No joke, Zeppo Marx’s former Beverly Hills property sells for $21M

Throw a rock in Beverly Hills, you might hit a house with some entertainment history. 

Case in point: 524 North Beverly Drive is where Zeppo Marx, the youngest, and arguably least famous, Marx Brother, resided with his wife Barbara. Property documents and listing sites confirm that 524 North Beverly Drive was sold for $20.8 million, or $1,935-per-square-feet on March 21. 

The couple divorced and years later she married Frank Sinatra. Another former resident was John Cacavas, the composer of music for TV shows such as “Kojak” and “Columbo.” 

In 2016, the composer’s family sold the property for $7.4 million to a trust linked to Standard Oil Investment Group. A new home was built on the half-acre of land with a Beverly Hills Flats address, according to Realtor.com.

The 10,800-square-foot home was originally rented by the buyer, said Prima Bernardus of eXp Realty. He represented the buyer along with Kim Ewing. 

The listing agent was Steven Bohbot, who also serves as CEO of Standard Oil Investment Group.

Bernardus declined to identify the buyer, but said they are a foreign national. The home will serve as the buyer’s second address in the Los Angeles area. 

Amenities in the three-year-old home include a movie theater, gym, basketball court, as well as a pool and an elevator. 

The Zillow listing compared the property to 517 North Beverly Drive, a 9,000-square-foot home that sold for about $14 million in May 2022.