Away from the cameras, he bought a four-acre Malibu estate in 1984 for about $9.5 million, according to the Los Angeles Times . Decades later, its owners were asking $81.5 million. The property ultimately sold for $40 million in 2019, a little less than half of that ask.
The story shows how far a listing price can be from what buyers will actually pay, even for a home with celebrity history.
For three decades, Johnny Carson hosted NBC’s “The Tonight Show” and was a fixture of late-night TV.
Carson died in 2005 at the age of 79. He purchased the Point Dume property in 1984, while still hosting the show, and lived there for more than 20 years. The grounds also include a sunken tennis court that NBC gave Carson as a gift, according to the 2017 listing. Film producer Sidney Kimmel and his wife, Caroline, listed the estate for sale in October 2017 for $81.5 million. The couple purchased the property from Carson’s widow, Alexis, in 2007. The Times, citing records, said the Kimmels spent about $46 million for the home and two adjacent parcels. The 2017 ask was far higher than that. The Kimmels lowered the price to $65.2 million in August 2018, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The house sits on about four acres on a bluff looking out over the Pacific Ocean. The modern home was designed by Malibu architect Ed Niles and features an indoor arboretum, a wine cellar, and a media room. It even includes a bench from the grass courts at Wimbledon. With details like these, it’s easy to see why the place drew so much attention. Kimmel is the founder of Jones Apparel Group, and his movie credits include “Moneyball. The house was still on the market.
