Wolf's Lair is an estate located at 2869 N. Durand Drive in the Hollywoodland neighborhood of Beachwood Canyon in Hollywood, California.
| Wolf's Lair | |
|---|---|
 The estate nearing completion in 1928 | |
 Interactive map of the Wolf's Lair area | |
| General information | |
| Type | Estate |
| Architectural style | Châteauesque |
| Location | 2869 N. Durand Drive, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 34°07′14″N 118°19′29″W / 34.1205°N 118.3246°W |
| Named for | Leslie Milton Wolf |
| Construction started | 1924 or earlier |
| Completed | 1928 |
| Renovated | 2010–2014 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor area | 6,500 square feet (600 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | John DeLario |
History
editWolf's Lair was designed by John DeLario, the lead architect in Los Angeles's Hollywoodland tract in the 1920s,[1] and built for Hollywood art director and real estate developer Leslie Milton Wolf,[2] whom the estate was named after. Construction began in or before 1924[3] and was completed in 1928.[4] Wolf lived in the estate until his death in 1972.[5] F. W. Murnau visited the estate in the late 1920s and may have lived in it as well.[3]
Following Wolf's death, Wolf's Lair was made available for rent, with numerous figures in the entertainment industry renting the property, including Marlon Brando, Debbie Reynolds, Burt Reynolds, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Shelley Duvall, and Efrem Zimbalist Jr.[4][5][6] Bob Crane bought the property c. 1981 and Phillip Barlow bought it in 1996.[4] In 2001, the property was sold to Debra DiMaio[4] for $2.9 million ($5.27 million in 2025);[7] DiMaio sold the property to Jay Faires and Debbie Matenopoulos the following year.[4] Moby bought the property for $3.925 million in 2010 ($5.79 million in 2025),[8] after which he spent an estimated $2 million[9] renovating it and converting the guest house to a recording studio.[5] Moby then sold the property for $12.4 million in 2014 ($16.9 million in 2025),[8] possibly to Banksy[6] or an heir to the Rothschild fortune.[5] The property was listed for $15 million in 2024 ($15.4 million in 2025) but it did not sell.[5]
In 2015, the property was determined to be eligible for historic designation at the national, state, and local levels.[2]
Architecture and design
editWolf's Lair was designed in the Châteauesque style[2] and has been described as "like something out of a fairy tale."[7] The exterior features turrets, juliet balconies, gable windows, mock medieval tracery, a dovecote, an elongated hipped roof, and an irregular roofline,[3][5] while the interior features coffered ceilings, carved and stenciled beams, and linen-fold paneling.[8]
The building is located on a 3.3-acre (13,000 m2) property that overlooks Lake Hollywood and offers views of the Hollywood Sign, downtown Los Angeles, and the Pacific Ocean. The property is walled and gated[10] and also contains a pool house, gate house, and a guest house designed by John Lautner. In total, the property contains eight bedrooms and 6,500 square feet (600 m2) of living space,[8] including a hidden room that was formerly a tiki bar.[9] The pool is shaped like a heart, has a black bottom, and is part of a terrace with a pergola-covered seating area.[7] The grounds also contain private, manicured hiking trails.[10]
Shoot location
editReturn from Witch Mountain shot at Wolf's Lair[4] and pornography shot at the property's pool.[9] F. W. Murnau also took several nude photos of David Rollins at the property's pool.[3]
References
edit- ↑ Fischer, Charles J. (November 2, 2006). "Hollywoodland Historic Neighborhood Profile" (PDF). City of Los Angeles. p. 9 – via Historic-Cultural Monument Application for the Garber House.
- 1 2 3 "Historic Resource - Wolf's Lair - 2869 N Durand Dr". City of Los Angeles. October 5, 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 Welter, Volker M. (Spring 2017). "Schloss Murnau, Hollywoodland, CA 90068 — Tracing Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau in Southern California". Cabinet Magazine. No. 63.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Early Views of Hollywood (1920 +)". Water and Power Associates. p. 1.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Wolf's Lair | Look At This!. CBS Los Angeles. March 19, 2026.
- 1 2 Schneider, Marc (December 1, 2014). "Moby Reportedly Sells Hollywood Hills 'Castle,' Possibly to Banksy, for Big Profit". Billboard.
- 1 2 3 Beale, Lauren (March 8, 2014). "The stuff of fairy tales". Los Angeles Times.
- 1 2 3 4 Beale, Lauren (November 19, 2014). "Moby makes hefty profit on Wolf's Lair in Hollywood Hills". Los Angeles Times.
- 1 2 3 Wadler, Joyce (April 28, 2011). "A Castle for the King of Techno". The New York Times.
- 1 2 Sammarco, Ally (June 27, 2024). "Replica of a Norman Castle Hits L.A. Market for $15M". Los Angeles.