Fans of ‘90s TV can “slap on a smile” because the Russo residence from “Blossom” has just hit the open market! Now, I know what devotees of the popular series, which ran on NBC from 1991 to 1995, must be thinking. Whoa! The pad pictured above certainly doesn’t look like the spot Blossom Russo (Mayim Bialik) and her family called home. And they’d be right. Unfortunately, the traditional Colonial-esque residence was extensively remodeled after filming wrapped and no longer resembles its sitcom self. But if you have an extra $3,999,999 million laying around, the reimagined version can now be yours. The sale marks the first time the place has been up for grabs since its current owners purchased it way back in 1987, long before “Blossom” landed on the airwaves.
Conceived by executive producer Don Reo, the teen-centric situational comedy focused on the trials and tribulations of spunky high schooler Blossom, her single father, hip musician Nick (Ted Wass), and two older brothers, recovering addict Anthony (Michael Stoyanov) and loveable dimwit Joey (Joey Lawrence). Reo was inspired to create the show after attending a party at the home of his friend, singer/songwriter Dion DiMucci of Dion and the Belmonts fame. In his 2009 book “Big Man: Real Life & Tall Tales,” Reo writes, “In the summer of 1989, I went to Florida to celebrate Dion DiMucci’s fiftieth birthday . . . While I was down there, I noticed how Dion and his wife, Susan, interacted with their three daughters. Their behavior was normal. Normal except for the fact that the dad in this scenario was a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This gave me the beginnings of an idea for a show, a family sitcom, in which the father would be hipper than the ones who were then on TV.” Reo meshed the premise with a concept he had been toying with centered around a Holden Caulfield-esque lead character named Richie, who had a younger sister named Blossom. Upon pitching the idea to NBC, network execs implored him to rewrite the show, nixing the Richie character and instead making Blossom the focus.
At the time, a prime-time show carried by a young girl was quite groundbreaking. Added to that, weekly storylines tackled such issues as menstruation, single parenting and teenage sexuality, which are all commonplace on the small screen today but were revolutionary in the early ’90s In fact, a scene in the pilot in which Blossom discusses the female reproductive system with guest star Phylicia Rashad was almost cut due to reticence from sensors. As noted in a 1991 Chicago Tribune article, “This is TV sitcom terrain that Gidget and Lucy would not recognize!” The innovative series resonated with audiences, though, instantly becoming must-see-programming for the teen set and turning the whimsically-fashioned Blossom into a modern role model for young viewers.
And the Russo house figured at the center of it all.
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Image Credit: Buena Vista Television -
Image Credit: Redfin Exuding curb appeal, the two-story dwelling can be found tucked behind a white picket fence at 3941 Ethel Ave. in the fashionable Longridge Estates area of Studio City, just blocks from bustling Ventura Blvd. and its succession of boutiques and restaurants. (Please remember this is a private home. Do not trespass or bother the residents or the property in any way.)
Built in 1949, the abode initially boasted three bedrooms and three baths in about 2,600 square feet and, upon completion, was offered for sale for $37,500, which translates to about $450,000 today. The place was extensively renovated in 1996 and, in my “opinionation,” was far more charming in its original state. Bigger is better, though, as they say, and the project certainly enlarged the property, adding on a second level and augmenting the first, bringing the total number of bedrooms and baths to six and five, respectively, and the square footage to 5,300, per listing information.
The remodel also significantly altered the façade by way of a new front porch, peaked-roof overhangs and a porte-cochère. Famed architect Lorand West, a relative of the homeowners, was behind the renovation. West, who passed away in 2008, is best known for designing some of L.A.’s most iconic restaurants, including The Ivy in Beverly Grove and the now-defunct Trumps in West Hollywood (which later became Morton’s and now houses Cecconi’s).
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Image Credit: Redfin Spacious and handsome, the current interior is marked by hardwood flooring, thick moldings, a litany of French doors, multiple handcrafted built-ins, a trio of fireplaces and windows galore. Common areas include a formal dining room, an entry foyer, a living room, a family room and a kitchen with marble countertops, a Viking range, a bay window and a center island with seating for two. Three bedrooms can also be found on the lower level.
Upstairs are an office and three additional bedrooms, including the owners’ suite, an inviting enclave with a vaulted ceiling, a fireplace, an expansive bath, a wall of built-ins and a sprawling walk-in closet flush with enough shelving to house an entire collection of necktie skirts and sunflower hats.
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Image Credit: Redfin The surrounding lot feels larger than its 0.20 acres, with a grassy front yard and rear patio, a pool, a jacuzzi, a built-in BBQ and plenty of room to “go out and walk in the sun for a while.” There is also a detached two-car garage on the premises.
And the whole thing can be yours for just under $4 million! The listing is held by George Kpachavi and Gregory Restivo of Keller Williams Realty-Studio City.
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Image Credit: Buena Vista Television -
Image Credit: Redfin Thanks to the remodel, which took place shortly after “Blossom” went off the air and long before filming location websites became a thing, the Russo house remained unidentified for years. It was not until mid-2020, two and a half decades after the series wrapped, that an eagle-eyed location enthusiast managed to pinpoint it by using neighboring residences and background elements as clues. The exhaustive efforts of that hunt are chronicled here.
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Image Credit: Buena Vista Television -
Image Credit: Redfin Only the exterior of the home appeared on “Blossom.” The interior of the Russo pad was a set built inside of a soundstage, initially at Ren-Mar Studios Hollywood (now Red Studios Hollywood), where season one was primarily lensed, then at both KTTV/Fox Television Center (which was demolished in 2003 to make way for Helen Bernstein High School) and Sunset Gower Studios. The series moved around quite a bit during its five-year run.
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Image Credit: Buena Vista Television -
Image Credit: Redfin The set bears little resemblance to the interior of the actual house, which isn’t surprising considering that the Russo’s place was two stories, while 3941 Ethel boasted only one level at the time of the filming. The layout, style, décor and furnishings that became so familiar to weekly viewers were creations born solely of the mind of production designer Edward Stephenson that were ultimately dismantled after the show went off the air. Thankfully, they will live on in perpetuity, along with the home’s original exterior, via our television screens.