In March 1952, Elizabeth began househunting for a new home to share with Michael Wilding (she was renegotiating with MGM, and Michael would sign a three-year contract with the studio, so California would be home for the couple). The search ended that summer when she saw 1771 Summitridge Drive, a three-bedroom, $75,000 home high atop Los Angeles in Beverly Hills. She knew on that first viewing exactly how she wanted to decorate: “We will have the outside painted yellow, with white shutters, the living room will be in grey with periwinkle blue—my favourite colour.”

It was the first home they’d share with their son, Michael Jr., who would arrive the following January. They called Summitridge Drive home for two years until they decided it was time to find something larger to accommodate their growing family.