Steeped in History, a Silent Film Star’s Former Malibu Beach House Asks $25 Million

Making its first-ever appearance on the open market is a piece of Malibu real estate with a multi-layered history.

Located just below Tuna Canyon, the oceanfront residence was originally built in 1931 for Fanchon Simon, a pioneering theatrical impresario who, along with her brother, Marco Wolff, produced lavish stage shows that took place in movie theaters across the country as an accompaniment to film screenings.

In 1932, the property was purchased by silent film icon Buster Keaton and his wife and sometime co-star, Natalie Talmadge. The unhappily married couple split up that same year, and Talmadge remained in the Malibu abode with their two sons for the next decade or so before moving back to her native New York.

In the 1940s, Malibu went through a motel boom, and the three-story residence was converted to the Las Tunas Isle Motor Hotel, and then to an apartment complex. For the past several decades, it’s been the home of retired real estate developer and dedicated surfer/boatsman Armand Olaf Riza, but now the time has come for the 92-year-old dwelling to transition into its next incarnation.

Sited behind a long wall sheathed with canyon stones and fronted by an eight-car motor court, the home contains five bedrooms and five baths (plus a couple of powder rooms) within 5,300 square feet. While dated and its condition less than perfect, there are still some appealing features in evidence, including three fireplaces, hardwood floors, French doors, picture windows, and multiple courtyards, patios, and balconies.

With approximately 130 feet of beach frontage, the property enjoys spectacular views of the Queen’s Necklace and Catalina Island. Its location at the eastern end of Malibu is nicely convenient for commuting to L.A.’S West Side but probably its strongest selling point is its generous lot, which encompasses three parcels spanning more than one-third of an acre.

Should location and size be compelling enough to reel in a buyer willing to pay anywhere near the $25 million ask, it will set a price record for this particular section of Malibu.

Jason Ventress of Action Now Realty represents the listing.