He’s the ‘Talk’ of Brentwood

Comedian GARRY SHANDLING, who stars as HBO’s fictional, late-night talk-show host Larry Sanders, has moved into his newly built Brentwood home.

Shandling, who plays Warren Beatty’s best friend and lawyer in the upcoming feature-film remake of the 1939 romance “Love Affair” (also remade in 1957 as “An Affair to Remember”), has been approached several times to regularly host real talk shows, most recently in the Fox spot vacated by Chevy Chase.

However, Shandling, who will host the 36th annual Grammy Awards from Radio City Music Hall March 1 on CBS, has a two-year contract covering 35 new episodes through this year of “The Larry Sanders Show,” which he co-created, co-writes and executive produces.

Before the Emmy-winning talk-show spoof went back into production in January, Shandling had moved into his new house: an Early California-style, walled-in villa with four bedrooms in 8,000 square feet on about two acres, including an acre of park-like grounds.

There is a swimming pool made of rocks and boulders; a basketball court and a meditation garden on the site, overlooking the city. One of Shandling’s hobbies is playing basketball, and he studied Zen meditation after being seriously injured in a 1977 car accident.

Shandling, 44, is sharing his new home with his fiance, Linda Doucett, 35, who plays Darlene, announcer Hank’s loyal assistant on “The Larry Sanders Show.” A former model, the 5-foot-7, 118-pound Doucett was featured in last September’s Playboy magazine.

A native of Chicago, Shandling moved to Los Angeles in 1973 from Tucson, where he was raised. He was living in Sherman Oaks before moving to Brentwood.

The Brentwood house was designed by architect Robert Earl.

Several Hollywood celebs and other personalities have leased homes in the L.A. area. Among them: NORMAN LEAR, whose Mandeville Canyon home was badly damaged in the Northridge earthquake, has leased a former home of Carol Burnett’s in Beverly Hills, sources say. The asking price was in the $40,000- to $50,000-a-month range.

ALAN LADD JR., who bought the late Fanny Brice’s former home in Holmby Hills in 1992 for $8 million and then extensively remodeled it, has leased his Beverly Hills home to a Beverly Hills businessman who was a quake victim, sources say. Delphine Mann represented Ladd, and Judy Hanaur, the businessman; both agents are with Douglas Properties.

JON PETERS, who suffered a fire at his Beverly Park home before the earthquake, just leased a 9,000-square-foot Holmby Hills mansion that was for sale at $9.8 million and for lease at $35,000 a month. Stan Richman, assistant manager of Jon Douglas Co.’s Beverly Hills office, represented the owners, and Joe Coons, Prudential Rodeo Realty, represented Peters.

And in the Sunset Strip-area, Saudi Prince MOHAMMED BIN SAUD AL FAISAL has leased a three-bedroom, 3,500-square-foot home for a year at $5,000 a month, sources say. The house was once owned by comedian Yakov Smirnoff and, earlier, by late comic Lenny Bruce. The prince plans to use the home for only a few weeks a year, when he’s in Los Angeles.

Tony Shultz of Fred Sands, Hollywood Hills, had the listing, and Kurt Rappaport of Nourmand & Associates, Beverly Hills, represented the prince.