Roughly three months after her death, the stately Los Angeles compound of Martha De Laurentiis has popped up for sale, armed with a hefty $37.5 million asking price. The longtime home of the filmmaker and her legendary producer husband Dino De Laurentiis, who passed away back in 2010, the nearly 6,000-square-foot mansion was built in the 1940s and sits in the mountains above Beverly Hills, replete with jaw-dropping vistas stretching from Downtown L.A. to the Pacific Ocean.
The Italian-born Oscar winner and his American wife acquired the spread 35 years ago for about $2.8 million and subsequently embarked on an elaborate customization of the premises. They renovated the kitchen, converted a portion of the attic into a bedroom and bath, and added a tennis court; Martha also later installed solar panels in the canyon below.
Once upon a time, the residence was also owned by millionaire restaurateur Steve Crane, former husband of Lana Turner, who redid the interiors in collaboration with designer Phyllis Morris; he also enlisted architect Jack Levinson to design a four-car garage, sundeck and pool, before selling the place to “Where Love Has Gone” author Harold Robbins in 1978 for a mere $850,000.
Hidden from the street behind big gates and lush greenery, on six-plus blufftop acres high above Benedict Canyon in the Beverly Hills Post Office area, the two-story traditional structure is accessed via a lengthy driveway that empties into a spacious motorcourt. Inside, a double-height foyer displaying a chandelier and dual staircase opens to the five-bedroom, nine-bath house, which is highlighted by a light-filled living room boasting French doors spilling out to the backyard.
Other standout features include a cozy fireside den sporting built-in bookshelves, formal dining room with fireplace, and a wood-clad kitchen outfitted with stone countertops, an eat-in peninsula and high-end stainless appliances. Upstairs, an opulent master retreat has a sitting area, private balcony, expansive walk-in closets, and dual baths equipped with a large oval soaking tub and glass-encased shower.
An office space and gym/media room can also be found on the upper level; and outdoors, the picturesque grounds host a pool embedded in an oversized deck area, which holds a hot tub, an outdoor kitchen, and several al fresco dining and entertaining areas. There’s also a full-size tennis court and an attached three-car garage.
Dino and Martha De Laurentiis founded the Dino De Laurentiis production company in 1980, for which Martha served as chairman. Her most recent credits include the 2018 feature “Arctic” and “Firestarter,” a reboot of Dino’s first movie as a producer, the 1984 big-screen adaptation of Stephen King’s novel.
Dino’s movies, meanwhile, range from some of Federico Fellini’s earliest works to “Three Days of the Condor,” “Conan the Barbarian,” “Serpico,” “Death Wish” and the 1976 remake of “King Kong.” He was given the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award for lifetime achievement in 2001.
The listing is held by Joyce Rey of Coldwell Banker Realty and the late couple’s daughter, Dina De Laurentiis, of Sotheby’s International Realty.