Getty Actress Lisa Ann Russell (L) and TV personality Jeff Probst attends the 21st Annual Critics' Choice Awards
“Survivor” host Jeff Probst lives in a huge Los Angeles-area mansion in Studio City that he shares with his wife, Lisa Ann Russell, and his stepchildren, Michael and Ava, Russell’s children from her first marriage to actor Mark-Paul Gosselaar.
The beautiful, sprawling home boasts nearly 8000 square feet. Read on for what we know about the home, including how long Probst has lived there and from which famous Hollywood cowboy Probst purchased the house.
Probst Bought His Studio City Home From the Estate of Gene Autry
Hilton & Hyland
According to Variety, Probst purchased his Studio City home from the estate of the late actor and “Singing Cowboy” Gene Autry in 2011 for $5 million. The sprawling two-story white off-white home boasts 7,983 square feet, five bedrooms, and seven bathrooms. It also sounds like Probst got a good deal on the mansion — he bought it for 28 percent below the original asking price of nearly $7 million. According to Redfin, the property is now worth upwards of $9 million.
The home sits on a 3.68-acre lot, which is a significant amount of real estate in the greater Los Angeles area. It was custom built for Autry and his wife in 1948 and it actually sits near the Gene Autry Ridge. According to the Los Angeles County website, Autry purchased the land from the estate of Harry C. Fryman in 1947 and lived there until his death in 1998. The area was “informally called the Gene Autry Ridge in the Studio City community for many years,” until a motion passed the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to make the name official in 2006.
The style of the home is “Monterey Colonial,” which means it is a hybrid of a Mexican hacienda style and a classic East Coast Colonial, according to Houzz. Homes built in this style generally include stucco, a balcony, possibly a Spanish tile roof, and sometimes a private courtyard.
Probst’s Home Includes a Swimming Pool, Library, and An Autry Tribute in the Courtyard
Gene Autry website
According to Variety, the former Autry abode has the letters G and A laid in brick in the courtyard near the guest house, which is out back by the in-ground swimming pool. The interior was done in a western style, but Probst has probably updated the decor over the years. One of the living rooms boasts a built-in bar and the library is full of floor-to-ceiling built-in bookshelves.
The listing shown on the official Gene Autry website also outlined other features — “Cook’s kitchen with butler’s pantry, separate breakfast room, master suite with fireplace, major closets and his/her baths. Grand formal dining room … viewing balconies overlook wooded acreage, winding paths & flower gardens with full guest house, grand pool & outdoor entertainment center with fireplace.”
At the time of purchase, Probst’s neighborhood was also the home of Teri Hatcher, Leah Remini, Lea Thompson and Howard Deutch, Richard Karn, the late Alex Trebek, and George Clooney.
On the Autry website, Autry’s widow said that they chose not to turn the house into a museum because of how disruptive it would be to the neighborhood, writing, “Because the Studio City house is in a private residential area, it would be difficult to run it as a museum with parking, staff, and visitors disrupting the peace and quiet of the neighborhood. Gene Autry enjoyed his Studio City home for 50 years. It is now time for a new family to do the same.”
Probst is not one to post a lot of at-home photos online, but fans did get a peek inside the home’s garage during the run of “Survivor: Winners at War” because Probst hosted the finale from there.
“Survivor” returns for its 41st season on Wednesday, September 22. The 42nd season will air in the spring of 2022. Seasons 43 and 44 are casting now, so if you’ve always wanted to apply, now is your chance!
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