Octogenarian Ed McMahon under Threat of Foreclosure

Ed McMahon, the trusted sidekick of Johnny Carson through decades of entertainment, is, at 85, facing foreclosure on his multimillion-dollar Beverly Hills home.

Veteran television personality Ed McMahon is fighting to avoid foreclosure on his Beverly Hills home, the Wall Street Journal first reported the distressing news late Tuesday.

McMahon is $644,000 behind on payments on $4.8 million in mortgage loans. A unit of Countrywide Financial Corp. filed a default notice on Feb. 28 with the Los Angeles County Recorder’s Office.

The 85-year-old has been especially unlucky in that he broke his neck 18 months ago, thus becoming unable to work, his spokesman Howard Bragman said.

McMahon has been a pitchman for the American Family Publishers. For the past year and a half though he has not been able to perform his duties because of his medical condition.

The home the venerable “Star Search” host risks losing has six bedrooms, five baths and is situated in the hilltop gated community The Summit, overlooking Coldwater Canyon and Mulholland Drive.

Real estate agent Alex Davis of Alex Davis Estates, who has the listing, said it has been on the market for two years, listed for sale at $6.25 million.

Potential buyers have apparently not been eager to become neighbors to fellow denizen pop star Britney Spears, who attracts paparazzi like moths to a flame.

And the veteran entertainer’s frail health cancels the “ideal situation” where “he would be healthy and able to earn a living to pay for his house,” his spokesman noted.

“He’s not alone. There are plenty of people affected by the weak economy, bad housing market or bad health,” Bragman commented. The difference is McMahon has now become the highest-profile person to suffer firsthand in the mortgage crisis.

It remains unclear whether the former “Tonight Show” second banana and his wife Pamela will remain in the home.

Via efluxmedia.com