4. William Randolph Hearst's Mansion

David McNew/Getty Images
The entrance to the famed Hearst Mansion in Beverly Hills, shortly after it was put on the market in 2007.
The Hearst Mansion in Beverly Hills was the setting for the infamous horse head scene in "The Godfather." The mansion, formerly owned by publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst (the inspiration for the main character in "Citizen Kane"), features 29 bedrooms, three pools and comes complete with its own disco and theater. President John F. Kennedy stayed at the mansion during his honeymoon [source: ABC News].
The Hearst Mansion shouldn't be confused with Hearst Castle of Sunset Boulevard, located a little farther north along the coast. The castle contains 165 rooms, while the mansion has only a mere 29 bedrooms. However, the castle is an established museum, not a home.
In 1947, Hearst bought the 1920s mansion and its 6-acre (2.4-hectare) estate for $120,000 [source: AP]. In 2007, the estate's current owner, who bought it in 1976, put the home on the market for $165 million, then took it off the market in 2008 when no one showed up with the trainload of cash needed to buy it [source: Forbes]. If a buyer materializes, he or she will have some notable neighbors, including Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes and David and Victoria Beckham [source: People's Daily].
What does the next house have to do with Versace and Elton John? Read on to find out.





