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And I knew celebrities and Hollywood legends made this area their playground. Elvis Presley’s Honeymoon Hideaway in Palm Springs is the most popular place in the town to have your photo taken. It is the scene where Elvis and Priscilla whisked away to after they were married in Las Vegas on May 1, 1967. It’s a joy.” Sammy Davis Jr. was a highly popular actor, comedian, singer and dancer. He was also part of the Rat Pack with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, with whom he starred in several films.
Being as involved in the music industry as he was, Davis let out the pool house for the purpose of recording music. In fact, The Band recorded their second album in here. Apparently they had a good experience while recording at the home, as they write about it in the album cover itself. Walking back up the stairs and through the Great Room, another staircase leads up to a floor that wasn’t part of the original home. Up here you’ll find a home gym and spa-like bathroom, as well as the spacious master bedroom.
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When Francis Albert, “Frank,” Sinatra talks, everybody listens. The dancer, singer, multi-instrumentalist, impressionist, comedian and member of the legendary "Rat Pack" once lived here.
The kitchen can be accessed from either the dining or living rooms. It is slightly elevated, accessible by stair, as it was originally intended for use by servers and staff who would have been separated from the action. Today, a substantial rectangular cutout in the wall allows for more interaction between the rooms and also provides a view of the landscape from the kitchen. The kitchen itself has been remodeled with a creative oval stone backsplash, countertop stove and sizable refrigerator.
Elvis Presley biography
As Helen went onto Kendall Drive, Sammy and Charles weren’t too far behind. The Kendall-Rte 66 fork was only one lane in each direction, with houses on both sides. Not wanting to make the trip to see her family in Van Nuys, California, on her own, Helen put an ad in the local Akron newspaper, seeking a companion or two for the trip west. He wanted to get to Edwards Air Force Base to see his brother.
Nighttime was the perfect time to have parties by the pool or the outside jacuzzi in Palm Springs. In April 1970, Elvis and Priscilla decided to purchase their own house in Palm Springs at 845 W. They put $20,000 as a down payment and financed $85,000 for a total purchase price of $105,000. The home was originally built in 1946 by renowned architect Albert Frey for the Jergens family, known for their skincare products. In 1960, Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonald’s Corporation, purchased the home. Running 90 minutes to two hours, the tour offers a fine glimpse of some lavish houses, as well as a feel for some of the desert’s distinctly original neighborhoods, especially around Las Palmas.
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Everyone from Lucy and Desi to Ginger Rodgers to Bing Crosby to Liberace all owned vacation homes in the area during their prime. Being as how it’s a short jaunt from Los Angeles, Palm Springs and its surrounding areas gave celebrities respite from the bright lights of cameras and flashbulbs. Bannister and his guides sweeten these outings with stellar bon mots and an authentic desire to share a wealth of the valley’s celebrity history.
If showcases the mid-century modern look and feel that many of the homes in Palm Springs feature, and by the looks of these photos, it truly lives up to its name. 515 West Via Lola stands the former Palm Springs residence of famed actor Kirk Douglas. It has been given the distinction of historic status, and was built in the early 1950’s. The home was recently valued at $3.5 million and was last purchased in 2016. Just around the corner from Elvis’ Honeymoon Hideaway is Sammy Davis Jr.’s Palm Springs manor. Not too much is known about the house, but it was allegedly purchased during the 60’s heyday of The Rat Pack era.
Elvis would spend an average of about three months in Palm Springs every year. The expansion of the property enabled the transition from a family atmosphere to, as Elvis’ pal Jerry Schilling described, “more of a boys’ club feel” during weekends at the Palm Springs estate. Only two hours from Los Angeles, Palm Springs was convenient for a quick weekend getaway from Hollywood, and close enough to return quickly in case of a filming emergency. Bus tours are hit and miss, so it’s refreshing to come across a creative beast like Celebrity Tours of Palm Springs. Like the city itself, this local enterprise has plenty of style — and much of that comes from the tour guides. At Christmastime, Young purportedly filled the house with angel figurines and heavily decorated the exterior of the property with them as well.
It’s a fancy car, with all kinds of chrome and bullet-shaped decorations, including a large one in the center of the steering wheel’s horn ring. Once Frank arrived on the scene, so did most of the other Rat Pack members, including Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. Soon all sorts of Hollywood socialites, movie stars, heads of state, mafia bosses and more followed and the town was never the same. And to other cyclists I’m guiding through the neighborhoods. I didn’t want to run up to the gate and stick my phone through the fence to get a better photo. Just trust me, this house is everything you’d expect of Katharine the Great.
Complete with a sitting area and fireplace, the bedroom also has an enormous attached bathroom with its own fireplace and a free-standing tub adjacent to a window overlooking the hills. A gentle breeze flows through the space making it a relaxing and cool place to be on a hot summer day. One of my favorite things to do as of late is stalk celebrity homes and such. During a whirlwind 24 hour visit to Palm Springs, I looked up some of the past addresses as it has been a vacation destination for stars from the stage and the screen.
If you have a party of 5-7, you can request his famed tamed table. Lord Fletcher’s is also known for its incredible drinks and desserts. The building still stands, unfortunately the business closed because of Covid. Cancel any upcoming flights to the moon, because living in Frank Sinatra's Rat Pack home is a great reason to stay on Earth. Thanks for the mini-tour, and especially finding out the Reagans lived right around the corner from me.
A recent excursion proved enlightening for a number of reasons. Beyond offering detailed accounts of what life may have been like for some of the stars who lived here — and some who still do — Bannister reveals a wealth of knowledge about architecture. TV actor and comedian Wally Cox owned the place after the Minnellis, and Sammy Davis Jr. purchased it from him in 1955. There is also a firepit, which was a more recent addition.
However, the bookcase actually holds a hidden door that leads into the Judy Garland suite — the home’s original master bedroom, complete with a walk-in closet and dressing area. Today, an ornate golden bed frame stands in the room, and an old photo of the famous sparkling ruby slippers hangs on the wall. The dressing area is untouched from when Garland and Minnelli lived here and is complete with the original mirrors. Hidden in the back of the closet and dressing area is a panic room that was built with the original house. It’s unknown why Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli felt this was necessary, nor whether this area has ever been used for its intended purpose. When Elvis bought the house located on a 1.75-acre lot, it was 3,500 square feet.
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Today, the home comprises five bedrooms and seven-and-a-half bathrooms spread out over 4,999 square feet. The front foyer opens onto an expansive great room with maple floors and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the hills. From there, there is a living room with a fireplace, a step-up dining room, and a home office situated between floors. A remodeled kitchen with oval stone backsplash and high-end appliances is accessible from both the living and dining rooms. The main floor of the pool house hosts a bar and lounge area. The wall behind the bar is decorated with framed pictures of Sammy Davis Jr. at the house, parties at the pool, and even one of Frank Sinatra sitting at the bar.
The eccentric singer was said to have taken to living in the garage at one point. Doctor Hill continued to practice well into his 80s, and regularly received gifts from the very grateful singer, dancer, Hollywood actor and Las Vegas celebrity. After being rushed to San Bernardino Community Hospital, Sammy was attended to by Doctor Fredrick Hull, the best eye specialist in town. Realizing her mistake, Helen put her car in reverse, and drove backwards, off Kendall Drive, and onto Route 66.
