Leo makes a return to Hollywood

Leonardo DiCaprio, who has been renting a home in Montreal this summer while filming the Martin Scorsese-directed film “Aviator,� has purchased a Hollywood Hills house for close to $4 million. It was not on the market.

The home has three bedrooms, a den and two fireplaces in 4,500 square feet. The gated property also has city views.

The traditional-style home was built in the late 1930s and recently remodeled. It has nearly an acre of grounds with a pool.

DiCaprio has starred in such films as “Gangs of New York� (2002), “Catch Me If You Can� (2002), “The Beach� (1999), “The Man in the Iron Mask� (1998) and “Titanic� (1997). The actor, 28, was born in Hollywood and grew up in Los Feliz.

Kurt Rappaport of Westside Estate Agency, Beverly Hills, represented the seller, local real estate sources said.

‘O.C.’ star settles in L.A. County

Peter Gallagher, who plays Mandy Moore’s dad in the recently released movie “How to Deal,� has leased an oceanfront home on The Strand in Manhattan Beach at $10,000 a month for six months while he is in town filming his new series, Fox’s “The O.C.� The actor and his wife, Paula, live in New York City.

The house they are leasing was known as the home of the Beach Boys when they lived on The Strand. It was built in 1930 when Manhattan Beach was known primarily as a vacation spot.

The house, leased furnished, has three bedrooms and 2 1/2 bathrooms in 2,500 square feet. It also has a living room with a fireplace and a formal dining room. The house was recently remodeled to take advantage of the beach views.

Restaurants and shops are within walking distance, and Gallagher’s new workplace, at Manhattan Studios, is also nearby. “The O.C.,� starring the 47-year-old actor as an idealistic lawyer, is being filmed there.

Ed Kaminsky of Sherwood Realtors, Manhattan Beach, represented the actor in the lease.

Clippers rookie scores first home

Chris Wilcox, a rookie and power forward with the L.A. Clippers, has become a first-time home buyer with his purchase of a newly built house in Playa Vista for slightly more than $1 million.

The two-story house has three bedrooms and 2 1/2 bathrooms in more than 2,000 square feet.

Wilcox, 20, was selected as the No. 8 overall pick by the Clippers in the 2002 draft. At the University of Maryland, the forward helped his team win the NCAA championship. He left Maryland after his second year and signed a three-year $6.1-million contract with the Clippers.

As a rookie with the Clippers, Wilcox averaged 3.7 points and 2.3 rebounds in 46 games.

Wilcox previously lived in a four-bedroom Marina del Rey penthouse apartment. He is from North Carolina.

Michelle Dixon of Coldwell Banker, Marina del Rey, represented Wilcox in his purchase, along with Harry Southerland, Wilcox’s sports agent and lawyer. Southerland is based in North Carolina.

‘ER’ nurse answers call from the Hills

Laura Ceron, who has played nurse Chuny Marquez on the NBC series “ER� since the early ‘90s, has purchased a Hollywood Hills home for close to $1 million.

The newly built Mediterranean-style house has four bedrooms in 3,800 square feet. The three-story house also has 8-foot doors, 18th century tiles, a limestone fireplace and balconies.

Besides appearing on “ER,� Ceron has had roles in the movies “The Big Squeeze� (1996) and “Losing Isaiah� (1995).

Robert Rodriguez of Coldwell Banker, Los Feliz, represented Ceron in her purchase, while Rochelle Maize and Elizabeth Chait of Nourmand & Associates, Beverly Hills, had the listing, sources said.

‘Wanda’ creator leaves his for hers

Les Firestein, creator and executive producer of the Fox sitcom “Wanda at Large,� has sold his Nichols Canyon home for close to its $1.8-million asking price.

Firestein, who also launched “The Drew Carey Show,� recently married, and he and his wife, screenwriter Gwyn Lurie, live in her Santa Monica home.

The contemporary home he sold was built in 1960. It has walls of glass, four bedrooms and 4 1/2 bathrooms in about 4,200 square feet. The home also has four fireplaces and a media room.

Barry Sloane of Sotheby’s International Realty, Beverly Hills, handled the sale.

Griffiths’ Los Feliz home on market

Marco Pennette, executive producer and co-creator of the 1990s sitcom “Caroline in the City,� has listed his Los Feliz home, built for the Griffith family of Griffith Park fame, at just under $3.5 million.

The seven-bedroom, 5 1/2-bathroom home was built in 1925 for Van Griffith, son of Col. Griffith J. Griffith, who gave the 200-plus acres of land for Griffith Park to the city as a gift. Van Griffith was one of the early presidents of the Los Feliz Improvement Assn.

The Mediterranean-style house, on nearly an acre behind gates, sits on a hilltop with downtown L.A. and canyon views. The walled compound has a restored main house, a carriage house, a pool and a large lawn.

Pennette, who will produce the upcoming fall series “All About the Andersons� and “I’m With Her,� shares the home with his partner, Steven Rabiner, consulting producer on “Lucky,� starring John Corbett.

Pennette and Rabiner plan to move to a home they bought in Beverly Hills.

Chris Laib and Ron McGee of Prudential John Aaroe, Los Feliz, have the listing.

To see previous columns on celebrity transactions visit www.latimes.com/hotproperty.