Horror actor Vincent Price’s onetime Westside haunt lists at nearly $21 million
The home that was once the haunt of legendary actor Vincent Price, who appeared in a treasure trove of thrillers, is for sale in the Holmby Hills area at $20.995 million.
No doubt the walls of the 11,653-square-foot Spanish-style mansion and guesthouse were once lined with samples from his extensive art collection. The Yale art history and English major donated some 2,000 pieces to what is now known as the Vincent Price Art Museum at East Los Angeles College.
Set behind gates on 1.65 acres, the 1927 home features timbered cathedral ceilings, wrought-iron work and hand-painted tiles. Beyond the two-story chandelier entry is a grand living room with a trussed ceiling, a Juliet balcony and a baronial fireplace.
Price was known as a gourmet home chef and wrote several cookbooks. He would hardly recognize today’s eat-in kitchen. Previous Times reporting places him in the house during the 1960s.
Other living spaces include a formal dining room, a breakfast room, a family room, a library/study, a theater, a game room with a bar, a temperature-controlled wine cellar, an art studio and a playroom.
Among the eight bedrooms and 14 bathrooms is the master suite, which features a barrel-vaulted ceiling, a fireplace, a sitting area, walk-in closets and an office.
The grounds contain a tennis court, a swimming pool and rose gardens.
Price, who died in 1993 at 82, left a huge body of film and television work. His first foray into horror flicks was “Tower of London” (1939) starring Basil Rathbone and Boris Karloff. Among his movies were the 1953 3-D film “House of Wax,” “The Pit and the Pendulum” (1961) and “The Abominable Dr. Phibes” (1971). Another generation would hear his distinctive bass voice speaking in a sequence on the Michael Jackson 1982 song “Thriller.”
The sellers are billionaire Peter Sperling, son of the founder of the Arizona-based University of Phoenix, and his wife, Stephanie, public records show. They bought the property in 2004 for $14.95 million.
The L.A. Times Mapping Database identifies the community as Beverly Crest.
Timothy Di Prizito and Joyce Rey of Coldwell Banker are the listing agents.
Twitter: @laurenebeale
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
