Singer Dido sells Hollywood Hills home

Actress Mel Harris lists a house in Pacific Palisades

By Ann Brenoff | Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

May 11, 2008

"Roswell" fans know Dido as the singer of the show's "Here With Me" theme. The rest of us know her as the singer of those New Age-y songs that stay stuck in our heads long after we want them to.

The 36-year-old Dido -- whose name comes from the legendary Carthaginian queen who killed herself when Aeneas left her in Virgil's "Aeneid" -- may be "Here With Me" on the radio, but she's gone, gone, gone from her house on the so-called bird streets of the Hollywood Hills. It fetched $4,450,000 after being listed at $4.6 million.

The one-story, three-bedroom home was built in 1951 and faces the Mid-Wilshire skyscrapers. The property is walled and gated and has a dramatic living room in the Hollywood Regency style. There's a pool, a spa and a media room and a large master suite with a fireplace and marble bathroom. Public records show the house has 3,739 square feet.

Dido's "No Angel" was the top-selling album of 2001 in the United Kingdom, whence she hails.

Things have been somewhat quiet on the "DidoWatch" for the last few years. But there's a new album due in September -- coming soon to an elevator near you.

Barry Sloane of Sotheby's International Realty in Beverly Hills had the listing, according to the Multiple Listing Service.

Hope and faith in the market

For 85 episodes of "thirtysomething," actress Mel Harris played Hope Murdoch Steadman -- a writer and stay-at-home mother who struggled with her desire to be there with her kids and to work. From 1987 to 1991, millions of real-life mothers kept a weekly date with Hope, trying to glean a shred of insight on how to walk this tightrope -- or at least identifying with the walk.

Harris, 51, who has two children of her own, has listed the Pacific Palisades property she has owned since 2003 at $4,197,000.

The 4,500-square-foot remodeled, four-bedroom, 5 1/2 -bathroom Country English home sits on a corner lot. It has a brand-new marble-countered kitchen and bathrooms. Floors are hardwood and travertine, and the living room has a Batchelder fireplace. There is a pool, a detached two-car garage and a bonus room. The master bedroom has a high vaulted ceiling, a walk-in closet and a bathroom that will remind you of your favorite spa.

The cool-as-a-cucumber actress, named one of America's 10 most beautiful women by Harper's Bazaar in 1989, is separated. One of her previous husbands was David Hume Kennerly, official White House photographer to President Ford.

Loraine Silver, John Hathorn and Charles Pence of Coldwell Banker Previews, Santa Monica have the listing.

Actress doubles as a home seller

The next best thing to hanging out at Angelina Jolie's house -- which would make you Brad Pitt, of course -- might be to hang out at the house of her body double, which is for sale in Silver Lake for $699,000.

Body double and actress Kate Clarke is selling her two-bedroom, one-bathroom home. The 724-square-foot California bungalow has wood floors, a large terraced backyard and a garden patio for entertaining.

Clarke starred in the Emmy-nominated online media hit "Sophie Chase," in which she played an online detective. This was the first year that the category was recognized by the award group.

The 5-foot-7 Clarke also was Jolie's body double in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith." As she told "E!," no, she did not get to do any of the love scenes with the Bradmeister. But her work in the film led Vanity Fair to call hers one of the "hottest bodies in Los Angeles." And yeah, the house she is selling is kind of cute too.

The Minnesota transplant, who hopes to buy again in Mount Washington, says the views from her house are great.

"On a good day," she said, "you can see the ocean -- but only on a good day."

Clarke plays an ER nurse in the Will Smith movie "Hancock," due for general release July 2.