Lee Marvin wasn’t much for Hollywood polish. The Oscar-winning actor—best known for The Dirty Dozen and iconic TV cameos, including on The Twilight Zone—built a career playing hard-edged antiheroes. Off-screen, he gravitated toward places that felt equally unvarnished, and, in Tucson, where he made his home for about a dozen years before his death, that meant a sprawling estate tucked into the dry foothills where desert light, not studio lighting, set the tone.

The house Marvin chose as his retreat dates to 1936 and was designed by Swiss-American architect Josias Joesler, whose work helped define the architectural language of the Southwest. Long before Marvin arrived, the property had already established its pedigree; it was built by noted developer John Murphey and later owned by Arizona congressman Morris “Moe” Udall.

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When Marvin acquired the home in 1975, he expanded it with a light touch, turning the residence into a compound while preserving Joesler’s original vision of interconnected wings wrapped around courtyards and terraces. That layered history carries through to today. Sold by Marvin’s estate in 2021—nearly 35 years after his 1987 death—for $1.825 million, the property has since undergone a meticulous restoration and sensitive update.

The residence is laid out as a series of connected indoor and outdoor spaces, with arched passageways linking each area. A large living room anchors the home, with exposed wood beams and red polished concrete floors, while recessed windows frame views of the Catalina Mountains. Original ironwork, including pieces by Tucson artisan Tom Bredlow, remains in place throughout.

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Original features were preserved where possible, while new steel casement doors and windows strengthen the connection to the outdoors. The kitchen pairs honed Calacatta marble and custom cabinetry with appliances from Wolf, Sub-Zero, and Miele, bringing it up to modern standards without altering its vintage character.

There are two guesthouses—one converted from Marvin’s former trophy room—and a newly sited 60-foot pool oriented toward the views. Systems, including HVAC, plumbing, and electrical, have also been updated throughout.

The estate is now on the market for $5.75 million, listed with Rick and Patty Howard of Long Realty Company/Luxury Portfolio International. Tucson’s high-end market has been steadily resetting its ceiling in recent years. For context, a $4.45 million sale in 2022 once set a city record, only to be eclipsed in 2024 by a $7.48 million spec home in the Catalina Foothills.

Click here to see more photos of this Arizona home.