How Marilyn Monroe's House Became A 'Fortress' and Her Place of Death

Table Of Content

• Column: The dream of East L.A. as its own city rises again — along with doubters
• Edmund Hillary’s Inspiring Story: The First Mountaineer to...
• Historic L.A.
• Curating the City
• Monroe was found dead in her bedroom by her psychiatrist in August 1962, the same year she bought the house.
• Where is Marilyn Monroe’s House?

The house not only provided a physical sanctuary but also mirrored her aspirations for a triumphant return to the silver screen. The screen legend, star of such films as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Some Like It Hot and The Misfits, was found dead in a bedroom of the home in August 1962. It’s unclear what the mysterious new owner intends to do with the property. The owner did not submit any plans indicating what their plans are for the land, Park said at last week’s press conference. Shortly after that home tour, the actress died at the house in August 1962. A presentation delivered ahead of the vote explained how, in her short time living there, Monroe spent roughly $51,000 refurbishing and renovating the home.

Column: The dream of East L.A. as its own city rises again — along with doubters

Marilyn Monroe didn’t reside in that house for very long as on August 4, 1962, she was found dead in a bedroom of the house. The residence, built in 1929, was the only home the actor owned independently. Monroe bought the property in the early 1960s after the end of her third marriage, to playwright Arthur Miller, for $75,000. “Like the many, many hundreds of people from all over the world who have contacted my office over the last 48 hours, I am extremely concerned about this and I recognize the need for urgent action by the city,” Park said.

Edmund Hillary’s Inspiring Story: The First Mountaineer to...

Although Monroe lived in 43 different homes in her lifetime, this was the only one she actually bought and chose on her own. She reportedly purchased it after her psychiatrist advised her to "put down some roots." 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. Ellwood, an Ojai-based interior designer, spoke to The Times about her father’s late ‘40s Brentwood commission, known among locals as the Zimmerman House after original owners Martin and Eva Zimmerman. The property, which she described as a “time capsule” because of its Midcentury Modern aesthetic, was purchased last year and set for demolition seemingly without reason. In recent weeks, several reports revealed that the Marvel star and Schwarzenegger purchased the lot for $12.5 million and that their new mansion — to be designed by Ken Ungar — was the reason for the teardown.

Historic L.A.

The circumstances surrounding her death remain shrouded in mystery as she was under the constant care of a doctor and psychiatrist. Both prescribed the actress with several medications to treat her mental health issues and insomnia. The house on Fifth Helena Drive, despite being known as the starlet’s only residence, also holds some dark memories.

Some speculated that Monroe was murdered due to her involvement with John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert Kennedy, who feared she would out their love affair to the world. Monroe’s housekeeper Eunice Murray even revealed recently that Robert Kennedy had visited Monroe the evening before her death. Marilyn’s spacious bedroom featured large windows that overlooked the grounds, which were complete with a swimming pool and groves of citrus trees. It was truly a peaceful escape from the drama and chaos of the paparazzi that followed Monroe in public.

Inside Marilyn Monroe's House And The Sad Story Behind It - All That's Interesting

Inside Marilyn Monroe's House And The Sad Story Behind It.

Posted: Sun, 23 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

She chose it herself, and had started to decorate it herself, although when she died a year later everything remained half-finished. It is a historic place, to which fans continue to flock six decades after she passed, but that is now on the verge of disappearing as its new owners intend to demolish it. Apart from its infamous past, the 1929 house, is an attractive offering, boasting four bedrooms and three baths, beamed ceilings, a swimming pool and citrus grove. The late starlet’s residence was put at risk for demolition by the Glory of the Snow Trust, as they filed for a demolition permit. The trust is reportedly managed by someone named Andrew Sahure, but the name appeared to be a moniker. It remains unclear what the new owners of the house plan on doing with it.

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. The property was facing the possibility of destruction after the Department of Building and Safety issued a demolition permit to its current owner, Glory of the Snow Trust on Sept. 5. 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.

Marilyn Monroe decided to call her house, the only one she ever owned, “Cursum Perficio”, which translates to “Here ends my journey.” And the journey of that home has very nearly come to an end. The movie star married three times, lived with her three husbands, spent time at the famous Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard, but it wasn’t until she turned 35 that she bought her first and only home. A small house, far from being called a mansion, of about 2,900 square foot (270 square meters) in the Brentwood hills, west of Los Angeles.

Now renamed Granville Towers, the building has been home to many bold-faced names, including David Bowie and Nora Ephron. The changes to the house came in the decades since Monroe’s death as well as changes in ownership. The property received six offers on the residence not long after Monroe died, according to the New York Post. The actress paid around $77,500 dollars at the time, which with inflation would be almost $760,000 dollars today. In March 1963, Gilbert and Betty J. Nunez bought it and many of Monroe’s belongings it still contained for $87,500, which they auctioned off in the late 1990s. The estate was sold in 2017 to the owner of an investment fund named Dan Lukas and his wife, Anne Jarmain.

But unfortunately, the Department of Building and Safety issued a demolition permit before my team and I could fully intervene and get this issue resolved,” she said at a press conference held shortly before Friday’s City Council meeting. Enveloping the residence is an expanse of over half an acre, adorned with a kidney-shaped swimming pool that sparkles invitingly. A grove of citrus trees imparts a touch of natural beauty to the surroundings. Nestled between the main house and the garage, a guesthouse offers additional space for retreat. 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 villa that after her death passed from one hand to another until now, when it has been about to be destroyed. Its new owners applied for a demolition permit last August, which was a mere formality, that is, they were going to be able to tear it down. But the news of this came out on Thursday and just 24 hours later it has been revealed that the demolition has been stopped. The house is far from being like today’s distant, armored celebrity mansions in the Hollywood Hills. It is a relatively simple place, in an affluent neighborhood but far from the glamour of Bel Air or the total isolation of Calabasas. In fact, the Brentwood neighborhood homeowners association lamented the news of its demolition to this newspaper on Thursday.

The Conservancy strongly supports this nomination and thanks Councilmember Park for initiating it. When we tell stories about the people and women of Los Angeles, it’s fundamentally more real and tangible when we root them in the places that help illustrate their lives, contributions, and connection to LA. Few places do this better for Marilyn Monroe than her former residence. Despite living in many places in her short but highly productive 36 years, this was the first house she sought out and bought for herself and on her own while actively working.

Marilyn Monroe’s Final Home in Los Angeles Has Been Granted an Eleventh-Hour Reprieve From Demolition - artnet News

Marilyn Monroe’s Final Home in Los Angeles Has Been Granted an Eleventh-Hour Reprieve From Demolition.

Posted: Wed, 11 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

According to the Los Angeles Times, Lukas and Jarmain are still the owners and those who are thinking of demolishing it, although the couple do not speak to the press. The motion presented to the council called for immediate action to initiate consideration of the home as a city historic-cultural monument. It further stated that this would not deprive the property owner of any rights but said the historic and cultural merits of the property need to be assessed. Considered a modest home at the time, it was all Monroe could then afford, and, besides, she was enchanted with the vintage hacienda. According to the biography Goddess, Marilyn cried when signing the final papers because she never imagined she’d be purchasing a home without a husband.

Because of an editing error, an earlier picture caption referred imprecisely to Marilyn Monroe’s time in her Brentwood home. The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously on Friday to begin a process that would designate the home as a historic and cultural monument, saving it from demolition. When the police arrived, they found the Marilyn Monroe house only partly furnished. The actress had only lived in her safe haven for a few months before her death. Marilyn Monroe’s home was “a cute little Mexican-style house with eight rooms,” as she once described it. She put down just $650,000 for the property, which most recently sold for over $7 million.

The marriage formed by Dan Lukas and Anne Jarmain, owners of an investment fund, took it over in 2017 and sold it this August. In any case, its owners have requested a demolition permit from the city authorities. Since the mid-1960s, Los Angeles has operated a landmark and building preservation program that groups together more than 1,200 historic sites either because they have hosted important events, due to their architecture, or because of their significance. They range from churches, libraries, and hotels to houses designed by famous architects, from fire stations to cemeteries and movie studios (such as those of Charles Chaplin) and inclusion on the list implies full protection. There are around 50 in the Brentwood area, but Monroe’s house is not among them.

Park’s motion issued a stop-work order and began the process of preparing the HCM application. The full City Council must vote first before permanent protections take effect. We will continue working with Park’s office to ensure the Cultural Heritage Commission and City Council take this important house under consideration for historic protections. But tourists frequently stop by to pay their respects and hold their phones over their heads in hopes of snapping a picture of history. Ms. Jordan said she had never heard of any vandalism or inappropriate activity there.