A Modern Couple Buys A Modern Home In East Hampton

In 2016, would two men in a long-term relationship buying a house together in the Hamptons still be considered a “modern family”? Yes, if one of those men is Jeffrey Richman, a longtime producer and writer on the hit ABC show seen on Wednesday nights.

Mr. Richman and his partner, the actor John B. Hickey, recently wrote a check for $1.55 million to purchase a house on Robins Way in the Barnes Landing section of East Hampton. The 3-bedroom, 3-bath, 2,400-square-foot home sits on 0.41 acre bordering a reserve. Among its more unique features are 1,000 feet of decking and, according to a description on Zillow, the “custom modern barn defines green living, combining the best elements of traditional styling and high-quality amenities.”

One wonders if it was purely a coincidence that the copywriter used the word “modern” twice in the same sentence. Mr. Richman is a co-executive producer of “Modern Family,” which has enjoyed critical and popular success since its TV debut in 2009. It has reaped bushels of Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Mr. Richman is also one of the show’s more prominent writers. Probably the most famous episode he scripted was the one that opened the show’s fifth season in 2013 when the series’ two gay characters, Mitchell and Cam, proposed to each other. In September of that year, Mr. Richman told the Hollywood Reporter, “When it actually looked like same-sex marriage might become legal, it seemed like we could really make something of that.”

Mr. Richman began in show business as an actor, with one of his first appearances being in the comedy “Cheers.” His first writing gig was for Norman Lear on “The Jeffersons,” writing one episode in 1982. He went on to write scripts for “Wings,” “Frasier,” and “Rules of Engagement” before becoming a “Modern Family” writer and producer. As a co-producer of “Frasier” in 1998, he shared the Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series.

Mr. Hickey is one of those busy, always-employed actors who viewers know by sight but might not remember the name. One of his most recent jobs was as a lead actor in the much-praised but under-watched WGN limited series “Manhattan,” about the development of the atomic bomb at Los Alamos.

Some may recognize him as Laura Linney’s eccentric brother on the Showtime series “The Big C,” for which he received an Emmy nomination.

Born in Texas and a graduate of Fordham University, Mr. Hickey has played supporting roles in such films as “The Ice Storm,” “Flags of Our Fathers,” “The Bone Collector,” “Transformers,” “Pitch Perfect,” “Freedom Writers,” and last year’s “Truth.” His other TV credits include “Law & Order,” “Alias,” “Sex and the City,” “3rd Rock From the Sun,” “The Good Wife,” and, of all things, “Modern Family.” On stage, Mr. Hickey took home a Tony Award in 2011 for the revival of “The Normal Heart.” His most recent film, “Tallulah,” with Ellen Page and Zachary Quinto, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January.