Didn’t Ramon Novarro suspect something when his manager Louis Samuel started living like a king? This is the Samuel-Novarro House. It stands as a testament to Hollywood secrets and architectural brilliance.
Lloyd Wright designed this Mayan Revival style home in 1928. It is located in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles. The Samuel-Novarro House is a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. That’s number 130 if you’re counting.
Originally, the house was built for Louis Samuel. He managed the silent film star Ramon Novarro. The 2700-square-foot house boasts three bedrooms and three bathrooms. It sits on a 13267-square-foot hillside lot.
Here’s where the story thickens. Novarro discovered Samuel had been embezzling from him. Samuel used Novarro’s money to pay for this very house. In 1931, Novarro took ownership of the Samuel-Novarro House. A silent film star owning a Mayan Revival masterpiece? It’s pure Hollywood.
Novarro commissioned Wright to expand the house. He added a bedroom, music room, and bedroom suite. Famed art director Cedric Gibbons designed the interiors in an Art Deco style. Imagine the parties.
Many Hollywood figures occupied the Samuel-Novarro House after Novarro. Leonard Bernstein, Jerome Robbins, Betty Comden, and Adolph Green rented it in 1944. They were working on “On the Town.” Later, Diane Keaton and Christina Ricci also called this place home.
Keaton bought the Samuel-Novarro House in 1988 for $1.5 million. She renovated it extensively. Architect Josh Schweitzer assisted her. Keaton sold it in the mid-1990s.
Christina Ricci purchased the house in 2005 for nearly $3 million. She sold it a year later for a loss. In 2014, it was sold for $3.8 million. The asking price in 2019 was $4.3 million.
The Samuel-Novarro House exemplifies a style inspired by Mayan art. Geometric forms and rich textures define it. It almost has a temple-like monumentality. Concrete gives it solidity. The stepped terraces are reminiscent of pyramids. Large windows bring natural light.
The interior is Art Deco. Wright’s organic philosophy shines through. Polished concrete floors meet wooden beams. Metal accents add subtle highlights.
This isn’t just a house. The Samuel-Novarro House is a symbol of artistic revolution. It combines modernism with exotic cultures. It stands as both a work of art and a historical monument. As you stand here, remember the drama, the artistry, and the enduring legacy of this unique home.