busy
This is awfully short notice, but I just learned that one of Carole Lombard's former residences has an open house today, from 2 to 5 p.m. (Pacific). It's at 523 North Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills, and was where Lombard lived briefly after her 1933 divorce from William Powell, about the same time the portrait above (p1202-594) was taken.
According to Carla Valderrama's carolelombard.org, "The home was built in 1928 by architect Roy Seldon Price for Charlie Chaplin's wife, Lita Grey Chaplin. The interiors were done by set designer Harold Grieve." And Lombard and Lita weren't the only ladies with film connections to call this house home -- actress Patricia Barry, who has 55 years of movie and TV credits and will turn 91 in November, resided here from 1959 to 2010.
Some more photos of this Monterrey Spanish revival mansion with eight bedrooms, 7.5 baths, four fireplaces and 6,753 square feet of space:
The asking price for this is probably beyond your means, unless you won big in Mega Millions or Powerball the past few days: $7.9 million, more than $4 million above what Barry sold it for in November 2010. (What downturn in home prices?)
To find out more, visit http://www.redfin.com/CA/Beverly-Hills/523-N-Beverly-Dr-90210/home/6821508#property-details. There's also a virtual tour of the residence available at http://www.postrain4.com/cb/523beverly/mls.php.
To any of you who reside in Los Angeles or happen to be there today, please drop by and fill us in on what the place was like.
