It’s Alive! The Former Home of Sci-Fi’s Forrest J. Ackerman is Reborn as a Luxe Mansion
The Forrest J Ackerman home, known as the Ackermansion, was once used as a museum of all things sci fi. Take a look at how it’s changed.
If the name Forrest J Ackerman doesn’t immediately ring an ominous bell, it’s probably just because you’re not a sci fi or horror movie fan.
Those who are will tell you Forrest J Ackerman is known as the father of sci fi, because he’s credited with coining that phrase for the now-ubiquitous genre. In the mid-’70s, Ackerman made his three-story “Ackermansion” famous by opening it up as a museum showcasing his collection of more than 300,000 pieces of horror and sci-fi movie and literary memorabilia.
It closed to the public in 2002 and the collection has since been auctioned off, but the house remains. Recently remodeled, the Los Feliz home is now on the market for $3.79 million.
“This home is a treasure for so many reasons,” says listing agent Lyonel Katz of LUX Realty, who admits to being a bit of a sci fi geek. Katz cleverly created a shadow box currently on display in the home, with photos of the place in its previous glory, along with copies of letters to Ackerman from Walt Disney and Steven Spielberg.
Ackerman, who died in 2008 at the age of 92, was a literary agent for sci fi titans Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, and Stephen King among others. He was also an actor who had cameos in 94 horror and sci fi films, the creator of the Vampirella comic book character, and the editor and principal writer of the Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine.
In fact, Ackerman and his museum were so popular, the city fathers named Forrest J Ackerman square after him at the intersection of Franklin and Vermont.
Ackerman was an avid collector of genre books and movie memorabilia, and he plastered every square inch of every wall in his museum with plaques and posters, and left no corner without a curio cabinet.
Famed California storyteller Huell Howser devoted an entire episode to the Ackermansion.
Although the home doesn’t look anything like it used to, it’s a thrill to walk the same halls and rooms that were visited by the who’s who of sci fi and horror, from Vincent Price to Ed Wood to Buzz Aldrin.
The most recent owners of the five-bedroom, six-bath, 5,886-square-foot home added arched windows to allow in more natural light.
Built in 1923, the mansion has other nods to the Hollywood Mediterranean style, including some original wood flooring, colorful Spanish tile on the stair risers, french doors leading to terra-cotta-tiled terraces, wood-beamed ceilings, and nooks and crannies in unexpected places.
There’s also a newer pool and grassy lawns on the premises.
Forrest J Ackerman’s former home is currently configured so that it can easily transform into two distinct living spaces, with the two upper levels encompassing three bedrooms (including the master suite), the open kitchen, living room, and dining area.
The lower level features two bedrooms, a kitchenette, game room, and massage suite.
From it’s hillside perch, the Ackermansion has remarkable views of Hollywood, the city of Los Angeles, and beyond. It’s the stuff dreams (and a few nightmares) are made of.
See more photos and get more info on the former Forrest J Ackerman “Ackermansion” in my feature at Realtor.com.
