March 19--A Beverly Hills home with several generations of Hollywood ties has come on the market at $2.795 million.
The traditional-style house was built in 1923 for actors James Kirkwood Sr. and Lila Lee. A studio was added in the 1940s for actress Nina Foch, who coached and taught actors there.
Subsequent owners sold the home in 1984 for $625,000. Michael Jackson physician Allan Metzger bought the terraced property in 1986, remodeled and sold two decades later for $1.95 million.
Set on one-third acre, the 4,372-square-foot house features a vaulted glass ceiling, limestone and marble-faced fireplaces and wrought-iron railings. There are living and great rooms, four bedrooms and five bathrooms.
The master suite includes a Juliet balcony, cove ceilings and a third fireplace.
The actors' studio, with a vaulted beam ceiling, serves as a media room and overlooks the swimming pool. A garden, fountains and a used-brick patio complete the grounds.
Kirkwood, who died in 1963 at 88, tried his hand at directing for about a decade starting in the 1910s, making nine films with actress Mary Pickford. His scores of acting credits over more than five decades include dozens of early film shorts. He starred in the feature-length films "Bob Hampton of Placer" (1921), "The Man From Home" (1922), "Another Man's Wife" (1924) and "Hired Wife" (1934).
Silent and early sound film actress Lee, who died in 1973 at 72, starred in such films as "Blood and Sand" (1922), "The Midnight Girl" (1925) and "The Unholy Three" (1930).
Carmen Schaye of Coldwell Banker is the listing agent.
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