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                                                                                                                                                                                                                   UPDATED OCTOBER 03, 2010

                                                                     MARILYN MONROE

                                                                                           12305 5th Helena Drive  

                                                                 BRENTWOOD, CA. 90049

                                                                               $3,600,000

      The sex symbol was found dead there on Aug. 5,1962, of a drug overdose. Whether she committed suicide or was murdered has been a Hollywood mystery. Almost 50 years after her death, Monroe still captivates pop culture and memorabilia brings in a hefty price. 

       Sprawling and very special authentic 1929 Hacienda situated behind tall gates at the end of a quiet cul de sac on over 23,000 square feet (per assessor) of tree-filled grounds. The crown jewel and largest property of all the Helenas (one of Brentwood's most romantic and coveted locations) affording lovely vistas and great privacy & seclusion yet in close proximity to San Vicente shops & restaurants and the Sunday Farmer's Market. Thick walls, traditional casement windows, polished concrete and terra cotta tile floors, original wood beamed ceilings and period hardware & tiles create a warm, inviting and unique environment. French doors open to private courtyard, expansive grassy yard, pool, citrus grove & beautiful setting. Four bedrooms, three baths plus formal living room, family room, office, pool-side game room and separate children's play house. Sun-filled cook's kitchen opens to spacious courtyard garden. Wonderful charm and great architecture inside and out. Magical property in the finest Brentwood neighborhood.          

       As Curbed LA reports, the starlet bought the secluded four bedroom, three bath home—her first and last time as a homeowner—tucked away at the end of a cul-de-sec in March of 1962, just a few months before she passed away there. She paid $90,000 for it, and took out a fifteen year mortgage making monthly payments of $320. In the book, Hollywood: The Movie Lover’s Guide: The Ultimate Insider Tour to Movie L.A., it says Marilyn was encouraged by her psychiatrist to put down roots, and that “she had found the house and bought it—all by herself. She had liked the house and took a trip to Mexico to look for furnishings and fabrics. She especially liked the garden, where she often played with her poodle, Maf.”

It’s a shame she didn’t have more time to enjoy the place. At 2,624 square feet, the built-in-1929 hacienda is relatively small (for Hollywood standards), though it’s packed with charm and still features many original details like wood-beamed ceilings and terra cotta floors. Though it’s undoubtedly a stunning property, with a kidney-shaped pool and citrus grove on site, it’s not the kind of lavish, high-glamour place one might expect for a star of her caliber.

Photos by: Lee Manning

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