TV Legends James Gandolfini and Merv Griffin Had Homes in Califon, New Jersey

Califon is a small town located in northwestern New Jersey where two absolute TV legends, James Gandolfini and Merv Griffin, had homes. Actually, both television legends had homes located just outside of Califon proper, but Califon is the closest town to both homes, and one of these TV legends freely used the town's name for his very famous business.

                                               (Photo by Chairmen of Joint Chiefs of Staff)

I live in New Jersey right outside of Califon myself, so I can give you a quick guide to the homes that the television legends James Gandolfini and Merv Griffin owned in the area. Gandolfini also owned another home in the area, and that home was mentioned in an episode of the TV show he made famous with his portrayal of Tony Soprano.

TV Legends James Gandolfini and Merv Griffin Had Homes in Califon, New Jersey

• Merv Griffin 

Television legend Merv Griffin had his own TV show, "The Merv Griffin Show", which was on the air from the early 1960s until 1986. In 1961, Merv Griffin purchased a home on Hollow Brook Road in Califon, New Jersey.

The home was actually in Lebanon Township, but the mailing address was Califon. There is sign on Hollow Brook Road in the Teetertown Preserve that tells the history of the home Merv Griffin owned.

The house Merv Griffin bought was an old gristmill, which was converted into a home. He used the place as a weekend and holiday retreat for himself and his wife Juleann and son Tony. He would often drive through the town of Califon in a Bermuda-style resort cart, and mentioned the town sometimes on his talk show.

Merv Griffin liked the town of Califon so much that he named his production company, Califon Productions. If you ever watch "Wheel of Fortune," the credits state that the show is still produced by Califon Productions.

After "The Merv Griffin Show" was moved to California in 1972, Merv Griffin used his Califon house much less frequently, and he sold the place in 1980. In 2001, the old gristmill home was carefully dismantled and transported to Waco, Texas, where it is now the Homestead Gristmill.

It's hard to underestimate how big a television legend Merv Griffin was. He built a huge media empire around his TV talk show, and he also created two of the biggest shows in TV history with "Jeopardy" and "Wheel of Fortune".

• James Gandolfini 

James Gandolfini, who became a television legend by playing Tony Soprano on the HBO TV series "The Sopranos," also owned a home right outside of Califon, New Jersey. Gandolfini's home is on Sutton Road, which is technically in Tewksbury Township, but the home is right on the border of Califon, and is actually just up the road from the center of town.

Gandolfini bought the home with his second wife, Deborah Lin, in 2009. Like Merv Griffin, James Gandolfini used his home near Califon as a weekend and holiday retreat. Prior to owning the home near Califon, James Gandolfini had a home in nearby Chester, New Jersey.

The home in Chester, which is an old farmhouse, is located across the street from Hacklebarney State Park land on Pottersville Road. The home was mentioned in the episode "From Where to Eternity" on "The Sopranos," as a house where George Washington slept.

Hacklebarney State Park was also supposedly shown on "From Where to Eternity" as the place where Tony and Big Pussy killed Matthew Bevilaqua in retaliation for shooting Christopher. The episode was not actually filmed in Hacklebarney State Park, though.

I live up the street from Hacklebarney State Park, and I used to run past James Gandolfini's Chester house all the time. On occasion I would see Gandolfini out for a jog.

He was always accompanied by a couple of attractive blonde women while jogging. He was friendly and would wave hello when we passed. Gandolfini sold the home in Chester after he divorced his first wife.

Many people credit James Gandolfini for forever changing the landscape of TV. His portrayal of Tony Soprano ushered in an era of anti-heroes. Shows like "The Shield", "Breaking Bad", and "Mad Men" were only possible because Gandolfini's portrayal of mob boss Tony Soprano broke the mold and paved the way.

A number of people believe that James Gandolfini gave the greatest performance in the history of TV with his portrayal of Tony Soprano. He was a true legend in the history of television, just as Merv Griffin was, and both had homes in Califon, New Jersey.