Jack L. Warner, the cofounder and one-time president of Warner Bros., built his estate in 1937.
Warner started constructing the property in 1926, beginning with three acres of what used to be farmland in Beverly Hills. Slowly but surely, Warner started adding parcels of adjacent land and building out the grounds of the estate, adding a golf course and two ponds.
Source: Architectural Digest
Warner liked to throw extravagant parties that were attended by stars like Olivia de Havilland and Jimmy Stewart and moguls like Howard Hughes. An invitation to a party at the estate was apparently one of the most sought-after in Hollywood in the late 1930s and early 1940s.
Warner reportedly filled the estate with expensive art, like a portrait of his wife, Ann, painted by Salvador Dalí.
Source: Architectural Digest
Jack Warner died in 1978, and Ann Warner owned the house until she died in 1990. That same year, music and movie tycoon David Geffen bought the whole estate, including the art, for a reported $47.5 million. The sale set a record at the time.
Source: Forbes, The Wall Street Journal
Geffen, who is worth an estimated $9 billion, has a multi-million-dollar real estate portfolio that includes homes in Malibu, East Hampton, and Manhattan.
Geffen is also the owner of a $590 million superyacht called the Rising Sun, where he frequently hosts fellow moguls and celebrities — including Jeff Bezos.
Source: Business Insider
Bezos vacationed aboard the yacht last summer near the Balaeric Islands off the coast of Spain. He was pictured on the deck of the yacht alongside former Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein, model Karlie Kloss, and investor Josh Kushner.
Geffen frequently hosts high-powered celebrities on the 400-foot-plus Rising Sun. Oprah Winfrey, Leonardo DiCaprio, Bradley Cooper, and Barack and Michelle Obama have all been spotted onboard.
Source: Business Insider
Now, Bezos is reportedly the new owner of the Warner estate. The Wall Street Journal reports that Bezos purchased the property for $165 million, making it the most expensive home sale in California history. No brokers were involved in the sale, according to the Journal.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Bezos and his girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez, have reportedly been house-hunting in Los Angeles and touring mansions throughout the area for the last few weeks.
Source: New York Post
The Warner estate spans eight acres and is situated in the Benedict Canyon neighborhood of Beverly Hills.
Source: Los Angeles County
The estate promises utmost privacy. It's surrounded by tall hedges, blocked off by a large gate, and is completely hidden from view from the street.
Source: Google Maps
The compound is home to multiple dwellings, including two guest houses and a 13,600-square-foot mansion.
The Georgian-style home has eight bedrooms and nine bathrooms. It reportedly includes a floor that was once owned by Napoleon.
Photos shot of the interior of the estate by Architectural Digest in the early 90s show a screening room, an expansive bar, and a dining room that could easily fit 14 guests.
Source: Architectural Digest
The grounds also include a tennis court and manicured gardens. Geffen reportedly spent $45 million renovating the property, including $20 million on landscaping alone.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
There's a large pool and what appears to be an adjacent hot tub outside one of the large guest houses.
Source: Los Angeles County
