Moorcrest: The Enchanted Hollywood Hills Mansion

• A rich narrative of Moorcrest’s history, from its Theosophist roots to celebrity ownership
• Market snapshot, lifestyle insights, real estate takeaways

Perched above Beachwood Canyon, Moorcrest looks less like a house and more like a dream conjured from stained glass, mosaics, and myth — a stage where Hollywood itself once rehearsed its future.

How Moorcrest came to be

Moorcrest rose during Beachwood Canyon’s “utopian” phase. The Krotona Colony – a Theosophist community – settled here in the 1910s; member Marie Russak Hotchener designed several of its buildings, with Moorcrest her boldest work (completed around 1920-21). By the mid-1920s, Krotona’s leadership began relocating to Ojai, but the whimsical structures – and Moorcrest above all – remained as landmarks of that era.

Inside and out, the home is all drama: leaded stained glass, mosaic tile, hand-painted details, a copper fireplace, and a glass-domed atrium that floods the interior with light. Even the pool terrace feels theatrical, with a little man-made grotto and stepping-stone path.

Famous Residents

Charlie Chaplin – early 1920s

Chaplin is said to have been an early tenant (sources place him here around 1922), right as he was shaping features that defined silent-era comedy – and co-founding United Artists (1919) to control his own work.

Key films from Chaplin’s Moorcrest era:
• The Kid (1921). The Tramp raises an abandoned child; comedy meets pathos. Co-stars: Jackie Coogan, Edna Purviance.
• A Woman of Paris (1923). A small-town woman becomes a Parisian socialite and must choose between love and luxury (Chaplin directs; he doesn’t star). Stars: Edna Purviance, Adolphe Menjou.
• The Gold Rush (1925). The Tramp prospecting in the Klondike faces hunger, love, and blizzards – famous “shoe-eating” scene. Co-stars: Georgia Hale, Mack Swain.

Around this time the studio system was solidifying; the Hollywoodland real-estate boom put up a gigantic hillside billboard in 1923 (today’s Hollywood Sign). Sound films were knocking – The Jazz Singer (1927) introduced synchronized speech and songs, and the silent era quickly faded.

Mary Astor & the Depression Era

In 1925, teen star Mary Astor’s parents, Otto and Helen Langhanke, bought Moorcrest. They – and Mary – lived here for nearly a decade. In 1934, the family lost Moorcrest to foreclosure (bringing just $21,500). After that, the house cycled through private owners.

Key films Astor starred in while at Moorcrest include:
• Beau Brummel (1924 pre-residency). Biography of Regency dandy Beau Brummell. Stars: John Barrymore, Mary Astor.
• Don Juan (1926). A lavish romantic adventure with John Barrymore as the legendary lover and Astor as Adriana; first feature to use Vitaphone (synchronized music/effects).
• Red Dust (1932). Steamy Indochina love triangle: plantation boss (Clark Gable), worldly Vantine (Jean Harlow), and married Mary Astor as Barbara.

Around this time Hollywood raced from silents to sound, then dove into the spicy pre-Code era (roughly 1930–mid-1934). The Great Depression cut ticket sales, and by mid-1934 the Hays Code began being strictly enforced, toning down screen scandal.

For decades, Moorcrest faded from the limelight. No major celebrity owners were tied to the house during this period, though its striking architecture kept it a quiet landmark until rediscovery in the late 20th century.

Public records show sales in 1996 and again in 1999 ($900,000). In the mid-2000s it was restored and shopped around (listed in 2006 for ~$9.99M and again in 2007 for ~$7.48M) before ultimately selling off-market in 2014. The Depression-to-2000s period wasn’t tied to widely documented celebrity residents – the coverage mostly focuses on the house’s architecture and its earlier Chaplin/Astor era. 

Andy Samberg & Joanna Newsom

In 2014, Moorcrest quietly changed hands off-market for $6.25M, purchased by comedian Andy Samberg and musician Joanna Newsom. Samberg, best known for Saturday Night Live (2005–2012), co-creating the sketch group The Lonely Island, and starring in the hit series Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013–2021), brought modern comedy stardom to the house. Newsom, a classically trained harpist and singer-songwriter, is celebrated for albums like Ys (2006) and Divers (2015), blending folk, avant-garde, and orchestral sounds.

Together, they represent a new era of Hollywood creativity – television, music, and indie artistry – while preserving one of Beachwood Canyon’s most storied homes.

Beachwood Canyon: Then & Now

Moorcrest sits in Beachwood Canyon, a 1920s hillside development once marketed as “Hollywoodland.” The sign went up in 1923 to sell lots; the area attracted creatives and idealists, including Krotona’s Theosophists and, later, film figures who liked the tucked-away streets and city views. (Beachwood’s celebrity roster over the decades has included names like Charlie Chaplin, Barbara Stanwyck, Humphrey Bogart, and writer Aldous Huxley.)

What it’s like inside (today)

While ownership changes hands, Moorcrest’s signature features endure: the glass-domed atrium, stained glass, custom cabinetry, mosaics, and that theatrical pool terrace. In 2014, the estate sold off-market for $6.25M to Andy Samberg & Joanna Newsom; the listing photography from that time shows the interiors in restored, exuberant detail.

Why Moorcrest matters

• It’s the most famous surviving house tied to Krotona – a window into the strange, spiritual side of early Hollywood.
• It connects directly to two pivotal film figures at turning-point moments: Chaplin on the cusp of feature-length masterpieces and the rise of sound, and Astor navigating stardom through silents, talkies, and pre-Code heat.
• Architecturally, it’s a rare work by Marie Russak Hotchener, one of very few women shaping LA’s built environment a century ago.

Market Snapshot

While Beachwood Canyon values have dipped, trophy homes like Moorcrest sit far above the $1.55M average – proof that scarcity outperforms downturns.

• Hollywood Hills: Median home value is about $1.96M, down 3.5% year-over-year as of July 2025.
• Beachwood Canyon: Median sale price over the last month: $1.55M, with a price per square foot around $739; both metrics have dropped – 35.8% and 23.3% respectively; compared to a year ago.
• New listings in Beachwood Canyon: Around 20 active listings, median listing price is about $1.73M.

Moorcrest, which sold off-market for $6.25M in 2014, now stands as a rare trophy estate. Comparing it to today’s local median reveals its extraordinary prestige – and why unique, historic homes can still stand strongly in varied markets.

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Neighborhood Lifestyle: Why Beachwood Canyon Shines

• A historic enclave nestled in the Hollywood Hills, originally developed in the 1920s as part of the “Hollywoodland” promotion – complete with its own market, café, private mailbox rental, florist, and even stables.
• Storybook-style architecture inspired by southern France, Italy, Spain, and even German castles – plus a tight-knit, creative community with a legacy of residents like Aldous Huxley, Keanu Reeves, and other culturally influential figures.
• Zoned for LAUSD schools: Cheremoya Elementary, Le Conte Middle, and Hollywood High – appealing to families looking for both charm and convenience.

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What Moorcrest Teaches Us About Today’s Market

1. Distinctive Character Adds Value: Architectural oddities and historic provenance aren’t just conversation starters – they project long-term appeal and resilience in fluctuating markets.
2. Celebrity Provenance Amplifies Buyer Interest: Homes linked to iconic figures – from Chaplin to Newsom & Samberg – hold cachet that often translates to increased demand among luxury buyers.
3. Scarcity Is a Powerful Asset: There are few homes like Moorcrest. In a neighborhood where the median listing hovers around $1.7M, owning something in the $6M+ echelon – including off-market, historically rich homes – signals exclusivity and prestige.

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Which feature of Moorcrest captivates you the most – the domed atrium, the pool terrace, its celebrity past? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Follow along as I continue uncovering Hollywood’s hidden homes — each with its own story of stardom, scandal, and survival.