In 1984, Johnny Carson bought a 4-acre Malibu estate for about $9.5 million – Image credit: MARY E. NICHOLS
Johnny Carson’s former Malibu estate has had a remarkable journey through the luxury property market, moving from a roughly $9.5 million purchase in the 1980s to an $81.5 million asking price decades later before eventually changing hands for $40 million. Carson owned the property for more than two decades and continued to live there until his death in 2005 at the age of 79. The Malibu property was built in 1978 by architect Ed Niles and sits on slightly more than four acres overlooking the Pacific. In 2007, she sold the home and its adjacent parcels to fashion mogul and film producer Sidney Kimmel and his wife, Caroline. A decade later, the Kimmels put the compound on the market for a staggering $81.5 million. The listing price was nearly nine times what Carson had paid for the estate in 1984. But the $81.5 million asking price did not translate into a sale.
The figures and property history were reported by the Mansion Global, with property records cited in their coverage.
The late “Tonight Show” host bought the Point Dume estate in 1984 for about $9.5 million, according to the Los Angeles Times. After Carson’s death, the property passed to his widow, Alexis. The property offered considerably more than just the main residence. A separate guesthouse stood on the adjoining land, while the tennis area included a pavilion with additional facilities. Its oceanfront setting and connection to one of American television’s most recognizable hosts added to its celebrity appeal.