Before late actor and comedian Buddy Hackett moved to his long-time home across from the Los Angeles Country Club, he resided in this Beverly Hills estate just down the street. Hackett, who passed away in 2003 at age 78 at his Malibu beach house, is best known for his roles in The Music Man and It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.
The Spanish-style compound at 718 Walden Drive sits on nearly half an acre in the Beverly Hills Flats, a neighborhood renowned for its broad, tree-lined streets and elegant residences. This area has housed numerous high-profile residents, including Jimmy Stewart, Diane Keaton, and Simon Cowell. It’s also historically notable for being the site where Howard Hughes crashed an experimental plane in July 1947 and where gangster Bugsy Siegel was murdered a month earlier.
Originally built in 1929, Hackett’s former home has recently undergone a comprehensive renovation. The updated estate is now on the market for just under $18 million. “They completely took it down to the studs,” listing agent Rochelle Maize of Nourmand & Associates told Mansion Global. “It’s almost like a brand new house.” The main residence boasts four bedrooms and seven bathrooms across over 7,700 square feet, with two additional guest spaces on the property.
The renovation preserved key architectural features like the creamy white stucco, terracotta roof, and exposed wood ceilings, while modernizing the space with new electrical and plumbing systems, high-definition security cameras, and a home automation system with Nest thermostats. The interior, stripped of excess ornamentation, features white walls and a decorator-ready layout.
The home is set behind a spacious red brick courtyard, with notable original details including decorative tile on the staircase and soaring truss ceilings in the foyer and living room. The property includes a large family room with a custom step-down bar, a wine cellar, and wall-to-wall cabinets. The chef’s kitchen is equipped with a 12-foot center island and high-end appliances from Sub-Zero and Wolf. Additional highlights include an entertainment lounge with a wet bar, a main bedroom with a private office opening onto an outdoor balcony, dual closets, and spa baths with heated floors.
Outside, the property offers ample space for a 40-foot swimming pool, a pool house with a bathroom, and a spacious en-suite guest unit above the detached two-car garage. A flat lawn area beside the pool is ready for a regulation pickleball court.
