Tom Cruise's Homes: From a Hollywood Mega-Mansion to a Scientology Retreat

A historic townhouse where this star actor lived. We know him as one of the biggest movie stars in the world, with a net worth of $600 million (£495 million) and a whole range of blockbusters to his name, but in the early '80s, Tom Cruise worked as a house assistant to pay the rent. According to the New York Post, Cruise lived in a 300-square-foot studio in this historic townhouse on Manhattan's Upper West Side. While his mother paid half the rent, Tom covered the rest by changing light bulbs and taking out the trash. Now, these iconic Renaissance-style buildings are on the market for nearly $15 million (£12.4 million).

Let's take a look around and see how far the Hollywood star has come...

From humble beginnings to superstar Gone are the days when Tom Cruise started his career from a modest background. He was born on July 3, 1962, in Syracuse, New York, and lived both in America and Canada during his childhood, which, as he mentioned in an interview with Parade magazine, was far from peaceful. Cruise discovered his talent for acting while still in school, and at 18, he moved to New York, where he worked as a waiter while trying to break into the acting community, according to Fox News. He was noticed for his role in the 1983 film "Risky Business." Since then, he has left his humble beginnings behind and started acquiring real estate both at home and abroad - from a remote ranch in the mountains to a lavish penthouse in Florida.

Historical house

Cruise was lucky to live in this five-story townhouse spanning 9,165 square feet at the very beginning of his career. Built in 1907, it served as an illegal speakeasy during Prohibition, and it retains many historical details, including a magnificent limestone entrance, exposed brickwork, original plaster elements, and elegant staircases. Although it may not have been renovated as well in 1980, we are sure that Tom appreciated the opportunity to live in such a beautiful building, despite having to take out the trash.

Famous guests

The building, which is only 25 feet wide, currently contains nine apartments, including two duplex penthouses, as well as a commercial space and a pool. According to the New York Post, the current owner purchased it in 1999 for $2.7 million (£2.2 million) from actor Fanny Girl Lee Allen and his singer wife Abby, who often hosted and helped aspiring actors.

Family business

Many young actors have passed through these mini-apartments over the years. "Lee and Abby considered some of the residents their family.

Year of the "successful" building

Cruise made his film debut in the 1981 movie "Endless Love," playing a small role alongside Brooke Shields. Later that same year, he landed a larger role in the film "Taps," and his days of living off others were over. However, the star of the "Mission: Impossible" series was not the only famous person to have lived in the elegant townhouse.

Crime scene

However, the building did not always bring good fortune to everyone. The director of Aretha Franklin's musical performances and the leader of the musical group King Curtis lived in one of the apartments in the early 1970s. He worked with John Lennon on the album "Imagine" on the first floor of the townhouse because the pool provided excellent acoustics. But on a night in August 1971, Curtis went outside to try to fix some issues with the electrical panel. He encountered a man wandering down the building's steps, and a fight broke out. Curtis was fatally killed at the age of just 36. His star-studded funeral was conducted by Jesse Jackson, and in 2000, he was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.