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, according to news reports from the L.A. Times archives. The damage to the structure and its contents was estimated at $200,000, and the familys cocker spaniel, a complete collection of Crosbys recordings, his golf trophies and his pipe collection were lost.
Crosby, who was golfing at the time of the fire, said he felt fortunate that his wife, Dixie Lee, and their four sons escaped injury.
His film stand-in Leo Lynn and his brother Larry Crosby helped sift through the ruins and found $2,000 in the pocket of one of Bing Crosbys coats.
The rebuilt Southern Colonial that stands on the site today has six bedrooms, 5 1/2 bathrooms and five fireplaces in 7,132 square feet. There is a living room with a marble fireplace, a billiards room and a den with a wet bar.
The 2 acres of gated grounds include rose gardens; fruit trees; a tennis court with grandstands; an Olympic-size swimming pool; a 2 1/2- bathroom cabana with changing rooms, sitting area and a kitchen; and a two-bedroom, two-bathroom guesthouse with a kitchen.
