I wanted to post two of my recent Celebrity Real Estate columns, in case you missed them in the Akron Beacon Journal.
Bob Newhart lists Neff-designed home in Bel-Air, Calif.
By Mary Falconer-Williams, advertising writer
Actor and comedian Bob Newhart has listed his Los Angeles home in the Bel-Air community for $15.5 million. He is known for his sitcom tenure in the 1970s and 1980s, a run that included “The Bob Newhart Show” and the Emmy Award-winning “Newhart.”
His 1941 Bel-Air home was designed by Wallace Neff, father of the California style of homes exemplified in the Libbey Ranch built for the glassware magnate (home of celebrity Reese Witherspoon, featured in this column last month) and the King Gillette Ranch built for the razor-blade magnate. Newhart’s Bel-Air home, however, bears little of the California style of architecture for which Neff is known. Rather, Newhart’s domicile reflects the French Country movement that gripped the nation in the years following World War I. The home features a hipped roof, flared eaves, exposed timber and multi-framed windows.
Elegance abounds at every turn in this home. The lush greenery of the landscaping welcomes guests from the driveway and beckons them to continue a tour of the grounds through a covered patio to the beautiful lagoon-inspired heated pool. The natural slope of the yard provides a perfect view of the surrounding flora.
The interior has been meticulously maintained. The 9,169 square-foot home includes 5 bedrooms, 3 full baths, 3 quarter baths and 2 half baths. Beautiful touches include hardwood floors, a rounded staircase, copper-hooded fireplace, and exposed faux wood ceilings. A formal living room overlooks the covered patio and pool. The versatile great room provides the perfect space for either entertaining guests or sitting alone with a good mystery novel. A marble hearth provides warmth and atmosphere for any party in the formal dinning room of the home.
A modest kitchen with stainless steel appliances, including two built-in ovens, steps down to a sunny, breakfast nook. With multiple French doors, the nook is a lovely spot to enjoy a warm mug of coffee and the outdoor view from the comfort of a climate- controlled space.
Newhart, who came to prominence with his 1960 comedy album, “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart,” recently guest-starred on an episode of the CBS show “The Big Bang Theory.” He is also active on Twitter and can be found under the user name, @BobNewhart.
Bill Murray’s fictional “Zombieland” home for sale in Atlanta
By Mary Falconer-Williams, advertising writer
When everyone in the country has become zombies and you find yourself running for your life, who is the No. 1 celebrity you hope to find? Bill Murray – the star of cult favorites such as “Ghostbusters” and “Groundhog Day” – of course!
At least, that is what the writers of the 2009 movie “Zombieland” would like you to believe.
In the film, four individuals who have managed to evade becoming zombies work their way across the United States in search of a safe place that is free from the terror of these semi-dead creatures, in this case an amusement park in Hollywood, Calif. (typical zombie movie fare). While in Hollywood, they decide that the well-guarded mansions of movie stars might provide a reprieve from being on the run. They choose to descend upon Bill Murray’s house.
Murray’s house in the movie is neither his actual home nor is it even in Hollywood. The fictional residence is actually tucked into a prestigious neighborhood in Atlanta, Ga. Nonetheless, it is a lavish private resort befitting a movie star, even on a fictional level. What’s more, it’s for sale.
Built in 1912, this nine-bedroom, 15-bathroom single-family home is a breathtaking example of Spanish meets Mediterranean style. The most noteworthy features of the home are the ceilings. One room features a tray ceiling with glittering chandeliers hanging from golden medallions. In another room, multiple domed archways create the illusion of being inside an eggshell.
If you have seen the movie, you will undoubtedly remember the scene where the youngest member of the group, Little Rock (played by Abigail Breslin), is taken to the home’s private movie theater to watch Murray in “Ghostbusters.” Filmed on site, the scene shows off the large screen and tiered seating in the Atlanta home. Other rooms included in its 24,861 square feet of space are seven full kitchens, two gyms, a wellness center, a cigar room and ballroom.
Outside, it’s just as lovely. The home includes a courtyard pool with mosaic stone patio. Multiple second-story balconies and large windows overlook the lush landscape. Fountains create the illusion of being at a private Mediterranean spa.
I won’t spoil the ending of the movie for you. Suffice it to say that things go wrong for the foursome who have to escape from the Murray home.
One thing is for sure: The buyer who spends $19.9 million to purchase this Atlanta home is guaranteed to find it zombie-free.
Lyric Stuck in my head: And all the vampires walking through the valley move west down Ventura Blvd.
