Blond bombshell, pin-up girl, close friend of the Kennedy men and highly successful Hollywood actress, Marilyn Monroe, starred in several of the 1950’s biggest box-office hits including Some Like It Hot and Gentleman Prefer Blondes. Proceeds from her films, which grossed over $200 million, would have afforded her the ability to buy almost any mansion her heart desired. However, she purchased only one house in her own name during her 36-year lifetime.
With her demanding career, three failed marriages and constant public scrutiny as a world famous celebrity, she opted for a charming and very private hacienda-style home at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac in Hollywood’s Brentwood community. She purchased it in the early 1960s after her divorces from New York Yankees star Joe DiMaggio and Pulitzer Prize winning writer Arthur Miller.
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In her last interview before she died in her home in 1962 from a barbiturate overdose, Marilyn told Life Magazine that she didn’t want them to take pictures of the inside of her house because it was important to her to keep it private. She wanted to use the guest house for friends who may be down on their luck and who needed a peaceful place to recover. With all her wealth, she purchased the house for $75,000 partially furnished and her mortgage payments were only $320 a month. It most recently sold in 2010 for $3.85 million.
Situated on a very private gated half acre, the 2,624-square-foot house is tucked into green lawns and surrounded by mature landscaping. Built in 1929, it still retains all the beautiful architectural details that made it feel like home to Marilyn. Details include four bedrooms, three baths, cathedral ceilings with wood beams, a fireplace in the living room with Mexican tile surround, casement windows, arched doorways, Saltillo tile floors, a citrus orchard and her famous kidney-shaped swimming pool.
Outside is a tree shaded brick patio overlooking the pool and the original guest house. A poignant arrangement of tiles at the front door proclaims “Cursum Perficio.” Translated, it means “My Journey is Over.” Was it an omen of what was to come? Lisa Optican of Mercer Vine holds the listing.
Marilyn Monroe’s beloved home and prized piece of celebrity real estate, the only one she ever purchased alone, is now for sale, priced at $6.9 million.
Courtesy of TopTenRealEstateDeals.com
Photo credit – Lisa Optican/Mercer Vine
