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Cecil B. DeMille’s $25 Million Estate Finds a Buyer

The Los Angeles house was on the market for less than three weeks

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The long-time Los Feliz estate of late filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille has found a buyer, according to listing records—with reports floating that an offer came from a Hollywood A-lister.

The historic property—in a market where multimillion-dollar mansions tend to go through several price cuts—went into contract in less than three weeks. Sellers Lisa Lyons and Richard Grossman put the home on the market on March 27 for $24.95 million, property records show.

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Angelina Jolie reportedly had her eye on the six-bedroom, 10-bathroom estate with sources telling the New York Post that the actress, human rights activist and mother of six "wants to make this her new home" and had made an offer.

But it’s not known whether the pending offer registered on Thursday came from Ms. Jolie. Her manager was not immediately available for comment.

The sprawling estate would certainly offer enough space and privacy for Ms. Jolie’s large brood. The 11,000-square-foot Beaux Arts style mansion, built in 1913, sits on a two-acre estate in the Los Angeles suburb of Los Feliz, according to the listing with Brett Lawyer, Branden Williams, Rayni Williams, all of Hilton & Hyland. The listing agents did not immediately respond to requests for comment. 

DeMille, famous for Hollywood Golden Age classics like "The Ten Commandments" and "Samson and Delilah," bought the home in 1916 from a local businessman, according to a 2010 book on historic Los Angeles homes.

The pistol-packing, bombastic director lived in the secluded home until his death in 1959.

More:Leonardo DiCaprio Unloads Los Angeles Home For $2.2 Million

The sellers, Mr. Grossman and Ms. Lyons, tried to sell the home for more than $26 million in 2008, on the brink of the U.S. housing market collapse, and eventually pulled the property off the market, according to listing records.

They also undertook a six-year renovation, keeping many original details while adding modern amenities. Architects Tichenor and Thorp raised the the ceilings where possible and expanded the kitchen and library into the former servants quarters. The architects also updated the garden with period plantings, according to the 2010 book on historic homes.

The home includes a classic old Hollywood-style pool with arched fountains. The pool is surrounded by rolling lawns and rose gardens and boasts impressive views from the observatory to the ocean. There is also a pool house and a studio house with a separate entrance.