Sale of Holmby Hills estate of early filmmaker Allan Dwan is a wrap at $18.8 million

The onetime Holmby Hills estate of early motion picture pioneer Allan Dwan, once listed for as much as $35 million, has sold for about half that amount — $18.8 million.

The Robert Finkelhor-designed home was built in 1939 for Dwan and his second wife, actress Marie Shelton. The filmmaker, who died in 1981, made more than 400 movies during his Hollywood career, which spanned the silents, talkies and the evolution of the wide screen. The classic films “Robin Hood” (1922) and “Heidi” (1937) are among Dwan’s scores of credits.

Reached by a private drive, the Southern Colonial-style home has slender pillars that support a two-story portico above the front entry. Sets of green-painted shutters and flower boxes provide visual contrast against the crisp white exterior.

Inside, common areas include large-scale living and dining rooms, a center-island kitchen, a wood-paneled study and a library. There are three fireplaces, six bedrooms and five bathrooms in the 6,055 square feet of interior space.

Outdoors, roughly two acres of grounds contain a north-south tennis court, statuaries, lawns and a swimming pool. The pool and an adjacent pool house were used in the filming of the 1981 flick “Mommie Dearest.” Scenes from the TV show “Beverly Hills, 90210” also were shot on the property.

Christophe Choo of Coldwell Banker and Sally Forster Jones of John Aaroe Group were the listing agents. David Parnes and James Harris of the Agency represented the buyer.

neal.leitereg@latimes.com

Twitter: @NJLeitereg

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