Every year tens of thousands of Elvis Presley fans line up to take the tour of his famous Graceland mansion in Memphis. But did you know that Elvis only lived in Memphis half the year? The other half of the year, every year from 1958 through 1973, Elvis lived with Priscilla and Lisa Marie in a recently resold mansion on 1174 Hillcrest Drive in Beverly Hills. Although the Presley Mansion in Beverly Hills is not as famous as Graceland, it has a fascinating history of its own.
All photos are used with permission from TopTenRealEstateDeals.com
Through the 1950s and 1960s, Elvis had a contract with MGM that forced him to make movies on a grinding schedule. By the time Elvis’ MGM contract expired, he was ready to relax with his friends and spend time with his adoring fans. Elvis’ house in Beverly Hills is the place he had the happiest years of his life.
Elvis’ house in Beverly Hills was also the place where he recovered from his Hollywood obligations to become a performer again. It’s not a prominent feature of his biography, but Elvis practiced karate to relax. He spent most of his time at his house in Beverly Hills in his white karate Ji.
Elvis liked the relaxed dress made possible by his Beverly Hills home so much that he adopted his trademark white jumpsuit for his concerts. The time Elvis spent in this house had such an impact on his life that he came to refer to it as his ’68 Comeback Mansion.
Tourists seeking a glimpse at Elvis’ Beverly Hills home usually start their trip down Sunset Boulevard. They head north on Hillcrest, winding around the hills in a neighborhood called Trousdale until they come up to a grassy embankment topped by a low pink brick wall with an iron grating on top leading up to a long iron gate. The gate to Elvis’ driveway is the place he would meet his fans and give autographs.
Elvis’ house almost didn’t survive one of its owners. In 2013, it had been bought by Peter Morton, the owner of Hard Rock Cafes, who has a history of buying celebrity homes, tearing them down, and replacing them with new construction. At one point, the City of Beverly Hills had slated Elvis Presley’s house for demolition. But in 2014, Morton accepted an offer to sell the house for $14.5 million. And in 2016, Peter Morton’s son Harry, himself famous at the owner of restaurants Pink Taco and Viper Room, bought the renovated house for $25.4 million.
What did Peter Morton get for $25.4 million?
Elvis Presley’s Hollywood home spreads over 5,367 square feet. It has a motor court, garage space for four cars, a guesthouse, and a swimming pool. The house features hardwood floors, coffered floors, and floor to ceiling windows to take in the views. There are five bedrooms and four bathrooms, a breakfast bar, and a freshly renovated kitchen.
The house sits on more than an acre planted with an expansive lawn. There is a picnic space and a fire pit. Mountain and city views fill every direction. And there is Hollywood and music history in every inch of the house and grounds.
