Anything but Humble: Hearst Castle

we start our journey along the pacific coast highway in san simeon it was here thousands of feet above the pacific that a young boy with dreams larger than life spent his summers camping and it was here that he returned 50 years later a newspaper magnet to build a palace to rival the greatest in europe hearst castle william randolph hearst owned all of this land his estate covered an area half the size of rhode island hurst was the rupert murdoch of the early 20th century through his three dozen newspapers he tried to control the country's political agenda and at hearst castle he entertained the powerful and luminous before highway 1 was built his guests had to arrive by boat once on the castle's private drive they'd see hearst's zoo loose upon the hills antelopes zebras bison camels kangaroos even giraffes guests included hollywood's elite charlie chaplin clark gable joan crawford cary grant stars came to hearst castle they had little choice turn down an invitation from hearst and your career could be over hollywood director orson welles found the tycoon in his castle an irresistible target his 1941 film citizen kane was set at a palace called xanadu where a ruthless tyrant lived with his talentless second wife hearst retaliated by nearly ruining wells career the castle itself is modeled after a medieval cathedral hearst had admired in spain george bernard shaw said it was the place god would have built if he had the money hearst's guests stayed in chateau surrounding the main house earth's bedroom was at the front of the castle between the two towers and overlooking the pacific his mistress's bedroom was just next door altogether the estate is a hodgepodge of european styles a mosaic of hearst's memories and obsessions he spent 30 years and millions of dollars building this estate hearst died before it was completed and after his death in 1951 the castle was donated to the state of california now more than one million people visit every year you can even throw your own private party for thousand dollars

Channel: Smithsonian Channel

Views: 275,513

Keywords: smithsonian, channel, documentary, stream tv, free tv, free tv streaming, facts, episodes, tv online, watch, video, free videos, aerial, america, california, millionaire, exploration, space, americana, mansion, pacific coast highway, landmarks, hearst castle, air, travel, palace, william randolph hearst

Id: 4IbE46J9e3M

Length: 3min 24sec (204 seconds)

Published: Tue Jun 21 2011