‘Middle’ man to cut out
With apologies to the rest of the cast, the best reason to tune in to “Malcolm in the Middle” was always Christopher Masterson’s more complex character, Francis -- the brother who got shipped off to military school and then, in the final seasons, ran off to Alaska and wound up marrying a girl just like dear old Mom. What’s that they say about humor being consistent with pathos?
Masterson, who last year separated somewhat acrimoniously from his live-in girlfriend, actress Laura Prepon of “That ‘70s Show,” has now listed the Los Feliz home they shared for $2.99 million. That must be the pathos part. (Some wags say they are back together; beats me.)
In any case, the 4,801-square-foot house he is selling has four bedrooms and five bathrooms. It was built in 1939 and would likely surprise fans of the roguishly handsome 28-year-old.
There’s nothing sleek or architectural here. This is a grand, old traditional with a mahogany-paneled library, formal gardens around back and a horseshoe driveway that beckons a limo. And there are separate maid’s quarters with full bath.
This is the type of house where you curl up in front of the fireplace with a glass of sherry and read a book, not pop a beer and flip through People magazine (unless it’s the editions where they named him one of the 50 most beautiful people -- twice.)
Masterson played the ne’er-do-well Francis on “Malcolm in the Middle” from 2000 to 2006. He has also starred in two independent movie projects, “Waterborne” and “Intellectual Property.”
Brock Harris of Brock Real Estate in Silver Lake is the listing agent, according to the Multiple Listing Service.
--
Tattooer has a place to decorate
Kat Von D, the marked-sensation tattoo artist who stars in the TLC reality show “LA Ink” and owns High Voltage Tattoo on La Brea, has inked another sort of deal.
The queen of tattoos and Guinness world-record holder for completing the most tattoos in 24 hours -- 400 -- has just leased a guesthouse above the Strip for $2,000 a month. Von D, born Katherine Von Drachenberg, took occupancy last week.
The guesthouse comes fully furnished and has parking. It’s a one-room studio, about 500 square feet with a wooden deck.
There is a glass-walled shower, where one can bathe and soak in the city views simultaneously. It is two blocks north of the Sunset Strip.
Neighbors will no doubt be pleased to know that Von D, 26, has been linked romantically to Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx, 49. The pair announced their relationship to the world on MySpace.
Sixx wrote a memoir titled “The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star.”
Burt Bakman and Mica Rabineau of Re/Max on the Boulevard Estates handled the lease.
--
A former anchor aims to set sail
Former KTLA Morning News co-anchor Giselle Fernandez-Farrand and her husband, John Farrand, have listed their 1924 Hancock Park house for $6.3 million.
Fernandez-Farrand left the anchor chair in 2003 and has since -- among other endeavors -- donned her dancing shoes as a competitor on ABC’s second season of “Dancing With the Stars.” (Her father was a flamenco dancer; she was still the third competitor eliminated.)
The two-story house the Farrands are selling has almost 8,000 square feet, with all the main rooms leading to the outdoor grounds.
There are eight bedrooms -- including a nursery off the master bedroom suite -- and six bathrooms. Other features include a pool, spa, gym and outdoor entertainment area.
Fernandez-Farrand, a five-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, produced a documentary in 2004 called “Our Story,” about an 11-year-old cancer patient named Dustin Meraz at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles.
During the filming, her husband’s 15-month-old grandson was diagnosed with liver cancer and was admitted to the hospital room right next door to Dustin’s. The resulting film tells the story of the two families whose lives intersected by fate.
John Farrand was president and chief executive of Panavision Inc. from 1985 to 2003. Before that, he was president of Atari World Wide, the video-game and computer manufacturing giant.
Kathy Villa of Coldwell Banker Previews, Beverly Hills North, has the listing.
--
Looking to spark a sale in the hills
Carla J. Christofferson, co-owner of the L.A. Sparks and a partner with the O’Melveny & Myers law firm, has listed her 5,300-square-foot Hollywood Hills home for $5.5 million.
Built in the grand style of Old Hollywood, the restored 1928 California Spanish-style home features large rooms, a gourmet cook’s kitchen, en suite bedrooms with designer bathrooms, a pool house and a THX theater with a 96-inch projection screen. The house sits behind a gated entry; the grounds include three fountains and a pool. There are four bedrooms, 4 1/2 bathrooms and five fireplaces.
Character actor Alan Hale (father of Alan Hale Jr. -- Skipper on “Gilligan’s Island” -- and perhaps best known for his role as Little John in the 1938 “The Adventures of Robin Hood”) bought the property in 1935. His family held on to it until it was sold in 2002.
Rachelle Rosten of Coldwell Banker Beverly Hills East office has the listing.
--