Singer’s getting it together in Hollywood
Seal, who is making a comeback with the single “Get It Together” and an album due out in the fall, has leased a house in the Hollywood Hills while he is finishing and promoting his new recordings.
The British singer-songwriter owned a home in Beverly Hills during the late 1990s but moved back to his native London to work with music producer Trevor Horn on the album, which has been four years in the making.
Seal leased a three-bedroom, recently renovated contemporary with staff quarters and city views for about $12,000 a month. The furnished house, which was not on the market, is on a private street.
Seal won acclaim with “Kiss From a Rose” from his 1994 album. The song was used in the 1995 film “Batman Forever.” His latest album, due out Sept. 9 on Warner Bros. Records, features 12 new songs.
He made a guest appearance last year on the dance band Jakatta’s “My Vision” track but has been quiet professionally since selling more than 9 million earlier albums and earning several Grammy Awards.
The singer, 40, was born Sealhenry Samuel. He is one of four artists in pop history to have a No. 1 song -- “Kiss From a Rose” -- written in 3/4 time.
Ernie Carswell of the Cars- well Collection at Coldwell Banker, Beverly Hills, handled both sides of the lease.
A penthouse for ‘McBeal’ crooner
Josh Groban, who gained attention playing a nerd with a wonderful baritone singing voice in the 2001 season finale of the Fox-TV series “Ally McBeal,” has become a first-time home buyer with his purchase of a penthouse condominium in Beverly Hills for just under $1 million.
Groban, 22, bought a unit with three bedrooms and three bathrooms in nearly 2,000 square feet. The condo also has a roof terrace with Hollywood Hills views. The singer-actor plans to do some redecorating.
He is scheduled to perform Aug. 2 with John Williams at Tanglewood in Lenox, Mass., and Sept. 15 at the New Amsterdam Theatre on Broadway for a one-night benefit production of the musical “Chess.”
Groban is working on his second album, due out in late October. His debut album, in 2001, went triple platinum. He plans to go on tour in January.
The tall, curly-haired singer, who was raised in Los Angeles, was chosen by record producer-composer David Foster to perform at the 1999 inauguration ceremonies of Gov. Gray Davis. Groban also sang at the closing ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics.
Dale Noble of the Hollywood Hills office of Coldwell Banker represented Groban in his purchase.
They’re rapping it up in Montecito
Mark Cerami, founder of MSC Music & Entertainment and co-founder of Priority Records, and his wife, Jenean, have listed their 22,000-square-foot Montecito home on 11 acres at $40 million.
They decided to sell the home, which they’ve owned since 1998, because he works in the L.A. area and is tired of the commute. The couple recently completed restoring the house, designed by Myron Hunt and built in 1924.
Known as Cima del Mundo (Top of the World), the Spanish hacienda-style estate has ocean, harbor, valley and mountain views. It also has seven bedrooms, seven full bathrooms, five half-bathrooms, a gym, sauna, 15-seat theater, bowling alley, billiards room with saltwater aquarium, mosaic swimming pool with a waterfall and spa, and a guesthouse.
Fountains, lush gardens and courtyard patios surround 100-year-old oaks and olive trees on the grounds.
The manor house has elaborate, hand-carved teak vaulted ceilings in the living room and walnut-coffered ceilings in the dining room. The master suite has a fireplace, sitting room and office with ocean and other views.
The Santa Monica-based label MSC specialized initially in rap when it was launched in 2002. Priority was home to some of the biggest rap stars in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s.
EMI, the mega-force behind Virgin and Capitol Records, bought half of Priority in the fall of 1996 from its founders, Bryan Turner and Cerami, for an estimated $50 million.
Rebecca Riskin of Village Properties, Montecito, has the listing.
Coast is a good fit for jeans mogul
Paul Guez, the founder of Sasson Jeans who also has been active in the independent film business, and his wife, Elizabeth, have purchased a home on the Santa Monica Gold Coast. The asking price was $8.2 million.
The villa was built in 1927 but was extensively remodeled about three years ago and has four bedrooms, including a master suite with a patio overlooking a pool and the ocean. There is a two-story courtyard with sunlight from a retractable glass ceiling. The house also has a theater and a large yard next to the sand. There is enough parking for eight cars.
Guez, in his 50s, immigrated to the U.S. from Tunisia in the early ‘70s and soon afterward started Sasson, which became a major producer and importer of jeans.
June Scott of June Scott Estates, a Coldwell Banker company, had the listing, while Barry Scott and Mark Goldsmith of the same firm represented the buyers, sources said.
A funnyman’s four-bedroom
Oliver Hardy’s Hollywood hideaway of the late ‘30s and ‘40s has been sold for close to its $729,000 asking price.
The four-bedroom, 1,800-square-foot Mediterranean-style house in the hills behind gates was built in 1928 and belonged to the famous comic during some of his prime years. He lived there with his wife, Myrtle. Hardy’s comedy partner, Stan Laurel, lived across the street. Hardy is said to have regularly yelled at Laurel from the roof.
The seller was Paula Fontenot, an ad executive in the entertainment industry who is also a former beauty pageant winner. She moved to San Francisco.
Nancy Sill of Prudential John Aaroe, Beverly Hills, had the listing.
A starmaker will hit the beach
Jay Bernstein, called a “starmaker” for managing the early careers of such clients as Farrah Fawcett and Suzanne Somers, has listed his Beverly Hills home of more than 20 years at $2.85 million.
Bernstein, also an Emmy-winning producer for his work on “Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer” TV series, starring Stacy Keach, plans to move to Malibu.
His Spanish-style home was built in 1926 and was home, during the late 1930s, to Clark Gable and Carole Lombard.
The house has five bedrooms, four bathrooms and city-to-ocean views.
The gated estate also has a wine cellar, a gym and a large indoor spa.
Bob Hurwitz of Hurwitz James, Beverly Hills, has the listing.
To see previous columns on celebrity transactions visit www.latimes.com/hotproperty.
