This estate once was home to the stars

WESTPORT — Alice Kramden slept here. Well, sort of.

George and Lynn Stuart have lived at 27 Stonybrook Road for more than 50 years, and in that time they entertained many people, including celebrities. Among those were Sheila MacRae — perhaps best known for taking over for Audrey Meadows as Alice Kramden in “Honeymooners” sketches on the CBS variety series “The Jackie Gleason Show.”

Lynn Stuart used to work in the “ready-towear business,” which regularly had her make costumes for the likes of MacRae. The singer and actress actually stayed at the grand, 6,000-squarefoot estate for a while, and her husband at the time, “Oklahoma” star Gordon MacRae, made occasional visits.

Other regular visitors including comic Alan King. Lynn Stuart said King was fond of their houseman and, on at least one occasion, brought him a cigar.

But the house was more than just a place to entertain the famous. It was a home, where the Stuarts raised their children and built a life. And even though they are selling it, the house, listed at $1,999,999, will always hold a place in their hearts.

“I love this house,” Lynn Stuart said.

The Stuarts selected the house, built in 1940, largely because they were looking for something close to New York, but with more space than they would find in the city. Lynn Stuart said the home’s big drawing point was its land. The brick colonial sits on about 2.3 acres in Westport’s Old Hill section, with a gated entrance and winding driveway providing privacy.

Not only does the property contain a pool, tennis courts and a barn, but there’s also a brook running through the back yard.

“You don’t typically get this much acreage in Old Hill,” said the property’s listing agent, Maryann Levanti.

Inside, the house is spacious and elegant with six bedrooms, six and a half bathrooms and vaulted ceilings throughout. The upstairs has a particularly fascinating layout. It seems somewhat normal at first — a master bedroom and bathroom, plus two more bedrooms and another bathroom. But opening a door at the end of one of the bedrooms reveals a hallway that leads to two more bedrooms and two more bathrooms.

That’s typical of this house, Levanti said, which is a captivating mix of the modern and antique. Throughout, there are wide-board floors, leaded glass, built-in shelving and many other classic touches. But the home has also been updated, with modern additions including a state-of-the art kitchen.

“It’s just got so much charm,” Levanti said.

For the Stuarts, the house has more than charm. It has memories in every inch.

“It is such a wonderful house,” Lynn Stuart said. “We had everybody here.”

Contributed photos The house at 27 Stonybrook Road in Westport was once a social hub for the showbiz movers and shakers of its day, including singer/actress Sheila MacRae and comic Alan King.

Contributed Photo / Contributed Photo The 6,000-square-foot Colonial -- which has six bedrooms and six and a half baths -- is more than an ideal home for entertaining. Built in 1940, the house sits on 2.3 acres in Westport's Old Hill section and boasts a barn, a pool, tennis courts and a...

The kitchen inside the home at 27 Stonybrook Road.