A Bel Air home once owned by 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 gaining 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, was released the following year, and in the decades to come he would release 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 earned a total of 46 Academy Award 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 turned entrepreneur who founded TV production company Eyeworks in 2001, acquired the property in August
Just beyond the entrance is a red clay tile-lined foyer with a fountain overlooking a lush garden
A long hallway leads from the foyer to a spacious living room with luxurious furnishings
The kitchen is covered with blue, hand-painted tiles and has a large countertop island
There’s also an informal dining area built into the kitchen, with the blue theme really taking off
The formal dining room features a large crystal chandelier and ornate wood-carved doors
In August, the 7,000-square-foot home was purchased by Dutch millionaire Reinout Oerlemans, 52, a soap star turned entrepreneur who founded TV production company Eyeworks in 2001.
The home sits on a two-thirds of an acre lot and sits directly above Sunset Boulevard, with the property adjacent to the Bel Air Country Club golf course.
According to the mentionThe two-bedroom, four-bathroom home offers space for at least two additional bedrooms.
Just beyond the entrance is a foyer with fountains, covered with red clay tiles.
From here a hallway extends to a spacious living room with an oversized fireplace and vaulted ceilings.
The eat-in kitchen features hand-painted blue tiles, blue granite worktops and a large central island next to the built-in informal dining area.
Nearby is the formal dining room, with accents such as a large crystal chandelier and ornate doors with carved elephants.
The upper floor offers a hidden office space, which could also be the perfect space for a secret library or a more private bedroom.
A year after moving into the home, Hitchcock released 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 features a lush garden and swimming pool, providing a relaxing oasis for the homeowner
A cabana-style area next to the pool provides an ideal space for outdoor activities in all Los Angeles weather
Elsewhere, the master bedroom leads directly into the home’s extensive garden and rear garden, which features mature trees, flowering gardens and manicured lawns, as well as a large swimming pool.
Next to the pool lies a large, covered, cabana-style alcove – complete with another fireplace – providing a space for outdoor seating and entertaining for the Los Angeles weather.
Between the garage and the driveway there is space for up to three cars on the property, as well as places intended for storage.
The house, previously thought to be owned by a local businessman, changed hands around the same time as Hitchcock’s 124th birthday on August 13.
