Did anyone have a chance to see the Kirkeby mansion at 750 Bel-Air road before the wall was built up around it? Also, I believe it was torn down or heavily modified sometime in the 70s or 80s and is not recognizable as it was on the TV show. I saw the wall in 2005 and it was a disappointment. Watching the show, when a car drives up the street to the front gate, it always appears so open and spacious but in truth, Bel-Air road is pretty narrow and winding. I guess I just felt letdown when I finally saw it. Michael:confused:

I never had a chance to see it, this is a sore subject with me. They should have declared it a landmark and not allowed to tear it down. If I owned the mansion I'd have guided tours.

I had the opportunity to visit the mansion twice (when I say visit, I mean from the outside). The first time was (I believe) around 1986 and the mansion was just like in the television series. The second time would have been around 1994 give or take a year or two and at that time there was heavy construction going on but you could still tell it was the beverly hillbillies mansion. When I saw what they were doing to the mansion I was in disbelief! I could not imagine why someone would destroy that beautiful icon. The new owner should have been run out of town on a rail in my opinion.

I could not imagine why someone would destroy that beautiful icon. The new owner should have been run out of town on a rail in my opinion.
My sentiments exactly! Only a harsher punishment, idiots! :mad:

I saw the mansion during a trip to Ca. I took back in 1988. I took a tour of the stars homes;* and that was one of them. It was being renovated at the time however; but it was still recognizable.
I remember some of the windows were boarded up (only about 2, though), the bushes were all gone and there was a dump truck and a dumpster parked out front (I just saw the front). I used to have a pic., but it got misplaced or thrown out or something over the course of my moving a few years ago. If I still had it, I'd post it.
That's a damn shame it got torn down! Like someone else said, the people should have been run out of town on a rail!!!!


*and no; I didn't see any stars:( .
I caught a glimpse of Morey Amsterdams wife, though!:lol:

I saw the mansion during a trip to Ca. I took back in 1988. I took a tour of the stars homes;* and that was one of them. It was being renovated at the time however; but it was still recognizable.
I remember some of the windows were boarded up (only about 2, though), the bushes were all gone and there was a dump truck and a dumpster parked out front (I just saw the front). I used to have a pic., but it got misplaced or thrown out or something over the course of my moving a few years ago. If I still had it, I'd post it.
That's a damn shame it got torn down! Like someone else said, the people should have been run out of town on a rail!!!!


*and no; I didn't see any stars:( .
I caught a glimpse of Morey Amsterdams wife, though!:lol:
Darn you for losing that pic.:mad: :lol: And Morey Amsterdam's wife counts since he was a celebrity.

I'm sorry; please forgive me.:)

You're forgiven :lol:

Here is the photo of the mansion I took in June of 1986 (according to the back of the photo). You can see that there is plastic on the top window and what looks like some construction equipment off to the far right so looks like renovation was starting around that time.

Can't you just see granny in the lower left corner of the grass about to plow up the front yard in that one episode?? hahaha

Here is the photo of the mansion I took in June of 1986 (according to the back of the photo). You can see that there is plastic on the top window and what looks like some construction equipment off to the far right so looks like renovation was starting around that time.

Oh, my god! Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for posting that!
I loved that mansion and was so dissapointed when the show went to color and they couldnt' film there any more. It was such a party of the show during the black and white years!

I cannot tell you how many times as a kid I sketched the mansion. One day I dug up a couple of trees and put them in buckets on our front porch to mimic the entrance to the Clampetts...my cold hearted sister was livid and the trees quiclky removed dampening a young boys enthusiasm for his favorite sit-com.:(

Here is the photo of the mansion I took in June of 1986 (according to the back of the photo). You can see that there is plastic on the top window and what looks like some construction equipment off to the far right so looks like renovation was starting around that time.
That is such a cool pic, wish they wouldn't have torn it down. I'd still like to drive down there to see what things look like now.

Well thanks ya'll.... I remember thinking at the time how I couldn't believe that the gate wasn't covered (I think there is anothe pic on the message board somewhere and the gate is covered in that pic). There were a lot of the mansions that the gate had a security/privacy fabric so you couldn't see into the grounds. I got lucky and got right up to the gate, you can see my shadow in the pic when i took it. I also took note that the doors of the mansion were different than what was in the show... I guess each owner has their own tastes...

I have always told myself that if i ever become rich or win the lottery i would build an exact replica of the manision (at least the front facade) for my new home :-)

Which address was this? On Friday Oct. 5, 07 I went to 750 Bel-air Rd. When I got there I found that 750 Bel air Rd. is the back service entrance the walls surrounding the whole property has privacy fabric and bushes making it impossible to see anything. I bought a stars map with the airial photo of the mansion and it lists a different address for the main entrance which is 875 Nimes Rd. I didn't know this at the time, so I didn't go to the entrance. I went back the next day and got lost and couldn't find Bel air Rd. so I gave up. It'll be for the next trip, in the mean time can anyone verify my findings?

heres an interesting pic of an expensive house...the doors and windows may be of interest

http://206.173.89.50/V4/PropPhotos.asp?sid=42731&iPage=4&layout=1

750 Bel-air Rd is the right address, they changed everything up as part of the reconstruction. As I understand it this was always the rear of the home even before the, shall I say "DESTRUCTION" instead of construction. The time that I went there and they were in the, I'd say later half of the "DESTRUCTION" you could see that they totally changed the facade to the point that even if you could see past the privacy fence and bushes you wouldn't recognize it. I believe the only thing you might recognize is the two rows of trees in the front lawn, I think they kept those.

I sincerely would like to take the owner "out back" and give him a good thrashing for wiping this icon of american pop culture off the map. Maybe someday someone who is a fan and has oodles of money will at least recreate the facade.

Hope I have helped

Richie

I totally agree with you and I'd like to be there and help you thrash them. So do you think the other address from that book I have is correct as being the front entrance? They do show the stone pillar with the 875 Nimes, but I'm not sure if you can see through the gates. The soveigner person said the maps are the latest version.

comedy freak; I don't know what you mean exactly when you say "my expertise". I'll just say that, you're right-750 Bel Air Rd. IS the right address. The producers were granted permission to just film the back.

comedy freak; I don't know what you mean exactly when you say "my expertise".
Expertise as in you've been there before, this was my first time in the area.

ComedyFreak,

I can't really answer you on the Nimes address. As was mentioned before there was the front of the mansion (not the side seen in the Beverly Hillbillies) and then back of the mansion which was seen in the series. I'd say the back side was pretty darn spectacular and everyone thought was the front of the house. I remember the times I visited and looked for the address It took me right to the mansion entrance we all know and love. As for the Nimes address it may or may not be the official address for the front of the mansion, not sure I'd have to do a bit more research.

ah, when I get the chance to go back I'll check it out. They have it so messed up you can't see a thing. Off topic, also I tried looking for the estates of Elizabeth Montgomery and George Reeves the 50's tv Superman and I couldn't find either one I drove all the way through Benedict Canyon. The addresses I have are 1230 and 1579 which don't exist and people drive like maniacs on that road.

The next few posts will be different pictures of the mansion, I will post what info I know about the picture.

This first one is in the past few years after the "deconstruction" of the mansion. You will notice the familiar rows of trees in the courtyard area on the 750 Bel Air Road Side of the house.

Richie

This photo would have been around 1989 when the house was still under "deconstruction".

This photo would have been from the early 1980's .

This photos is supposed to be from around 1977. I found it on the internet, not sure who the folks in the picture are.

This aerial view is from around 1962.

Here is a better photo...

Here is another photo.. you can really see where the old gate is in this one.

Wow, you can see the empty rooms in the deconstruction pics. It looks like they didn't tear down the mansion, they just hid it from us. In the new pics you can see why you can't see a thing from the street now.:mad:

Here is a photo of a home in Toronto that is very similar to the beverly hillbillies mansion.

Found some new photos of the mansion.

Those are awesome. I guess this is the only way I'll be able to get a good look at the mansion.

You can buy the mansion for a cool $19 million! Here is a link to a realestate site that has the estimated value of the mansion, and some interesting pictures inside and outside that I have not seen before. Here is the link:

http://www.zillow.com/Gallery.htm?zpid=20526854

750 Bel Air Rd Los Angeles CA 90077 10 beds, 12.0 baths, 21,523 sq ft

Those are great pictures, I wonder how old they are?

I'm not sure how old the pictures are, but they ones taken inside of the mansion were probably taken back in the 60's or 70's while filming Cinderfella. They were allowed to film inside as well as the outsided of the mansion. Some of the other outside pictures were taken within the last few years.

I thought Cinderfella was where I recognized the pics from.

found these photos taken from a helicopter in 1998.

Those are awesome pics, too bad we can't see the mansion from the street.

I have decided and am in the process of putting together a website dedicated the The Beverly Hillbillies, it is going to have an entire section on the mansion, pics, history, etc.

On a side note, when I was in L.A. earlier this summer we went around to some of the cemeteries and stumbled across the gave of Mr. Kirkby that owned the mansion when they started filming the show. I have a pic of me at the grave I will have to post it later.

Hey Ritchie,

Thanks for the awesome pictures! They were so clear and with lots of details. If you go to Google Maps and put in the address you can now do a Street View, but all you will be able to see are the outer wall and trees... oh, and the new front gate.

Let me know once you have completed your website. I would love to check it out, and in the meantime I will continue my search on more pictures of the mansion.

thanks again!
J

ooops! sorry for misspelling your name Richie!

Hey no problem, glad to have found them. Will definitely let everyone know when the website is ready for visitors. Do let us know if you are able to find any more pics or mansion info.

So they turned the old driveway into a dirt track?
I wonder what the use is go carts horses etc.
I bet it's a mess when it rains!
Maybe it just looks like dirt.
Or they could have been in the process of concreting or paving.
Anyway great pics

Charles

And in California, it would kick up a huge cloud of dust every time you drove over it, coating the outside of the mansion.

In looking at the pictures again I can remember granny standing out in the middle of the "football field front lawn" and saying in the first episode.

"Jed this is dandy soil!"

to which he replys

"Ok granny we'll comince plowing tommorow"

And Drysdale says "Your not going to plow up that beautiful lawn are you?"

and Jed answers

"Dirt is dirt!"

one of my favorite episodes.
Maybe they were planting grass so it would match the backyard.
Man I tell you if I lived there I would feel like a king.
Beautiful landscaping!

Charles

I have decided and am in the process of putting together a website dedicated the The Beverly Hillbillies, it is going to have an entire section on the mansion, pics, history, etc.

On a side note, when I was in L.A. earlier this summer we went around to some of the cemeteries and stumbled across the gave of Mr. Kirkby that owned the mansion when they started filming the show. I have a pic of me at the grave I will have to post it later.
I can't wait til it's up and running!!

Well thanks buddy! I'm steadily making progress on it but don't want anyone to see the site until it has all it's finishing touches.. I really believe (hope) that it will be the definitive website for the show as far as media, trivia, and information. I'm going to put a lot of little known information into from links to information to people mentioned in the show (tom mix, etc..) to the names of all the ingredients in granny's medicines... :-)

That really sounds good and thorough.

I just got through watching the episode entitlied "Hedda Hoppers Hollywood"
This is the episode that does a helicopter shot of the mansion all the way around it.
I Tivoed it so I could pause and look at it one question I can't figure out is.
Where is the cement pond used on the show?
From the helicopter panaramic shots it's no where to be seen!
It must have been a set on a sound stage come to think of it the background does look like a matt painting.

Anyone have any other theories on this?

Charles

Yes the "cement pond" was built on a sound stage. I'm sure there is a pool at the actual estate but i'm sure it does not resemble the pool area on the show.

Awesome photos and info on the historic estate, thanks

Yes the "cement pond" was built on a sound stage. I'm sure there is a pool at the actual estate but i'm sure it does not resemble the pool area on the show.
I remember seing it on a trip to California way back in 1988, and yes, there is a pool on the estate, but it's on the oppisite side and toward the front. I only saw the back of the area where it is though, and only saw the backdrop behind it.

found these photos taken from a helicopter in 1998.

Agreed with the other poster...about the dirt track...why would a ritzy, beautiful mansion like this have a dirt track in front of it?!

What where they thinking.

Sure would like to visit the mansion. Can you imagine standing on the front lawn and actually being there?!

Well thanks buddy! I'm steadily making progress on it but don't want anyone to see the site until it has all it's finishing touches.. I really believe (hope) that it will be the definitive website for the show as far as media, trivia, and information. I'm going to put a lot of little known information into from links to information to people mentioned in the show (tom mix, etc..) to the names of all the ingredients in granny's medicines... :-)
Hey Richieonline,

Can't wait to see your website once you have completed it. Make sure you post a link to it here so that we can all visit the site. I will keep checking this site for your link.

Jay

Well thanks buddy, it's still in the works but it's slowwwww going.. I just hate to release it before it's ready, ya know? I'll post it soon I hope.

It must take a ton of money to maintain the house. I would find the house too darn big. I wonder if the past owners had servants, lawn care help, etc.

I just found this link to Cinderfella it's the entire movie.
It's a foreign website but the movie is still in english and thank goodness no subtitles.
It as you know was filmed at the Kirkeby mansion.
Take note of how run down the area is where "Fella's" bedroom is it makes me wonder if this was the condition it really was in and they used it for the movie! Could explain the huge remodeling process in the previous photos.

I am going to look over the photos again I wonder if the steep stairway to the outside dance floor was at the mansion or was that part of a studio set.

Anyone know?

Enjoy

http://www.56.com/u95/v_MzExMjgwNjA.html


Charles

Ok, folks the website is ready for it's debut... try not to be too harsh on me as I still have alot of work ahead of me to make it like i really want it. There is a pretty large section on the Kirkeby mansion there is even an aerial tour (video), etc...

If anyone has any ideas or requests let me know and I'll see if I can make them happen... hope you enjoy! Link is below on my email signiture or http://www.crickwater.com

Very nice site! Thanks for sharing.

Great site, I really like it.

Thank ya!! :)

Did anyone have a chance to see the Kirkeby mansion at 750 Bel-Air road before the wall was built up around it? Also, I believe it was torn down or heavily modified sometime in the 70s or 80s and is not recognizable as it was on the TV show. I saw the wall in 2005 and it was a disappointment. Watching the show, when a car drives up the street to the front gate, it always appears so open and spacious but in truth, Bel-Air road is pretty narrow and winding. I guess I just felt letdown when I finally saw it. Michael:confused:

I have some good news for everyone who is wondering about the house. I was friends with the Kirkeby family and spent much time in the house before it was sold in 1985 to Jerry Perenchio, the owner of Univision, upon the death of Mrs. Kirkeby. Believe me, it was an amazing place.

First of all, it is still there, in it's entirety, but no longer visible from the street. I read one post that said that the front of the house was the back, and the back was the front. Nonsense. The front, which we all saw on t.v., was the main entrance to the house, and still is to this day. The front door takes you under the grand staircase and into an incredible entry hall.

The only thing that the new owner did was remove the beautiful, solid copper roof, which appeared blue from the oxidation (and very beautiful), and make some much needed improvements to a home that was over sixty years old when he bought it. The kitchen was old, the bathrooms needed upgrading, the plumbing and and electrical needed to be modernized.

And, of course, he did redo all of the grounds, moved the tennis court and rebuilt the pool. He incorporated a new entrance, one that afforded more privacy, as this was always a problem for the Kirkeby family, what with such a high-profile home. He also bought back several neighboring homes that were once part of the estate, but sold off over the years and returned the property to it's almost ten-acre original glory.

The Kirkebys, by the way, called the job that Perenchio did on the house, an amazing job. Surely they felt a bit nostalgic for the way they remembered it, but, but cannot deny quality of the restoration.

A home of it's size, relatively small when compared to Candy Spelling's
56K sq. ft monster (at 22k sq. ft., not half the size) or Fleur de Lys, which is 10k sq. ft. bigger, but on a mere 5 acres, could not possibly be worth $15million, as a post suggested. This home, with it's Bel-Air Road address, ten acres of lush grounds, city views, it's history, etc. would command over $100million even in todays sagging market.

Cinderfella was filmed at the home, but not inside of it, except maybe the kitchen. None of the posted pictures, including the staircase, bedroom, or dining area are of the home's actual interior. And it was, I believe, much nicer than the those sets that were created forthe film. More elegant, more tasteful and not so garish.

Finally, someone asked about gardners. When Mrs. Kirkeby was alive, she had a staff of five, full-time gardners to tend to the grounds. There was a maid, a cook, and a driver. A security guard watched over the grounds at night. She did live there alone, as the staff went home at night, and she often took her meals in the kitchen. I think that she was pretty amazing, too.

Thanks for the info lifeinla great reading. I wished I could see the grand mansion in person. I visited the area a couple of years ago and couldn't see a thing anywhere around there, I was so disappointed.

Thanks Comedyfreak. One more thing about the main entrance. As I posted before the main entrance to the home is still the one and only entrance. Just like the one that was used on the show. And, like I said before, that was the front of the house, as it was never filmed from the back for t.v..

But that being said, the home's main entrance is now accessed from Nimes Road and not Bel-Air Road. I guess it is easier to say that the "main driveway" was moved to Nimes Road. This affords a longer, winding drive up to the main entrance and motor-court, which remain unchanged.

If you stand on Bel-Air Road, you can see where the wall was filled in to block the view of the home. And GoogleEarth will show you the property as it appears today. Also, check out the book "The Estates of Beverly Hills" by Jeff Hyland. It is the cover-home, and has great exterior shots of the home when the Kirkeby's still owned it. His follow-up book, "The Legendary Estates of Beverly Hills" features the home after the renovation.

Somewhere, I have a picture taken inside the dining room, as well as one or two on the grounds, the tennis courts, etc. Maybe I can post them.

That would be great, it's my favorite mansion. I did hear the new entrance was on Nimes Rd, forgot the address though.

That is some great inside information!! I totally understand why the new owners did what they did, i'm no so sure I wouldn't have been tempted to do the same if I owned it and had fans of the show constantly at my gate peering in. (maybe tempted but never would have... i love that house too much. haha) I was always suspicious of purported interior pictures of the home, they were not so important to me as the exterior that we are all familiar with. One great thing to know is that they didn't make any drastic changes so one day maybe a future owner can change the front entrance back..hahaha, well you can always hope.

While we are on this subject i just want to vent, i read in the beverly hillbillies, a fortieth anniversary wingding book that when they made the theatrical film adaption of the beverly hillbillies they had an opportunity to film at the original mansion but decided not to because the rental fee was too high!! What morons, pay a little extra it would have added sooo much to the film, plus if they had replaced jim varney as jed, that would have improved it even more... ok i'm done ranting now... :-)

While we are on this subject i just want to vent, i read in the beverly hillbillies, a fortieth anniversary wingding book that when they made the theatrical film adaption of the beverly hillbillies they had an opportunity to film at the original mansion but decided not to because the rental fee was too high!! What morons, pay a little extra it would have added sooo much to the film, plus if they had replaced jim varney as jed, that would have improved it even more... ok i'm done ranting now... :-)

Now we know why the movie bombed, LOL.

I just posted some photos Here,...
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/photopost/showgallery.php/cat/749
But I'm looking forward to seeing LifeinLA's Photos.

Nice pics, thanks for posting.

That is such a cool pic, wish they wouldn't have torn it down. I'd still like to drive down there to see what things look like now.

They didn't really tear it down, just totally remodeled it. It is not the same, but still some of it's original look.
BTW, here is a shot I took in the summer of 1973, well before anything was done to it.

Still nice to see.

Has anyone noticed episodes about the Fenwicks featured the Playboy Mansion

Has anyone noticed episodes about the Fenwicks featured the Playboy Mansion
Oh yeah. I sure have. I live in So CA and have been by many familiar places that have appeared on that show.

Did anyone have a chance to see the Kirkeby mansion at 750 Bel-Air road before the wall was built up around it? Also, I believe it was torn down or heavily modified sometime in the 70s or 80s and is not recognizable as it was on the TV show. I saw the wall in 2005 and it was a disappointment. Watching the show, when a car drives up the street to the front gate, it always appears so open and spacious but in truth, Bel-Air road is pretty narrow and winding. I guess I just felt letdown when I finally saw it. Michael:confused:

I know they had built a wall around it some years ago and it was not easily viewable from the street as it once was. I know that Ronald and Nancy Reagan lived next door to it, so there was probably heightened security around that area beginning in the early 1990s, but didn't know it was torn down completely. In recent years, Beverly Hills and Bel-Air have undergone extensive renovations. Many of the older estates have been torn down to make way for modern-style homes, but it is sad that the Clampetts home no longer exists at all. :(

I don't know why so many believe it has been torn down. It IS still very much there. It has been remodeled to a degree, but still very recognizable. It cannot be viewed from the street at all anymore since the wall was built years ago. The original front gate is even still there! It's just hidden behind the wall. I live in So Cal, am a pilot, and see it from the air all the time. You can see it for yourself on Google earth. Just go to 750 Bel Air Road, Los Angeles. It is absolutely still there.

Thanks. I've lived in LA for 30 years and never heard anything about it being torn down.

Mr. Kirkeby gave the BH producers permission to film the mansion and then he soon got killed in a plane crash while on a business trip. His widow allowed filming to proceed as long as they didn't reveal the location, but alas, TV Guide reported the address when BH got popular. And then Not-So-Poor Widow Kirkeby was inundated with yahoos driving up and asking to see Granny. It wasn't much longer that no more scenes were allowed to be filmed there.