By James McClain May 16, 2019
Location: Santa Monica, Calif.
Price: $11.9 million
Size: 5,998 square feet, 4 beds, 5 baths
Way back in summer 2011, Tinseltown royal Matt Groening — creator of the much-lauded TV series “Futurama” and “The Simpsons” — and his then-new wife Agustina Picasso paid $11.65 million for an ultra-swank residential compound in Santa Monica. Christened the Gorham House, the walled and gated spread was originally built in 1910 by venerated architect Robert D. Farquhar, though it has since been extensively renovated and expanded by Gordon Gibson Construction.
The 12-time Emmy winner sports a family of nine, so the modified Farquhar estate — big as it is, and it’s big — is naturally feeling a wee bit cramped for the burgeoning clan. To remedy that situation, Groening has paid $11.895 million for the similarly-sized mansion next door, bringing their total compound spend to approximately $23.5 million. A lot of money, no doubt, but easily doable for a guy widely reported to be worth $500 million.
As they say, blessed is the man whose quiver is full.
Records reveal the seller of Groening’s new “spare” house was an elderly widow, and the property last transferred way back in 1990 for “just” $3.755 million. The 6,000 sq. ft. Mediterranean-influenced villa was built in 1987 and includes four beds and five baths. There’s a detached three-car garage, and the .54 acre lot also features a extra-long rectangular swimming pool that runs parallel to a full-size tennis court. Palm trees and lush gardens dot the resort-like property. Naturally, the entire estate is walled and gated for security. But since the deal went down off-market, few photos and further details are available.
Groening’s expanded compound now spans more than an acre of land on one of Santa Monica’s most exclusive and expensive streets. Just a few doors away is the $20 million compound of Steve Jobs’ sister Mona Simpson, for whom the eponymous “Simpsons” character is named, of course. Other people within sugar-borrowing distance include former Santa Monica mayor Bobby Shriver, Chrome Hearts heiress and singer Jesse Jo Stark, vitamin mogul Andrew Lessman, and screenwriter/producer Paul Attanasio.
And like many Hollywood royals, Groening also maintains a Malibu residential getaway. In his case, said escape is an oceanfront contemporary villa set on billionaire-swarmed Carbon Beach. Sandwiched between two giant mansions, both owned by tech mogul Larry Ellison, the comparatively modest property was picked up by Groening way back in October 2000 for $8.5 million.