elegance and opulence - melding a sprawling one hundred room mansion with an exquisitely designed marble pool.

Unveiled with much fanfare in the nineteen twenties by media magnate William Randolph Hearst for actress Marion Davies, the affectionately titled “Beach House” swiftly became the epicenter of Hollywood's glamorous rendezvous.

And Marion Davies - stepping into the mansion - quickly embraced her newfound role as the toast of Hollywood's high society.
Indeed, the Beach House, under her stewardship, instantly transformed into a haven for the who's who of Tinseltown.

And these gatherings held within these walls were not just parties - they were the epitome of exclusivity and elegance - drawing the crème de la crème from various industries, with Hollywood's brightest stars always in attendance.

At the heart of these lavish festivities was the dining room - repurposed as a celebratory sanctum - dedicated to the grand soirées hosted by Davies.

The walls and windows - adorned with large-scale photographic scrims - served as silent narrators of the high life.

They would showcase an array of A-list guests and snapshots of Davies herself - often captured in joyous moments with her beloved Hearst.