The Los Angeles estate of actor, comedian, writer, and producer Paul Reubens—best known for his youthful, red bow tie-wearing alter ego Pee-wee Herman—is up for auction for the first time in over forty years, asking just less than $5 million, ten months after his death at the age of seventy-nine. The midcentury ranch house, which was constructed in the late 1950s and has almost 3,000 square feet of living space, is perched atop a promontory in Los Feliz’s coveted Oaks neighborhood. It offers views of the famous Hollywood Sign and Griffith Park Observatory from almost every angle.
At the height of his fame, in 1985, Reubens bought the house for a meager $415,000, as originally published by The Wall Street Journal. He lived there until his death in July 2023. Situated at the end of an extensive private road, this single-story home is completely gated and sits atop a 1.4-acre plot. It has three bedrooms and three bathrooms, along with partially restored but mostly original interiors that include slate floors, wood-beam ceilings, and vintage wallpaper all over.
Highlights include a living room with a fireplace and a dining space next to it that has sliding glass doors that open to the backyard. A wet bar and stone fireplace can be found in the “snazzy” den, while the kitchen boasts yellow Formica counters and a breakfast nook to go with it. Along with two guest bedrooms that share a bathroom, there’s a main suite equipped with a sitting alcove, a separate dressing space, and a bath that leads to an enclosed patio Reubens constructed to shield his cat Koko from the surrounding wildlife.
The park-like grounds include a swimming pool, spa, walking trails, a cactus garden, BBQ pit, pergola-shaded sitting area, and a waterfall that empties into a pond. There are also over a hundred different species of natural shrubs and trees throughout the grounds. An extra treat is a concrete patio with real handprints autographed by celebrities like actress Debi Mazar, a friend of the comic.
Reubens’ estate is situated close to two nearby residences owned by Sarah Silverman, an Emmy-winning actress and stand-up comedian, one of which she just purchased for $2.1 million and the other for approximately $3.5 million. This is another tie between Reubens and the celebrity world.
Juliette Hohnen of Douglas Elliman is the owner of the listing.
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