How Sweet It Is

J

JAM

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In the 1970s, Glea Manor was among the most renown residences in South Florida.
When Jackie Gleason moved from Miami-Dade to his 6,085-square-foot golf course home in Lauderhill in 1972, he instantly became Broward County’s leading celebrity.

Local newspapers wrote about Gleason, his TV and movie career, the major golf tournament that bore his name. And they loved to describe his fancy new split-level house in the Hills of Inverrary subdivision with the billiard room designed by famed pool shark Willie Mosconi, which inspired Gleason’s portrayal of Minnesota Fats in the 1961 classic The Hustler. And the saloon with the circular bar is supposedly a replica of Toots Shor’s joint in New York, Gleason’s favorite haunt back in his hell-raising days.

The house came to have a kind of celebrity of its own, which made the ad in the real estate section of Sunday’s Miami Herald so startling to old eyes: Real estate auction. Sunday, Nov. 18, at noon. Former Jackie Gleason estate. Listed at $388,800. Bring all offers.”

The wood-paneled billiard room with its overhead brass light fixtures is still there.
 

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J

JAM

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Man, I would have bid on this house for 388 large, if I had known ahead of time. And I'm not kidding.

But then there's this. Real estate analysts say that Lauderhill, still dogged by unsold foreclosures, has taken longer than other South Florida cities to recover from the recession.

But still, this was Ralph Kramden’s place. Minnesota Fats and Sheriff Buford T. Justice lived here. The Great One died here in 1987. Surely, it ought to be worth something more than $388,800 just to stand in the doorway and shout, “And away we go!”

I have this photo below, Jackie having fun with Arnold Palmer. Actually, I've always loved Jackie. Maybe that's why I love Keith so much. People smile when they see Keith walk into the room, the way way Jackie Gleason was capable of bringing a smile to faces in the crowd.
 

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J

JAM

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Jackie: Are you sure you haven't got any money?

Mike: No, no. It's against company rules.

Jackie: We'll play for fun. Tsch.

Playing pool in this House. Source --> Jackie shooting pool.
 
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philly

philly

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My parents lived a half mile down the road from Gleason's Inverrary complex of houses and I used to fly down to visit and play golf on Gleason's course. His course held many senior and women's event at one time and the complex was very high scale at the time. That whole area of Lauderdale Lakes is now so downtrodden that it is almost a ghetto and it is an area that has really never recovered from the housing slump. That's why his house is selling for such a cheap price. Believe me, you wouldn't want to live there now.
 
macguy

macguy

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philly said:
My parents lived a half mile down the road from Gleason's Inverrary complex of houses and I used to fly down to visit and play golf on Gleason's course. His course held many senior and women's event at one time and the complex was very high scale at the time. That whole area of Lauderdale Lakes is now so downtrodden that it is almost a ghetto and it is an area that has really never recovered from the housing slump. That's why his house is selling for such a cheap price. Believe me, you wouldn't want to live there now.
Click to expand...

I don't even want to drive in that area. here is some of the sales history on the house.

http://www.bcpa.net/RecInfo.asp?URL_Folio=494123AD0120

You can see his wife's name on it when she sold it for $450.000 back in 1992
 
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pt109

pt109

WO double hemlock
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It really is a shame....that house for 388 thousand....
...set it down in Toronto, a million might not get it.

..and with the provenance that it was Gleason's....add a couple hundred more thou...

...put Jackie's original pool table in it.....the price goes to the moon, Alice
 
NINEBALLART

NINEBALLART

NINEBALLART
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In 1969 I lived in upstate New York....Lake Peekskill...I worked in pest control for a company and they sent me to Jackie Gleason's house....It was out in the country with no other houses close by...I was greeted by 2 large Great Dane dogs who were, thank goodness, friendly...The house had 2 attorney's staying there who were watching the house for Jackie..
It was a very unusual built house...It was circular. There were no doors on any rooms because everything went around...Picture a small race track that goes around...That's how you walked thru house..Around in a circle...The cabinets in kitchen were not square but circular...Very hard for me to describe....
It had a large basement which had a stage and lights and Jackie sometimes did shows from here...It also had a pool table...
I never got to see Jackie in person because every time I went he was not there....I was very disappointed because I really wanted to get to see and meet him in person..I always admired his work...Great talent...
 
macguy

macguy

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JAM said:
A 6-bedroom, 5 full baths, 3 half baths, and 6,000-plus square feet for $388,000. Wow!

Hey, it's still available: http://www.realtor.com/realestatean...hill_FL_33319_M65231-12970#modal_PhotoGallery
Click to expand...

If you look at the property appraisers site I posted you see the land value is only 10% of the houses value. In other words, the best house in the worst neighborhood. A very bad combination for investment. If anything, you want the worst house in the best neighborhood. That way anything you do to improve the house returned instant value.
 
philly

philly

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macguy said:
If you look at the property appraisers site I posted you see the land value is only 10% of the houses value. In other words, the best house in the worst neighborhood. A very bad combination for investment. If anything, you want the worst house in the best neighborhood. That way anything you do to improve the house returned instant value.
Click to expand...

Does anyone actually own the land that their home is on in the Inverray complex? I thought it was set up like a condo or townhouse development and everything was common ground or owned by the management company which I believe Gleason was an investor in. I remember there being hotels on the complex property also. After all of these yearsof course, the charter may have been changed.
 
Runner

Runner

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Man, drop that Centennial table in that room... I'd never leave. Shame about the area... same thing in Detroit, beautiful huge houses in downtrodden areas.

Insert 5x10 Centennial here:
 

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Mark Griffin

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Jam-
Thanks a lot for this info,
I looked at every picture - those old houses have their own 'style' - except the picture of the bathroom - It was just UGLY!

Made me think of that era.

Fun times.

Markg
 
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