Hot Property

The former Danny Thomas estate in Beverly Hills sold for slightly less than the asking price. (Jeff Ong / Postrain Productions)

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By Lauren Beale, Los Angeles Times

June 26, 2012, 1:47 p.m.

The former Danny Thomas estate in Beverly Hills has sold for $5.764 million.

Built in 1924, the two-story traditional-style house sits on a corner lot of nearly half an acre with a swimming pool, a guest unit, a sports court, a cabana, lawns and a detached four-car garage. The master bedroom suite features a fireplace, two walk-in closets and dual bathrooms for a total of five bedrooms and 51/2 bathrooms.

Thomas gained a following as the star of "The Danny Thomas Show," originally called "Make Room for Daddy," from 1953 to 1965. He continued to work on television until his death in 1991 at 79.

Times archives reference a meeting of the St. Jude Hospital Foundation held at the comedian's home in 1955. His dream for the hospital began in Detroit, where the down-on-his-luck night-club emcee found a pamphlet on St. Jude at a church into which he had wandered. "He walked to the poor box, dropped his remaining $7 into it and prayed for it to be returned sevenfold," The Times story said. Upon returning home, Thomas learned he had landed a job doing washing-machine commercials. The pay was $75.

Public records show the property previously sold in 1998 for $2.4 million. It had been listed at $5.895 million.