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Recently, Palm Springs has seen a resurgence as a new generation of Hollywood elite and influencers embrace the desert destination. Also, the resort town’s outstanding architectural history is being recognised on a broader scale, drawing Mid-Century Modern fans from all over the world with events such as Modernism Week. Should Mid-Century Modern design be right up your alley, also check out my Palm Springs self-guided architecture tour here. Get starry-eyed with this DIY, Palm Springs celebrity home tour! Walk, bike or drive your way by 27 homes of classic Hollywood royalty, from Marilyn Monroe to Cary Grant.
Furthermore, the scope for “celebrity homes” in Palm Springs is pretty much endless if you include movie directors, film producers, homes used as movie locations, authors and so on. If you have the time and enthusiasm, I have marked some of the additional properties on the map below. Singer bing crosby bought this house with his first wife dixie lee and lived there with their four children. The four-bedroom Spanish colonial-style home was built in 1934.
more celebrity hotspots in palm springs
With 4500 square feet, 4 Bedrooms, 7 Bathrooms, and a piano shaped swimming pool, this is perfect for luxury vacationing or events. Also known as “The Pigeons,” this 1927-built movie colony home belonged to Cary Grant and his wife Betsey Drake. Inspired by Spanish country houses, the property features the original royal blue shutters and wood burning fireplace.
Go back on beautiful and turn south on north patencio rd. turn left on vine avenue and again on west alejo road. To the left, on the corner of Calle Belardo, is another Spanish Colonial-style Liberace property nicknamed Los Cloisters when it was a boutique hotel in the 1960s. This house was purchased by the Grammy winner in 1967 and remodeled with several rooms.
dean martin house – 1123 n via monte vista (vista las palmas)
Once owned by the late Singing Cowboy, Gene Autry, this home is incredibly luxurious. It has a huge kitchen, terrace, dining room and living room, a private enclosed patio, two bedrooms, floor-to-ceiling windows, and modern-style decor. It boasts an amazing garden with lush trees, evergreens, and wildflowers and is located in the same area where Johnny Hyde discovered Norma Jean playing by the pool at the nearby historic Racquet Club. Also known as “Las Palomas”, this 1927-built Movie Colony home once belonged to Cary Grant and his wife Betsey Drake. Inspired by Spanish farmhouses, the property features the original royal blue shutters and wood-burning fireplace. Just across the street is the home Bob and Delores Hope purchased prior to commissioning their futuristic, John Lautner-designed residence .
Sitting on a 16,000 square feet lot, the Hope residence is surrounded by a privacy hedge and citrus trees and is tastefully modern. Dean Martin’s Vista Las Palmas property was one of the last built by the father-and-son team of George and Robert Alexander before they and other family members died in a plane crash. Because of the home’s visibility from the street, it has been a favorite on celebrity tours since the Martins moved in. The Martin grandkids took advantage of the steady stream of visitors and set up a lemonade stand at the end of the driveway.
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The home boasts a large yard, a swimming pool, and remarkable urban styling. The salmon-colored building accompanied by a Spanish ceramic roof blends perfectly with the tropical landscape that decorates the grounds. Currently owned by Robert Kramer and Toni Holt Kramer, this Spanish-style house was built in 1928.
Currently, the home is available to rent for the low low price of $2,500 per night. Described as “some decorator’s dream come surrealistically true” by Sports Illustrated, this home was bought by Steve McQueen and Neile Adams in 1963. It is also located in Southridge and boasts an incredibly attractive appearance, inside and outside with gold-plated accents, zebra skin pillows, and a wide range of one-of-a-kind works of art. Get this celebrity home tour map by clicking in the top righthand corner, and saving a copy to use later. Maps are saved to your Google Drive so you need to log in to your Google account to do this. Copley’s Restaurant, located in the guesthouse of Cary Grant’s former estate.
Palm Springs Celebrity Homes To Check Out Now
This luxurious compound was a home to the legendary Rat Pack member Dean Martin. He bought this 2,342 square foot home way back in the 1960s with his gorgeous second wife Jeanne for $56,000. Singer, Bing Crosby purchased this home with first wife Dixie Lee and lived there with their four children. The four-bedroom, Spanish Colonial-style home was constructed in 1934.
Right next door you’ll find number 317, the former home of singer and actress dinah shore and her husband, actor george montgomery. The house’s design is believed to be the work of famed architect William Cody, who was responsible for a number of impressive modern buildings in Palm Springs, including the Marcos Hotel. My wife and I did this tour last year, but brought other family members along this time. She knew her stuff- the town, the history, the architecture, as well as who lived where. I am not a “celebrity impressed” guy, but this tour was well worth the time and money, and she did well.
He lived in this home, built in 1940, with his wife Mary for quite a long time. The main house has three bedroom suites and features a formal dining room, a large kitchen, and a formal living area that looks out onto the swimming pool and the mountains beyond. Later on, the home was rented by Helene and Robert Alexander, who were friends with many local celebrities. Look Magazine even visited the home to take pictures of the socialites.
The aforementioned kirk douglas property that he owned before moving to the old las palmas neighborhood. He bought this house with his second wife, Jeanne, in the 1960s for $56,000 (the equivalent of about $525,000 today). The couple’s grandchildren were often seen with a lemonade stand in front of us. Two houses down from the Lawford-Kennedy Estate is the former home of actress and dancer Cyd Charisse and her husband, actor Tony Martin.
Apparently, Elvis bought the home from Richard “Dick” McDonald, co-founder of the McDonald’s fast-food chain. Click the top right corner for this celebrity home tour map and save a copy for later use. Maps are saved to your google drive, so you need to sign in to your google account to do this. Copley’s restaurant, located in the guesthouse of the former cary grant estate. The author of Breakfast at Tiffany’s and In Cold Blood rented and then bought this house in 1968. Directly across the street is a large Spanish Colonial-style estate built in the 1930s by a Las Vegas businessman.
