Calling Doug Denoff... - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

jehobden · 01-14-2003, 08:26 PM

...or anyone who knows about or has seen a DVD ep filmed in person. I've been impressed by the number of sets that I see at times in a DVD ep, considering that the show is filmed in front of a studio audience. In addition to the Petrie kitchen, living room, Rob and Laura's bedroom, and the writer's office, I've seen sets as varied as a vet's office, a chapel, a synagogue, a drive-up hamburger stand w/ benches and room for a few motorcycles, Jerry and Millie's kitchen and living room, hotel lobbies and bars, Richie's bedroom, a saloon, and more that I can't think of right now. How big was the soundstage if there was room for all those sets in view of an audience? I've read where there were four sets for the pilot ep, but other eps seem to have as many as five or six. When I saw a filming of Suddenly Susan a few years back, there was just room for the office w/ Jack's office to the side, Susan's apartment, and a bar/restaurant. All other scenes on two other sets, including a classroom where Tom Poston made a guest appearance, had to be pre-filmed for our reaction, apparently for lack of space. Were some sets out of view of the audience? I saw Becker filmed just over two years ago, and some of the sets had to be built out of the audience's view, but the scenes could be watched in the monitors, as all the cameras' perspectives could be. Anyone who remembers seeing a filming or recalls seeing other live audience sitcom filmings can perhaps enlighten me. I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

ddenoff · 01-20-2003, 09:24 PM

i was only 8 or 9 at the time but I remember alot.

i'll see if I can sketch out a floorplan of the way the set was built, and post it on our website.

basically, the Petrie living room was the center, and rarely was moved. The kitchen was to the right, just as it appears, but the bedroom was not permanently on the left. Usually that area was used either for the bedroom, when required, or another set like Rob's art class, or some other outside location.

The Alan Brady Show office was also always standing, to the right of the Kitchen.

I'll also see if Ronny Jacobs has more stills to show where everything was.

There's a cool book with blueprints of sets from Classic TV.
check out: (you may need to cut and paste the entire link into your browser). They don't have ALL the sets but i'll see what I can do.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...304533-3192057

jehobden · 01-21-2003, 03:29 AM

Thanks for your reply, Doug. I have the TV Sets book, and it's a fascinating look at various sets of tv shows. Tonight's TV Land rerun, Divorce, was another good example of a show w/ various sets. Rob and Laura's bedroom, kitchen, and the writers' office were not seen, but there were large sets for a bar and Buddy's apt, as well as small sets where Buddy and Sally were shown lying in bed. I'd love to see any set outlines that you have from the show. I figured that the sets were built in the order that you stated. I was able to see DVD and the Other Woman, and the last scene has Dick and Mary starting on the writers' office, set, then walking to their right to the living room set (apparently leaving out the kitchen set in the middle). Rob and Laura's bedroom, according to the set layout, would be off to the left of the living room, and I guess there was room for at least one more set to the left of the bedroom set.

01-14-2003, 08:26 PM	#1
jehobden Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 06, 2002 Location: DFW Area, TX Posts: 2,006	Calling Doug Denoff... ...or anyone who knows about or has seen a DVD ep filmed in person. I've been impressed by the number of sets that I see at times in a DVD ep, considering that the show is filmed in front of a studio audience. In addition to the Petrie kitchen, living room, Rob and Laura's bedroom, and the writer's office, I've seen sets as varied as a vet's office, a chapel, a synagogue, a drive-up hamburger stand w/ benches and room for a few motorcycles, Jerry and Millie's kitchen and living room, hotel lobbies and bars, Richie's bedroom, a saloon, and more that I can't think of right now. How big was the soundstage if there was room for all those sets in view of an audience? I've read where there were four sets for the pilot ep, but other eps seem to have as many as five or six. When I saw a filming of Suddenly Susan a few years back, there was just room for the office w/ Jack's office to the side, Susan's apartment, and a bar/restaurant. All other scenes on two other sets, including a classroom where Tom Poston made a guest appearance, had to be pre-filmed for our reaction, apparently for lack of space. Were some sets out of view of the audience? I saw Becker filmed just over two years ago, and some of the sets had to be built out of the audience's view, but the scenes could be watched in the monitors, as all the cameras' perspectives could be. Anyone who remembers seeing a filming or recalls seeing other live audience sitcom filmings can perhaps enlighten me. I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

01-20-2003, 09:24 PM	#2
ddenoff Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 28, 2002 Location: new york Posts: 104	of course i was there i was only 8 or 9 at the time but I remember alot. i'll see if I can sketch out a floorplan of the way the set was built, and post it on our website. basically, the Petrie living room was the center, and rarely was moved. The kitchen was to the right, just as it appears, but the bedroom was not permanently on the left. Usually that area was used either for the bedroom, when required, or another set like Rob's art class, or some other outside location. The Alan Brady Show office was also always standing, to the right of the Kitchen. I'll also see if Ronny Jacobs has more stills to show where everything was. There's a cool book with blueprints of sets from Classic TV. check out: (you may need to cut and paste the entire link into your browser). They don't have ALL the sets but i'll see what I can do. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...304533-3192057

01-21-2003, 03:29 AM	#3
jehobden Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 06, 2002 Location: DFW Area, TX Posts: 2,006	Thanks for your reply, Doug. I have the TV Sets book, and it's a fascinating look at various sets of tv shows. Tonight's TV Land rerun, Divorce, was another good example of a show w/ various sets. Rob and Laura's bedroom, kitchen, and the writers' office were not seen, but there were large sets for a bar and Buddy's apt, as well as small sets where Buddy and Sally were shown lying in bed. I'd love to see any set outlines that you have from the show. I figured that the sets were built in the order that you stated. I was able to see DVD and the Other Woman, and the last scene has Dick and Mary starting on the writers' office, set, then walking to their right to the living room set (apparently leaving out the kitchen set in the middle). Rob and Laura's bedroom, according to the set layout, would be off to the left of the living room, and I guess there was room for at least one more set to the left of the bedroom set.
	Last edited by jehobden; 01-31-2003 at 08:09 PM.