Kirk Douglas’ onetime estate in Palm Springs sells for over the asking price
The onetime Palm Springs estate of actor Kirk Douglas and his wife, Anne, has fetched a tidy sum, selling for $3.5 million or $50,000 more than the asking price.
The buyers are the owners of Roots Canada, a Toronto-based activewear and lifestyle brand founded by Michael Budman and Don Green.
Sitting on three-quarters of an acre in Old Las Palmas, the midcentury modern-style home has Hollywood ties that precede Douglas’ ownership. The residence was originally owned by Charles Howard, whose father owned the championship racehorse Seabiscuit, and his wife, screen actress Andrea Leeds.
Douglas acquired the property from Howard in the late 1950s and used it as the family retreat for decades. He sold it in 1999 for $1.3 million, records show.
Tucked behind stone walls and gates, the estate centers on a low-slung main house designed by modernist architect Donald Wexler and completed in 1954. Beamed ceilings, Saltillo tile floors and a foyer lined in flagstone and pecky cypress lend a vintage touch to the 4,000 square feet of interiors. Walls of floor-to-ceiling glass bring the outdoors inside.
A formal sitting area, living and dining rooms, a mirrored wet bar, five bedrooms and eight bathrooms lie within a single story. An updated kitchen sports a more contemporary look with granite countertops and custom cabinetry.
Of the bedrooms are a pair of master suites named for Douglas and his wife. There’s “Kirk’s Suite,” featuring three closets and walls lined in denim blue, and “Anne’s Suite,” which boasts a wall of mirrored closets.
Outdoors, landscaped grounds include various patios, a garden atrium, a K-shaped saltwater swimming pool and a tennis court. A pavilion with walls decorated in vintage movie posters sits between the court and pool.
Jim Schwietz of Bennion Deville Homes represented both ends of the transaction.
Douglas, 99, was nominated for three Academy Awards and received an Oscar for lifetime achievement in 1996. His film credits include “Champion” (1949), “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” (1954) and “Spartacus” (1960).
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