Former Penthouse of Arthur Rankin Jr. of Rankin/Bass Productions Up For Sale

Lauren Novak September 27, 2023

Arthur Rankin Jr in Penthouse — Courtesy of Rick Goldschmidt; Corcoran Real Estate Company

The luxurious New York City penthouse that once belonged to Arthur Rankin Jr., part of Rankin/Bass Productions is now up for sale. The sprawling penthouse where Rankin Jr. lived is located at 24 W. 55th St., between Central Park and Times Square, and is currently up for sale for $3.85 million.

Courtesy of Rick Goldschmidt

Rankin/Bass Productions created those beloved specials including Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman using “Animagic” (stop-action animation). Rankin Jr. was not just an animator, but a producer, screenwriter, and director. He passed away in 2014 at his home in Bermuda.

Courtesy of Rick Goldschmidt

Now, his widow, Greek actress Olga Karlatos is selling their home. They purchased it back in 1977 and it contains two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and gorgeous views of the city from private terraces all around the property. There are nods to the past with Art Deco inspirations but it has since been updated and includes modern amenities including modern appliances and inset ceiling lighting. If you are interested in looking at photos of this gorgeous property and keeping tabs on when it is sold, click here to view it on Corcoran Real Estate.

Courtesy of Rick Goldschmidt

Rick and Arthur, photo taken by Arthur’s wife Olga.

Now, we would love to share some memories from Rick Goldschmidt, who knew Arthur Rankin Jr. and is the official Rankin/Bass historian. He was able to spend some time in the penthouse with Arthur back in 2003 after The Museum of Television had a night in Rankin Jr.’s honor. He explained that Rankin Jr. and his wife had many places in Manhattan over the years, some of which were also business offices for Rankin/Bass Productions but he also lived in Garrison, NY and later Hamilton Parrish, Bermuda.

Courtesy of Rick Goldschmidt

Rick and Arthur at the Museum event.

Goldschmidt shared, “The morning after the Museum event, we walked to The Plaza for Breakfast and passed Tiffany’s on the way. I was quite impressed because I am a big fan of ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s‘ and remember thinking about The Beatles staying at The Plaza. The Lobby also reminded me of Cary Grant’s scene in North By Northwest and we talked about his residence there. In the evening of that same day, the beginning of a snowstorm was starting, which they were calling a blizzard in New York.”

Courtesy of Rick Goldschmidt

He continued, “I brought boxes of Rudolph games to Arthur’s penthouse for him to sign and he signed some books and GE Ad pages for me and then headed to Garrison during the snowstorm. Arthur loved to travel and was always on the go! Years later I learned that Neile Adams and Steve McQueen had a place on 55th Street in the late fifties and was wondering if it may have been in the same building.”