A Bel Air mansion that once belonged to Alfred Hitchcock has just been sold to a Dutch media mogul for $8.75 million.
The celebrated director, known as a master of suspense, moved into the house with his family in the early 1940s and lived there until his death in 1980.
After experiencing critical and popular acclaim with his early films such as 1935’s The 39 Steps, Hitchcock moved from England to Los Angeles in 1939 with his film editor wife, Alma, and their daughter, Pat.
His first Hollywood hit, Rebecca, appeared the following year, and in the coming decades he would churn out iconic thrillers, including Strangers On A Train (1951), Rear Window (1954), To Catch A Thief (1955), Psycho ( 1960). ) and The Birds (1963).
His extensive filmography garnered a total of 46 Oscar nominations – including five for Best Director, although he never took home the golden statuette.
A Bel Air home that once belonged to Alfred Hitchcock just sold for $8.8 million
The iconic film director lived in the house with his wife Alma and daughter Pat from the early 1940s until his death in 1980
Dutch millionaire Reinout Oerlemans, 52, a TV soap star entrepreneur who founded TV production company Eyeworks in 2001, acquired the property in August.
Just beyond the entrance is a red clay tiled foyer with a fountain overlooking a lush garden
A long hallway leads from the foyer to a spacious living room with luxury furniture
The kitchen is lined with blue, hand-painted tiles and features a large tabletop island
A casual dining area is also built into the kitchen area with the blue theme really picking up
The formal dining room boasts a large crystal chandelier and ornate carved wood doors
In August, the nearly 7,300-square-foot home was snapped up by Dutch millionaire Reinout Oerlemans, 52, a soap-star entrepreneur who founded the TV production company Eyeworks in 2001.
The home sits on a two-thirds-of-an-acre lot and is located right above Sunset Boulevard, with the property bordering the golf course at the Bel Air Country Club.
According to the presentationthe two-bedroom, four-bathroom home has room for at least two additional bedrooms.
Just beyond the entrance lies a lobby with fountains lined with red-clay tiles.
From here a hallway extends to a spacious living room with a large fireplace and vaulted ceilings.
The eat-in kitchen boasts hand-painted blue tiles, blue granite worktops and a large central island alongside the built-in comfortable dining area.
Nearby lies the formal dining room, with accents including a large crystal chandelier and ornate doors carved with elephants.
The upper floor offers a hidden office space, which could also make the perfect room for a secret library or more private bedroom.
A year after moving into the residence, Hitchcock came out with his first Hollywood hit, Rebecca (1940)
The director went on to make some of the most acclaimed thrillers in film history, including Strangers On A Train (1951), Rear Window (1954), To Catch A Thief (1955), Psycho (1960) and The Birds (1963).
The backyard includes a lush garden and a swimming pool – providing a relaxing oasis for the homeowner
A poolside cabana-like area provides an ideal space for outdoor entertaining through all types of Los Angeles weather
Elsewhere, the master bedroom leads directly to the home’s sweeping garden and backyard, where mature trees, flower gardens and manicured lawns can be found – as well as a large swimming pool.
Adjacent to the pool is a large, covered, cabana-like alcove—complete with another fireplace—that provides an area for outdoor seating and entertaining for the range of Los Angeles weather.
Between the garage and driveway there is room for up to three cars on the property – as well as places designated for storage.
The house, previously believed to be owned by a local businessman, changed hands around the same time as what would have been Hitchcock’s 124th birthday, on August 13.