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Cher & Eddie Murphy’s Equestrian Dream
Just minutes from Rodeo Drive and The Beverly Hills Hotel, nestled behind a guarded gate at 2727 Benedict Canyon Drive, rests a veritable oasis of luxury geared toward the horsey set. Once home to singer/actress Cher—who built an estate here on 4 acres in the 1970s and later sold it to comedian Eddie Murphy—the property was purchased by its current owners in the late ‘90s, along with four surrounding parcels of land. The 16-acre compound has since been masterfully elevated to include the ultimate equestrian environment— complete with five stables, two white-graveled riding rings and miles of winding, woodland-engulfed riding trails.
Also added were a 7,000-square-foot, three-bedroom Moroccan-style guesthouse sporting hand-carved wooden doors and coffered ceilings, six baths, two full kitchens, two fireplaces, a spa, dry sauna and a salon sink, as well as a two-bedroom, two bath stable house with a fireplace and a safe room. A private 20,000-square-foot main house, reached via a second redwood gate on a curving access road, has been partially renovated. But lest you think that’s all you get for the $85 million price tag…the over-the-top landscaped grounds also include a tennis court with a covered seating area and a pool.
“This home is a truly unique property that’s one of the last great sites in Beverly Hills— with five total parcels of lush land, for supreme serenity and ultimate tranquility,” says listing agent Aaron Kirman of John Aaroe Estates, John Aaroe Group. “It’s quiet, while still being extremely accessible to the wonderful city of Beverly Hills.”
Photos Courtesy of Matt Momberger
Charles Laughton & Elsa Lanchester’s Seaside Stunner
What stands out most about this gated Pacific Palisades estate—other than its famous former owners: the British acting duo of Charles Laughton and Elsa Lanchester—is its location at 14954 Corona Del Mar, high atop a bluff overlooking the Pacific, with breathtaking views from Palos Verdes to Malibu.
“Genuinely, my feeling is that this is probably the best residential street in all of Los Angeles,” says Christopher Damon, who is co-listing the 1930’s Spanish estate for $19.995 million with Joyce Rey, both of Coldwell Banker Previews International.
“If you look at the entire coastline of LA, from Manhattan Beach to Malibu, the fact that you have one toe in the city and one toe in the water is amazing. There also are no oceanfront bluff locations except Corona Del Mar where you have these big estates overlooking the ocean. The key thing here is estate; there are lots of homes where you can see the waves break and hear the ocean, but to have an estate with a huge yard…almost nothing like that exists.”
On the market for the first time in almost 20 years, the lot rings in at 27,794 square feet, while the 8,000-plus-square-foot, six-bedroom home recently underwent a million-dollar revamp (complete with a lavish master suite with a view terrace and custom his and her walk-in closets, billiard room, theater and more).
Did we mention that there’s an opportunity to create an even grander beachside retreat by purchasing the adjacent lot listed by The Agency’s Santiago Arana at 14994 Corona Del Mar for $10.995 million?
Photos courtesy of Tiffany Angeles, Unlimited Style Photography
Michael King’s Pacific Palisades Home
The home of the late Michael King—half of the brotherly duo behind King World Productions, known for nationally syndicated TV programs from The Little Rascals to The Oprah Winfrey Show—is up for sale in Pacific Palisades for $42 million. Found at 1690 San Remo Drive, the Georgian-style estate was crafted in 2005 by noted New York architects Ferguson & Shamamian, with interiors by White House decorator Michael Smith.
“This is one of the most extraordinary homes I have seen in the 25 years I have been selling real estate in Los Angeles,” says listing agent David Offer of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties. Inspired by the classic California homes of renowned architects Paul Williams and James Dolena, the home’s 1.5-acre gated, private grounds sit atop a ridge with city and ocean views. No expense was spared inside the 15,642-square-foot showpiece, with extreme detail paid to materials and finishes—including large steel-paned casement windows and doors, mahogany flooring and doors, five fireplaces with inlaid stone, elaborate woodwork and designer lighting and hardware throughout.
Additional special features consist of seven bedroom suites (including a sumptuous master with separate sitting room, terrace and dual baths); a formal dining room with hand-painted walls and inlaid mother of pearl; a movie theater; a game room; a large central gallery; a pool, infinity-edged spa and pool house; and numerous terraces and loggias opening to the expansive grounds and breathtaking views.
“Every time I am at the property, I am in awe of the architecture, quality and sheer beauty,” says Offer. “It truly is one-of-a-kind.”
Photos courtesy of Lee Manning
Frank Zappa’s Ultimate Artist’s Retreat
This funky LA abode belonged to none other than musician Frank Zappa, from 1968 until his death in 1993. “This is a real Hollywood legacy,” says Rayni Williams, who is co-listing the home for $5.495 million with Branden Williams of Williams & Williams, Hilton & Hyland. “You can feel the history throughout the entire house.”
One of the most iconic estates to hit the open market, the 6,759-square-foot home is quietly sequestered away in the Hollywood Hills, at 7885 Woodrow Wilson Drive, with the grounds bringing to mind Italy’s tranquil and chic Hotel Il Pellicano.
As one would expect, distinctive and eclectic features abound. Think porthole windows and doors salvaged from vintage submarines; a sky-lit kitchen; a rooftop tennis court; one-of-a-kind outdoor mosaic art; the well-known Utility Muffin Research Kitchen (a recording space frequented by Zappa and many other notable musicians through the years); and The Vault (a storage chamber underneath the home where Zappa kept his private archives), just to name a few. But that’s not all…there’s also a large pool, two guest cottages and an attached guest apartment. One thing’s for sure—this home, like its former owner, definitely challenges the status quo.
Photos courtesy of Simon Berlyn photographer & Williams & Williams
