GREG KINNEAR, E!'s original Talk Soup host who went on to host NBC's 1:35 a.m. talk show and is co-starring with Harrison Ford and Julia Ormond in the upcoming remake of Billy Wilder's comedy Sabrina, has purchased the Hollywood Hills home of SUSAN RUTTAN, who was a regular on L.A. Law, sources say.
Ruttan, 45, played secretary Roxanne Melman on the series from 1986 until 1993. Last year, she was in the TV movie Jack Reed: A Search for Justice. She moved to a rental and is looking to buy out of the area, possibly in the Northwest, where she was born, sources say.
Kinnear, 31, was executive producer and host of Talk Soup, a digest on cable's E! Entertainment channel of the day's most outlandish talk-show clips. Last fall he landed NBC's Later With Greg Kinnear. He took a break from his new show to do the movie, due to be released this fall.
Sabrina, which made Audrey Hepburn a star, is about a chauffeur's daughter who is swept off her feet by a rich, pompous rake, played in the 1954 movie by William Holden. In the Paramount remake, Ormond plays Sabrina, Ford portrays the rake's brother--played earlier by Humphrey Bogart, and Kinnear got the Holden role.
Kinnear bought Ruttan's house, a Mediterranean villa, for almost its $1.4-million asking price, sources say.
The 5,000-square-foot house has four bedrooms, including a master suite with canyon views. Built in 1952, the gated home had been totally renovated by Ruttan, who had lived there for just a few years.
The residence also has a huge courtyard; black-bottom pool; spa, fountain and outdoor fireplace.
Brett Lawyer of Nourmand & Associates, Beverly Hills, had the listing, and Barbara Palmer of John Aaroe & Associates, Beverly Hills, represented Kinnear.
Copyright, The Times Mirror Company; Los Angeles Times, 1995.