Jackson, Split From Hubby, Splits From House Too

Singer-actress Janet Jackson has sold her Bel-Air home for $9.5 million. She purchased the property in April 1999, for about $6.5 million.

Jackson, who played professor Klump’s fiancee in the movie “Nutty Professor II: The Klumps,” never felt comfortable in the five-bedroom, 9,000-square-foot house, which she thought was too big for her, said sources who know her.

She sold the house to Harry Sloan, who is former owner--with his law partner Lawrence Kuppin--of New World Pictures. As an attorney, Sloan represented such clients as Ron Howard and Michael Landon. After selling New World, he invested in European TV and radio.

Jackson is not looking to buy another home at the moment, said an acquaintance, adding, “She’ll probably wait until her divorce is final.” Jackson separated from songwriter-video director Rene Elizondo Jr. in early 1999; he filed for divorce in May.

The house, built in the ‘30s, is on an acre and has a tennis court and city views.

Jackson, 34, is the youngest of the nine children in the Jackson musical family. In 1996, she signed an $80-million deal with Virgin Records. She has sold more than 45 million records in her music career.

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Producer Benny Medina, the real-life inspiration for the sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” who has managed Jennifer Lopez and Will Smith, has sold his Sunset Strip-area home for about its $1.2-million asking price. He moved to a larger house in the L.A. area.

The house that he sold has three bedrooms in 1,800 square feet. Since he bought it in 1988, Medina has refurbished the 1953 home, which has a pool and city views.

Richard Ehrlich of Westside Estate Agency, Beverly Hills, handled the deal, sources said.

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Producer-director Gary Dean Orona, who created the TV pilot “Fox Extreme World” and is producing the show “Thrills” for HBO to air in 2001, and his actress-producer-TV host wife, Laura Dean, have purchased a Woodland Hills home for about $600,000.

Dean, co-producer and star of “Fox Extreme World,” hosted the pilot for “Aliens Ate My Game Show” and is a lead in “Thrills.” She first appeared in the series “Silk Stalkings” and later guest-starred on “Married . . . With Children.” Orona wrote, produced and directed the movie “The Great Bikini Off-Road Adventure” (1994).

The couple bought the home of Alfred T. Ferrante, president and CEO of the Internet service provider Earth2net.com, and his wife, Carina. The four-bedroom home has three fireplaces and a lagoon-style pool.

Rick Chimienti of DBL Estates, Beverly Hills, had the listing; Sabina Sayegh of Prudential John Aaroe & Associates, Studio City, represented the buyers.

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Hot Property runs Thursdays in SoCal Living and Sundays in Real Estate. Ryon may be reached at ruth.ryon@latimes.com.