Frank and Bing Digs for Sale - Page 2

Marc Lange of HOM Sotheby's International Realty, a listing agent for the Crosby house, spoke similarly of his 6,700-square-foot, six-bedroom property.

"It's a very, very comfortable place for people to live," he said of the house for which he has been unable to identify an architect despite searching. "Plus there's that history."

Oh yes, that. Lange repeated an oft-told story tied to the Crosby house that after the renowned Joe Kennedy forbade his son (JFK) to associate with Sinatra for fear of mob connections, Frank recommended the casita at Bing's place as a good spot for liaisons with a certain starlet.

"It always has been a very secure place," Lange deadpanned of the gated, guarded Thunderbird community, where even President Obama has been known to vacation.

The two homes share numerous features besides square footage, swimming pools, and Marilyn Monroe—primarily the flashes of modernist design.

Frank's Chatsworth house, at 9361 Farralone Avenue, is more familiar to many TV viewers as the site of 'Mad Men' and 'Californication' scenes as well as several of actor Rob Lowe's current spots for Direct TV. Its film resume includes 'Swordfish,' 'Dreamgirls,' and 'Ali.'

"With the high ceilings and the [16-foot] walls of glass that let in the light...it makes it ideal for filming and television," said Johnson, a Chatsworth-based agent who said his prior celebrity-associated properties in the valley have been more like singers Debbie Boone and Jim Stafford.

In Rancho Mirage overlooking modernist mecca Palm Springs, Lange said he recently closed sale on another Thunderbird property, and that the views of Coachella Valley from Bing's place at 70375 Calico Road are "stunning."

"All the rooms have great views of the valley below," he said, while noting that the doors are ten-feet-tall in front and Moroccan hand-carved in the kitchen (acquired during 'The Road to Morocco' perhaps?).

Both homes have the signature sliding-glass doors opening to opulent poolside patios, as well as ultra-romantic master suites and fireplaces throughout. And the lights below are even brighter today and certainly more plentiful than in each home's heyday.

So, it really boils down to this: Are you dreaming of a 'White Christmas' or planning for 'From Here to Eternity'? That is the question.