Marilyn Monroe's Brentwood home is being demolished Los Angeles Times

Table Of Content

• Marilyn Monroe's Last Day Revealed in The Fixer: Moguls, Mobsters, Movie Stars, and Marilyn
• 1959: Critical acclaim and marriage to Arthur Miller
• The homes she shared with husband Arthur Miller
• Paris Hilton shares ‘beautiful’ double meaning behind daughter London’s middle name
• Here's What Happened To The House Marilyn Monroe Died In

Monroe bought her Brentwood home in 1962, as her marriage to Arthur Miller (pictured here) was ending. The motion to protect the home was introduced by Councilwoman Traci Park, who represents the city’s 11th district, which includes Brentwood. Ms. Park found out about the looming demolition on Sept. 6 after an article in The New York Post was circulated widely among her constituents, she said. Instead, he called Dr. Engelberg, the man who had written the prescription for Monroe’s sleeping pills. Engelberg drove over, confirmed Greenson’s suspicion that Monroe was dead, and then called the police.

Marilyn Monroe's Last Day Revealed in The Fixer: Moguls, Mobsters, Movie Stars, and Marilyn

A beloved vestige of Old Hollywood has been spared from destruction—at least, for now. Last week, the New York Post reported that the Marilyn Monroe’s Brentwood Spanish Colonial was on its way to being demolished. The publication claimed that the new owner of the storied residence, where Monroe’s body was found in 1962 after an alleged barbiturates overdose, recently filed for a demolition permit. A Brentwood, California, home that once belonged to the legendary actress Marilyn Monroe was just listed for $6.9 million. The screen icon purchased the hacienda-style house in early 1962 after divorcing her third husband, Arthur Miller, according to Variety, but only lived there for a few months. She was found dead in her bedroom at the home in August of that year at 36 years old of an apparent drug overdose.

1959: Critical acclaim and marriage to Arthur Miller

Marilyn Monroe's former Brentwood home could become historic landmark - KABC-TV

Marilyn Monroe's former Brentwood home could become historic landmark.

Posted: Tue, 02 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

She put down just $650,000 for the property, which most recently sold for over $7 million. The house next door is owned by a notably wealthy heiress named Brinah Milstein, who is married to Roy Bank — a former reality television producer and Philadelphia native. Milstein acquired her current Brentwood home, a 2006-built mansion that spans some 6,000 square feet of living space, in 2016 for about $8.2 million. Intriguingly, the situation does not seem to be as simple as it first appears. Although nothing was confirmed, there were rumors that the couple who owned the property next door to Monroe's had plans to build one large property on the planned vacant lot. These rumors sparked when Esotouric's overhead film footage showed that the wall dividing the properties had been taken down.

The homes she shared with husband Arthur Miller

Relocation would be a lengthy and costly process, however, and it remains unclear if the home would be able to be relocated. In Los Angeles, designation as a Historic-Cultural Monument "does not guarantee that the property cannot be demolished," according to the city, but it does allow the Commission to delay demolition for 180 days while other opportunities for preservation are determined. Architecture historian Heather Goers spoke passionately at the meeting in support of bestowing landmark status. Goers said Monroe’s Brentwood home was largely unfurnished while the actor lived there because custom couches, tables and lamps she’d ordered had not yet been delivered at the time of her death. In 2023, the owners obtained a permit to demolish the Spanish Colonial residence, causing an uproar among historians, a number of Angelenos and fans of the actor around the globe. For the best houses for sale, places to eat, wine to drink, things to do, and untold histories of Los Angeles's brightest stars and their Hollywood homes.

Her two-level penthouse in West Hollywood

Some vocal critics have derided all the hullabaloo about Milstein’s demolition plans. They point out that the Monroe house is just another Spanish-style hacienda, one of thousands in L.A., and that it has been remodeled multiple times since Monroe’s death, leaving the 2,600-square-foot structure an imperfect blend of 1920s throwback and 2000s modernity. Why does it matter that one of Hollywood’s most famous stars lived and died there decades ago, they say.

Paris Hilton shares ‘beautiful’ double meaning behind daughter London’s middle name

Tucked into the Hollywood Hills, a Mediterranean-style residence once shared by Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio is on the market for $2.695 million. The house is still a hot spot for tourists hoping to catch a glimpse of the place where Monroe took her final breath, and Hollywood tours still take groups down the cul-de-sac to snap pictures. Demolishing a piece of history, if this is true I am also unfollowing. You can not be a marilyn fan then tear her house down for new aesthetics — just MOVE,” reads another.

And although she’s one of the most celebrated movie stars in history, Marilyn didn’t leave behind multiple estates or countless posh properties. From small apartments to sprawling Spanish-style mansions, to a brief stint living in Frank Sinatra’s guest house, Marilyn Monroe moved around quite a few times before settling on a place of her own. She was discovered by her housekeeper, Eunice Murray, after she noticed Monroe's bedroom light was on in the early hours of the morning. A coroner's toxicology report officially listed her cause of death as acute barbiturate poisoning, as she reportedly ingested a lethal amount of Nembutal, which is often used to treat anxiety, and a sedative called chloral hydrate.

Next to the driveway sat a guesthouse between the main home and the garage. The owners of Marilyn Monroe’s Brentwood home argued against landmark status, but L.A.’s Cultural Heritage Commission unanimously voted to recommend the property as a historic cultural monument. Rodney Liber, a former movie producer and Brentwood HOA member for eight years, told The Times that when he saw the news that Monroe’s home had entered the initial stages leading toward demolition, he brought it up to the association. “I was hoping somebody could be a white knight and save it,” he told The Times. It’s sort of sad because it’s one of the most famous houses in the world. Earlier this year, the owners of the Brentwood residence were listed as Glory of the Snow LLC, managed by Dan Lukas of Emerald Lake Capital and his wife Anne Jarmain, who did not respond to The Times’ request for comment.

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Monroe's home is safe for now, but what might happen to it in the future is another issue entirely. When the New York Post first dropped the news that the “Some Like It Hot” star’s former home was facing demolition, fans wanted answers. Comments were misdirected at a Monroe look-alike and influencer who resides in the Runyon Canyon mansion where Monroe and her second husband, New York Yankees star Joe DiMaggio, lived in 1953.

Monroe then bought a mansion in the Hollywood Hills with her second husband, Joe DiMaggio, in the early 1950s. The house had a view of Runyon Canyon, and it contained four bedrooms and five bathrooms. The two-story home also had a large backyard, and the rent was $237.82 per month. Naturally, Marilyn Monroe resided in houses in locations like Los Angeles and New York.

City council unanimously voted to consider the house for historic preservation, prompting the building department to revoke Milstein’s demolition permit. And immediate neighbors of the Monroe house have told Robb Report that they’ve spoken directly to Milstein, who they claim has already changed her mind about tearing down the iconic home. Hollywood’s iconic “blonde bombshell” Marilyn Monroe left us way too soon, and now her house where she lived—and died in 1962—may also be lost if we don’t act quickly.

Throughout his decades-long career, Craig Ellwood brought his indoor-outdoor living approach to several properties across Southern California, including his beachfront Hunt House in Malibu. The Zimmerman house, with its floor-to-ceiling glass windows and open floor plans, was designed early in her father’s career and wasn’t the best representation of his work, Ellwood said. It’s still unclear what Milstein and Bank plan to do with the Monroe property once the house is torn down, though it seems destined to became one piece of a larger estate. Clearly, the vacant lot would have more than enough space to accommodate a full-size tennis court, a guesthouse, gardens or garages for additional parking.

City Council member Traci Park] requested and received approval of a notice to stop construction and a notice of intent to revoke the building permit for the demolition of Marilyn Monroe’s home. It was reported last week that the initial stages of the demolition process had already been approved by the city’s Department of Building and Safety. Per the LA Times, the department now plans to revoke the demolition paperwork that was filed. From here, LA’s Office of Historic Resources will research and assess the home and present their findings to the Historic Cultural Commission, which will then make their recommendation to the City Council. “For people all over the world, Marilyn Monroe was more than just a movie icon. Her story, from her challenging childhood growing up in orphanages and foster homes to becoming a global sensation, is a shining example of what it means to overcome adversity,” she said.

How dare you take [Marilyn Monroe’s] whole persona and house to make money and then tear down the one thing she ever owned,” read one of the replies. The Brentwood home once owned by Marilyn Monroe has sold for $7.25 million, or $325,000 above the asking price. After selling the mansion, Monroe decided to live in a penthouse at the Granville Towers, an extravagant West Hollywood building.