Merv Griffin Estate, Hollywood’s Richest Performer

A man of many accomplishments but best known as the creator of game shows Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune, Merv Griffin was a multi-talented entertainer whose career spanned six decades. The California native got his start as a big-band singer, earning enough from touring to start his own record label. He hit it big in 1950 with the #1 box office hit “I’ve Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts.” At a nightclub performance, he was discovered by Doris Day and appeared in several movies in 1954. Disillusioned by Hollywood, he bought out his contract from Warner Brothers and devoted himself to a then-new medium: television. He hosted and produced several game shows, including Play Your Hunch, Jeopardy, and Wheel of Fortune, before launching his own talk show in 1965. The Merv Griffin Show ran for 21 years and garnered 11 Emmys. In 1986, when he retired and sold his production company, Merv Griffin Productions, to Colombia Pictures Television for $250 million, he was declared Hollywood’s richest performer. He died in 2007 at the age of 82. 

Merv Griffin’s La Quinta estate is as legendary as the man. Offered for sale at $36 million, the truly unique property spans 40 acres and includes seven separate residences. A blend of California modern and Morrocan influences, it was inspired by Yves St. Laurent’s Marrakesh home and designed by noted Los Angeles interior designer Waldo Fernandez.

The estate’s crown jewel is the stunning 5,409-square-foot main residence. An airy-open floor plan, bright white walls, wood accents, and Moroccan-inspired lamps complement the fantastic views of the surrounding mountains and private lake. One of Hollywood’s most popular performers and longtime friend with people like Ronald and Nancy Reagan, Robert Loggia, Eva Gabor and Zsa Zsa Gabor, Merv was a frequent party host adding 500-square-foot pods to offer intimate housing for guests. Two additional homes, the West Building and the Gate Building at 1,568 and 1,708 square feet respectively, provide additional housing for guests or staff. 

The extensive grounds offer manicured lawns, tall palm trees, and an expansive orchard with oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes, pomegranates, and guavas, as well as the iconic King Fig Tree, one of the largest in the Coachella Valley. The tranquil Lake Merveilleux is filled with koi, turtles, and bass and attracts numerous migratory birds. Professional equestrian facilities with top-of-the-line stables, a racetrack, a pool, and a six-bay garage complete the estate. Surrounded by towering twelve-foot walls, the compound is private and secure. 

La Quinta is a desert resort city in California’s Coachella Valley, best known for the La Quinta Resort and Club, which hosts the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic PGA golf tournament. The Griffin estate is surrounded by some of the world’s best golf clubs, with nine courses designed by professional golfers, including Pete Dye, Greg Norman, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Weiskopf, and Arnold Palmer within a fifteen-minute drive. These courses have made the community a celebrity vacation hotspot, hosting a who’s who of the rich and famous since 1926, including Shirley Temple, Frank Capra, Bill Clinton, Gwen Stefani, and Justin Bieber. Residents include Lori Loughlin, Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber.

The listing is held by Mauricio Umansky and Zach Goldsmith of The Agency.

Photo credit Andrew Bramasco

Source: www.theagencyre.com