Inside the homes of our favourite comedians
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Through the key hole of the best comedian cribs
The world's most successful funny men and women command some of the highest salaries in show business and they certainly invest their earnings wisely. Whether it’s Jimmy Fallon’s quirky penthouse in historic Gramercy Park, Kathy Griffin’s extravagant Bel Air mansion or the late Joan Rivers' former Versailles-style penthouse, they seem to have the last laugh when it comes to winning the real estate game too. Click or scroll on to take a closer look around the best comedian cribs….
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Jimmy Fallon
Comedian Jimmy Fallon has been hosting The Tonight Show since 2014, but he’s been making people smile since his schooldays, his eighth-grade yearbook read: 'Most likely to replace David Letterman'. The Brooklyn-born entertainer and former Saturday Night Live cast member is married to producer Nancy Juvonen and the couple has two daughters, Winnie and Frances, who featured in the At Home Edition of his popular show during lockdown.
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Jimmy Fallon’s quirky New York penthouse
The couple spent nearly two decades creating their quirky multi-storey penthouse in this historic Gramercy Park co-op building in downtown Manhattan, which has been home to several notable figures, including actor James Cagney. Situated on the top three floors of the Queen Anne-style building, the expansive six-bedroom home comprises four separate apartments, which the couple combined and renovated to produce this imaginative masterpiece spanning nearly 5,000 square feet.
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Jimmy Fallon’s quirky New York penthouse
The home’s three floors feature an array of eclectic spaces, including this vibrant living room with its vintage 1940s wallpaper, colourful furnishings and wood cladding designed by Bednark. While the couple collaborated with designers on certain areas of the home, the overall playful aesthetic is accredited to Juvonen, who wanted to make the home a creative wonderland for the couple’s two children.
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Jimmy Fallon’s quirky New York penthouse
This beautifully crafted custom staircase is a big hit with the kids. Decorated with a cute and quirky mural and connecting the home’s three floors, the staircase's shelves display old wooden toys, hinting at the amazing secret space hidden behind the bookshelf door, which just happens to be a playroom fitted out with monkey bars, a toy kitchen, secret hatch doors and a chalkboard wall to scribble on. A childhood paradise!
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Jimmy Fallon’s quirky New York penthouse
The 'Saloon Room' on the second level of the home features a curved bar, complete with illuminated liquor shelves, high stools and low-level lighting. Dark wood cladding and more retro wallpaper give the space a private club lodge-inspired feel, while its west-facing location makes it the perfect spot for cocktails at sunset. It’s a wonder the host and actor would ever want to leave. Yet the comedian listed the home for $15 million (£11.7m) in 2021, reportedly selling it a year later for a few million under asking to model Cara Delevingne. The comedian revealed he intended to make the family’s house in the nearby Long Island town of Sagaponack their main residence.
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Amy Schumer
Stand-up comic and actor Amy Schumer is known for comedy hits such as the 2015 movie Trainwreck and the sketch series Inside Amy Schumer. She celebrated her fifth wedding anniversary with her husband, chef Chris Fischer, in February 2023. The couple, whose son Gene was born in May 2019, were nominated for an Emmy Award for their cooking show, Amy Schumer Learns to Cook, which they created during lockdown.
Amy Schumer's Manhattan dream apartment
Now reportedly worth in excess of $45 million (£35m), it’s no surprise to hear that Amy has resided in some pretty sophisticated homes in her time, including this expansive Upper West Side penthouse, which the star bought in 2016 for just over $12 million (£9.4m), and described as her “Manhattan dream apartment”.
Amy Schumer's Manhattan dream apartment
Clad in glass, the apartment has 360-degree views of the Hudson River and the George Washington Bridge and roughly 3,000 square feet of outdoor space, including wraparound terraces and a private rooftop garden. No wonder it has been called the 'Garden in the Sky' penthouse. The five-bedroom, six-bathroom condo sits atop a landmarked Beaux-Arts prewar building on Riverside Drive.
Amy Schumer's Manhattan dream apartment
The main living space is a large solarium-like room with angled skylights and a custom gas fireplace made of glass and anthracite stone. The Life & Beth star revealed how she instantly fell in love with the 4,500-square-foot property: “I walked in and saw the views and the sunlight and couldn’t have made an offer fast enough,” she said. It felt “like a fancy rich person’s apartment", but still had the family vibe she wanted.
Amy Schumer's Manhattan dream apartment
That was just as well because it was home to the couple’s son Gene for the first few years of his life. The pair set up an adorable nursery but listed the property in 2022, explaining they wanted to be closer to their son’s school in Brooklyn, where they have bought a new home. The penthouse was listed by Adam Modlin of the Modlin Group LLC for $15 million (£11.6m) last year and eventually sold for $13 million (£10.2m) in April 2023.
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Kevin Hart
Home is where the heart is for comedian Kevin Hart. The stand-up comedian now has a prolific movie career with box office hits including the popular Jumanji franchise, Me Time and The Secret Life of Pets, and is one of the world’s most wealthy comedians, with a net worth estimated at $200 million (£156m). Married to his second wife Eniko since 2016, the pair share son Kenzo and daughter Kaori, while Hart has two teenage children from his first marriage.
Kevin Hart’s Calabasas mansion next door
The Philadelphia-born star shelled out $7 million (£5.5m) for a mansion in a gated community in Calabasas right next door to another much bigger property he already owns. His main 9,500-square-foot home was built from scratch on a 26-acre site and completed in 2018. The new place, at 9,300 square feet, is not much smaller but sits on a mere 16.3 acres of land.
Kevin Hart’s Calabasas mansion next door
The Mediterranean-style compound has an infinity-edged stunning swimming pool, a full-size tennis court, vast lawns and sprawling gardens. Completed in 2004, Hart bought the pad from Shakim Compere, a Miami and LA-based film producer, best known as Queen Latifah’s longtime business partner. Compere founded Flavor Unit Entertainment back in 1995 and has since made several films and TV shows for Netflix.
Kevin Hart’s Calabasas mansion next door
Compere bought the property back in 2015 for $6.7 million (£5.2m) so is unlikely to have made a profit on the sale to Hart. Inside, the house has six bedrooms and six bathrooms, a large formal living room and dining room (both with large floor-to-ceiling windows), wide-plank oak hardwood floors and some feature fireplaces like this one in the living room.
Kevin Hart’s Calabasas mansion next door
There is also a recently updated kitchen with stone countertops and Viking appliances, as well as a separate breakfast room and wine cellar downstairs. The Fatherhood actor has even more amenities next door in his main pad, including a volleyball court and an indoor-outdoor gym, dubbed "Hustle Hart", where he often works out and posts images on his Instagram. Why have one home, when you can have two next door to each other?
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Robin Williams
From Mork & Mindy to Mrs Doubtfire, Robin Williams was not only one of cinema’s greatest comedians, but one of its most loved. There was a huge outpouring of grief in August 2014 when the Aladdin star tragically took his own life. Following an autopsy, it was revealed that the actor, who had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, was suffering from dementia with Lewy bodies.
Robin Williams' San Francisco Bay home
The actor spent the last months of his life at this Mediterranean-style mansion in the San Francisco Bay area until his death at the age of 63. He was found inside the home after police responded to a 911 call. The actor bought the property back in 2008 for just over $4 million (£3.2m), leaving it to his wife Susan Williams, who listed it with Compass in November 2019 for just over $7.2 million (£5.6m).
Robin Williams' San Francisco Bay home
On the waterfront of Paradise Cay in northern California, the property is just 15 miles from San Francisco and oozes contemporary style. Its open-plan lounge and dining room, with floor-to-ceiling sliding doors, leads directly out onto the external deck, where there is ample room for alfresco dining. The house was on the market for almost a year before selling for a little over $5.3 million (£4.1m), which was $1.9 million (£1.5m) less than the asking price.
Robin Williams' San Francisco Bay home
The six-bedroom, six-and-a-half-bathroom house in Tiburon, California, blends coastal décor with modern touches and also features a den, a media room, a guest suite and a library. The property is filled with light and grants some beautiful views over the water.
Robin Williams' San Francisco Bay home
One of the cosier areas of the 6,500-square-foot house is the office, where an open fireplace is set off by a wood-panelled surround and walls. The actor worked tirelessly throughout his life, slowing down in the final decade due to ill health. Following his death, a heated legal battle ensued between his widow and his grown-up children, according to People, over the late comedian’s possessions and memorabilia, which was resolved out of court.
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Kathy Griffin
Two-time Emmy- and Grammy Award-winning comedian Kathy Griffin is legendary for her irreverent and outspoken stand-up routines and hit reality television series, Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List. The controversial star is known for her blistering critiques of celebrities, however, she ended up in hot water in 2017, after sharing a photo of herself holding a mask of President Donald Trump dripping with fake blood. Since the backlash, which threatened to derail her career, she's suffered mental health issues and has openly shared her experiences with her followers across social media. However, Griffin's homes may bring her some well-needed peace...
Kathy Griffin’s Bel Air mansion
The funny lady used to live in this spacious mansion in Bel Air, which has nine bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, a garden and an infinity pool, along with magnificent mountain views. Kathy bought the property in 2016 and sold it in late 2020 for $14 million (£10.9m), pocketing a profit of $3.5 million (£2.7m). Not bad for sitting pretty for a few years.
Kathy Griffin’s Bel Air mansion
Built in 2003 and encompassing 13,400 square feet of living space, the mansion has dark hardwood floors, beamed ceilings, fireplaces, a statement staircase and French doors that lead out onto a stunning terrace. “This is my dream house, for sure,” she told People in 2016. “It’s a big middle finger to Hollywood and all of Beverly Hills and other snooty neighbourhoods where I don’t really belong.”
Kathy Griffin’s Bel Air mansion
The star loved the property so much that she married marketing executive Randy Bick here on New Year’s Eve in 2019. Kathy shared the news on Twitter, surprising fans that the officiant at the intimate ceremony was none other than comedian Lily Tomlin. Kathy’s wedding gown was the same dress she wore on the couple’s first date in 2011. Now that’s a romantic touch!
Kathy Griffin’s Bel Air mansion
The former host of The Fashion Police, the star certainly loves her clothes, judging by this well-stocked walk-in wardrobe. However, Griffin was clearly in need of a change of scenery and reportedly bought a gorgeous home in Malibu for $8.8 million (£6.8m) after the sale of her Bel Air pad in 2020. The ocean views there are said to have sustained her following her surgery for lung cancer in 2021.
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Eddie Murphy
Starring in a run of blockbuster movies in the 80s and 90s, including Trading Places, Beverly Hills Cop and The Nutty Professor, Eddie Murphy is one of America’s greatest comedic actors. Today, the star is thought to be worth $200 million (£156m), so it’s no surprise to learn that he has grown accustomed to living in some pretty luxurious properties, like his opulent mansion in California.
Eddie Murphy’s opulent Californian mansion
The You People star, who won the Cecil B.DeMille award for 'outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment' at the Golden Globes in 2023, bought the 12,600-square-foot mansion overlooking Folsom Lake near Sacramento while he was married to Nicole Mitchell, with whom he has five children. However, Murphy sold the estate in 2007 for $6.1 million (£4.7m) following their divorce. The 2.5-acre compound in Granite Bay includes a 5,200-square-foot guest house and a 1,200-square-foot gym, a pool and a sports court.
Eddie Murphy’s opulent Californian mansion
There are 10 bedrooms and seven bathrooms, while the rotunda-topped great room with its dual sweeping Cinderella staircases, soaring ceilings and marble floors, make it an outrageously opulent property by anyone’s standards. The house also boasts a formal dining room, a breakfast nook, a billiards room and a plush movie theatre, of course.
Eddie Murphy’s opulent Californian mansion
Elsewhere you'll find a wet bar and a Schimmel Pegasus piano, a circular kitchen with panoramic views and a Shrek-themed bedroom, in reference to the animated film franchise in which Murphy voiced the role of Donkey. There are plenty of retro design touches too, including shag pile carpets and raised bed platforms, as well as this incredible arcade, filled with vintage games and memorabilia.
Eddie Murphy’s opulent Californian mansion
Outside, a patio descends to an infinity-edge pool and spa, while the home’s balconies overlook gardens and lawns dotted with palm trees. Despite its luxurious interiors and stunning setting, the mansion last sold at auction for a disappointing $5.5 million (£4.3m) in 2018, which is a significant drop from its listed price of $10 million (£7.8m), reports the Los Angeles Times. Murphy is starring in a forthcoming sequel to Beverly Hills Cop for Netflix.
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Steve Martin
From Planes, Trains & Automobiles to Father of the Bride and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Steve Martin has been making us laugh for decades. Today, the writer, director and musician is still thrilling audiences, with a third series of Only Murders in the Building, co-starring Selena Gomez and Meryl Streep, out in August 2023. And with a reported net worth of $140 million (£109m), he likes to dabble in real estate too. So let’s take a closer look…
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Steve Martin’s concrete contemporary home
Martin’s 7,400-square-foot home in California, designed by Venice Beach native Roland E. Coate, Jr, might not be quite what you were expecting. Cool and contemporary, the brutally beautiful bunker-style home is seriously stylish. Located high in the mountains of celebrity hot spot Montecito, the house dates back to the 1970s and has to be one of the area's most unique buildings, so let’s go inside.
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Steve Martin’s concrete contemporary home
Martin reportedly bought the home and its two parcels of land, which extend to almost six acres, in early 1995 for an unknown sum. Partially subterranean, the underground residence is made light and inviting via extensive floor-to-ceiling windows. The property was built entirely from concrete, including the floors, walls and ceilings, resulting in stark-but-stylish living spaces with plenty of industrial appeal.
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Steve Martin’s concrete contemporary home
The unforgettable concrete crib offers a chic, open-plan layout with structural columns and expansive sheets of glass. The home's interior is not exactly cosy, but there's no denying that it's seriously cool. There's a large living room, a smart kitchen, a formal dining room, four bedrooms and five bathrooms, as well as numerous patios and balconies connected to the living areas by steel-framed doors.
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Steve Martin’s concrete contemporary home
The master suite would not look out of place in a James Bond film, with its unadorned concrete walls and awe-inspiring views of the Pacific Ocean. Outside, you'll also find a bullet-shaped swimming pool, a shaded lounging terrace and a bunker-like guest house. The actor is reported to have said goodbye to the unique property in 2015 for a cool $11 million (£8.6m), but he still has a few more homes to keep him busy...
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Joan Rivers
Born in 1933 in Brooklyn to Russian immigrant parents, flamboyant comedian Joan Rivers was the first woman to break the glass ceiling of male-hosted late-night television when she landed a regular spot on The Tonight Show in the 80s. She worked right through into her 70s, most recently on E!’s weekly panel show Fashion Police, until her death at age 81 in 2014, following a procedure on her vocal cords. Known for her acerbic wit, she was also a writer, actress, director and astute businesswoman, and worth around $150 million (£117m).
Joan Rivers’ palatial New York apartment
Only an extravagant home would do for one of the industry’s most exuberant personalities and for the final 28 years of her life, the Emmy Award-winning entertainer lived in this opulent Manhattan penthouse just a short stroll from Fifth Avenue. The ornate apartment is one of the few remaining 'great houses' in New York designed by celebrated architect Horace Trumbauer, who was known for creating mansions for the wealthy during America’s Gilded Age.
Joan Rivers’ palatial New York apartment
Built in 1903, the 11-room apartment oozes elegance and sophistication and boasts a ballroom, a music room, two kitchens, four bedrooms, four-and-a-half bathrooms, five fireplaces and both a library and dining room with Central Park and New York skyline views. The comedian’s daughter Melissa Rivers first put her mother’s home on the market following her death with an asking price of $28 million (£21.8m), but there were no takers.
Joan Rivers’ palatial New York apartment
Rivers bought the apartment after the death of her husband in 1987 and undertook an extensive refurbishment, channelling a style she described as “Louis XlV meets Fred and Ginger”. Its piéce de résistance is the Versailles-inspired ballroom with its myriad of mirrors and dazzling chandelier. The pad played host to countless celebrities, including Princess Diana, before it was sold to Prince Muhammad bin Fahd of Saudi Arabia, who planned to gut the 5,100-square-foot home.
Joan Rivers’ palatial New York apartment
He may have reconsidered, however. Rivers claimed the home was haunted by the ghost of a former owner named Mrs Spencer, JP Morgan’s niece, who had damaged a chandelier, leading Rivers to seek the services of a voodoo priestess to get rid of her spirit. Whatever happened, the apartment, which also includes two terraces with city views, was still intact when it was relisted in 2021 for $38 million (£29.6m). After two years of languishing on the market, the palatial property has recently had a $3.5 million (£2.7m) price cut, bringing the asking price down to $34.5 million (£29.6m).
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Jerry Seinfeld
Comedian, producer and coffee lover Jerry Seinfeld isn’t averse to sloping off to the mountains with his family, too. The star of the ever-popular sitcom Seinfeld and his wife, Jessica, had a sprawling estate in the popular ski resort area of Telluride, Colorado, before putting it on the market in 2021 for just under $15 million (£11.7m). It sold for $14 million (£10.9m) in January 2022.
Jerry Seinfeld's ski retreat in Colorado
The estate contains two properties and the largest sits on 27 acres and has 11 bedrooms, while the smaller four-bedroom house extends across 17 acres. Both have spectacular views and are surrounded by Aspen trees. After undergoing a huge renovation, the estate was briefly listed for around $18.3 million (£14.3m) back in 2011, but was subsequently taken off the market.
Jerry Seinfeld's ski retreat in Colorado
Each property has a modern farmhouse style, with wood panelling, gorgeous beams and reclaimed plank flooring. The earthy organic feel of the property is consolidated in the vaulted double-height Great Room, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering uninterrupted views of the winter wonderland scenes outside and the Wilson Range Mountains beyond.
Jerry Seinfeld's ski retreat in Colorado
And with a grand total of 15 bedrooms across both properties, there was plenty of room for the family. Seinfeld and his wife Jessica, who have been married for 23 years, have three kids, Sascha, Julian and Shepherd, so the amenities on hand, including a library, gym, yoga studio and ping-pong table must have come in handy when weather conditions were not favourable for a day on the slopes.
Jerry Seinfeld's ski retreat in Colorado
Outside, there’s 27 acres of space, including a 5,500-square-foot deck with views of the well-maintained trail system winding its way through the towering Aspen and spruce trees down to a flowing creek that crosses the property. Telluride is known to be popular with celebrities, and Tom Cruise owns a vast resort in the area. We don’t blame him. Sounds idyllic.
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