Johnny Mathis' Iconic Mansion Burns Down

Legendary soul and jazz singer Johnny Mathis watched his Hollywood Hills mansion get destroyed by a fire on Monday night.

Mathis -- famous for hits like "Chances Are," "Misty" and his classic Christmas records -- has lived in the home for 56 years. Its location in the Hills made it very difficult for firefighters to reach the house.

He wasn't home when the fire broke out, but firefighters said they were able to save some of his trophies and memorabilia once they knocked down the blaze. It's unclear what caused it.

80-year-old Mathis was flying back from a concert in Cleveland when the fire broke out. We happened to get him at LAX, and ironically ... he talked to us about his incredible good luck.

Besides the personal loss for Johnny, the fire is creating a huge rift in our office. People in the know (aka intelligent and possibly older) are feuding with the younger set who claim to have no idea who he is. Kids. "Family Ties" theme, damn it!