Actress-writer Renée Taylor seeks $8.6 million for Beverly Hills home with exotic gardens - Los Angeles Times
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Actress-writer Renée Taylor seeks $8.6 million for Beverly Hills home with exotic gardens

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The longtime Beverly Hills home of actress-writer Renée Taylor and her late husband, actor-playwright Joseph Bologna, is for sale at $8.6 million.

Set on a third of an acre, the 1926 Tudor Revival was once occupied by Shirley Temple’s mother-in-law and often visited by Temple and her first husband, John Agar.

Taylor was attracted to the home’s garden when she and Bologna bought the property in 1975. She later spent two years renovating the property to replicate parts of celebrity homes and places that she admired.

The inspired design details include an exact replica of actress Greer Garson’s bathroom from her former Bel-Air home and dining room chairs favored by Barbra Streisand. The chandeliers and mirrors she added were like those she had seen at the palace of Versailles. Red and gold curtains decorated in pearls and crystals evoke London’s Savoy Hotel.

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The two-story house has four bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms, a wood-paneled office and maid’s quarters in 4,600 square feet of space. French doors and windows in the kitchen take in garden views.

The property also has a custom pizza garden, where Taylor would host annual pizza parties for the Academy Awards. Other gardens feature collections of bamboo from around the world and exotic plantings.

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A “fairy garden” on the side of the home is a favorite among children.

Taylor, 85, had teamed with Bologna to write the Broadway comedy “Lovers and Other Strangers” and the film “Made for Each Other,” receiving an Oscar nomination for the 1970 film adaption of the former. As an actress, she played the mother of Fran Drescher’s character on the sitcom “The Nanny” and guest-starred on “How I Met Your Mother.”

Bologna, who died last year at 82, is also remembered for notable roles in the comedy films “My Favorite Year” (1982) and “Blame It on Rio” (1984).

Sally Forster Jones of Compass holds the listing.

Home sale is music to his ears

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Moby, the electronic music pioneer, DJ and restaurateur, may have to add successful real estate investor to his many titles. He’s sold a Los Feliz home that he renovated for $4.91 million, or $405,000 more than the asking price.

Purchased by the musician two years ago for $3.4 million, the English Traditional home has been refreshed while retaining many original details.

Of note are the groin vault ceilings, delicate wainscoting and elaborate fireplace mantels. The eat-in kitchen, which has an island and booth seating, has been updated.

The 4,644-square-foot living space also includes a formal living room, a family room with built-ins, five bedrooms and seven bathrooms. On the lower level, a hidden passage links an office and guest suite with a bathroom and steam room.

Outside, the walled and gated property has a new covered patio, various sitting areas and a small forest. Flagstone surrounds the swimming pool, which has a spa.

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Moby, whose legal name is Richard Melville Hall, in March released his 15th studio album, “Everything Was Beautiful, and Nothing Hurt.” The musician rose to fame in the 1990s for his electronic dance music, including the 1999 electronica album “Play.”

Three years ago, he ventured into restaurant ownership, opening the vegan bistro Little Pine in Silver Lake.

Patrick Martin and Gwen Banta of Sotheby’s International Realty were the listing agents. Brett Lawyer of Hilton & Hyland, an affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate, represented the buyer.

Ready to complete a pass in the housing game

Jared Goff, the Pro Bowl quarterback for the L.A. Rams, is ready to make a handoff near Agoura Hills, listing his home in the Oak Park area for sale at just under $1.8 million.

Built in 1989, the renovated single-story home is set on a nearly half-acre lot and surrounded on either side by mature trees and hedges. The 4,315 square feet of open-plan space features distressed wood floors, high ceilings and fireplaces in the living and family rooms and game room/den.

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A large island with a built-in wine chiller anchors the chef’s kitchen. Five bedrooms and 5.5 updated bathrooms complete the floor plan.

Sliding glass doors open to a covered patio and built-in barbecue for indoor-outdoor living. A custom swimming pool and spa, lawns and landscaping fill out the backyard, which abuts a sloped hillside.

A gated courtyard entry sits off the front of the home.

Goff, 23, was among eight Rams players selected for the Pro Bowl last year. The third-year quarterback started 15 games for the NFC West-leading team last year, finishing with 3,804 yards passing with 28 touchdowns. His 100.5 passer rating in 2017 was the fifth-best in the league.

Jordan Cohen of Re/Max Olson & Associates holds the listing. The exact list price is $1,799,950.

He bought the property two years ago for about $1.6 million, records show.

It’s a landslide in Brentwood

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Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac fame has sold a newly built home in Brentwood for $19 million.

The singer-songwriter and guitarist bought the property five years ago for $5.8 million, and the house was completed last year. It had been listed for as much as $22.5 million, records show.

The three-story house offers a modern spin on Georgian style and has wood-shingle siding, dormer windows and white trim that stands out against its sand-colored exterior. White columns support a trimmed balcony that sits above the black front door.

Within more than 11,000 square feet of white-walled interior are living and dining rooms, dual kitchens, a library and a screening room. There are six bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, including a multiroom master suite.

A guesthouse sits across from the swimming pool, offering additional living space. The fenced and gated home sits on a little over three-quarters of an acre, with terraces, a fire pit, an outdoor shower and formal landscaping.

David Offer of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties was the listing agent. Offer also represented the buyer.

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Buckingham, 68, gained fame as the frontman and lead guitarist for the rock band Fleetwood Mac. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the group in 1998.

Last month, he was reportedly fired from Fleetwood Mac over disagreements regarding tour dates. A farewell tour for the band is planned for later this year.

Calabasas court is a fit for radio host

Former Indiana Pacer and Golden State Warrior Al Harrington has passed his Mediterranean estate in Calabasas to Spanish-language radio broadcaster Eddie “Piolín” Sotelo for $4.62 million.

Set in the guard-gated Oaks of Calabasas community, the 30,000-square-foot grounds hold a swimming pool, a spa and a sports court emblazoned with an “H.”

A modern chandelier tops the estate’s formal entry leading into 6,800 square feet of grand living spaces. Highlights on the main floor include a two-story living room, a wood-paneled office, formal and casual dining areas and a family room with pocketing doors.

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French doors open to a central courtyard with a fireplace. A covered patio, a lounge and an outdoor kitchen add more spots to entertain. The second-story master suite, one of five bedrooms, surveys the scene from a private balcony.

Harrington, who spent 16 seasons in the NBA, had listed the home in February for $4.895 million, records show.

Howard Zuckerman and Meirav Leibovici of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices were the listing agents. J’Naiya Ermon of Rodeo Realty represented Sotelo.

The 38-year-old Harrington, a former Naismith Prep Player of the Year, was drafted out of high school by the Indiana Pacers. Since retiring, he has opened a medical-marijuana business that provides extracts to medical companies.

Sotelo, 45, previously held a longtime Spanish-speaking morning radio show in L.A. on Univision Radio. He currently hosts the online radio show “El Show de Piolín.”

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