Thursday, March 22, 2012

Art Linkletter's Bel Air Mid-Century Modern Goes on the Block

SELLER: Estate of Art Linkletter
LOCATION: Los Angeles (Bel Air), CA
PRICE: $10,250,000
SIZE: 5,000 square feet (approximately), 5 bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms

YOUR MAMAS NOTES: Technically, we're still on holiday but we thought the children might appreciate a quick glimpse of a pedigreed mid-century modern pad perched high above Los Angeles' Bel Air community. The house, once owned by music industry mogul Quincy Jones, was long owned by late radio and television icon Art Linkletter and pushed on the (open) market this week, we learned via covert communique from Our Fairy godmother in Bel Air, by his estate with an asking price of $10,250,000.

Mister Linkletter won't likely be a recognizable name to anyone who hasn't already gone grey but once upon a time he was wildly famous for (among other things) his cute and humorous interviews with precocious children in the 1950s and 60s on the long-running tee-vee programs Art Linkletter's House Party and Kids Say the Darndest Things. Mister Linkletter was an also an early investor and promoter of the hula hoop—'tis true—and the long-time spokesman for the iconic Milton Bradley board game The Game of Life.

Mister Linkletter's single story sprawler on 4.6 acres high above Bel Air, was built in 1958, designed by architect Philmer J. Ellerbroek and featured in Architectural Digest in 1959. In addition to the 5 bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms listing information indicates the low-slung residence also includes formal living and dining rooms with long expanses of floor-to-ceiling glass as well as extensive private and service areas that include a family room, kitchen, breakfast room, and laundry facilities.

As per current listing information the house, architecturally preserved if not pickled in time, has "Classic mid-century architectural elements [that] include two atriums (one with an outdoor patio), sculptural metal screens, pocket doors, stone fireplaces, walls of glass, [and] one-of-a-kind built-ins...."

The gated grounds have a long driveway, off-street parking for upwards of 20 cars, multi-car car port, lushly landscaped gardens, flat lawns, a sport court of some sort, and a boomerang-shaped swimming pool with sweeping views over Los Angeles and Century City.

Not bad for an orphan boy born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan (Canada).

Some of the swanky nearby estates and mansions are owned by the aforementioned Quincy Jones who stayed in the 'hood when he sold to the Linkletters, soft porn purveyor Joe Francis, PayPal and Tesla Motors co-founder Elon Musk, social fixture Jean Kerkorian (an ex-wife of billionaire Kirk Kerkorian), and 90-something year old Hungarian Zsa Zsa Gabor and her attention hungry 9th husband Frédèric Prinz von Anhalt.

Just down the road a short piece are properties owned by Salma Hayak and her luxury goods mogul huzband Henri-Francois Pinault and the former Marion Jorgensen mid-century modern compound scooped up by Transformers film franchise tycoon Michael Bay in late 2009 for $10,900,000 and quickly knocked down so he could custom build a new mansion that Your Mama fully expects will be as big as a boo-teek hotel.

listing photos: Coldwell Banker Previews International

18 comments:

Carla Ridge said...

Even a Mid Century fanboy like myself can learn from Mama's superior scholarship. For years, I'd mis-attributed this house to A. Quincy Jones...the architect, not the music titan. Maybe I got confused by someone saying he lived there, when i knew several houses in which he'd lived nearby...

Anyhoo, stellar job, Mama. You earned yourself an extra early morning cock tail!

PS: DO NOT FAIL to click on the link to the Paradise Leased blog for more examples of this all-but-unknown architect's evocative swank.

Rosco Mare said...

The 50's modern (aka MCM) houses on this stretch of Bel-Air Road tend to get demolished, no matter the quality or design of these aging beauties.

Don't even get me started regarding the demolition of the Jorgensen's 1951 Burton Schutt-designed estate! (LA lost a treasure here.) The MCM house next to it was also torn down as well as the MCM house across from it. The house across the street has, at least, been replaced by a gor-gus KAA-designed contemporary house with killer views. I suspect that Michael Bay will build something similar on the Jorgensen site; though, what a shame to have destroyed something so historical and beautiful. Fingers crossed that the same fate will not land on the Linkletter house up the road.

Anonymous said...

Probably too small for her, but I wouldnt be surprised if Jenn Aniston popped through here, as the style is right up her alley.

Carla Ridge said...

Rosco Mare -- you and me, baby, against the world!

The house you mention that once stood opposite the Jorgenson was also a Burton Schutt; in fact, it was one of his last houses. Donna Livingston did interiors for its owner, builder Jack Levin, at the outset of her career -- they were featured in AD in Oct 1987. When I met Donna in 2010 to interview her for my Trousdale book, I mentioned having been a fan since '87 because of her work on that house; we immediately became fast friends.

Here, take a look, you'll see why: http://www.dlivingstondesign.com/portfolio/bel-air-estate/index.asp

Anonymous said...

Wow! The concrete block work and the detailing on the fascia are amazing!

Rosco Mare said...

Many thanks to CARLA RIDGE for the link to the DLD website!

I didn't know that the house across from the Jorgensens' estate was a Burton Schutt project. Eventhough it makes no difference to anyone but me, and that I do like the house that replaced it, I'm now super pissed that it was destroyed.

On a happier note, the Trousdale's French Regency house featured in the website was recently on the market.

Jeannified said...

I thought the samve thing, Anon. 2:02!

I say Brad Pitt should hustle it on over there and snap that place up! I can just see his kids jumping around in that pool! (Reminds me eof that photo shoot that he and Angie did in the pool in Palm Springs.)

Anonymous said...

not so sure bout the "Q" connection.

i too have seen many refs to it
but my feeling is it was being confused with a house up a bit on a street with a similar sounding name.

both have the same street number which would be an amazing co-inky dink if true.

the other home, which i have vids of when quincy lived there, actually used its address as the title of spanish love god julios debut ingles album!

guess the paps weren't as psycho then...

anyhoozel, that's the home quincy lived in while quietly buying up lots just behind to erect his mega compound.

best on your vacay!,
e

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Mama, for taking time from you holiday to feed "the children".

I am grey enough to remember Mr. Linkletter. That's all I'll say because I am truly enjoying sitting here and reading the discussion between Carla Ridge and Rosco Mare - learning a lot from it, too!

Anonymous said...

Well pity nice. It would be batter to get a dwelling place like this. But price is always a matter of panic.

Homes for Sale in Kelowna

Anonymous said...

This is fantastic? Ummm okay...

Anonymous said...

overpriced! the real value is 6.5M only a small portion of the lot is flat mostly hillside

Anonymous said...

Carla, thanks for the information. Donna is also one of my favorite designers. Her work is masculine but also beautiful. I could live in any of her designs. I am tired of seing Kelly Hoppen and Regency style.No guy wants to live in that, even this gay guy..ME.

Anonymous said...

I'm in love. That simple.

Housewife Betty said...

If I win the Mega Millions, this one's mine! MCM pedigree, perfect pool, nestled over the crest of the hill, and not remodeled beyond recognition. I'd love to see the interior!

Jo property said...

Looks lovely, so want to see interior pics

ExcitingLA said...

This house is just my style. So glad Michael Bay has already purchased and demolished another property - in his truest style [explosions, explosions, explosions] Hopefully this gem will remain intact for the most part. I hate to see people losing the integrity of a home, or the structure all together. People, let's at least preserve a little bit of Hollywood history!

Anonymous said...

Quincy lives across the street at 1100 BEL AIR PLACE - Art was 1100 BEL AIR ROAD- why it was named like that I do not know.
The architecture is interesting but the interior is VERY outdated- hence no pics.