Although it wasn’t on the market at the time, property records reveal that actor Simon Helberg, best known for his role as nerdy astronaut Howard Wolowitz on long-running sitcom “The Big Bang Theory,” has quietly offloaded his Spanish Colonial-style estate in the easternmost reaches of the Hollywood Hills for $7.8 million.
The off-market buyers are married “Hacks” co-creators Paul W. Downs and Lucia Aniello, who have been performing and writing together for over a decade. Helberg and his wife Jocelyn Towne acquired the 1930s home, which also has been occupied at separate times by Vince Vaughn and Kate Bosworth, for $3.9 million a little over five years ago and subsequently gave the place an extensive makeover in collaboration with the L.A. design firm Nickey Kehoe.
Resting behind gates on a nearly one-acre parcel hidden away near the back of a secluded cul-de-sac, the two-story structure features six bedrooms and six baths in about 4,000 square feet of living space adorned with arched doorways, wood-beam ceilings and wide-plank oak floors. Designated as a certified monarch butterfly waystation, the flat grassy grounds are laced with fruit trees and wildflowers and also hold a pool and spa, koi pond, professionally-designed gardens and terraced hillside with a seating area, plus a guesthouse and two-car garage.
Among the other highlights are a spacious foyer, which steps down into a living room sporting large picture windows and French doors spilling out to a pergola-topped patio. A wet bar-equipped family room adjoins the kitchen, which is outfitted with marble countertops, mustard-hued cabinetry, an eat-in island and a La Cornue range. An accompanying breakfast nook and den open to a covered al fresco dining area hosting a built-in barbecue and fireplace.
The creature comforts continue upstairs, where a sumptuous primary bedroom sports a balcony and walk-in closet with a skylight, as well as a bathroom boasting dual vanities, an oval soaking tub, a steam shower and an infrared sauna. Three additional guest bedrooms also can be found on this level, while a lower-level craft room could easily be converted into an extra bedroom.
Helberg and Townes have upgraded to an English Tudor Revival mansion in Pasadena they purchased for nearly $8.4 million in early 2022. They also maintain a 6.5-acre equestrian estate in Carpinteria, just south of Santa Barbara and Montecito. As for Downs and Aniello, they still lay claim to a smaller Spanish-style starter home in Hollywood that’s been featured in “Architectural Digest.”
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