


Call it Frank Zappa’s closing act. The Hollywood Hills West estate where the late experimental rock musician and composer made his home for decades has sold for $5.25 million.
The estate, tucked away on half an acre in Laurel Canyon, was originally purchased by Zappa in the late 1960s for $74,000. It had been owned by the musician’s family since his passing in 1993.
The whimsical 1930s Tudor, with its herringbone brickwork and half timbering, includes the recording studio and rehearsal space that Zappa had built as well as “the vault” — a climate-controlled, multiroom space where he kept a secret collection of music and film recordings.
Other living spaces include a kitchen topped with cathedral ceilings, a formal dining room and alibrary. A refined living room has walls of windows that take in the grounds. There are seven bedrooms and six bathrooms, including a master suite with a fireplace, aglass-enclosed shower and a blue-hued soaking tub.
Outdoors, there’s a rooftop tennis court, a swimming pool and spa, various patios and an elaborate stone courtyard. Two guest cottages and an attached guest apartment also reside on the grounds.
The property came up for sale in June for $5.495 million and found a buyer within about a month, records show.
Branden and Rayni Williams of Hilton & Hyland, an affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate, were the listing agents. Jeeb O’Reilly of Compass represented the buyer.
The musician-songwritercomposer infused rock ’n’ roll with elements of blues, jazz and classical music during his four-decade career. He was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.
Zappa released more than 60 albums during his lifetime, with his estate releasing another 40 or more albums posthumously.
A fairy-tale ending in Whitley Heights
Once upon a time … Ginnifer Goodwin made a killing on her home sale.
The
television and film actress has sold her home in the Whitley Heights
area of Los Angeles for $1.675 million. That’s $276,000 over the asking
price and $600,000 more than what Goodwin paid for the property seven
years ago.
It’s not
the first time the Spanish-style residence has changed celebrity hands.
Goodwin bought the property, known as the Theodore Wright Jr. House,
from actress Busy Phillips, who bought the house from actress Rachel
Bilson, who bought the house from Rose McGowan. You get the idea.
Agated
courtyard provides entry to the two-story home, built in 1923 and
well-maintained through the years. An outdoor dining area and a sunken
fire pit sit on either side of the front door.
Inside,
the 2,204 square feet of interiors retains its vintage good looks while
incorporating a range of contemporary details. Among features of note
are dark wood floors, subdued hues and a mix of modern fixtures. In
certain parts of the home, including the front entry, the bathrooms and a
guest bedroom, patterned wallpaper provides visual interest.
Living
areas include a stepdown living room with a woodburning fireplace and
French doors that open onto the grounds. Achef’s kitchen has been
updated with dark wood cabinetry, Waterworks fixtures and sealed brick
floors. A den and a breakfast area are located off the kitchen.
The
master suite, with its custom built-in, claw-foot tub and steam shower,
has French doors that open to a covered deck. Views take in treetops
and the surrounding canyons.
Aone-car garage sits off the entrance to the home.
Michael
Nourmand and Adam Sires of Nourmand & Associates, Beverly Hills,
were the listing agents. John Kostrey of Keller Williams Realty
represented the buyer.
Goodwin,
38, is known for her roles on the HBO series “Big Love” and ABC fantasy
show “Once Upon a Time.” This year, she voiced the character Judy Hopps
in the animated film “Zootopia.”
Another housewife on the march
Add Kelly Dodd to
the list of current and former “Real Housewives” who are on the move.
Dodd, who joined the cast of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Orange
County,” and her husband, Michael, have put their home in Corona del Mar
on the market for $6.25 million.
The
contemporary-style house, which overlooks and has direct access to
Corona del Mar State Beach, has been extensively upgraded since the
couple bought it two years ago for $3.575 million.
Among
eye-catching details of note are sparkling chandeliers and fixtures,
textured tile, a glasspaneled staircase and an elevator that connects
each of the home’s four levels. A lavish chef’s kitchen creates visual
interest with a pair of long islands, a white and gold La Cornue range
and a matching herringbone backsplash.
The
white-walled floor plan also includes an open dining room that flows
into a living room with a wall of white built-ins. Telescoping glass
doors off the living room connect to an ocean-facing terrace.
The
master suite, with clearthrough ocean views, has a freestanding soaking
tub, a steam shower and an oversized walk-in closet. Sliding doors off
the master bathroom and closet open onto a private patio.
There’s
also a three-car garage. “Kelly took great care in making sure every
feature of the house is in immaculate condition,” said listing agent
Nicole Contreras. Contreras, an agent with Beverly Hills-based Nourmand
& Associates, holds the listing with Tim Beans of Coldwell Banker
Previews International.
Dodd,
40, joined the cast of “Real Housewives” as a regular this year. The
Orange County version of the show is in its 11th season.
With
the listing, Dodd is the second “housewife” to list a home this year.
Meghan King Edmonds and her husband, former Angels ballplayer Jim
Edmonds, put their home in the Newport Heights area on the market in
July for $3.4 mil lion.
Former
cast member Alexis Bellino, who was a regular on the show from seasons 5
through 8, recently bought a home in San Juan Capistrano for $3.65
million.
Scene change for Hollywood bigwig
Panacea Entertainment founder Eric Gardner, who
produced the “Elvira” films and television shows, has put his estate in
Santa Rosa Valley, a Ventura County community situated between Thousand
Oaks and Camarillo, on the market for $2.499 million.
The
country manor-style home, built in 1989, sits behind gates on more than
two manicured acres and is surrounded by a riding ring. Outdoor
amenities include expansive patios with outdoor heaters, a swimming pool
and spa, a playground and a gazebo that overlooks a koi pond.
The
8,161 square feet of openplan space features a two-story foyer that
opens to a great room. A chef’s kitchen with a long island and a living
room with a fireplace sit off of each end of the great room. A custom
wall aquarium lends an exotic note to the formal dining room.
The master suite has another fireplace, a dressing area and a walk-in closet for a total of six bedrooms and 8.5 bathrooms.
Gardner bought the house nearly two decades ago for $1.122 million, records show.
Nicole Van Parys and Gary Dean Nesen of Engel & Voelkers, Westlake Village, hold the listing.
Originally
started as a rock ’n’ roll tour coordination company, Panacea
Entertainment coordinated tours for such bands as Jefferson Airplane,
the Grateful Dead and KISS. The company, with Gardner as chief, later
shifted focus to talent management, repping members of the Rolling
Stones, Pink Floyd, the E Street Band and the Who, among others.
As
a producer, Gardner has credits that include more than two decades of
the “Elvira” franchise. His current projects include a “Hellraiser”
series developed in partnership with Jason Blum and NBCUniversal.
neal.leitereg@latimes.com Twitter: @NJLeitereg