Talks Club: Elizabeth Taylor & Hollywood Mansions
About
Join Adrian Dickens of Circa AD Jewels (personal jeweller and ArtsNational lecturer) and Kenneth Park (historian, curator, ArtsNational lecturer and cultural ambassador) for a "double act".Kenneth Park will speak on "Hollywood and Movie Star Homes". The movie-star homes of Los Angeles feature sprawling, ultra-private, multimillion-dollar architectural estates that blend classic Hollywood grandeur with modern luxury. Hollywood was laid out in 1887 and would eventually become the hub of the burgeoning American film industry. As Hollywood’s influence grew, movie stars and other celebrities began choosing homes that reflected the architectural tastes of what came to be known as Old Hollywood. These properties often featured Spanish Colonial Revival, Mediterranean, and Monterey styles, with red-tile roofs, stucco walls, arched doorways, landscaped courtyards, and expansive gardens.
Some of these residences were designed by legendary architects such as Wallace Neff, whose work helped define the image of California glamour. Streets such as Roxbury Drive became associated with the stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age, with notable residents including Lucille Ball and Jimmy Stewart.
Today, celebrity architecture ranges from carefully preserved historic estates to enormous contemporary super-mansions and private compounds. Some modern celebrity properties occupy several acres and contain tens of thousands of square feet, incorporating swimming pools, guesthouses, entertainment spaces, extensive gardens, and extraordinary levels of privacy.
From the grand estates of Hollywood’s Golden Age to the spectacular compounds of today’s entertainment elite, this lecture will take you on a tour of some of Los Angeles’s most celebrated homes—and explore the architecture, history, and personalities behind them.
Adrian Dickens will present "Elizabeth Taylor's Greatest Love Affair- with Jewels". Hollywood legend Elizabeth Taylor has long been associated with jewels—Diamonds in particular, but the true extent of her staggering collection is not so well known. Said to be worth over $200 million at the star’s death, her collection has only gained in stature. Many pieces have become as legendary as the star who wore them, and the man who bought most of them—Richard Burton.
Adrian has compiled a fascinating talk on the stories behind such jewels as the great Bulgari Sapphires, La Peregrina Pearl, the Mike Todd tiara, the Taj Mahal pendant and the unforgettable Taylor-Burton Diamond.
10:30am–12:40pm
Majorca Room, City Library, Flinders Lane, Melbourne CBD.
Doors open 10:20am. First talk begins 10:40am sharp, followed by a 10-minute interval at 11:30am. Second talk begins 11:40am. Cafés and refreshments are located nearby.
Date
Thursday 19 November 2026 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM (UTC+10)Location
Majorca Room, City Library
253 Flinders Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000
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Talks Club: Elizabeth Taylor & Hollywood Mansions
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