The American version of the beloved mockumentary series “The Office” was launched as a word-for-word re-creation of its British predecessor. By episode two, though, the production team started to branch out with original storylines and characters. Had they not, Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton Branch Regional Manager Michael Scott (Steve Carell) never would have met his nemesis, human resources representative/perennial fun-killer Toby Flenderson (Paul Leiberstein).
Initially hired as a writer, Leiberstein made his first appearance as Toby in the second episode, “Diversity Day.” Though he only had one line, he made quite an impression. As series writer Michael Schur is quoted as saying in “The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s,” “Kevin Reilly, the president of NBC, saw the [‘Diversity Day’] dailies and said, ‘Who is that redheaded guy? Get him in the show more.’” The adversarial relationship between Toby and Michael quickly proved television gold, gifting audiences with nuggets such as this one-liner from Michael in season six, “If I had a gun with two bullets and I was in a room with Hitler, Bin Laden, and Toby, I would shoot Toby twice.”
Well, Toby may be “the worst,” but the house used as his on the show, which just came up for sale this week, certainly isn’t! The charming ranch-style property is being offered by Farah Levi and Jessica Michalov of The Agency for a cool $1.098 million! The Dunder Mifflin HR position pays quite well, it would seem!
Purported to be located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in reality the single-story pad can be found at 5752 Calhoun Ave. in Sherman Oaks, just a little over three miles from Chandler Valley Center Studios, the production facility that served as the series’ home for seasons two through nine. (Season one was lensed at the now-defunct Century Studio Corporation at 3322 La Cienega Pl. in Culver City.)
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Image Credit: Noel Kleinman Charming through and through, the turnkey property features three bedrooms and two baths in 1,505 square feet. That’s a whopping $730 a square foot for those counting – which just goes to show that while many metropolitan real estate markets are suffering due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Los Angeles area is holding strong.
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Image Credit: Noel Kleinman Built in 1941 but recently renovated, the residence boasts numerous updates including a kitchen with custom cabinetry, high-end stainless steel appliances, a double oven, a wine fridge, and extensive tilework.
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Image Credit: Noel Kleinman The main living areas of the home all open to the kitchen. Warm and inviting, the spaces are the perfect spots to gather with family and friends – and discuss theories about the Scranton Strangler, perhaps?
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Image Credit: Noel Kleinman Bright, open and airy, the interior of the dwelling is outfitted with stylish, understated furnishings, not exactly befitting of Dunder Mifflin’s most maudlin and milquetoast employee. Considering these are the digs Toby got to come home to, it’s not so bad that the whole Costa Rica thing didn’t work out!
The gated property also features modernized bathrooms, hardwood flooring throughout and a front intercom system.
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Image Credit: Noel Kleinman The pad’s real selling point, though (aside from its “Office” cameo), is the backyard, which seems much more spacious than its 0.2 acres.
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Image Credit: Noel Kleinman The idyllic space features a wide expanse of lawn and a twinkle-light-strung patio complete with a fire pit and dining area.
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Image Credit: Noel Kleinman There is also a 360-square-foot detached finished garage on the premises, which currently serves as a bonus room.
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Image Credit: Noel Kleinman The property only appeared once on “The Office,” in the season seven episode titled “Michael’s Last Dundies,” which aired in 2011. In it, Michael and his soon-to-be replacement, Deangelo Vickers (Will Ferrell), go house to house to present Dundie nomination certificates to the Dunder Mifflin gang – “just like the Oscars!” After presenting Jim Halpert (John Krasinski), Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) and Stanley Hudson (Leslie David Baker) with their respective certificates, Michael and Deangelo make a stop at Toby’s place. But instead of handing over his nomination, Michael proceeds to throw eggs at the exterior, proclaiming, “Hey, Toby, you suck,” to which Deangelo asks, “Is this an employee of ours?”
Though the segment took two hours to film, it amounted to only about ten seconds of screen time. The moment is small but memorable – and made all the more poignant by the fact that “Michael’s Last Dundies” marked Carell’s penultimate episode of “The Office” (excluding his return in the series finale).
The episode made use of several homes in the immediate area. The ramshackle residence belonging to Meredith Palmer (Kate Flannery), which Vickers says reminds him of Hurricane Katrina, is right around the corner from Toby’s at 14142 Emelita St. And Jim and Pam’s marital home is a little over a mile away at 13831 Calvert St.
For those looking for a good-bye gift for the sellers, might I suggest going the Michael Scott route by wrapping up a rock with the words “Suck on this!”
Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂
Stalk It: Toby’s house from “The Office” is located at 5752 Calhoun Ave. in Sherman Oaks. Disclaimer: Please remember this is a private home. Do not trespass or bother the residents or the property in any way.