An updated home sure to be ‘Charmed’

Alyssa Milano, who co-stars on the WB series “Charmed,” has put her Beverly Hills-area home on the market at just under $2.3 million.

The recently updated house, built in 1987, was previously owned by actor-comedian Martin Lawrence.

The house has five bedrooms and five bathrooms in 5,700 square feet. It is on about 1.5 acres with lush gardens, patios with water features, a black-tiled pool, a spa and city and canyon views.

The open floor plan features a center courtyard with a ceiling of glass. The living room has walls of French doors.

The home also has a media room, billiard room, wood-paneled library with a private loft and a secret door, a darkroom, a sauna, a maid’s quarters with a separate entry, a master suite with a fireplace and a terrace, and a breakfast nook with a fireplace. Security features on the property include a video-monitored gate.

Milano, 30, has co-starred on “Charmed,” playing Phoebe Halliwell, since 1998. She played Tony Danza’s daughter on the ABC sitcom “Who’s the Boss?” (1984-92). In recent months, she has been linked romantically with ‘N Sync’s Justin Timberlake.

Kevin Godley of Re/Max Olson, Westlake Village, has the listing.

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Headed to Valley for a rustic setting

Jean Smart, who stars as actor Dennis Farina’s wife, Marlene, in the NBC-TV series “The In-Laws,” and her husband, actor Richard Gilliland, have purchased a New England-style farmhouse in Encino for slightly more than the $1.27-million price of a Westside house that they sold.

Their new home was built in the 1920s but was recently restored. It has four bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms in 3,500 square feet. The home, behind gates on nearly an acre of rolling lawns, also has a sun room with a used-brick floor; a basement; hardwood floors, some of which were hand-stenciled; a guest- house and a pool.

Smart and Gilliland sold their former home in Brentwood to a newlywed couple. That house, built in 1950, has three bedrooms in 2,800 square feet. The traditional-style home also has a grassy yard and a pool.

Smart, who played Charlene in the TV series “Designing Women” (1986-1992), portrayed Reese Witherspoon’s ex-mother-in-law in the movie “Sweet Home Alabama” (2002) and had a recurring role as Sherry in the series “The District” (2000-02). She won two Emmy Awards for a guest role on “Frasier.”

Gilliland, who had a recurring role as J.D. Shackleford in “Designing Women,” has appeared in many TV movies and series, including, most recently, “Becker,” “Judging Amy,” “Party of Five” and “The Practice.”

The couple, married in 1987, met on the set of “Designing Women.”

They were represented by Cathy Cressy of Re/Max in buying. The home they purchased had been listed by Judy Cycon of Prudential John Aaroe. The home they sold had been listed by Nancy Morandi of Coldwell Banker. The buyers of the couple’s Westside home were represented by Kathleen Lawrence and Suzanne Altfeld of Gilleran Griffin Realtors.

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Not down or out in Beverly Hills

Paul Mazursky, an independent filmmaker often compared to his fellow New Yorker Woody Allen, and his actress wife, Betsy, recently bought a Beverly Hills home closer to local shops, and they have listed their former Beverly Hills home north of Sunset Boulevard at just under $4.3 million.

Among his movies is “Down and Out in Beverly Hills” (1986), which he directed, wrote and co-produced.

Built in 1969, the four-bedroom, nearly 5,000-square-foot home that the Mazurskys are selling has two large pools, a two-story living room, a granite kitchen, and a den with a fireplace and a bar. The house is made of canyon stone and has glass doors and wooden floors.

Paul Mazursky developed his acting and writing careers before he had a chance to direct his own screenplays. He made his film directing debut with “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice” (1969), which he co-wrote and in which he had a bit part. He wrote, directed, co-produced and appeared in “An Unmarried Woman” (1978), starring Jill Clayburgh. He also played a part in the movie “Moon Over Parador” (1988), which he directed.

He recently made a guest appearance on “The Sopranos” and played a recurring role as Sela Ward’s father on the ABC series “Once and Again.” Earlier, he did some voice work in the animated “Antz” (1998).

Betsy Mazursky has acted in six of her husband’s movies, starting with “Tempest” (1982). The couple has been married since 1953.

Michael J. Libow of Coldwell Banker Previews, Beverly Hills South, and Joan Leopold of Sotheby’s International Realty, Beverly Hills, share the listing.

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Soap writer sails to a new port

James Harmon Brown, a head writer of the ABC daytime drama “Port Charles,” and his wife, TV executive Doree Glaser, have purchased a home in the Beverly Hills area for close to its $1.7-million asking price.

Before buying the house, the couple owned an apartment, which they recently sold, in New York City.

The Beverly Hills-area home was built in 1937 and redesigned by architect Gus Duffy about 15 years ago for actress Jane Seymour.

The traditional-style house has four bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms in about 3,500 square feet. The home has a two-story entry, a den and a living/media room with a fireplace. The kitchen has a breakfast nook and a bay window. The master suite has two walk-in closets, a spa tub and a steam shower. The park-like yard has a pool and a brick patio.

Brown and his writing partner, Barbara Esensten, have been head writers of “Port Charles” for the last three years, during which time the series, originally a spinoff of “General Hospital,” became a series of 13-week telenovelas that feature a community of vampires.

Brown and Esensten were formerly executive story editors for the ABC prime-time soap “Dynasty,” and they were head writers for the CBS daytime series “Guiding Light,” for which they received a Daytime Emmy.

Glaser has worked extensively in international TV and film, most recently as senior vice president international for British Sky Broadcasting, Foxtel and Star Television, subsidiaries of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp.

Steve Frankel of Coldwell Banker, Beverly Hills East, represented the buyers. Jana Jones-Duffy and Fred Holley of Coldwell Banker, Beverly Hills South, had the listing.

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TV exec’s home has an ocean view

John Nogawski, president of Paramount Domestic Television, and his wife, Melanie, have purchased a newly built, ocean-view home in Manhattan Beach for $3.1 million.

The Cape Cod-style home has five bedrooms and five bathrooms in slightly more than 4,200 square feet. The house was built by Robert Norrie Development.

Patty and Reyn Parke and Steve Zukmann, all of the Parke Group at Shorewood Realtors in Manhattan Beach, represented both sides of the deal.

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Liberace’s house a listing refrain

Liberace’s former Palm Springs home has come on the market at $2.75 million.

The hacienda-style home, built in 1930 in the old Las Palmas area of town, is being sold by Stefan Hemming, the investor who bought it from Liberace’s estate.

Hemming now wants to downsize. “After all, 8,000 square feet is a lot for a guy without pets,” said listing agent Andy Linsky of Windermere Coachella Valley.

Liberace lived in the home from 1967 until he died in 1987.

The home has seven bedrooms and 8.5 bathrooms. French doors open to mature gardens or private courtyards. There are multiple fireplaces and chandeliers and sconces dating to the Liberace era.

There is a step-down bar adjacent to the den, a powder room hidden behind bookshelves at the top of the stairs and a wine cellar. Outside there are vine-covered arches, fountains and a pool.

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To see previous columns on celebrity transactions visit www.latimes.com/hotproperty.