Beverly Hills home that the song ‘Little Green Apples’ once paid for is up for sale

By Neal J. Leitereg

A Beverly Hills home once owned by the late singer O.C. Smith, known for his rendition of “Little Green Apples,” is on the market for $2.475 million.

Smith, who won a Grammy for “Little Green Apples,” used royalties from the song to purchase the Midcentury Modern-style home. Adding to its pedigree, Philip Rapp, a Hollywood director and screenwriter who created the radio comedy “The Bickersons,” is another former homeowner.

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Set behind a horizontal wood fence, the flat-roofed residence was originally designed by Reinhard Lesser, an associate of Victor Gruen, and built in 1964. Architectural designer Peter Moyer was commissioned by the current owners in 2006 to update the house in a more contemporary style.

Among features are rows of clerestory windows, Italian porcelain tile floors and a step-down living room with a painted wall fireplace. A two-story wall of windows underscores the vaulted entry.

A custom kitchen with a breakfast nook, a formal dining room, four bedrooms and four bathrooms also lie within the 2,773 square feet of living space. Multiple balconies, including one extending from the master suite, overlook the tree-topped grounds.

Outdoors, a brick-lined patio surrounds a swimming pool with a spa. Tall palms, drought-tolerant landscaping and privacy hedges complete the canyon setting.

The property last changed hands more than a decade ago for about $1.36 million.

Barry Gray and Mike Deasy of Deasy/Penner & Partners hold the listing.

Smith, who died in 2001 at 65, was a former lead singer for the Count Basie band, replacing jazz singer Joe Williams in the early 1960s. Besides “Little Green Apples,” written by Bobby Russell, his other hits include “Son of Hickory Holler’s Tramp” and “Daddy’s Little Man.”