Johnny Carson’s former Los Angeles home is officially on the market.
The 9,052-square-foot home in Bel Air is on sale for $40 million in partnership with listing agents David Kramer and Andrew Buss of Compass.
Originally built in 1950, the six-bedroom and 11-bathroom home is located on a 1.5 acre property, which also features a detached two-story guest house.
In the main house, guests will find a library, wine cellar and a home office, in addition to two large garages, a gourmet kitchen and a spacious primary bedroom with walk-in closets and two ensuite bathrooms.
FLASHBACK: JOHNNY CARSON WARNED AGAINST DANGER OF LATE-NIGHT SHOWS PREACHING ON ‘SERIOUS ISSUES’
Also found on the property is a motor court which can accommodate many vehicles, a unique tiered fountain, an oval swimming pool, with a sun deck and a cabana.
A regulation tennis court with its own covered seating area can also be found on the grounds, as well as an indoor area with a kitchenette and a powder room.
Carson purchased the home in the 1970s and lived there with his third wife, Joanna, until their separation in 1985, after which Carson lived in his home in Malibu, which hit the market for $110 million last year. All proceeds from the sale will go to three charities: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the David Geffen Foundation, and SHARE, per The Robb Report.
A recent book, “Love Johnny Carson,” written by Carson superfan Mark Malkoff, with David Ritz, recounts the former “Tonight Show” host’s life and career, featuring interviews with those who knew him best. Among many things, Malkoff wrote about how years of being parodied on “Saturday Night Live” contributed to Carson’s decision to step away from his hosting duties.
“Leno, a guest that night, overheard Johnny in the hallway saying, ‘If they are going to make fun of me, it’s time to go,'” Malkoff wrote about a May 1991 taping after Carson received word that “SNL” was planning to do another sketch parodying him.
According to the book, soon after Carson was heard making this statement, “SNL” aired the infamous “Carsenio” sketch, and two days later, he announced that he was stepping down and that his last show would be in May 1992.
After years of “SNL” running sketches parodying Carson, many of which included Dana Carvey portraying the talk show host, Carson began firing back at those who spent years getting laughs at his expense, during the final months of his show.
“But Johnny had the last laugh,” the book states. “In his monologue on May 20, two days before his final show, he said, ‘We’ve been with this network for thirty years, and this fall — I saw the [new] schedule, and they’re coming up with some real great, innovative programming. They’re going to try a comedy version of Saturday Night Live.'”
Carson’s final show aired on May 22, 1992. Malkoff writes that in his final outro, Carson shared “I am one of the lucky people in the world” and that he “enjoyed every single minute of” his tenure on the show.
“I want to thank the gentleman who shared the stage with me for thirty years, Mr. Ed McMahon; Mr. Doc Severinsen,” he said in the outro. “And you people watching — I can only tell you that it has been an honor and a privilege to come into your homes all these years … I bid you a very heartfelt good night.”
Read the full article here
