By: Jerome Brookshire

When it comes to celebrity real estate, few properties are as instantly recognizable or as steeped in mid-century mystique as the late Jackie Gleason’s Westchester retreat, a one-of-a-kind architectural marvel known simply as “The Mothership.” This week, as dailyvoice.com reported, the Cortlandt Manor estate at 196 Furnace Dock Road has officially returned to the market with a listing price of $5.5 million, represented by The Corcoran Group.

The announcement has reignited fascination with a residence that has long been considered a landmark not only of Westchester’s storied history but also of America’s cultural imagination. Commissioned by Gleason at the height of his fame and completed in 1959 after an arduous five-year construction process, the property is widely regarded as the comedian’s most personal creation—a house that mirrored his outsized personality, his obsessions, and his celebrity lifestyle.

The estate, spread across 8.6 wooded acres, is perhaps one of the most unusual examples of mid-century modern architecture in the United States. As dailyvoice.com highlighted, the home was designed by architect Robert Cika with a very specific mandate from Gleason: to resemble the flying saucers that had captivated his imagination.

The final product—two curved, spaceship-like structures, one serving as the main residence and the other as a guesthouse or bunkhouse—was as much a theatrical stage as it was a private home. The structures appear to float amid the wooded landscape, their circular silhouettes softened by floor-to-ceiling windows that dissolve the boundary between interior and exterior.

Inside, the residence offers an immersive experience in curvature and craft. Gleason spared no expense, reportedly commissioning a Scandinavian shipbuilder to handcraft sweeping wooden interiors. Italian marble—sourced from a quarry Gleason is said to have purchased outright—lines the fireplaces and floors, further underscoring the entertainer’s demand for opulence and originality.

It was not enough for Gleason that the home be unique; it also had to serve as a gathering place for some of the most recognizable names of his era. According to dailyvoice.com, the home was a frequent venue for Hollywood royalty and American icons. Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio, and even Richard Nixon are all said to have attended gatherings within its saucer-shaped walls.

The interiors were tailored precisely to this function. No fewer than three curved bars anchor the social spaces, while a marble dance floor and a game room equipped with shuffleboard spoke to Gleason’s reputation as a consummate entertainer. Every element of the design underscored a seamless blend of leisure and spectacle—an atmosphere where guests were invited not only to visit but to participate in Gleason’s world.

For those closest to him, the home was also a physical manifestation of the comic legend’s fascination with the paranormal and the unknown. Gleason, best remembered for his role as Ralph Kramden in The Honeymooners, harbored a lifelong interest in UFOs, an obsession that found its fullest expression in “The Mothership.”

Beyond its star-studded history, the estate’s details reflect a remarkable degree of preservation. The three-bedroom, 2.5-bath main residence includes a circular library and office, a stainless steel curved kitchen, and built-in cabinetry that remains intact from the original construction. Every space adheres to the circular motif, echoing the external form of the structures themselves.

The smaller saucer-shaped building, often described as a companion piece to the main home, has served as both a guesthouse and a bunkhouse, accommodating visitors while maintaining the thematic continuity of the estate.

Complementing these two futuristic structures is a 1930s stone colonial guesthouse, affectionately referred to as “The Barracks.” As dailyvoice.com noted, the juxtaposition of the colonial-style home with the flying saucer-inspired architecture only enhances the property’s unique identity. In addition, the grounds include a fully fenced vegetable and herb garden, further underscoring the estate’s blend of futurism and functionality.

The property’s enduring cultural relevance is as much a product of Gleason’s legacy as it is of the home’s eccentricity. Gleason’s career, punctuated by unforgettable performances in television and film, was matched by his appetite for extravagance and a flair for the unconventional. In many ways, “The Mothership” functions as his autobiography in architecture.

As dailyvoice.com observed, the estate has repeatedly captured the public imagination whenever it has changed hands, each sale prompting a renewed fascination with Gleason’s personal mythology. The current $5.5 million asking price is not only a reflection of the property’s architectural significance but also of its celebrity provenance—a rare fusion of cultural and material value that places it in a category of its own.

From a real estate perspective, the listing also arrives at a moment when unique, historically significant properties are in high demand among high-net-worth buyers. According to industry analysts cited by dailyvoice.com, the Westchester luxury market has been buoyed in recent years by an influx of buyers seeking privacy, acreage, and distinctive architectural features within commuting distance of New York City.

“The Mothership” checks all of these boxes while offering something few properties can: a story. In a market where provenance and personality can dramatically influence value, the home’s association with one of America’s most iconic entertainers gives it an intangible cachet that cannot be replicated.

While the home has been well-maintained, questions inevitably arise about its future. Will the next owner preserve Gleason’s vision in its original form, or will they seek to adapt the property for contemporary living? Architectural historians argue that “The Mothership” deserves to be preserved as a landmark of mid-century design and as a cultural artifact of postwar America’s fascination with space and the unknown.

Indeed, the estate represents a convergence of two distinct mid-century currents: the optimism and curiosity about space exploration, and the exuberance of American celebrity culture. Gleason, always one to push boundaries, fused these elements into a physical environment that was as eccentric as it was ambitious.

For Westchester residents, “The Mothership” has long been a local curiosity—a reminder that even in a region known for stately colonials and Gilded Age mansions, there exists a home that looks like it could lift off into the night sky. Its reappearance on the market ensures that this fascination will continue, drawing the attention not only of prospective buyers but of cultural historians and admirers of Gleason alike.

As dailyvoice.com succinctly captured, the property is “a one-of-a-kind estate built for a one-of-a-kind entertainer.” That sentiment may ultimately define its appeal. In an age when luxury homes are increasingly standardized, “The Mothership” remains defiantly original, standing as a testament to Gleason’s enduring spirit and to the boundless possibilities of architectural imagination.

The relisting of Jackie Gleason’s “Mothership” for $5.5 million offers more than an opportunity for purchase; it is a chance to engage with a piece of living history, a tangible intersection of mid-century design, celebrity culture, and personal eccentricity. The estate embodies Gleason’s larger-than-life persona, his love for spectacle, and his singular vision of domestic life.

As prospective buyers tour the Cortlandt Manor property, they are not simply walking through a home—they are stepping into a narrative carefully constructed by one of America’s most beloved entertainers. Whether the estate ultimately finds a buyer who chooses to preserve its saucer-shaped integrity or one who seeks to reimagine it, “The Mothership” will remain a symbol of the era and the individual who dreamed it into existence.

And as dailyvoice.com noted, in a region filled with distinguished addresses, there is still nothing quite like Jackie Gleason’s flying saucer estate.