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Thread Number: 81039
/ Tag: Other Home Products or Autos
Hearst Castle |
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Post# 1050372 , Reply# 1 11/8/2019 at 23:19 (1,622 days old) by SudsMaster  (SF Bay Area, California) |
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Post# 1050373 , Reply# 2 11/8/2019 at 23:33 (1,622 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.) |
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I’m so glad that you enjoyed your visit to the Hearst Castle Thomas. I’ve been there 3 times, the first time in 1963 when I was 12. As soon as we got home I immediately checked out a biography on WR Hearst. He was quite an influence on the country with his newspaper empire. His father made his fortune in silver mines in Colorado. The property on which the Hearst Castle is built was originally used by the Hearst Family as a campground of sorts. WR always referred to the property as ‘The Ranch”, and insisted that there be no tablecloths on the dining tables and that the condiments by on the tables in their original containers, as a sign that they were “roughing it” on “The Ranch”. The architect for the Castle was the renowned Julia Morgan from Berkeley, Calif.
Hearst toured Europe endlessly during the 20’s and early 30’s, buying up art and furnishings that he stored in warehouses for eventual use in the castle. At one point in early 30’s, he almost went bankrupt and if his mistress, actress Marion Davies hadn’t bailed him out he’d have lost it all. She had invested wisely from her earnings as an actress in the production company, “Cosmopolitan Pictures” that WR had set up for her. She stayed by his side to his death in 1951. The Hearst family wouldn’t even allow her to attend his funeral, and ceased delivery of all Hearst newspapers to her home the day he died. WR and Marion Davies had an out of wedlock daughter, who was born in Europe, and adopted by Marion’s sister and passed off as her biological child, Patricia. This daughter, who always thought Marion was her aunt married the actor, Arthur Lake, who played “Dagwood” in the movie series at the Hearst Castle in the early 40’s. Supposedly, she was told that day of her true parentage. She looked just like WR Hearst, with the same long, equine face. About 30 years ago there was feature article about this in Vanity Fair. I think that the outdoor “Olympus Pool” is one of the most spectacular things I’ve ever seen. It’s filled with saltwater pumped up the mountain from the Pacific Ocean. And the Cypress trees that line the drive way were brought up the coast, full grown on barges, people that witnessed this said it looked like islands were moving up the coast. Do yourself a favor and get yourself a book or two about Hearst and the castle, its a very fascinating story. Eddie | ||
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Post# 1050376 , Reply# 3 11/9/2019 at 02:04 (1,622 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay) |
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 I was only at the castle once, a little over 20 years ago. If you live in the Bay Area or L.A., it's not that far a drive, and worth seeing.
I remember being told that Julia Morgan used all cinderblock/reinforced concrete construction under the exterior and interior treatments, which is why the castle didn't suffer any structural damage from the 6.5 San Simeon earthquake in 2003 (see link).
It's an interesting place with an even more interesting history.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO RP2813's LINK | ||
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Post# 1050395 , Reply# 4 11/9/2019 at 09:37 (1,622 days old) by philcobendixduo (San Jose) |
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Kitchen Pictures
Here are some pictures I took of the Hearst Castle kitchen and pantry while visiting there in 2001.
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Post# 1050400 , Reply# 5 11/9/2019 at 11:03 (1,622 days old) by thomasortega (El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora de Los Angeles de Porciúncula) |
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Eddie I will definitely buy the book, but at $299 dollars (in the gift shop) it's quite out of my budget for the next few months as I have more important things to do with the money LOL. Unless, of course, I find it cheaper somewhere else. Philcobendixduo Thank you so much for the pictures! That kitchen is as fascinating as the rest of the castle. I'm even more excited now. | ||
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Post# 1050405 , Reply# 7 11/9/2019 at 11:47 (1,622 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.) |
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Thomas,
There are lots of books on Hearst and the Hearst Castle that you can check out from the library for free, and many that are way less than that $299.00 gift shop offering. I wouldn’t pay that much either.
The first time I went to the Hearst Castle I believe that the Neptune Pool was empty, but the next two times I visited it was full. The Olympus Pool is so remarkable because of the way it was engineered it appears to be about 2 feet in depth across the whole pool, but I believe the deep end is much deeper than most pools normally are, at least 12 feet if I recall correctly. Hearst was building additions and revisions until the day he died. The last time I was there in 1985 the tour guide showed us a Spanish tiled terrace that had just been discovered during some work on the property. It had been covered up almost immediately after it was finished sometime in the late 30’s early 40’s at WR’s orders because he didn’t like how it turned out. I thought it was beautiful. In one of the biographies that I read there was a story about how Hearst wanted his guests to awake on Easter morning viewing the hillside near the castle covered in Easter Lilies, so after everyone retired on Saturday night he had a crew of workers, planting countless Easter Lilies under electric lights so his wish could be realized the next morning. Also, once a squirrel got injured by wandering into the castle and having an elevator door hit it. Hearst had that squirrel transported down the hill by limo and flown to the best veterinary hospital for the treatment to save its life. The Hearst Castle wasn’t used in any of the filming of “Citizen Kane”. Hearst was vehemently opposed to this film and forbade its advertisement in any of his newspapers. One of the things he was particularly unhappy about in the film was the scene where his childhood sled is burned with Orson Wells, who played Kane in the movie mouthing the word “rosebud” . The story goes that this irked him because rosebud was his nickname for a particular part of Marion Davies anatomy, and he was furious that someone close to him had leaked this info to Orson Wells. In some ways WR Hearst was the early 20th century equivalent to Trump. His publications were known for “Yellow Journalism”, and he had the same my way or the highway attitude. BTW, the reason he and Davies never married was because his wife, Millicent a devout Catholic refused to divorce him. She remained Mrs. Hearst, all the while having the world witnessing his affair with Davies. And WR was a very strict moralist about his guest’s conduct. Unmarried couples were required to have separate rooms, and all guests limited to 2 drinks before dinner, even though Marion was an alcoholic and he was carrying on an adulterous affair right under their noses. Sorry to go on and on, but I’ve always thought that this family story was very interesting. Eddie | ||
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Post# 1050407 , Reply# 8 11/9/2019 at 12:06 (1,622 days old) by thomasortega (El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora de Los Angeles de Porciúncula) |
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Eddie, please go on.... as much as you can! | ||
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Post# 1050410 , Reply# 9 11/9/2019 at 12:22 (1,622 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.) |
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The Neptune Pool
was unfinished in 1963, the first time I was there because it was still being worked on at the time of WR’s death in 1951. The plans and all the tiles, including the many 24 carat gold tiles were are there, ready for the pools completion.
When I went back to the Hearst Castle the second time in 1983 the Neptune Pool had been completed by the state, using the original plans and materials that were available. The Hearst family gave the property to the State of California in 1958 because the taxes and upkeep were too much for them to keep up with. The agreement was that the family could still use the castle on occasion, with prior arrangement. I had a lead worker in the 90’s who’s son was friends with one of the Hearst grandsons, and when this defendant married he had his wedding there, using the Olympus Pool as the setting and my lead workers son was in attendance. Eddie This post was last edited 11/09/2019 at 13:19 | ||
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Post# 1050414 , Reply# 10 11/9/2019 at 13:30 (1,622 days old) by 48bencix (Sacramento CA) |
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You can swim in the pool You have to join the Foundation at Hearst Castle minimum amount to swim is $950. Could be worth a once in a lifetime experience. CLICK HERE TO GO TO 48bencix's LINK | ||
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Post# 1050418 , Reply# 13 11/9/2019 at 13:50 (1,622 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.) |
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Greg you are so right about the drive to HC
it is magnificent! The second time I was there in 1983 we stayed at a motel in San Simeon, and the first night we were there we had probably the very best restaurant meal either David or I have ever had before or since at a lovely restaurant on the PCH in San Simeon, “The Moonraker”. It was simply perfection, and we both still speak of it to this day.
Anyone that has the opportunity to visit this lovely area and the spectacular Hearst Castle should defiantly not pass up the opportunity. It’s truly something you’ll remember for the rest of your days. Hearst also had a Bavarian Village resort called “Wyntoon”, in Mc Cloud, Calif. near Mt.Shasta. In the late 30’s my Dad’s family lived in Mc Cloud, because my Grandpa worked on the Railroad there. They used to tell stories about how the “Hollywood People” would sweep into town in the summer, with all their fancy trappings. It was quite an event for the simple townspeople of Mc Cloud when the Hearst entourage showed up. Eddie | ||
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Post# 1050454 , Reply# 14 11/9/2019 at 19:47 (1,622 days old) by SudsMaster (SF Bay Area, California) |
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Rosebud I went to college at UC Berkeley, and the Hearst name is plastered all over that campus and town.
As an aside, I lived on the Southside for a number of years, and guess who lived at the end of our block? Yup, Patty Hearst. I had moved out a few months before she was kidnapped, so I missed that drama, but by chance I had come by later that day to pick up my mail at the old residence. I saw cop cars and a car with bullet holes in the trunk, but didn't know why. The new tenants seemed kind of freaked out and took a while to open the door. When I got home to my new place on the north side, I learned of the event on the evening news.
That whole matter gripped the town for quite a while.
Oh, and a year or so later, I attended a screening of "Citizen Kane" at the Pacific Film Archive. There was a delay in the start of the film, and a lot of chatter in the crowd. In my best Zippy the Pinhead moment, I asked loudly, "Will Patty be in this?", to some nervous tittering. My friend told me to shut the eff up. Turns out that Patty was, in fact, in attendance, right behind us. She was on the run at the time. LOL.
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Post# 1050462 , Reply# 15 11/9/2019 at 20:52 (1,622 days old) by thomasortega (El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora de Los Angeles de Porciúncula) |
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NSFW Rosebud | ||
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Post# 1050463 , Reply# 16 11/9/2019 at 20:57 (1,622 days old) by thomasortega (El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora de Los Angeles de Porciúncula) |
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@luxflairguy We could organize an AWO tour to the hearst Castle... wouldn't that be wonderful? | ||
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Post# 1050466 , Reply# 17 11/9/2019 at 21:20 (1,621 days old) by thomasortega (El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora de Los Angeles de Porciúncula) |
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OMFG! Look what I've just found! Lady Gaga... G.U.Y. | ||
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Post# 1050483 , Reply# 19 11/10/2019 at 04:02 (1,621 days old) by SudsMaster (SF Bay Area, California) |
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Rosebud Um, well...
If you've seen the movie Citizen Kane, "Rosebud" was, (as I recall), the last word that Kane (Hearst) uttered on his deathbed. The film gradually revealed that Rosebud was the name of a snow sled that Kane had as a child. I guess it was meant to symbolize his longing for the relatively carefree time of his childhood. As such, nothing remotely sexual about it.
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Post# 1050506 , Reply# 20 11/10/2019 at 09:53 (1,621 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.) |
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I’ve seen Citizen Kane countless times and, yes, in the movie the symbolism of the sled, named “Rosebud” being burned is anything but sexual in nature. But I have read in more than one place that Orson Wells was told by someone that this was also WR Hearst’s name for a part of Marion Davies anatomy, and was purposely used in the film. The dis was not lost on Mr, Hearst, and was one of the many reasons he hated this film.
“The connections between Hearst and Kane were clear, as noted Citizen Kane scholar Robert L. Carringer has written. Both built massive mansions. Both contrived yellow journalism plots to draft the United States into war with Spain. Both had publishing empires which barely made it through the financial disaster of the Great Depression. In the film, Kane runs unsuccessfully for New York governor, while the real-life Hearst, who served in Congress as a Manhattan Democrat, suffered the same fate in his run for mayor. Both crusaded against corrupt political machines. The surface connections were real, but so were similarities about which the public was ignorant. The film’s famous “Rosebud” motif is drawn from the real-life Hearst’s love for flowers. The term also is said to signify Hearst’s nickname for the genitalia of Marion Davies, his Hollywood mistress. The famous death scene in the film, some speculate, must have grated on Hearst, who was said to have an acute fear of death, never allowing the subject to be spoken of in his presence. It’s not difficult to imagine why Hearst hated the film and did all he could to assure that it would not be commercially successful. His publications ignored it and Hearst used his Hollywood connections to limit its availability in movie houses. Despite Hearst’s best efforts, Welles’ movie won critical acclaim. As a result, much of the American public now remembers Hearst as the meandering figure of the movie, roaming his castle mansion alone, bereft of true human companionship, immersed in money and power. But Hearst may have had the last word. Largely because of pressure he brought, the movie had a limited theatrical run and was not commercially successful, tarnishing the brilliant young director’s Hollywood career. Although Welles was just 26 when the film was released, many film critics feel he never made another movie that had anywhere near the impact of Citizen Kane.” daily.jstor.org/why-william-rand... I also read that supposedly Orson Wells learned of this nickname from actress Louise Brooks, which sounds plausible, since she and Marion were actresses during the same time and very likely friends. Eddie This post was last edited 11/10/2019 at 10:46 | ||
| Post# 1050511 , Reply# 21 11/10/2019 at 10:50 (1,621 days old) by twintubdexter (Palm Springs) | ||
another one of my famous "off-topic" posts... A number of years ago my good friend was a branch VP and investment counselor for the now defunct Security Pacific Bank in Studio City California. Patty Hearst was one of his clients. He said she was always pleasant to deal with, kind and courteous. Maybe it had something to do with her wealth being "old money". Isabel Sanford (Wezie on the Jeffersons) was extremely nice too. That was "new money". They weren't all nice. There was this gruffly old guy (don't remember his name) that did these commercials for diabetes supplies on TV. He was mean and picky. He insisted that my friend be down at the curb when his car and driver pulled up.
He even looks crabby...
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Post# 1050517 , Reply# 22 11/10/2019 at 11:58 (1,621 days old) by ea56 (Cotati, Calif.) |
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The Crabby Old Dude | ||
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Post# 1050570 , Reply# 23 11/10/2019 at 18:39 (1,621 days old) by CircleW (NE Cincinnati OH area) |
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He was also in the TV show "Our House" in the late 80's, with the very cute Chad Allen. | ||
| Post# 1053060 , Reply# 24 12/3/2019 at 17:46 (1,598 days old) by twintubdexter (Palm Springs) | ||
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I know this is old stuff... ...but as an addition to my comment here, I was just reading an article on some of the richest heiresses, and Patty Hearst's net worth is listed at 28 billion dollars. Sort of makes Jed Clampet's millions seem like pocket change.
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Post# 1053062 , Reply# 25 12/3/2019 at 18:15 (1,598 days old) by luxflairguy (Wilmington NC) |
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I googled Patty: The estimate for her wealth is 45-50 Million. The Hearst family isn't as rich as thought. William Randolph spend it all! | ||
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Post# 1053079 , Reply# 26 12/3/2019 at 19:24 (1,598 days old) by RP2813 (Sannazay) |
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| Post# 1053097 , Reply# 27 12/3/2019 at 21:06 (1,597 days old) by twintubdexter (Palm Springs) | ||
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A defective Google? Just goes to show you, don't believe everything you read. If Google tells you the Moon is made of green cheese...try thinking again...
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| Post# 1053161 , Reply# 28 12/4/2019 at 15:00 (1,597 days old) by sfh074 ( ) | ||
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Well ...... Wikipedia says it is made of green cheese, so it must be true .... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Moon_i... | ||
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Post# 1053403 , Reply# 30 12/7/2019 at 03:07 (1,594 days old) by SudsMaster (SF Bay Area, California) |
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