It’s been a little over a year since Gene Hackman’s passing at age 95, and his real estate legacy remains in the spotlight. In February, the two-time Oscar winner’s Santa Fe compound shattered expectations when it sold after just eight days on the market. Now, another property tied to the legendary actor has surfaced, this one tucked away in L.A.’s San Fernando Valley.

Hackman owned the nearly century-old Woodland Hills residence only briefly, from roughly 1970 to 1971, before eventually settling in New Mexico. But the storybook property’s Hollywood pedigree stretches back much further. Known historically as the Canoga Estate, the English Cotswold-inspired home was built in 1928 by prominent local developer Harold Ferguson as the centerpiece of a 250-acre ranch. It was later acquired by Casablanca director Michael Curtiz, who owned it for more than 15 years. Blueprints dated 1935 bear the filmmaker’s name, documenting modifications made during his tenure.

According to listing agent Deanna D’Egidio of Harcourts Plus, the vast acreage, expansive stables, and multiple outbuildings were among the property’s original draws. Geographic convenience also played a role. “Jack Warner lived in the area (Warner Brothers president), whom Curtiz worked for on most films,” D’Egidio notes, adding that the historic Warner Ranch site is now the commercial district known as Warner Center.

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When speculators subdivided the ranch’s acreage between 1948 and 1950, they envisioned a private park-like setting modeled after New York’s lush Forest Hills neighborhood. D’Egidio points out that “the community of Forest Hills was originally advertised as the Bel Air of the San Fernando Valley.” The developers took the rare step of burying power lines to preserve the views, a choice D’Egidio says leaves the neighborhood with vistas that are “spectacular and unmatched for many homes.”

The original carriage house and stables were split off during this midcentury era, later carving out their own Hollywood histories. The carriage house became a longtime residence for actress Jodie Foster before D’Egidio sold it in 2020 for $1.9 million, while the stables were converted into a private single-family home that still features its original architecture and a wood shake roof.

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Today, the main home still commands over two acres, hidden behind rose bushes and century-old cedars, oaks, and pines in the highly coveted Queen Streets neighborhood. The main house retains its original character, featuring a slate tile roof, copper gutters, leaded glass, and hand-honed wood floors. Combined with a guesthouse and bonus recreation room, the living space totals almost 6,500 square feet. D’Egidio highlights that the property is “a true one of one as it supersedes homes in the area by decades,” noting that finding a private, mature parcel of this scale is nearly impossible in the area today.

The current owners have held the property since 1994, moving from nearby Studio City after falling in love with the estate the first day they walked in. To secure it against two competing bids, they wrote a non-contingent offer of $1.7 million—which D’Egidio notes “was among the highest sales ever in the Valley” at the time. The home will now hit the market for $6 million.

Click here to see more photos of the Woodland Hills residence.