Cage takes his act out of Venice
Nicolas Cage, who stars in the upcoming movies “Ghost Rider” and “Matchstick Men,” has sold his beachfront getaway in Venice for about $3.4 million.
The Oscar-winning actor (“Leaving Las Vegas,” 1995) had owned the three-bedroom, 4,400-square-foot home since early 2002, when he bought it for about $2.7 million. He had owned the house for nearly eight months when he put it up for lease at $35,000 a month. He married Lisa Marie Presley soon after buying the house, and they were divorced by the time he sold.
Cage has a couple of other homes in the L.A. area, and he owns several hundred acres of land in Malibu.
The three-story Venice house has a master suite that overlooks the ocean and a screening room that opens out to the beach. It has a kitchen with a breakfast bar, a landscaped roof deck, a security system and two fireplaces. The house was built in 2001.
Cage, 39, has starred in such recent movies as “Adaptation” (2002), “Windtalkers” (2002), “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin” (2001) and “Gone in Sixty Seconds” (2000). He also stars in the upcoming movie “National Treasure.”
Just another in a series for TV exec
Gary Lieberthal, former chairman and chief executive of Columbia TriStar Television, has sold his Montecito home for about $13 million. Lieberthal relocated to Malibu Colony.
The five-bedroom, nine-bathroom Montecito home is on nearly 2.8 acres with ocean views. The dining room overlooks the pool, gardens and the Pacific. The 10,000-square-foot home also has a formal living room with a wet bar; a kitchen/family room opening to a patio with a fireplace; a great room with a breakfast area; a library; a master suite with a sitting area; three family suites; a guest suite over the three-car garage; and a detached one-bedroom guesthouse.
After launching his 15th series, “Designing Women,” into syndication, Lieberthal retired at 46 as chairman of the TV division of Columbia Pictures Entertainment. He was named Columbia Pictures TV chair in 1986.
Rebecca Riskin of Village Properties, Montecito, had the listing.
Pairs skater circles Sherman Oaks
Tai Babilonia, who won the 1979 world pairs figure-skating title with partner Randy Gardner, has sold her Sherman Oaks home for $575,000. She purchased a larger house in a nearby neighborhood.
The house she sold has two bedrooms and 1 1/2 bathrooms in about 1,300 square feet. The traditional-style home, built in 1958, also has an eat-in kitchen, a wood-burning fireplace, vaulted ceilings and hardwood floors.
Babilonia, 43, and Gardner, 45, recently wrote the book “Forever Two as One” with Martha Lowder Kimball; it is published by Millpond Press. The book is based on the skaters’ experiences. Due to an injury, they withdrew from the Olympic Games in 1980, but they toured with ice shows after that. Today, Gardner is a choreographer and producer; Babilonia has jewelry and clothing lines.
Her home was purchased by Steve Shrager of Prudential John Aaroe, Encino. Shrager was represented by Bill Taylor of the same office. The house was listed by J. Valvo of Coldwell Banker.
Agent will take his talents elsewhere
ICM agent John Burnham, who is known for representing such talent as directors Woody Allen and Gus Van Sant, has sold a Beverly Hills-area home for its $2.5-million asking price. The home belonged at one time to actress Candice Bergen and at another time to actor Chris O’Donnell. Burnham moved to Santa Monica.
The house was built in 1955 and has four bedrooms and three bathrooms in 2,400 square feet. Cape Cod in style, the one-story walled and gated home has wood-beamed ceilings, an eat-in kitchen, a pool, a spa and a guesthouse. All public rooms open to a courtyard and garden.
Richard Ehrlich and Stephen Shapiro of Westside Estate Agency, Beverly Hills, had the listing.
Latest direction: Hollywood Hills
Mike Lipscombe, who has directed music videos for Faith Hill, Tom Petty and other top performers, has put his Venice Beach home on the market at slightly more than $1.4 million.
Lipscombe, a native of England who is in his late 30s, plans to move to the Hollywood Hills.
His Venice home was designed by architect Michael Folonis to have a three-story atrium-loft space. The home has three bedrooms and 2 1/2 bathrooms in about 2,900 square feet. It also has a wet bar, office, balconies and a two-car garage.
There are maple and slate floors, black granite counters, two Danish fireplaces and a walled courtyard. The home, which underwent a complete remodel in 1991, is within walking distance of the beach.
Eloise Kong of Nigel Coventry Real Estate has the listing.
To see previous columns on celebrity transactions visit www.latimes.com/hotproperty.
