A Look at Laguna's Famous Residents
Photo pictured above: 1991 OCEAN WAY | LAGUNA BEACH
Once the residence of screen legend Bette Davis, perched atop a captivating oceanfront cliff — For pricing, availability & more information, contact Jennifer Halbert of BHHS California Properties at 949.899.2113. DRE# 01992762
Laguna Beach attracts artists from all over, and it’s no wonder many famous celebrities have called this place home. After the Pacific Coast Highway was built in the 1920s, — connecting Los Angeles to Laguna — the area became a retreat for the Hollywood A-list. With picturesque views, impeccable weather and a welcoming community, it is the place to reside.
Curious about who once called Laguna home? Before MTV’s Laguna Beach: The Real World brought attention to the area, these Tinseltown stars owned spectacular homes locally. Legendary Bette Davis was arguably the most talented actress to ever grace the silver screen, with a career spanning more than five decades. Ms. Davis lived in a California English Tudor home in Laguna Beach and often performed at the Laguna Playhouse from the ’50s to the ’60s. This historic house was built in 1929 and is a must-see attraction. This gorgeous property recently entered the market.
Bette Midler’s Laguna Beach home is colloquially known as “The Norman House” or “La Tour,” named for the French Norman tower the home features. The 60-foot, French-inspired structure was built with the home in 1926. The tower was used to access the beach down below (Victoria Beach). Originally, California Sen. William Edward Brown owned the home as a summer retreat, using it as an escape from Beverly Hills. Midler bought the property in 1988 and sold the home in the late ’90s.
Ozzie and Harriet Nelson of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet TV show lived in Lagunita with their children, Ricky and David Nelson. Lagunita, a gated community in Laguna Beach, features luxurious oceanfront properties. The family enjoyed the artistic and hippie lifestyle the community offered. Originally arriving in Laguna as renters, the Nelsons fell in love and bought their own home. Harriet continued to live there after Ozzie’s death. Ricky Nelson also owned a home in the area as well.
Academy Award winner and popular Western actor John Wayne owned a beach house in Laguna with his wife, Pilar, from the late ’50s through 1973. Located above the famed Thousand Steps Beach, the home features a great viewing deck. The original property is now a four-unit home that boasts a tram that goes down to the beach house.
Diane Keaton once owned oceanfront property in North Laguna. The award-winning actress lived in a 1928 Spanish Mediterranean home that featured a beach garage on the sand and spectacular ocean views from the master bedroom balcony. Ms. Keaton, notorious for home flipping, sold the house in 2003.
Other notable past residents include Judy Garland, D . W. Griffith, Mary Pickford and Mickey Rooney.
Photo courtesy of John Cain, Principal of CAIN Group DRE #01467294
by: Bindi Patel Blandford
