Mar 04, 2022
Bob and Dolores Hope Estate
Overview Internationally known entertainer Bob Hope (1903-2003) lived at the 1939 estate at 10346 Moorpark Street with his wife Dolores (1909-2011) and family for over six decades. Situated on 5.16 acres in Toluca Lake, the estate includes a large, two-story French Revival residence and additional buildings, a swimming pool, and extensive landscaping. The estate has been identified as National Register-eligible through the city’s SurveyLA. With a career spanning six decades, Bob Hope became one of America’s most popular and successful entertainers of the twentieth century, appearing in Hollywood films in addition to his broadcasting with NBC radio and television. Hope is also remembered for his 50-year career with the USO (United Service Organizations Inc.) from 1941 through 1991. He hosted the Academy Awards ceremony fourteen times between 1939 and 1977. Significance: In addition to its association with Hope, the estate at 10346 Moorpark Street is also significant for its architectural design. The house was originally designed by local architect Robert Finkelhor and completed in 1939. In the 1950s, the Hopes commissioned master architect John Elgin Woolf and interior designer Robert Koch Woolf to design a series of expansions. John Elgin Woolf (1908-1980) began his Los Angeles career in the mid-1930s, quickly establishing himself as an architect to Hollywood’s elite. He focused primarily on residential designs and his clients included Errol Flynn, Mae West, Greta Garbo and Cary Grant. His work, which included both new construction and remodels of existing residences, were characterized by their glamorous yet functional designs, which often included mansard roofs and overscaled front doors. Interior designer Robert Koch because Woolf’s business and life partner. Together, they opened the offices of John and Robert K. Woolf on Melrose Place in West Hollywood. Woolf’s residential designs were profiled in Exterior Decoration: Hollywood's Inside-Out Houses by architectural historian John Chase and was the subject of a 2002 exhibit “The Art of Luxury: 9 Hollywood Homes by John Elgin Woolf” by the University of California at Santa Barbara Art Museum. Early postcard image of the Bob and Dolores Hope Estate. Lake County Museum CORBIS.
Bob and Dolores Hope Estate
Overview Internationally known entertainer Bob Hope (1903-2003) lived at the 1939 estate at 10346 Moorpark Street with his wife Dolores (1909-2011) and family for over six decades. Situated on 5.16 acres in Toluca Lake, the estate includes a large, two-story French Revival residence and additional buildings, a swimming pool, and extensive landscaping. The estate has been identified as National Register-eligible through the city’s SurveyLA. With a career spanning six decades, Bob Hope became one of America’s most popular and successful entertainers of the twentieth century, appearing in Hollywood films in addition to his broadcasting with NBC radio and television. Hope is also remembered for his 50-year career with the USO (United Service Organizations Inc.) from 1941 through 1991. He hosted the Academy Awards ceremony fourteen times between 1939 and 1977. Significance: In addition to its association with Hope, the estate at 10346 Moorpark Street is also significant for its architectural design. The house was originally designed by local architect Robert Finkelhor and completed in 1939. In the 1950s, the Hopes commissioned master architect John Elgin Woolf and interior designer Robert Koch Woolf to design a series of expansions. John Elgin Woolf (1908-1980) began his Los Angeles career in the mid-1930s, quickly establishing himself as an architect to Hollywood’s elite. He focused primarily on residential designs and his clients included Errol Flynn, Mae West, Greta Garbo and Cary Grant. His work, which included both new construction and remodels of existing residences, were characterized by their glamorous yet functional designs, which often included mansard roofs and overscaled front doors. Interior designer Robert Koch because Woolf’s business and life partner. Together, they opened the offices of John and Robert K. Woolf on Melrose Place in West Hollywood. Woolf’s residential designs were profiled in Exterior Decoration: Hollywood's Inside-Out Houses by architectural historian John Chase and was the subject of a 2002 exhibit “The Art of Luxury: 9 Hollywood Homes by John Elgin Woolf” by the University of California at Santa Barbara Art Museum. Early postcard image of the Bob and Dolores Hope Estate. Lake County Museum CORBIS.
Mar 04, 2022
Posted Date
Mar 03, 2022
Historical Record Date
Mar 04, 2022
Source Name
Los Angeles Conservancy
