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Does Bela Lugosi’s Ghost Still Haunt This M ‘Hollywoodland’ Tudor?

It’s been over 80 years since iconic cinema star Bela Lugosi slept in this stately Tudor in Beachwood Canyon, yet his reputation still haunts it. Whether it’s called Westshire Manor, Castle La Paloma, or simply the Bela Lugosi House, the remodeled mansion is now for sale for $3 million.

The hillside Los Angeles neighborhood where this mansion is perched is right under the world-famous “Hollywood” sign, and is in fact still known as “Hollywoodland,” which is what the sign said when it was first constructed.

Best known for playing Count Dracula, Lugosi moved around Los Angeles and was hard to pin down, but the best sources place him in this particular home between 1934 and 1937. Apparently he, his fourth wife, Lillian, and their large dogs, including Great Danes and a white German Shepherd, enjoyed hiking to what was the Hollywoodland sign at the time.

Lugosi wasn’t the only celebrity to inhabit the manor. Actress Kathy Bates lived there for several years. Considering her roles in “Misery” as well as “American Horror Story,” we thought Westshore Manor might have a scary actor vibe.

But in 1999, Bates sold it for $859,000 to Jon Cryer of the decidedly nonfrightening “Two and a Half Men.” Public records show that he parted with it in 2004 for $1,367,000. A major remodel and restoration happened after Cryer left, helping boost the price to its present amount.

So what is it about the manse that has intrigued celebrities for decades? Built by Frank W. Green in 1932, the home retains many vintage features, including a ballroom-size living room with stone fireplace, a formal dining room with iron-paned windows, and a library.

In addition, there’s a master suite with marble fireplace, original tile work, and mahogany peg-and-groove flooring. Hand-wrought ironwork can be found throughout the home.

But there are also features that a modern buyer would approve of: an updated chef’s kitchen with Gaggenau appliances, a heated in-ground spa, an outdoor stone shower, a gym, and a wine cellar.

All this, plus three bedrooms and four baths, is spread over 3,484 square feet on a large terraced lot. Some of the many fountains and water features on the grounds date to Lugosi’s time there.

After reviewing the photos, features, and history of this vintage beauty, we’re sure there’s nothing haunting the place. All Lugosi ever really wanted was a home…

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