Did "All in the Family" switch to a laugh track when Mike and Gloria moved next door- i'm watching the baptism episode and it sounds like a laugh track- it doesn't sound like they had a laugh track in the first five or so years- but now, for one thing, the canned laughter is off the beat of some of the jokes I'm hearing, it's not natural- am I wrong here? I mean, I know they switched when Stephanie came on because it wasn't funny anymore and they had to- but it seems like they had already switched over.

It was taped in a different studio during the later years -- perhaps the audience was smaller or the acoustics were different or the audience had to be coached more with signs (this happens all the time, BTW) to get the reaction the producers desired.

But the audience was not eliminated until the ninth season, due to Carroll O'Connor's desire for a shorter work week (the scenes were taped gradually during the week, rather than all together at a performance of the entire show at the end of the week).

AITF moved from CBS Television City to Metromedia Square(later called the Fox Television Center) in the 1975 to 76 season. When the show turned into Archie Bunker's Place,it moved back to CBS TV City.
Three's Company also taped at CBS from 1977 to 1982. During their last 2 seasons, TC moved to Metromedia Square and I think it sounded like they also used a laugh track(in addition to the laughter from the live audience) during those years.

a laugh track... so THAT'S how they were able to get laughs once Mike and Gloria moved out of the house... I knew there had to be a trick to it, as the show was NO LONGER FUNNY...


that explains a lot...

I always knew, even back when the show was on the air, that there was something very different about the "look" of the show and the audience responses post '75. Of course the show's quality went down the tubes after '75 for numerous other reasons (it's been discussed a million times before). But, I always sensed that the set, the studio, & overall atmosphere were different for many years watching the reruns. Now with the internet age and E! True Hollywood Story episodes, etc., I'm getting alot of unexplained questions about old shows finally answered after all these years. Thanks for confirming my suspicions!