Photo by Morgan Bellinger

World War II was over, the housing boom was in full swing and Hollywood hit on an idea: Why not promote a new star-studded movie about a couple seeking their dream home by actually building replica “dream houses” all around the country?
Even by today’s guerilla marketing standards, it was an ambitious plan. But 73 homes later, curiosity-seekers were lining up by the thousands to tour these new houses in cities and towns from Phoenix to East Natick, New Jersey, and the movie, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, was a smash hit.
The homes later were sold or raffled off, giving everyday folks a small taste of fame. And while the Cary Grant movie achieved “classic” status, becoming a favorite on cable television and spawning several remakes, the dream homes faded into obscurity.
There’s no official record of how many exist today. The California house in which the comedy was filmed was preserved and now is a state parks office. Other homes, like a modest one in Ottawa Hills, Ohio, are quietly standing.
Phoenix’s own dream house is tucked away in a central city cul-de-sac near Indian School Road and 15th Avenue, blending in with its 1940s neighbors. Owners over the years have made modifications, but the house generally is true to its original ranch-style design.
In Mr. Blandings, the characters move from Manhattan to Connecticut in search of a new life. The current Phoenix dream-house owners, Liz and Jon Bernreuter, are Manhattan transplants and previous longtime apartment dwellers. They didn’t know the home’s Hollywood pedigree when they went house hunting in 2002. They just knew what they liked about it – the open floor plan, backyard for entertaining and central location – and the dream house has been a perfect fit for them ever since.