I know by the last season it was no longer being filmed in front of a live audience. Anyone know?

A few episodes into season 9

Are you sure you don't mean season 8? I very specifically remember first hearing that piano intro that was added to the end theme in January of 1982. I didn't realize it at the time, but did that not coincide exactly with Isabel's announcement being deleted?

Ok so around 1982/83

Thanks

Are you sure you don't mean season 8? I very specifically remember first hearing that piano intro that was added to the end theme in January of 1982. I didn't realize it at the time, but did that not coincide exactly with Isabel's announcement being deleted?

a reason for the announcement delete is because the "videotaped in front of a studio audience" is featured in the closing credits beginning in Season 6.

In syndication? On DVD? Because that announcement was most certainly there from the beginning of the original run until they went to the laugh track.

I saw it taped once when I was in CA. It was the episode when George takes care of the landlords dog for the day. He's in the living room playing catch with the dog, the ball goes over the balcony and the dog jumps over to get it. George thinks the dog is dead. I asked about getting a ticket for Different Strokes and they said Gary Coleman was on strike, but if I hurry up I can go catch the Jeffersons being taped because they were just letting people in, so I ran over.

Um. I'm just going to be honest and tell you I'm dubious. Not that your story doesn't sound plausible, after all both shows taped on the same lot, but I saw that (frankly wretched) episode recently and was sure no portion of it had been shot in front of an audience. Besides having a fairly good ear for a real crowd vs. canned laughter, the uproarious and unanimously jocular reaction to the dog leaping off the balcony struck me as very unlikely to have been the reaction of a real audience. Besides, while I know this goes back over 30 years, what on earth do you mean by George *thinks* the dog is dead? There was no twist at the end revealing the dog to be alive. How could a person who alleges to have attended that taping be unclear about the fate of the dog, considering how much it has traumatized many who've only seen it on TV.

I'll owe you an apology if I'm mistaken but...yeah, I'm doing this. I'm calling you out, I don't think you were there.

Now....WHY did they stop shooting in front of a live audience?

Are you sure you don't mean season 8? I very specifically remember first hearing that piano intro that was added to the end theme in January of 1982. I didn't realize it at the time, but did that not coincide exactly with Isabel's announcement being deleted?

Was this around the time that Embassy Television (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embassy_Pictures#Norman_Lear_and_Jerry_Perenchio) took over production from Tandem Productions (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tandem_Productions#1980s)?