12305 Fifth Helena Drive, Single-story residence in Brentwood, Los Angeles, US
12305 Fifth Helena Drive is a single-story Spanish colonial revival house in Brentwood, Los Angeles, built in 1929 and measuring about 2,900 square feet. Behind a white stucco wall and dark slatted metal gate, the low-pitched red tile roof and part of a windowed wall stand among trees and ivy. The L-shaped plan holds four bedrooms and three bathrooms.
Built in 1929, the house's architect and original owner are unrecorded by the Los Angeles Department of City Planning. The 1930 census lists actor Richard Hunter and his family as the first documented occupants; his sons Asa Michael and Harbin Francis Hunter became architects. Marilyn Monroe bought the property in February 1962 for $77,500, and it was designated a Historic Cultural Monument in 2024.
The address gained recognition through its final occupant, one of the most celebrated actresses of the 1950s and early 1960s. Today the location draws film enthusiasts and architecture photographers who view the property from the street.
The property sits at the end of a cul-de-sac branching off Carmelina Avenue in a quiet part of Brentwood. The area features tree-lined streets with wide sidewalks and is near shops and restaurants along San Vicente Boulevard.
The city of Los Angeles granted the building historic monument status in 2024, following efforts by residents and film historians to protect it permanently. The 2023 sale drew international media attention and highlighted the ongoing fascination with Hollywood history from the 1960s.
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