‘Dracula’ mansion hits market for first time in 53 years

A Hollywood Hills mansion where cinema’s original Count Dracula once lived has hit the market for the first time in half a century. 

Iconic horror actor Bela Lugosi rented the opulent home at the peak of his career in the early 1930s. 

Lugosi is best known for playing the titular character in the 1931 film Dracula. 

His performance is widely credited with spearheading the classic glossy-haired, high-collared vampire image we all recognise today.

Around the time he filmed Dracula, Lugosi lived in a hilltop mansion called Villa Dorada. 

Now the property is for sale for the first time in 53 years. 

Villa Dorada sits in a quiet cul-de-sac in the affluent Outpost Estates neighbourhood of Los Angeles. 

First built in 1929, the Spanish Revival mansion has commanding views of the city skyline and iconic Hollywood sign.

Inside, the home is decked out in wrought-iron chandeliers and sweeping staircases worthy of Count Dracula himself. 

Vintage details remain from the home’s past as a residence for the rich and famous, including an original intercom system, telephone room and wood-panelled elevator. 

Peacock-blue paintwork adorns the ceiling, while the stair treads are inlaid with jewel-toned tiles.

There are six bedrooms and seven bathrooms spread across three storeys, along with countless sitting rooms and studies. 

On the ground floor, a massive ballroom leads onto an outdoor terrace. 

According to the listing, Lugosi was not the home’s only illustrious past resident. 

Singer Frank Sinatra and songwriter Jimmy Van Heusen also called Villa Dorada home. 

The estate is on the market for $US7.5 million ($11.4 million). 

The sales agents are Thomas Davila and John Zaffarano from Compass.