CELEBRITY REAL ESTATE
Judy Garland / Sammy Davis Jr. estate for sale
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A veritable bargain compared to the Spelling residence, historic property Pickfair has hit the market. The estate once owned by actors Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, and designed by architect Wallace Neff, is for sale in Beverly Hills. Of course, this isn’t the original Pickfair, since Pia Zadora and her husband tore down the original Neff mansion in the 1980s and put up a larger mansion in its place. The estate is now owned by Unicom Systems (sale price: $15 million in 2005 according to property records, $17.65 million according to Real Estalker,) and apparently is once again in need of restoration according to the listing. In addition to the 17-bedroom, 30-bath estate, the sellers will also negotiate to sell the art and sculptures and “would consider exchange for commercial property, business or other.” Listing price: $60 million. — 1143 Summit Dr Beverly Hills, CA 90210
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Harry Chandler, a major 20th century mover and shaker, newspaper publisher and Los Angeles real estate mogul, was instrumental in the development of the San Fernando Valley and Hollywood. He also helped launch a number of L.A. landmarks, such as the Ambassador Hotel and the California Institute of Technology.
When it came to building his own home, the Los Angeles Times publisher — from 1917 until his death in 1944 — chose five acres in the Los Feliz area, the hilly terrain at the southern end of Griffith Park. Among the first notables to settle in the architecturally significant neighborhood (director Cecil B. DeMille bought a home there in 1914), Chandler chose a lot with unobstructed views of the parkland and burgeoning metropolis. Construction of his estate, which began in 1914, was completed in 1916. Chandler’s wife, Marian, lived there until her death in the 1950s.
The 24-room Georgian-style manor, noted for its grand-scale architecture, red-brick construction, high-pitched slate roof and massive brick chimneys, features a two-story entry hall as large as the lobby of an opera house or theater. One wing of the house was designated for guests and staff, the other for family members. The gated estate has views of Santa Catalina Island, Century City, Glendale, Griffith Park (including the observatory) and downtown L.A.
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