Celeb R.E. The Songwriter for Michael Jackson's Thriller, Rod Temperton, Sells Mulholland Drive Home in 2010
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| Image courtesy Google Maps |
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| Image courtesy Barry Dane |
One day while conducting a search for Mulholland Drive, I came across a UK Telegraph article that had mentioned Rod Temperton, the songwriter for Michael Jackson's Thriller, lived on Mulholland Drive suspecting that it was somewhere in the San Fernando Valley.
Since I am a big fan of Michael Jackson and the fact that he had many connections to the SFV including the fact that he lived nearby in Encino, I had to find the home of the man that was behind MJ's biggest hits. After conducting an extensive search, I was able to find a home linking back to a "R L Temperton" which matches back to the infamous songwriter whose middle name is Lynn.
Temperton's home was located at 15341 Mulholland Drive in the Sherman Oaks area directly east of the 405 freeway. The home measures 3 Beds/3 Baths on 2,950 sqft on a total lot size of 0.93 acres built in 1951. The online listing and pictures are no longer available but its possible that this home may have also had a recording studio. The home was purchased on February 26, 1987 for $850,000 which coincides with the peak of his career. Temperton unfortunately no longer lives at this location calling it home for almost 23 years which was first listed on May 29, 2009 for $2.3 million and eventually sold on February 1, 2010 for $1.8 million representing a gain of $950,000 before taxes, commissions, carrying costs, and any renovation expenses.
Its not known where Temperton moved onto but the UK Telegraph article also mentioned that Temperton maintains a home in the South of France, Switzerland, Fiji, and Kent, England. Its possible he purchased another LA area location but no reports indicate so and Temperton is very private. After witnessing all the attention MJ was receiving, Temperton probably chose to seek a quiet and private life to avoid the drama of the media. The revealing of the fact that he lived on "Mulholland Drive" coincided with the listing of the home which he probably had already vacated so there were no concerns for him. So I doubt we will really learn about his current whereabouts.
Some more background info on Temperton, he originally started in a band called Heatwave writing some of the band's popular songs like "Boogie Knights" and "Always and Forever." This got the attention of Quincy Jones and the rest is as they say history. He also worked with Donna Summer, Mariah Carey, and Mica Paris. Temperton also won a Grammy for Best Arrangement on an Instrumental with Quincy Jones for "Birdland" performed by Qunicy Jones in 1991. At the age of 65, I dont think he does much these days and is rumored to have a net worth somewhere north of $100 million mostly from the success of working with MJ. Just think the next time you hear "Thriller" or "Off The Wall", Temperton is getting paid which you can enjoy below. The quote below from Temperton regarding the creation of Thriller is amazing (UK Telegraph article):
I went back to the hotel, wrote two or three hundred titles and came up with Midnight Man. The next morning I woke up and I just said this word. Something in my head just said, 'This is the title'. You could visualise it at the top of the Billboard charts. You could see the merchandising for this one word, how it jumped off the page as 'Thriller'"
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Marty Mcfly
Anything and everything about the San Fernando Valley. This blog will take you back in time when the valley was covered with dirt and orange groves to a leader in the space race to its current status as America's suburb. Come along and join me on this adventure, I guarantee you have been influenced/impacted by the San Fernando Valley in one form or another even if you have never visited or heard of the SFV.
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