Jackie Gleason's $5.5M Westchester 'Mothership' home for sale

UFOs have always held a place in our collective imagination. But for Jackie Gleason, the fascination went further. A lot further.

“The Great One,” as Gleason was known during his years starring in “The Honeymooners” and his eponymously named TV show, actually had a house built to resemble a spaceship.

Gleason lived in his custom-built Mid Century Modern roundhouse known as “The Mothership” in the affluent Westchester County hamlet of Cortlandt Manor during his heyday in the 1950s through the early 1960s. The entertainer also owned Gleason’s Pub in Peekskill.

The one-of-a-kind house, tucked away on 8.6 wooded acres off Furnace Dock Road, is on the market for $5.5 million through listing agent Heidi Henshaw of Corcoran Legends Realty.

Designed and constructed by Robert Cika for Gleason in 1959, the home took five years to build. A second, smaller "Spaceship" on the property has been used as a bunk-house and for glamping.

A Scandinavian shipbuilder was commissioned to create the ceiling design resembling the shape of boats while the metal work includes vents resembling stylized fish.

Floors and fireplaces are made of Italian marble that was said to have come from a quarry Gleason purchased to ensure its quality.

"His house is part Frank Lloyd Wright, part The Jetsons,” said John Bruno Turiano of Coldwell Banker Realty in Katonah. “Gleason’s belief in UFOs and the paranormal influenced the design — he called the main house the 'Mother Ship,' and built it as a mix of studio, home and library. There's also a guest house named the 'Scout Ship.' It’s a truly unique property, shaped by his fascination with the unknown."

Among the celebrities rumored to have visited were Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio and Richard Nixon. The home, with its three original bars, game room and marble dance floor, was designed for entertaining.

Unique interior design of "The Mothership," Jackie Gleason's 1959 house in Westchester County. Photo by James Gagliardi

"The Mothership" affords scenic views provided by floor-to-ceiling windows. Other features include three bedrooms, two full baths, one half bath, a curved stainless steel kitchen, spacious living room, dining room, circular library and office.

Many original details, built-in cabinetry and closets have been preserved. Additionally, "The Barracks," a 1930s stone Colonial house can serve as a guest house. The property includes a cultivated and fully fenced vegetable and herb garden with a gardening shed.

Robert Brum is a freelance journalist who writes about the Hudson Valley. Contact him and read his work at robertbrum.com.