Listed at a sliver under $6 million, the longtime Los Angeles home of British surrealist comedy genius Eric Idle is on the market this week.

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Idle, who has been a part of the iconic Monty Python comedy franchise for many years as well as writing and lyricizing the mega-hit Broadway musical, Spamalot, for which he has won both the Tony and Grammy awards, is now 79, and he and his wife Tania are planning to more than quadruple their money on the quirky 1930 Spanish Revival-style villa they bought 18 years ago for $1.5 million.

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As a well-known entertainment industry denizen, Idle bought the home from British musician Mike Oldfield, but he wasn't the first well-known individual from the entertainment industry to take up residence in the canyonside property. It was once owned by legendary country singer and songwriter Bobbie Gentry, a Grammy-winning and groundbreaking artist. Gentry wrote a timeless ditty called “Ode to Billie Joe” in 1967, and Ted Flicker, who co-created the popular sitcom “Barney Miller” in the 1970s and ‘80s, owned it in 1981, the same year Gentry retired from performing.

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According to Rich Report, in spite of the home's meandering layout, the home's quirky personality can be seen throughout the home's meandering rooms. The almost three-quarters-acre lot has been enclosed in jungle-like foliage and the mullet-style house measures a little more than 7,000 square feet on the outside and extends up to three stories on the inside. From the street, the house appears as a one-story home, but from the back, it expands to three stories. 

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A total of six and a half bathrooms are sprinkled throughout the house and at least four bedrooms (or more) can be found. Additionally, there is a couple of offices, and a total of four and a half bathrooms. Despite the fact that this property has been extensively updated over the years, many original features remain (or have been restored to their original state) such as the mix of Saltillo tile flooring and hardwood floors, the vibrant tile work, and the exposed wood ceilings.

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With its carved wood front door set into a turret, the vestibule looks like a pie slice. Several sets of French doors open to a wrap-around balcony, and the formal living room offers a sculpted fireplace. A wee breakfast area with a curved wall of windows can be found at one end of the 25-foot-long galley kitchen, which has only one wall of counter space. 

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A tiny library on the lower floor is accessed through an all-but-hidden staircase inside a window-lined walk-in pantry. Among the slightly eccentric amenities are a spacious kitchenette and a fireplace in the bedroom, as well as a dressing room with a walk-in closet.

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There is no shortage of eclecticism on the lowest level. A bi-level semicircular family/media room is accessible only through the laundry room, along with a wine cellar, an en-suite bedroom, and several large storage rooms. Though it's not exactly ideal, the slightly odd approach has merit; enormous arched windows with inset French doors provide a verdant backdrop for the room.

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It is also possible to enjoy charming and varied outdoor spaces. There is a bridge linking the street to the front door that connects the home's center level to a sunken courtyard paved in brick. On one side of the courtyard, there is a tiled fountain, and on the other, there is a rock-lined koi pond. Along with a tiled spa overlooking a beautiful swimming pool, the grounds include a large semicircular terrace surrounded by lush trees, a bocce ball court, a small cabana that can be used for art or meditation, and a bocce ball court.

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Juliette Hohnen at Douglas Elliman Realty is offering the unique property for sale to its next famous (or not famous) owner.

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