BING CROSBY'S HOUSE FOR SALE

Bing Crosby’s two-acre gated tennis court estate in Toluca Lake is being offered for $6,595,000. The singer and actor lived on the property from 1936 until early January 1943 when the 20-room house was gutted in a Christmas-tree fire. Damage to the structure and its contest was estimated at $200,000, and the family's cocker spaniel, a complete collection of Crosby's recordings and his golf trophies and pipe collection were lost.

The rebuilt Southern Colonial on the site, behind a circular motorcourt, has large stately rooms, high ceilings and an open floorplan with all main rooms lined with french doors leading out to the grounds. There are six bedrooms, 5.5 baths and five fireplaces in 7,132 square feet with a living room with marble fireplace, a billiards room and a den with a wet bar. The two-acre gated grounds include rose gardens, fruit trees, vegetable gardens, a bocce court, a lighted tennis court with Crosby’s original grandstand, a gazebo, and an Olympic-sized swimming pool with separate spa. The 2.5-bathroom cabana has changing rooms, an outdoor living room with a built-in barbecue and a kitchen. There is also a a two-bedroom, two bathroom guest house with a kitchen.

After Crosby, subsequent owners included actor Andy Griffith in the 1980s and actor Jerry Van Dyke and his wife, Shirley, who sold the home to the current owner in 1997 for $1.93 million. Crosby achieved international fame with his recording of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas from the film Holiday Inn. The song was the No.1 hit in late 1942 and stayed at the top of the chart for 11 weeks. Crosby won the best actor Oscar for Going My Way (1944) and teamed with Bob Hope for the “Road to” pictures. The estate, at 10500 Camarillo St., was previously offered at $7.395 million. Ginger Glass of Coldwell Banker Previews and Shirley Duenckel and Jon Molin of Ramsey Shilling & Associates have the listing...