One of the most audacious pieces of celebrity real estate is back on the market – Jackie Gleason’s UFO-inspired roundhouse in the Hudson Valley town of Cortlandt Manor, New York, is now listed for $5.5 million.
Completed in 1959 and nicknamed “The Mothership,” the 7,000-square-foot roundhouse design took five years to construct with a no-expense-spared budget – a Norwegian shipbuilder was commissioned to create the ceiling design while Gleason reportedly purchased an entire marble quarry in Italy to insure there would be enough marble for the home’s floors and fireplaces. The five-bedrooms, six-bathrooms home features floor-to-ceiling windows, stainless steel curved kitchen, and circular library and office.
Also included on the property is the “Spaceship,” a smaller similar structure, and “The Barracks,” a 1930’s Stone Colonial House.
Gleason, who had a lifelong fascination with UFOs, lived at the 8.6-acre estate for 12 years and entertained his celebrity friends including Frank Sinatra, Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe. The last time the property changed hands was in 1976, when it was acquired for $150,000. The property was listed in 2018 for $12 million but stayed on the market for three years before the listing was taken down.
Of course, the Great One’s elaborate home is a far cry from the humble apartment at 328 Chauncey Street in Brooklyn where Ralph Kramden lived. And speaking of Ralph Kramden, get on your dancing shoes for The Hucklebuck!
