You’ve probably seen the photos floating around social media. A massive, circular wooden structure that looks like a 1950s B-movie flying saucer landed in the middle of a New York forest. It’s weird. It’s gorgeous. Honestly, it’s a little bit haunting. If you search for the Jackie Gleason UFO house Zillow listing, you’re looking at more than just a piece of real estate; you’re looking at the physical manifestation of a comedy legend’s obsession with the stars.
Jackie Gleason wasn’t just the guy from The Honeymooners. He was "The Great One," a man of massive appetites and even bigger curiosities. He didn't just want a nice house in the suburbs. He wanted a "Mothership."
The Truth Behind the Mothership
Back in the mid-1950s, Gleason was at the height of his power. CBS was basically writing him blank checks. So, he took about six acres of land in Cortlandt Manor, New York—about an hour north of Manhattan—and decided to build something that defied every law of traditional architecture.
He hired Robert Cika, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright. The brief? No right angles. None.
Gleason had this idea that a house should be like a musical note—something that never ends, just loops around in a perfect, continuous flow. It took five years to build. If you look at the Jackie Gleason UFO house Zillow photos, you can see why it took so long. This wasn't just a construction site; it was an engineering nightmare.
Engineering a Flying Saucer
Basically, they couldn't just hire local contractors for this. Gleason had parts of the house prefabricated in an airplane hangar by Scandinavian shipbuilders. Why shipbuilders? Because they were the only people who knew how to work with bentwood at that scale. They used a process of steaming and softening wood to create those massive, curved trusses that look like the hull of a boat—or the ribs of a giant bird.
- The Main House: Known as "The Mothership," it spans about 3,950 square feet.
- The Guest House: A smaller version nicknamed "The Scout Ship" or the "Spaceship."
- The Barracks: A 1930s stone colonial that was already on the property when he bought it.
Everything inside is custom. The kitchen is stainless steel and follows the curve of the wall. The master bed is a massive, eight-foot-wide circle with a television actually embedded into the ceiling above it. To get enough marble for the three massive fireplaces—which weigh a staggering 240 tons combined—Gleason reportedly bought an entire quarry in Italy and flew the workers over to finish the job.
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That Bizarre $12 Million Price Tag
If you’ve been tracking the jackie gleason ufo house zillow history, the numbers are a bit of a roller coaster. In 2018, the property hit the market for a whopping $12 million. People lost their minds. It’s a cool house, sure, but $12 million for a two-bedroom main house in Westchester?
It didn't sell.
By 2024 and 2025, the price had been slashed significantly. Recently, it was listed around $5.5 million. It’s a tough sell because, let’s be real, you have to be a very specific kind of person to want to live in a house with no corners. Where do you put a bookshelf? How do you hang a normal picture frame?
The current owner, a retired orthodontist, bought the place back in 1976 for only $150,000. He’s kept it in remarkably original condition, which is a blessing for architecture nerds but a challenge for anyone who wants a "modern" feel. The "futuristic" audio control panel is still there, looking like something off the set of Star Trek: The Original Series.
The Nixon Connection: Alien Bodies?
You can’t talk about this house without talking about the "incident."
Gleason was more than just a casual fan of UFOs; he was a devout believer. He had one of the largest private libraries on the paranormal in the world—over 1,700 volumes that were eventually donated to the University of Miami. But the story that everyone whispers about involves President Richard Nixon.
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They were golfing buddies. The story goes that one night in 1973, while Gleason was living in Florida, Nixon ditched his Secret Service detail, showed up at Gleason’s door, and drove him to Homestead Air Force Base. There, Nixon allegedly showed him the remains of four small, grey extraterrestrials recovered from a crash.
Gleason’s wife at the time, Beverly, later told the National Enquirer that Jackie came home "shaken to his core" and couldn't sleep for weeks. Whether you believe it or not, that obsession is baked into the very walls of the New York house. He didn't build a spaceship house because it was trendy. He built it because he was looking for a home among the stars.
Architecture That Defies Logic
Walking through the house is apparently a disorienting experience. You enter through a spherical foyer and immediately hit a marble spiral staircase.
There are four bars. Four. One of them can seat 14 people. This was a house built for the "Rat Pack" era of entertaining. Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, and Joe DiMaggio all reportedly spent time here, probably leaning against the curved marble counters while Gleason held court.
The lighting is another thing. It’s filled with floor-to-ceiling glass. Even though it’s a "spaceship," it feels incredibly connected to the woods outside. It’s that classic mid-century modern philosophy of bringing the outside in, just... wrapped in a giant copper-roofed circle.
The Practical Reality of Owning a UFO
If you’re seriously looking at the Jackie Gleason UFO house Zillow listing with a checkbook in hand, there are some things you should know. This isn't a "fixer-upper" in the traditional sense; it’s a preservation project.
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- Maintenance: The three pools on the property have reportedly been out of commission for years and need a total overhaul.
- Specialized Repairs: If a window breaks, you can't go to Home Depot. You need a specialist who can cut and fit curved glass.
- Heating: It’s a massive, open-concept stone and glass structure in New York. Heating that "Mothership" in January is going to cost a small fortune.
- Layout: It’s technically a five-bedroom estate if you count all three buildings, but the "Mothership" itself is really a massive bachelor pad with only two bedrooms.
Why We’re Still Obsessed
Maybe it’s because everything today looks the same. Modern "luxury" homes are all white boxes with grey LVP flooring. Gleason’s house is the opposite of that. It’s weird, it’s risky, and it’s deeply personal.
It represents a time when celebrities had the guts to build something truly insane just because they could. It’s a monument to the "Space Age" dream—a time when we were looking at the moon and actually expected to live there.
If you want to see the house for yourself, your best bet is to keep an eye on the active listings or architectural archives. It’s located at 196 Furnace Dock Road, Cortlandt Manor, NY. Just don't expect to find any right angles when you get there.
Actionable Insights for Potential Buyers or Enthusiasts:
- Review the Architectural History: Before considering a property this unique, research Robert Cika’s work to understand the structural integrity of bentwood.
- Cost Out Preservation: Factor in a "historic tax" for any repairs. Custom curved components can cost 3–5 times more than standard materials.
- Zoning and Land Use: The 8.6-acre lot is significant for Westchester. Check local ordinances if you plan to refurbish the auxiliary buildings as separate rentals.
Check the current status on Zillow or Corcoran Legends Realty to see if "The Great One’s" dream has found its next commander.