144 Monovale Dr ... Nice Place to Call Home

Can you imagine growing up in a house like this??    Liz and Skip had to have had fun exploring their very large home.  And, of course, there was the pool with a pool house, off to the left of the picture, along with 1.63 acres to explore without leaving the yard.  (Do you sense a tad bit of envy ...)

FACTOIDS:
   Yr Built, 1937, although appears it was first occupied in 1938.  Initial cost of $25,000.  Depending on the source, it's current market value is as high as $25 million!

   It has 9,756 sq. ft., including seven bedrooms and seven bathrooms, with a total of 25 rooms.

   Bob sold it in the 1940s, part of his downsizing because of his military service in WWII.  Do not have a year when he sold it (Do you know?).  I do know he was living on Bellagio Rd in Bel Air in 1947.

   Franchot Tone owned the property in the 1950s and 1960s, may have purchased it directly from Bob, but not sure.  That would make sense, could not have been that many buyers in the market for a Hollywood mansion in the 1940s.  Understand Liz tried to buy it from Tone in the 1960s, after marrying Asher, but Tone declined.  Guess you really can't go home again! 

   And the next owner of record.....ta da.....Elvis Presley!!  He bought it in 1970, Priscilla stayed on for a while after their divorce and Elvis sold it in 1975.   One can only guess what Bob must have thought of having the home he designed and so loved, pass into the hands of a rock and roll star!

    Telly Savalas may or may not have been the next owner.  I have read conflicting reports.

    The current owner is the Meehan family (as in co-founder of Redkin Hair Products).  They purchased it back in the 1990s, I believe.

It really is a beautiful home.  Bob and Betty had good tastes.