Filming Location Is Hollywood Hills Mansion – DIRT



“If you’ve ever been to a wilder party – you’re under arrest!” So admonishes the poster for the 1968 comedy “The Party.” The eponymous soiree at the story’s center is, indeed, one of the most raucous in filmdom, not to mention one of the most hilarious! That is primarily thanks to star Peter Sellers and his captivating portrayal of good-natured, accident-prone Tinseltown wannabe Hrundi V. Bakshi, who is mistakenly invited to a Hollywood get-together thrown by a major studio head and winds up wreaking havoc on the hosts, caterers, fellow guests and the venue itself, a fabulous midcentury property located at the end of a tony cul-de-sac.

Slapstick through and through, “The Party,” currently available for rent on Amazon, showcases Sellers at his finest, with the actor front and center in every scene, carrying the entire 99-minute film on his thoroughly qualified shoulders. The hefty roster of supporting characters, while inarguably entertaining in their own right (especially Steve Franken playing an increasingly drunken waiter), becomes ancillary when put up next to Sellers and his perfectly executed comedic dance.

Though certain aspects of the Blake Edwards-directed movie are problematic when viewed through a contemporary lens (namely, the use of makeup to darken Sellers’ skin tone), much of it withstands the test of time. I dare you not to laugh as Hrundi attempts to fix a running toilet mid-film! No feature of the flick, though, is as timeless as the residence belonging to General Federal Studios president Fred Clutterbuck (J. Edward McKinley) and his wife, Alice (Faye McKenzie), where the bulk of the action takes place. Said to be at 8239 Wild Rice Dr. (not kidding!), the pad can actually be found at 9271 Robin Dr. in the Hollywood Hills’ famous Bird Streets neighborhood. (Please remember this is a private home. Do not trespass or bother the residents or the property in any way.)

Situated on a sprawling 0.8-acre lot overlooking…




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