Palm Springs compound of one-time actor and mayor Charlie Farrell is for sale at $4.3 million

In Palm Springs, a compound once owned by actor and developer Charlie Farrell is on the market for $4.3 million.

Farrell, who died in 1990 at 89, gained fame in the silent-film era of the 1920s and the early talkies of the ’30s starring opposite Janet Gaynor in more than a dozen films. In the mid-’30s, frustrated with studio politics, he took to development in the Coachella Valley and, with fellow actor Ralph Bellamy, founded the Charles Farrell Racquet Club in 1934.

Farrell, considered one of Palm Springs’ most famous and enduring residents, later served as mayor of the desert city from 1947 to 1955.

Now named for its famous past resident, the Movie Colony compound comprises two parcels and three separate structures on about an acre of grounds.

The main house, with clay tile roof and white stucco, features three bedrooms, an updated kitchen and an office. Nearby are two guest houses with additional living space and attached casitas.

The three structures, which border a central outdoor living area and swimming pool, combine to offer a total of seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms.

Fruit trees, rose gardens and lawn fill out the grounds, which are fenced and gated. A large motor court with three motorized gates fronts the estate.

Brian and Jennifer Thomas of Surterre Properties hold the listing.

neal.leitereg@latimes.com | Twitter: @LATHotProperty