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Scarlett Johansson Lists Her 1931 Villa
(LOS ANGELES, CA) -- Blond bombshell turned Black Widow Scarlett Johansson, who will take over the role of Natasha Romanoff in the superhero film sequel "Iron Man 2" due out in May, has listed her walled and gated Spanish villa in the Hollywood Hills for $4.95 million.
The recently restored and remodeled house, built in 1931, has four bedrooms and 5 1/2 bathrooms in about 4,300 square feet.
The grounds include nearly three-quarters of an acre with gardens, terraces and a swimming pool.
Rooms on the main level open to a glass-topped central atrium. The house has a period-style kitchen with original tile, a maid's quarters that could be used for a media room or a gym, and a basement.
The actress and singer, 25, had starring roles in "The Other Boleyn Girl" (2008), "Lost in Translation" (2003) and "The Horse Whisperer" (1998). Her first album, "Anywhere I Lay My Head," was released in 2008, followed by "Break Up" last fall. She is currently on Broadway in Arthur Miller's "A View From the Bridge."
In 2008, Johansson married Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds, 33.
Johansson purchased the property in 2007 from director-producer Harold Becker for $7 million, public records show.
Happy Howls from Actor?
Actor James Franco, who plays poet Allen Ginsberg in the forthcoming film "Howl," recently sold his Sunset Strip-area compound for $3.3 million.
The Spanish-style villa, built in 1923, has three bedrooms and 3 1/2 bathrooms in 4,000 square feet.
There are vaulted and beamed ceilings, city views and a master bedroom suite with a 19th century marble bathtub. The walled and gated property includes a swimming pool and a guest casita.
Franco, 31, starred in "Pineapple Express" (2008) and "Milk" (2008), as well as the "Spider-Man" movies (2002, 2004 and 2007). The actor-director-writer joined the cast of "General Hospital" last fall and had appeared in 22 episodes through mid-January.
He got his break when he landed a leading role in the TV comedy "Freaks and Geeks" (1999-2000).
The property was purchased in 2006 for $2,325,000, public records show. It came on the market in late September at $3,695,000.
Google Search for a Buyer? Nah
Technology entrepreneur and philanthropist David Bohnett has put his restored Holmby Hills estate on the market for $18.9 million.
Designed by A. Quincy Jones in the mid-'50s for Academy Award-winning actor Gary Cooper, the wood, stone and glass house has four bedrooms and 4 1/2 bathrooms in 5,721 square feet and sits on nearly 2 1/2 wooded acres. Paths and low rock walls traverse the grounds and gardens.
A canopied walkway leads to the open entrance hall. The living room features a terrazzo floor, a raised stone fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows that look out onto the swimming pool. The master bedroom suite has two bathrooms, a gym and walk-through closets.
Bohnett, 53, co-founded GeoCities, a Web hosting service that was acquired by Yahoo in 1999 for $3.57 billion in stock. He is chief executive of OVGuide.com, an Internet directory and search engine, and has been involved in numerous Web-based businesses. An activist and philanthropist, he supports causes including AIDS research and the arts.
Cooper lived in the house until his death in 1961 at age 60. Under a subsequent owner, the residence made the news in 1968 during the Friars Club conspiracy trial as one of two area homes where "wealthy Hollywood personalities were cheated at cards," according to Times' archives. "Among the victims of those using peepholes and electronic devices, according to the testimony, were singer Eddie Fisher, actor Richard Conte and talent agent Kurt Frings."
Guitarist is Ready to End This Gig
Guitarist Jean Yves "Jeeve" Ducornet of the alt-rock group Hypnogaja has listed his historic Hollywood house for $649,000.
Originally two bedrooms and one bathroom, the remodeled bungalow now has a 380-square-foot recording studio in front that includes a live room, a control room and a voice-over booth. Behind that, an additional 700 square feet include a bedroom, a living room and an adjoining eat-in kitchen.
The 1923 bungalow was once Paramount-supplied housing for stars, including Marilyn Monroe, to use when they were in town.
Hypnogaja has toured nationwide and played local clubs such as the Viper Room. The band's music has been featured in motion pictures, soundtracks and television shows, including "America's Next Top Model," "Las Vegas" and "Sex and the City." The group's fifth studio album, released last year, is the sci-fi-inspired "Truth Decay."
Guitarist-writer-producer Ducornet has worked with musicians including Carlos Santana, Paulina Rubio and the Pussycat Dolls' Nicole Scherzinger.
Cashmere Walls? Sold!
Update: Eyeworks television production company founder Reinout Oerlemans has made a quick sale of his Beverly Hills contemporary for $12.5 million, according to the MLS.
The single-story house, on nearly three-quarters of an acre, came on the market in early January for $14.9 million and closed in less than a month.
Apparently, padded cashmere walls are a big seller. Among other features of the newly built house are sliding walls of glass that bring the outdoors in, an 80-foot lap pool and panoramic views. There are six bedrooms and six bathrooms.
Oerlemans, 38, is a former Dutch soap star who started Eyeworks in 2001. His firm has produced such series as "The Biggest Loser" and "Unan1mous."
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