Always wanted your name on a Walk of Fame akin to the historic Hollywood landmark? Look no further! Your dream home awaits in the heart of Beverly Hills, just moments from Rodeo Drive and the Beverly Hills Hotel. As first announced by The Hollywood Reporter, a 1920s estate long owned by legendary actor Kirk Douglas and his second wife Anne Buydens — who both passed away within the last two years, he at age 103 and she at 102 — has popped up on the market. And though the $7.5 million asking price may seem steep, that amount is actually reasonable considering the property’s primo location and its one-of-a kind attribute — a swath of concrete pavers adorning an outdoor garden path, all of them autographed by some of Tinseltown’s top stars.
“This is an estate like nowhere else in today’s real estate market,” says listing agent Rochelle Atlas Maize of Nourmand & Associates. “It was a sanctuary of the late Kirk and Anne Douglas, and it’s not hard to see why. From the manicured gardens to the timeless design, the indoor-outdoor living spaces made it easy for the couple to entertain icons like Dean Martin, Lucille Ball, Barbra Streisand and Frank Sinatra. Fond memories were made here and we hope the same narrative continues for the next owners.”
Per records, the legendary actor purchased the traditional-style residence back in the 1970s for a mere $400,000, extensively renovating the premises in the decades since. Situated in the Beverly Hills Flats neighborhood, the character-filled spread includes a main house and a detached two-story guest house spread across a 0.36-acre parcel of land, replete with a spacious motorcourt and driveway with room for several vehicles.
Perhaps most famous for that pathway of autographs — which the owners called the “Stars of Beverly Hills” — the home features 22 stones signed by Milton Berle, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Ronald Reagan, Lucille Ball, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Elizabeth Taylor, Eddie Fisher, Jack Nicholson, Jane Fonda, Warren Beatty, Charlton Heston, Natalie Wood, Barbra Streisand, Polly Bergen, Henry Fonda, Angie Dickinson, Tony Curtis, Robert Taylor, Janet Leigh, Ricardo Montalban, Barbara Rush, Edward G. Robinson, Roger Moore, Rosalind Russell, Robert Stack, James Mason, Cyd Charisse, Shirley MacLaine, Jack Benny, Mary Livingstone, Hugh O’Brian, Jack Lemmon, Joanna and Sidney Poitier, Elizabeth Montgomery, Burt Lancaster and Edie Adams. Kirk and his sons Michael, Eric, Joel and Peter also autographed the stones.
As for the house itself, the stucco-clad structure is gated and hidden away from the street by tall hedges. An ornate wooden door opens to the four-bedroom main house, which offers 4,600-plus square feet of single-level living space rife with expansive wood-paneled spaces. Highlights include a fireside family room sporting French doors that spill out to a private brick terrace and family room topped by a masssive skylight, plus a formal dining room adorned with a decorative stained-glass ceiling.
An updated kitchen is outfitted with high-end appliances, a breakfast bar and butler’s pantry, and the home’s four ensuite bedrooms include a master retreat boasting a marble bath. Then there are the picturesque resort-inspired grounds, showcased by a sparkling pool and spa flanked by a sundeck, and displaying several areas ideal for entertaining — all encircled by mature trees and gardens.