Celeb R.E.: Jonathan Frakes from Star Trek and Genie Francis From General Hospital Move to Woodland Hills

Images courtesy Ewing & Associates Sotheby's International Realty

On August 14, 2013, the fine folks at Zillow Blog discussed a Woodland Hills home purchase by Star Trek actor Jonathan Frakes and his actress wife Genie Francis from soap opera General Hospital for an even steven $1 million on August 2, 2013. 

Frakes and Francis first met while filming the television series Bare Essence. They met again during the filming of the miniseries North and South and started dating in 1985. The became engaged in 1986 and married on May 28, 1988. 

The home measures 3 Beds/2.25 Baths on 2,035 sqft on a total lot size of 0.60 acres built in 1941. The listing description states:

A serene retreat in the middle of suburbia, hedged, gated and private. Park-like grounds surround this quaint remodeled Vista De Oro ranch house in one of Woodland Hills most desirable neighborhoods. Enjoy nearly an acre of flat property accented by an antique barn and adjacent one of the last standing orange groves in the San Fernando Valley. This large property is a true escape from city-life. The charming main house was originally custom built in the 1930?s, the interior featuring 3 bedrooms and 2 ? baths. The gorgeous master bedroom overlooks the beautiful landscaping and includes a spa-like bathroom with walk-in closet, tub and steam shower to help you unwind after a long day. Wood-burning fireplaces create warmth in the family room as well as one of the bedrooms, which is currently being used as an artist?s studio. Rich wood floors throughout and beamed ceilings in the living room add to the comfortable country setting; while French doors in the den allow you to enjoy the sweet breeze and fresh garden aromas inside and out. This inviting property also includes a spacious detached work or entertainment space adjacent to the 2 car garage, as well as extra acreage to build. Experience this remarkable find for yourself and imagine the possibilities.

Image courtesy Google Maps

Francis/Frakes also own a Beverly Crest home that was purchased on September 28, 1994 for $1.5 million and appears to still be owned by them but not sure in what capacity which could be an investment property or simply as a second home. 

At some point in time, this Hollywood couple moved to Belfast, Maine where Francis owned a store called The Cherished Home which sold home furnishings and accessories. In 2008, the couple moved back to CA to focus on their acting careers living in Beverly Hills which I am assuming was their Beverly Crest home and then renting a home in Calabasas possibly at 4218 Vicasa Drive but I cannot confirm so dont quote me. Its also possible that Francis/Frakes rented a Tarzana home at some point on 5062 Calvin Avenue but I cannot confirm so dont quote me. The Cherished Home store was sold in the fall of 2012 due to Francis' workload with the soap opera, The Young and the Restless. 

Image courtesy Google Maps

On a somewhat related note, I can confirm that Francis's mother, Rosemary Daley, owns a modest 2 Bed/1 Bath on 1,185 sqft home in Valley Glen that was purchased on January 12, 1993 for $120,000. The online property records are rather conflicting as another website states that Genie sold the home to Rosemary for $150,000 on August 16, 2001. I doubt Genie sold a home to her mother but you never know these days. 

You can view more SFV Celebrity Real Estate here. 

Celeb R.E.: Angela Kinsey of The Office Short Sells Valley Glen Home

Image courtesy Mortgage Mavens

Angela Kinsey who is widely known for playing the feisty character, "Angela Martin," on the hit TV sitcom, The Office (view filming locations here) short sold her Valley Glen home for $360,500 on January 18, 2013.  

Kinsey's husband, Warren Lieberstein, is a television writer and producer who also wrote for The Office. Warren's brother is Paul Lieberstein who played "Toby Flenderson" and his brother-in-law is Greg Daniels who was a developer and original producer for The Office. As you can see, its a family affair. Lastly, Kinsey is close friends with The Office costar, Jenna Fischer (who purchased the Casey Stengal estate in Glendale), who is the godmother to Kinsey's daughter, Isabel. Back on February 18, 2009, Angela and Warren had separated and were officially divorced in June 2010 which may be a contributing factor for the sale of this home. 

The home measures 3 Beds/2.75 Baths on 1,824 sqft on a total lot size of 6,858 sqft built in 1953. The listing description states:

SHORT SALE SUBJECT TO LENDER APPROVAL. THERE WILL BE NO PRIVET SHOWINGS PLEASE STAY TUNED TO MLS FOR AN ANNOUNCMENT AS TO WHEN WE WILL BE HOLDING THE OPEN HOUSE.UPDATED INSIDE & OUT. Spacious kitchen apx 20x20, large master BR, quiet street. 1824 sq. ft. living space. Must see.

Kinsey and Lieberstein purchased this home at the peak of the market for $675,000 on June 30, 2006. The timing of this purchase coincides with Kinsey's success on The Office after its premiere run in 2005. Additionally, this home was conveniently located to The Office studios on Saticoy in Van Nuys which may have been a factor in their purchase of this home. 

The total loss on this home was a massive $314,500 not factoring in taxes, commissions, any renovation expenses, and carrying costs. However, since this is a short sale, the loss fell onto the banks minimizing the damage to Kinsey and Lieberstein who join a list of other celebrities in the SFV who have either short sold or been foreclosed shown below:

1. The late Eazy-E's wife Tomica Woods-Wright (music) foreclosure in Calabasas. 
2. Persia White (actress) short sale in Studio City.
3. John Larroquette's (actor) short sale in Sherman Oaks.
4. Bryon Russells' (basketball) foreclosure in Calabasas.
5. Kristen Bell's (actress) Studio City foreclosure.
6. Richard Fortus' (GNR music) short sale in Woodland Hills.
7. Morris Chestnut's (actor) short sale in Hidden Hills.
8. Eric Davis' (baseball) short sale in Calabasas.
9. Kristoff St. John's (actor) short sale in Canoga Park.
10. Jeremy London's (actor) foreclosure in Canoga Park which is literally down the street from Kristoff St.John. 

Its not known where Kinsey has moved onto but hopefully she still remains in the SFV as she was a much liked character while on The Office. Warren has already moved to a Sherman Oaks home south of Ventura  Blvd measuring 3 Beds/2 Baths on 1,887 sqft on a total lot size of 7,000 sqft built in 1936 and was purchased for $907,500 on June 8, 2012 (shown below). 

Image courtesy Coldwell Banker

You can view more SFV Celebrity Real Estate here. 

Filming Locations: The Office (NBC U.S. TV Show: 2005 - 2013)

Image courtesy Fanpop.com

Image courtesy Barnes & Noble 

Image courtesy Spoiler TV

Image courtesy Stuffpoint.com

Image courtesy Insidetv

After 9 hilarious seasons, The Office (U.S.) will air its last episode this Thursday on May 16, 2013 with a special 75 minute show. To celebrate the success of this series, I thought it would be appropriate to discuss some of the show's filming locations in the SFV which are well known by now. A majority of the show was filmed in Van Nuys to fill in as Scranton, Pennsylvania which is discussed below.

The Office is an American comedy television series broadcast by the National Broadcasting Company (NBC). It is an adaptation of the BBC series of the same name. The Office was adapted for American audiences by Greg Daniels, a veteran writer for Saturday Night Live, King of the Hill, and The Simpsons. It is co-produced by Daniels' Deedle-Dee Productions, and Shine America, in association with Universal Television. The original executive producers were Daniels, Howard Klein, Ben Silverman, Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, with numerous others being promoted in later seasons.

The series depicts the everyday lives of office employees in the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. To simulate the look of an actual documentary, it is filmed in a single-camera setup, without a studio audience or a laugh track. The show debuted on NBC as a mid-season replacement on March 24, 2005, and features Steve Carell, Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, B. J. Novak and Ed Helms among the main cast. Series star Carell, who portrayed Michael Scott, left the series near the end of the seventh season. Since its debut, the show has aired 199 episodes and is currently airing its ninth season, which has been confirmed to be the series' last. The series is scheduled to conclude with a one-hour finale on May 16, 2013.

The first five seasons of The Office received critical acclaim, were included on several top TV series lists, and won several awards including four Primetime Emmy Awards, one of which was for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2006. The series initially debuted to low ratings, but during its second season it became the highest-rated scripted series on NBC and was eventually chosen to follow Super Bowl XLIII. Off-network syndication of The Office began in late 2007 on TBS and Fox-owned stations in the United States (Wikipedia).

The filming locations from The Office were originally found by IAMNOTASTALKER.com so big props to that site for posting. All images shown below courtesy IAMNOTASTALKER.com unless noted.

The Office was primarily filmed at the Chandler Valley Center Studios located at 13927 Saticoy Street Van Nuys. This location is behind the former GM Plant as well across the train tracks from the former Schlitz Brewery site that I discussed in the Tower of Wooden Pallets post. According to a Yahoo article published on February 25, 2009, the author provided a list of recognizable items that could be seen from the street level at the time the article was published. Today, no references to the show can be found. You can also see more at IAMNOTASTALKER.com.

1. The entrance to Dunder Mifflin 
2. The Dunder Mifflin Parking Lot 
3. Various "Dunder Mifflin" and "Vance Refrigeration" signs 
4. Michael Scott's office window that looks out over the parking lot. (In reality, the interior of his office is a set located in the soundstage next door.) 
5. Michael Scott's parking sign 
6. Prop cars belonging to various characters in the parking lot. (Complete with prop "Pennsylvania" license plates.) 
7. The location of Michael Scott's "staged suicide attempt" from the episode "Safety Training" 
8. And more! (The better you know the series, the more you will recognize!)

Above images courtesy BTTFtour.com

Dwight Schrutes car can be seen from the street.

In addition to Dwight's car, Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly's car can be seen followed by Andy's Prius and Meredith's mini-van.

Props from the show stored in a nearby parking lot state Jim Kit, Elevator, and Vance Refrigeration. The above images courtesy Living In A Television Show.

The next images show the location today which unfortunately has no references or props from The Office as in the previous pictures above. 

The Chili's Grill & Bar from Season 2, Episode 1, "The Dundies" and Episode 7, "The Client" was actually filmed at the former Black Angus Steakhouse (now demolished) at 14640 Roscoe Blvd in Panorama City. You can see more at IAMNOTSTALKER regarding this location.

Above images from "The Dundies."

Above images from "The Client." 

Michael Scott's condo was located at 7303 Bonnie Place Reseda and was purchased in Season 2, Episode 3, "Office Olympics". The condo which Michael mistakes as his was filmed in Season 6, Episode 22, "Dream Team" is located at 7302 Bonnie Place Reseda. You can see more at IAMNOTASTALKER  regarding this location.

Oscar Martinez's house which was revealed in Season 2, Episode 13, "The Secret", was filmed at 5232 Longridge Avenue Van Nuys not too far from the location above. You can see more at IAMNOTASTALKER regarding this location.

Pam and Dwight meet at Paty's Restaurant in Season 3, Episode 3 ,"The Coup" which is located at 10001 Riverside Drive in Toluca Lake. You can see more at IAMNOTASTALKER regarding this location. 

Phyllis Vance's Wedding from Season 3, Episode 15, "Phyllis' Wedding", was filmed at the First Church of North Hollywood at 4390 Colfax Avenue Studio City which has also been used for other TV shows, commercials, and films. You can see more at IAMNOTASTALKER regarding this location.

Pickwicks Pub was used in Season 3, Episode 18, "Cocktails" and in Season 4, Episode 9,"Local Ad." Pickwicks is located at 21010 Ventura Blvd in Woodland Hills. You can see more at IAMNOTASTALKER regarding this location. 

Also used in Season 3, Episode 18, "Cocktails" was David Wallace and his wife, Rachel's, home used to throw a party for all of the Dunder Mifflin managers. This home is located at 5133 Louise Avenue in Encino. and is the original home of the Adohr Milk Farm. You can see more at IAMNOTASTALKER regarding this location. 

In Season 3, Episode 19, "The Negotation", The Hungry Fox Restaurant was used which is located at 13359 Sherman Way in North Hollywood. You can see more at IAMNOTASTALKER regarding this location. 

The Westfield Fashion Square Mall was used as Steamtown Mall in Season 3, Episode 22, "Womens Appreciation." This mall is located at 14006 Riverside Drive Sherman Oaks. You can see more at IAMNOTSTALKER regarding this location.

Pam buys the lamp from the estate sale during Michael Scott's Dunder Mifflin Scranton Meredith Palmer Celebrity Rabies Awareness Pro-Am Fun Run Race for the Cure was from Season 4, Episode 1, "Fun Run", is located at 5306 Longridge Avenue Van Nuys. You can see more at IAMNOTASTALKER regarding this location.

Jim and Pam's house was filmed in Season 5, Episode 8, "Frame Toby" and Season 7, Episode 21, "Michael's Last Dundies" at 13831 Calvert Street Van Nuys. You can see more at IAMNOTASTALKER regarding this location.

From "Frame Toby". 

From "Michael's Last Dundies". 

Darryl Philbin's house is located at 14152 Emelita Avenue in Van Nuys. This location was used for Season 6, Episode 2, "The Meeting." You can see more at IAMNOTASTALKER regarding this location.

The Smokehouse Restaurant was used in Season 6, Episode 4/5, "Niagara" which is located at 4420 West Lakeside Drive in Burbank. With this restaurant located across the street from Warner Brothers, it has become the popular hangout for Hollywood folks going back to 1946. This location is also popular for film shoots and was recently used in the 2012 film, Argo. You can see more at IAMNOTASTALKER regarding this location.

Also used in Season 6, Episode 4/5, "Niagara" was the location of the church for Pam and Jim's wedding which was the Congregational Church of the Chimes located at 14115 Magnolia Blvd in Sherman Oaks.  You can see more at IAMNOTASTALKER regarding this location. 

Also used in Season 6, Episode 4/5, "Niagara" was the location for Pam and Jim's wedding hotel which was the Sportsmen's Lodge located at 12825 Ventura Blvd in Studio City. This hotel has been popular with Hollywood folks and has also been used for a variety of film shoots. You can see more at IAMNOTASTALKER regarding this location. 

In Season 6, Episode 21, "Happy Hour", Jillian's was used as Sid & Dexter's Sports Bar which is located at 1000 Universal Studios Blvd in Universal CityWalk in Universal City. You can see more at IAMNOTASTALKER regarding this location. 

Larry's Chili Dog was used in Season 7, Episode 14, "The Search" which is located at 3122 W. Burbank Blvd Burbank. You can see more at IAMNOTASTALKER regarding this location.

In Season 7, Episode 15, "The Search", Kung Pao Ching Bistro was used as Mr. Choo's Food Restaurant which is located at 11838 Ventura Blvd in Studio City. Also the Civic Center Gas Station and Mini Mart were also used in this episode which is located at 6171 Van Nuys Blvd in Van Nuys. You can see more at IAMNOTASTALKER regarding this location.

Barone's Famous Italian Restaurant was used in Season 7, Episode 21, "Michael's Last Dundies" which is located at 13726 Oxnard Street in Valley Glen. You can see more at IAMNOTSTALKER regarding this location. This location was also used in the 1982 film, Fast Times at Ridgemont High. 

Meredith Palmer's house was located at 14142 Emelita Street in Van Nuys. This home was used in Season 7, Episode 21, "Michael's Last Dundies" which is also next door to Darryl's house mentioned above. You can see more at IAMNOTASTALKER regarding this location.

Toby Flenderson's house is located at 5752 Calhoun Avenue in Van Nuys. This home was used in Season 7, Episode 21, "Michael's Last Dundies" which is a couple blocks northeast from Jim and Pam's house mentioned above. You can see more at IAMNOTASTALKER regarding this location. 

Kelly Erin Hannon's Florida house from Season 8, Episode 18, "Last Day in Florida" and Episode 19, "Get the Girl" was filmed at 7777 Cherrystone Avenue Panorama City which is directly behind the Chandler Valley Center Studios mentioned above. You can see more at IAMNOTSTALKER for finding this location.

Its possible that other episodes were also filmed in the SFV but I have not had the opportunity to review all 9 seasons to find them so enjoy the above mentioned locations. I remember watching one episode where Burbank Blvd in the Sepulveda Dam was used for a driving scene to re-create the look of a bucolic Pennsylvania. Also, Hansen Dam was used as Lake Scranton while Dwight's farm was filmed in Simi Valley. If you know of any other scenes filmed in the SFV, please do share. 

On a separate note, a majority of the cast lives in the SFV including Jenna Fischer (Pam) who purchased the Casey Stengel estate in Glendale in November 2012 (before Glendale, was living in Studio City),  Steve Carell (Michael) lives in Toluca Lake with a prior home in Studio City, Rainn Wilson (Dwight) used to live in Van Nuys on Hamlin street which was from 1999 to 2002 but now currently resides in Agoura Hills, Rashida Jones (daughter of Quincy Jones) attended The Buckley School in Sherman Oaks along with Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian, and Angela Kinsey (Angela) lives in Valley Glen to name a few.

You can view more SFV Filming Locations here.