The Guest House

[Pahonu]

Hi Pahonu.

Regarding the guesthouse set, it's actually smaller than it appears on screen.

Hi Team - new to the forum...

But as many of you; a Gen-X, long-time fan, and fascinated by the mysteries of the Eve Anderson Estate and - in particular - the Guest House / Boat House

I find it validating that there are so many others intrigued by the comparison / contrast of the actual structure versus the interior dimensions and layout...

And so many that would love to see a real-life, realized combination of the two.


While much effort, words, and time have been invested in delineating how the set could simply not fit inside the original structure, I take as (semi) opposed perspective:

Understanding Hollywood - and film-making techniques, set design, and so many other factors - I feel it is pretty darn impressive how reasonably close the set is to the real building.

By contrast, just research the Brady house...


The quoted comment...


I'm certain all here know / feel the same - illusions...

Not certain if both the front (ocean-facing) and back (mountain-facing) walls are ever seen in the same shot in the show.

Seeing them in the behind-the-scenes Romer set shot, we see how narrow it is.

Though at the same time (as Pahuno here has cited) it is much deeper that the actual building would allow...

So is it really NARROW, as the set seems "in real life" more narrow that we seen on screen?

Or is it really DEEP, as it is much deeper than the actual building could accommodate?



Illusions...

Fun illusions...

Hey 64-2,

It is fun to compare the reality of the estate to “Hollywood magic”. I have created both AutoCAD floor plans of the Pahonu boathouse and the guest house set. I have also created a SketchUp model of the Pahonu boathouse. I’m very familiar with the structures based on tax records, historical documents, and the photos from the sale of the estate. The easiest way for me to describe the relationship between the actual boathouse and the guest house set is this:

The boathouse first floor is about 24x30 feet and is, in reality, simply a large garage-like space for water sports equipment (hence the name). This is why it has the two large doors facing the beach, to take that equipment easily to the water. Because the property slopes down to the sand, part of the first level is below grade on the side away from the water.

The second floor with the lanai is about 24 feet square, slightly smaller, as there is a shed roof extension on the ocean side. The part that confuses people the most is that the actual boathouse second floor is mostly the lanai, almost 2/3 of the total. I have added a photo to demonstrate. The enclosed space is in reality a room of about 10x14 feet and a bathroom on the side facing the Shriners property. The lanai is about 14x22 feet. This is why the guesthouse set doesn’t come close to being able to fit in the actual boathouse.

https://ibb.co/3d57rwY

The crude red lines in this photo show the two levels, and the relationship between the size of the lanai, the upper right two boxes, and the enclosed space, the upper left box. The three boxes below, plus the fourth to the right under the shed roof, make up the storage space. The part of the storage space to the left is partially below grade, hence the windows near the grade. The part on the right under the shed roof opens to grade with the two large doors leading down a ramp to the sand.

Hope this helps!

64-2 and Pahonu,
Thanks for this, I find it very interesting.
By the way, on any of the threads here at MM, I don't recall seeing a photo of the new house, or even a shot from seaside. I believe it was stated the only thing left from the original
was the guest house. Not even a tree or a wall?

Hey Dobie,

Glad you liked! There are lots of pictures of the new houses, plural, on the Pahonu thread. They’re very modern in design with multiple lanais and a pool. The boathouse remains and has been somewhat restored, but, and this is a big but, it is now behind a new raised seawall.

Its function as a boathouse then is no longer possible as beach access is not there anymore. It was more than likely retained because a new structure in such close proximity to the beach would no longer be allowed by building code and its upstairs lanai still has very valuable views over the new seawall.

The gatehouse is also still there and again, likely retained because building code would not allow a new structure so close to the highway. These two “grandfathered” structures therefore are very valuable and can be remodeled but not razed or rebuilding there is not allowed. In a similar functional change to the boathouse, the gatehouse is also no longer actually by the gate as the gate was relocated closer to the center of the property.

I don’t know what the plans are for the gatehouse, but if I recall correctly the original architectural drawings didn’t show any garages so that might be the plan. It could also be remodeled as an actual guesthouse as it has a kitchen, living room, bedrooms, and bathrooms. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

Hi Pahonu.

Regarding the guesthouse set, it's actually smaller than it appears on screen.

Hi Team - new to the forum...

But as many of you; a Gen-X, long-time fan, and fascinated by the mysteries of the Eve Anderson Estate and - in particular - the Guest House / Boat House

I find it validating that there are so many others intrigued by the comparison / contrast of the actual structure versus the interior dimensions and layout...

And so many that would love to see a real-life, realized combination of the two.


While much effort, words, and time have been invested in delineating how the set could simply not fit inside the original structure, I take as (semi) opposed perspective:

Understanding Hollywood - and film-making techniques, set design, and so many other factors - I feel it is pretty darn impressive how reasonably close the set is to the real building.

By contrast, just research the Brady house...


The quoted comment...


I'm certain all here know / feel the same - illusions...

Not certain if both the front (ocean-facing) and back (mountain-facing) walls are ever seen in the same shot in the show.

Seeing them in the behind-the-scenes Romer set shot, we see how narrow it is.

Though at the same time (as Pahuno here has cited) it is much deeper that the actual building would allow...

So is it really NARROW, as the set seems "in real life" more narrow that we seen on screen?

Or is it really DEEP, as it is much deeper than the actual building could accommodate?



Illusions...

Fun illusions...

Hey 64-2,

It is fun to compare the reality of the estate to “Hollywood magic”. I have created both AutoCAD floor plans of the Pahonu boathouse and the guest house set. I have also created a SketchUp model of the Pahonu boathouse. I’m very familiar with the structures based on tax records, historical documents, and the photos from the sale of the estate. The easiest way for me to describe the relationship between the actual boathouse and the guest house set is this:

The boathouse first floor is about 24x30 feet and is, in reality, simply a large garage-like space for water sports equipment (hence the name). This is why it has the two large doors facing the beach, to take that equipment easily to the water. Because the property slopes down to the sand, part of the first level is below grade on the side away from the water.

The second floor with the lanai is about 24 feet square, slightly smaller, as there is a shed roof extension on the ocean side. The part that confuses people the most is that the actual boathouse second floor is mostly the lanai, almost 2/3 of the total. I have added a photo to demonstrate. The enclosed space is in reality a room of about 10x14 feet and a bathroom on the side facing the Shriners property. The lanai is about 14x22 feet. This is why the guesthouse set doesn’t come close to being able to fit in the actual boathouse.

https://ibb.co/3d57rwY

The crude red lines in this photo show the two levels, and the relationship between the size of the lanai, the upper right two boxes, and the enclosed space, the upper left box. The three boxes below, plus the fourth to the right under the shed roof, make up the storage space. The part of the storage space to the left is partially below grade, hence the windows near the grade. The part on the right under the shed roof opens to grade with the two large doors leading down a ramp to the sand.

Hope this helps!

64-2 and Pahonu,
Thanks for this, I find it very interesting.
By the way, on any of the threads here at MM, I don't recall seeing a photo of the new house, or even a shot from seaside. I believe it was stated the only thing left from the original
was the guest house. Not even a tree or a wall?

Hey Dobie,

Glad you liked! There are lots of pictures of the new houses, plural, on the Pahonu thread. They’re very modern in design with multiple lanais and a pool. The boathouse remains and has been somewhat restored, but, and this is a big but, it is now behind a new raised seawall.

Its function as a boathouse then is no longer possible as beach access is not there anymore. It was more than likely retained because a new structure in such close proximity to the beach would no longer be allowed by building code and its upstairs lanai still has very valuable views over the new seawall.

The gatehouse is also still there and again, likely retained because building code would not allow a new structure so close to the highway. These two “grandfathered” structures therefore are very valuable and can be remodeled but not razed or rebuilding there is not allowed. In a similar functional change to the boathouse, the gatehouse is also no longer actually by the gate as the gate was relocated closer to the center of the property.

I don’t know what the plans are for the gatehouse, but if I recall correctly the original architectural drawings didn’t show any garages so that might be the plan. It could also be remodeled as an actual guesthouse as it has a kitchen, living room, bedrooms, and bathrooms. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

Thanks Pahonu for the update. If I ever get to Hawaii I'm going first thing to the estate, or at least rent a boat to check it out seaside. Well, first I go to Pearl and pay respects
at the Arizona, the beaches etc can wait.
I forgot about the Pahonu thread, call me Mr. Thicky! I can only plead I am still recovering from surgery and am doped up.
Pahonu, if one had enough moola, is there enough information available where you could build a replica of the estate? Not on Newark Bay of course, but Ocean City is nice.
When I see the lottery getting over $600 million, I think how cool it would be to recreate the estate and why not, might as well enjoy the loot.
Throw a party to christen it right, invite the Magnum Mania regulars, hire a Hillerman replica to butler and bobs your uncle.