Lease Was Offer He Couldn’t Refuse
AL PACINO, who most recently co-starred in the movies “Donnie Brasco” and “The Devil’s Advocate,” has leased a gated Beverly Hills-area home for five weeks, sources say.
The Country English-style house, on more than 1.5 acres, was leased, furnished, at $16,500 a month, sources said.
The Oscar-winning actor and star of the “Godfather” trilogy lives in his native New York, in a house just outside of Manhattan, but he periodically visits L.A. Actress Beverly D’Angelo, whom he has been dating since 1997, has a home in the L.A. area, sources say.
Pacino, 58, has been working on an as-yet-untitled film directed by Michael Mann about tobacco-industry whistle-blower Jeffrey Wigand. Pacino, who plays a “60 Minutes” producer, was on the Kentucky set of the movie in May, but there is a break in filming until mid-July.
Pacino plans to star in a remake of the 1958 movie “Marjorie Morningstar,” based on Herman Wouk’s best-selling novel. Pacino will play the role originated by Gene Kelly in the movie, which starred Natalie Wood in the title role.
He also has agreed to star as the coach in a pro football movie to be directed by Oliver Stone. The film is due to be shot in Miami in the fall.
The house that Pacino leased is in a park-like setting with a pool, spa and private drive. It has four bedrooms, four baths, two fireplaces and a kitchen opening to a family room. Built in 1940, the house was expanded and renovated recently.
Elaine Young and Barbara Eisner of DBL Realtors, Beverly Hills, had the listing, and Jo Wilder of Sothebys, Brentwood, represented Pacino, other sources said.
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DONNA MILLS, who became a star playing venal but sexy Abby Ewing on the prime-time CBS soap “Knots Landing” (1980-1989), has sold her Beverly Hills-area home of nearly a dozen years for close to its $3-million asking price, sources say.
Mills, in her early 50s, starred earlier this year in the Family Channel movie “Mary Higgins Clark’s Moonlight Becomes You.” Last year, she appeared in a “Knots Landing” miniseries.
Mills is planning to move to another Westside home closer to the ocean and to her daughter’s school, sources have said.
Built in 1953 and remodeled during the past few years by Mills, the 6,500-square-foot house that she sold has four bedrooms, six baths, a gym, waterfall and pool.
The country-style home, designed by architect Robert Byrd, is on two acres.
Joyce Rey and Cecelia Waeschle of Coldwell Banker-Jon Douglas Co., Beverly Hills, had the listing with Shelli Broder of the firm’s Brentwood office; Julie Jones and Christine Tittel of the company’s Sunset office represented the buyer, a local businessman, other sources said.
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The Beverly Hills home of the late Broadway composer and lyricist BOB MERRILL has come on the market at $1.45 million.
Merrill wrote such popular songs as “If I Knew You Were Coming I’d’ve Baked a Cake” and “[How Much Is] That Doggie in the Window?” He also wrote “Love Makes the World Go Round” from “Carnival” and “People” and “Don’t Rain on My Parade” from “Funny Girl.”
The traditional-style home is in the flats of Beverly Hills and has four bedrooms and three baths in about 3,300 square feet. Built in 1948, the house has been updated and was Merrill’s home for 23 years, until he died in February at age 74. He is survived by his wife, Suzanne.
Patricia Hodson at DBL Realtors, Sunset Strip, has the listing.
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PHIL ROSENTHAL, creator and executive producer of the CBS sitcom “Everybody Loves Raymond,” and his wife, Monica, have purchased a Hancock Park house for about $2.2 million, sources say. He was a writer and producer of the comedy series “Coach” from 1993 to 1996.
The couple bought a five-bedroom 8,500-square-foot house, built in the 1920s and restored recently. The house also has seven baths and a pool.
Jodi Hodges of Fred Sands’ Los Feliz and Sunset Strip offices represented the buyers, and Denise Fraker at John Aaroe & Associates, Beverly Hills, had the listing with Lisa Hutchins at Coldwell Banker-Jon Douglas Co., Hancock Park, other sources said.
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JOHN “JAKE” JACOBSON, production manager for the hit movie “As Good as It Gets,” and his wife, ANN KURRASCH JACOBSON, an executive with Showtime, have purchased a Pacific Palisades home at slightly more than $1 million, sources say.
The four-bedroom 3,500-square-foot house was built in 1994 and is behind gates with mountain views, a source said.
Norma Jean Milne of Coldwell Banker-Jon Douglas Co., Pacific Palisades, represented the buyers.
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The Santa Barbara-area home of the late CLARENCE GAUSS, a career diplomat who was U.S. ambassador to China in the early 1940s, has been listed at $2.15 million.
Gauss, who bought the three-acre Hope Ranch home in 1951, died in 1960, but the property is still owned by his family.
The site, which has panoramic ocean views and mature oaks as well as a house in need of refurbishing or razing, is listed with Paul O’Keeffe of Joyce Gibb Realtor, Santa Barbara.
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Author ROBERT HUTCHINSON, whose travel book “When in Rome” was published on June 1 by Doubleday, and his wife, Glenn, have just purchased a San Clemente home.
The couple and their three young sons moved to Italy in 1996 so the author could research Vatican life for his book.
After he and his family returned from Rome, they lived temporarily in Irvine before closing escrow on their new home at $579,000, sources say. The house has a pool and ocean view.
Linda Fell of the San Juan Capistrano office of Coldwell Banker represented the buyers, and Morlene Atkinson of the firm’s San Clemente/Capistrano Beach office had the listing.
