Category: Glitz and Glam

  • “Alpha Dog” House

    “Alpha Dog” House

    1275 SOUTH CALLE DE MARIA
    PALM SPRINGS

    Oozing mid-century charm, this Deepwell Estates residence enjoyed a starring role as Justin Timberlake’s home in the 2006 crime drama “Alpha Dog.” Known as the Koerner House in real life, the shed-roofed property was designed in 1955 by legendary architect E. Stewart Williams for industrialist Leon Joseph Koerner. The dwelling underwent a massive renovation in 2018 and is now, unfortunately, enclosed by a large fence, rendering it far less visible from the street than it was when “Alpha Dog” was shot nearly two decades ago.

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  • Our Lady Of Solitude Church

    Our Lady Of Solitude Church

    151 WEST ALEJO ROAD
    PALM SPRINGS

    In a case of art imitating life, not only was a memorial held here for musician Liberace following his passing in 1987, but the Spanish Revival-style church was also the site of the showman’s funeral in the 2013 biopic “Behind the Candelabra.” Designed in 1930 by legendary architect Albert C. Martin, Sr., the parish has a few additional claims to fame. President John F. Kennedy reportedly attended mass on the premises whenever he found himself in the desert and actor Jackie Coogan was a parishioner, as well.

  • “Ocean’s Eleven” House

    “Ocean’s Eleven” House

    999 NORTH PATENCIO ROAD
    PALM SPRINGS

    It is at this modernist estate that a ragtag gang of thieves, led by George Clooney, hatches a plan to pull off a major Las Vegas heist in the 2001 hit “Ocean’s Eleven.” Purported to belong to Elliott Gould onscreen, in actuality, the mid-century gem was designed by A. Quincy Jones for controversial Chicago businessman Jerome Robinson, aka “Mr. Parking Meter,” in 1957 and is known as the Jerome J. Robinson House.

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  • Riviera Resort & Spa

    Riviera Resort & Spa

    1600 NORTH INDIAN CANYON DRIVE
    PALM SPRINGS

    Way back in 1963, this place served as a lunch destination for Robert Conrad and Connie Stevens in the slapstick bedroom comedy “Palm Springs Weekend.” The property has undergone several renovations and changes in ownership since then, even known for a time as the Jimmy Buffett-themed Margaritaville Resort, but recently was returned to its original name. Though it looks quite a bit different than it did onscreen, the lodging is still worth a visit.

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  • Bob Hope House

    Bob Hope House

    2466 SOUTHRIDGE DRIVE
    RANCHO MIRAGE

    Crafted by John Lautner in 1979, Bob Hope’s infamous former house, one of the area’s most recognizable landmarks, sits perched like a beacon above the 111 Freeway in Rancho Mirage. While tucked behind gates in the ultra-exclusive Southridge Community, hikers can catch an up-close-and-personal view of the place while venturing along Araby Trail (chronicled in my attractions section above). And it is certainly worth a looksie! Canopied under a draping cement plaster roofline marked by a 60-foot circular opening, the gargantuan 25,000-square-foot residence is Lautner’s largest and most ambitious commission ever. It is also one of his most contentious, requiring more than six years to complete, mainly due to design disagreements with the Hopes, with the comedian famously lamenting of its otherworldly shape, “At least when they come down from Mars, they’ll know where to go.”

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  • Loretta Young House

    Loretta Young House

    1075 MANZANITA AVENUE
    PALM SPRINGS

    Two-time Academy Award winner Loretta Young purchased this Deepwell Estates property in 1993 with her third husband, Jean Louis (the prolific fashion designer responsible for Marilyn Monroe’s infamous “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” dress). During the actress’ seven-year tenure on the premises, she is said to have regularly tended to the hedges herself (using a pair of scissors, no less!) and decorated both the interior and exterior with a plethora of angels each Christmas.

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  • Frank Sinatra Estate

    Frank Sinatra Estate

    1145 EAST VIA COLUSA
    PALM SPRINGS

    Legendary singer Frank Sinatra called this pad, known as “Twin Palms,” home for nearly a decade, beginning upon its completion in 1947. Designed by iconic architect E. Stewart Williams (his first residential commission!) and featured in the 1950 Joan Crawford movie “The Damned Don’t Cry,” the property is most famous for being the site of what Sinatra’s second wife, Ava Gardner, called “the most spectacular fight of our young married life.” The primary bathroom sink still bears the scars from that row in the form of a large crack, the result of a champagne bottle the singer threw at Gardner during the melee. Today, the site is utilized as a special events venue/vacation rental and is available for private tours, making it one celebrity home that is fully – and fabulously – accessible to the public!

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  • Piazza Di Liberace

    Piazza Di Liberace

    1441 NORTH KAWEAH ROAD
    PALM SPRINGS

    This opulent estate, built in 1952, was Liberace’s third desert abode. Mr. Showmanship purchased the one-story structure in 1968 and sold it just four years later. Surprisingly, the statuaries that line the front walk today are not holdovers from the performer’s day but were the addition of a later owner. While the property’s interior has been remodeled several times since the 1972 sale, most recently in 2010 by renowned designer Christopher Kennedy, the exterior remains intact (unlike Liberace’s Cloisters house, which has been modified beyond recognition), and boasts countless nods to its former famous inhabitant, including music notes dotting the front gates and a whimsical piano-shaped mailbox.

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  • Cary Grant Estate

    Cary Grant Estate

    928 NORTH AVENIDA PALMAS
    PALM SPRINGS

    The longtime weekend home of Cary Grant, this property was originally built in 1927 for Dr. Jacob John Kocher, Palm Springs’ first pharmacist. The movie icon purchased it in 1954 and owned it for nearly two decades, nicknaming the sprawling Andalusian-style farmhouse “Las Palomas,” Spanish for “the doves.” During his tenure, Grant hosted everyone from Alfred Hitchcock to Grace Kelly to Sophia Loren on the premises. Don’t miss Cary’s initials embedded in the front gate, nor the mailbox, a small-scale replica of the residence said to have been constructed for the actor by legendary architect Wallace Neff. Copley’s on Palm Canyon, Grant’s former offsite guest quarters and one of my favorite spots for cocktails, is located just a few blocks west.

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  • George Hamilton House

    George Hamilton House

    591 NORTH PATENCIO WAY
    PALM SPRINGS

    This rambling 1937 abode belonged to George Hamilton and then-wife, Alana, for a few years in the early 1970s until desert life proved too quiet for the latter, at which point the couple relocated to Beverly Hills. Divorced in 1975, the duo has remained close and even popped bythe Spanish-style property to reminisce about the good old days for an episode of their short-lived reality series “Stewarts & Hamiltons” in 2015. Be sure not to miss George’s autograph and handprint, which the actor engraved on the north portion of the driveway on December 6, 1971, and remains intact today, over five decades later.

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