The Season 1 Props/Sets/Decor Discussion Thread

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

But that's where the "celestial bodies" grandfather clock is---the 9 shows in spring 1980.

No, no. I don't mean that it's odd that we would see the clock in the Spring 1980 credits... I mean it's odd that, of all the shots they could have used, the clock manages to get photobombed in two of the girls' photos.

Yes, but what do we see?? It looks like either a large poster/picture or curtain from the top down toward the bottom, but then some kind of white piece of furniture or chair/rack of some kind. lol..hmmmm...

I think the top part is just the wall. The possible rack might be a luggage rack. But it looks to me like the black edge might just be the edge of the set, and to the left a little further would be the studio audience.

And as we see from the first 4 shows, that pay phone was very close beside the front door.

Yep! Another mystery solved!

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

No, no. I don't mean that it's odd that we would see the clock in the Spring 1980 credits... I mean it's odd that, of all the shots they could have used, the clock manages to get photobombed in two of the girls' photos.

Oh, I see; I misinterpreted your "odd", lol.

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I think the top part is just the wall.

But it's something there, and it's got colors/patterns on it. I wish they panned over more so we could see what it definitely is, lol.

And yeah with that rack thing it's like you can make out a "leg" and "stopper" kind of thing on the bottom of it (to avoid scuffs, slipping, etc.).

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

The possible rack might be a luggage rack. But it looks to me like the black edge might just be the edge of the set, and to the left a little further would be the studio audience.!

The black edge is actually from my cropping of the photo from a black background; I wanted to show that I was including as far over in the still as I could when trying to ID these items, lol.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

But it's something there, and it's got colors/patterns on it. I wish they panned over more so we could see what it definitely is, lol.

I think the pattern/color is cheap replacement wallpaper that doesn't match the existing wallpaper, or the wallpaper that had previously been behind the payphone. When they ripped out the payphone, the wallpaper was likely damaged, and was removed.

As we've previously discussed, this set was previously used on another show, an extremely low-budget, low-quality show called Co-Ed Fever that only aired for one episode. But looking at that episode, I can even see the payphone (at 3:41 and again at 3:51), and beyond that, to the left, an odd curtained-off area.

And yeah with that rack thing it's like you can make out a "leg" and "stopper" kind of thing on the bottom of it (to avoid scuffs, slipping, etc.).

Yep, I see what you're saying.

The black edge is actually from my cropping of the photo from a black background; I wanted to show that I was including as far over in the still as I could when trying to ID these items, lol.

Ah, got it!

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

As we've previously discussed, this set was previously used on another show, an extremely low-budget, low-quality show called Co-Ed Fever that only aired for one episode. But looking at that episode, I can even see the payphone (at 3:41 and again at 3:51), and beyond that, to the left, an odd curtained-off area.

Whooooa, that is so surreal to see it be the "same" set, but in a previous form before it was altered/adjusted to "become" the FOL set...wild!

And now, since you've mentioned a couple of times the New Yorker poster which was originally Tumpy's, here it is in its original place, and then after Blair absconded with it---what, after she heard the girls were expelled did she run over to their room and grab that for her own decor?

(sidebar: "Tumpy" always reminds me of Linda Ronstadt!)

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[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Whooooa, that is so surreal to see it be the "same" set, but in a previous form before it was altered/adjusted to "become" the FOL set...wild!

I feel the same way!

And also: It's like, "What are the sacred, hallowed halls of Eastland doing on this craptacular show? Who are these random people in the Eastland dorm?"

And now, since you've mentioned a couple of times the New Yorker poster which was originally Tumpy's, here it is in its original place, and then after Blair absconded with it---what, after she heard the girls were expelled did she run over to their room and grab that for her own decor?

It's not in Blair's nature to steal, without being goaded into it, like when Jo and she hotwired that van. I suspect that once Tumpy was expelled, Blair salvaged it, as a memento of "The Group".

(sidebar: "Tumpy" always reminds me of Linda Ronstadt!)

Holy crap! I see that resemblance!


"You're not Blair's puppet, Sue Ann. We like you for who you are. As long as you smoke dope with us."

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

And also: It's like, "What are the sacred, hallowed halls of Eastland doing on this craptacular show? Who are these random people in the Eastland dorm?"

lol, yup!

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

It's not in Blair's nature to steal, without being goaded into it, like when Jo and she hotwired that van. I suspect that once Tumpy was expelled, Blair salvaged it, as a memento of "The Group".

Oh I know, I was just making a joke, lol. It does make you wonder though, did Tumpy find Blair before she forever exited the campus and gift her the poster, or did she just leave it and Blair heard their vacated room had things left in it, or what? Interesting...

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Holy crap! I see that resemblance!

Right?? I can't look at her and not think of Linda! lol..."You don't hit the microphone...it hits youuuuu!"

And now, "tiger time"!

As mentioned elsewhere, the girls have a stuffed tiger occasionally seen in season 1. There is also a sombrero occasionally seen hanging by the windows. Well, the season 2 set makeshift bedroom set was lucky enough to be gifted these items; sometimes you see the tiger wearing the sombrero , and sometimes it's bare-headed.

It's funny, I always thought of the tiger as wearing the sombrero, but I see in this Tootie screen cap, he's not. Now when I watch the cafeteria years again I'll have to make note of how often he's seen hatless, and how often he's seen like he's ready to got to Mexico.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

It does make you wonder though, did Tumpy find Blair before she forever exited the campus and gift her the poster, or did she just leave it and Blair heard their vacated room had things left in it, or what? Interesting...

Based on what we saw, Tumpy might have sold the poster to Blair so she could buy marijuana.

But I'd like to think that, after being so mean, Tumpy realized the error of her ways, and gave Blair the poster as a gesture of peace. She might have even given Sue Ann something, too, although regrettably, we never saw Sue Ann and Cindy's room after the first season.

Right?? I can't look at her and not think of Linda! lol..."You don't hit the microphone...it hits youuuuu!"

Ahahahahaha! GREAT caption! (Much better than mine).

['80sSitcoms]

I found another season 1 recyclee!

Check out the totally random painting of Notre Dame in this adaptation of the girls' room in "Dope". It was junked away in the storage room over the kitchen that summer!

At first I thought Blair painted it for Parents' Night in LMLD, but, while she did paint Notre Dame, her painting is much different, so it's not hers (you'd think this smaller painting would still be in LMLD with all the French decorations and paintings in the common room, but I haven't been able to locate it there). I don't know if she was supposed to have been the artist behind this smaller one as well, or what. But it's funny that it ended up junked in storage!

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

I found another season 1 recyclee!

Check out the totally random painting of Notre Dame in this adaptation of the girls' room in "Dope". It was junked away in the storage room over the kitchen that summer!

At first I thought Blair painted it for Parents' Night in LMLD, but, while she did paint Notre Dame, her painting is much different, so it's not hers (you'd think this smaller painting would still be in LMLD with all the French decorations and paintings in the common room, but I haven't been able to locate it there). I don't know if she was supposed to have been the artist behind this smaller one as well, or what. But it's funny that it ended up junked in storage!

Nice find!

And since the painting is still on Blair's easel, I'd guess that yes, she painted that one as well. It's clearly not as good as the other Notre Dame painting, so I suppose that it's justified that it ended up in storage. Can't win 'em all!

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Nice find!

And since the painting is still on Blair's easel, I'd guess that yes, she painted that one as well. It's clearly not as good as the other Notre Dame painting, so I suppose that it's justified that it ended up in storage. Can't win 'em all!

Haha! Yeah, maybe she just told somebody to go junk it somewhere, but they didn't have the heart to throw it away, so they found "a nice storage space" for it, lol.

You said "Blair's easel", though; do we know for sure that's her easel? I mean it logically makes sense as I don't think we were presented with evidence of any other girl painting; in that case, yeah, it would make perfect sense to assume it's her easel.

And Retro I think you were posting a reply when I updated a previous post with the tiger/sombrero pics---I loved that I got to use two identifying arrows in one photo---"Ole!"

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

You said "Blair's easel", though; do we know for sure that's her easel? I mean it logically makes sense as I don't think we were presented with evidence of any other girl painting; in that case, yeah, it would make perfect sense to assume it's her easel.

Well, the whole premise of "Like Mother, Like Daughter" is that Blair is like her mom, who paints: she excitedly comes downstairs with a painting she's just signed. In other episodes, we see the easel in Blair's room.

And Retro I think you were posting a reply when I updated a previous post with the tiger/sombrero pics---I loved that I got to use two identifying arrows in one photo---"Ole!"

Oh, I see!

The tiger (with sombrero) is a cute decoration. I'm glad it made the transition between seasons one and two, like the Notre Dame painting, the 1970s faux flowers, and the New Yorker poster, but unlike the grandfather clock.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Well, the whole premise of "Like Mother, Like Daughter" is that Blair is like her mom, who paints: she excitedly comes downstairs with a painting she's just signed. In other episodes, we see the easel in Blair's room.

This is the only episode I've noticed that painting in so far, and it's the final set in "Dope"---I guess while Sue Ann was drugged out and spacing out about whales, Blair was celebrating her clear ability to think by dashing off a painting of Notre Dame, lol.

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Oh, I see!

The tiger (with sombrero) is a cute decoration. I'm glad it made the transition between seasons one and two, like the Notre Dame painting, the 1970s faux flowers, and the New Yorker poster, but unlike the grandfather clock.

lol, the poor clock...we should go put a flower in its hair


Yeah, I've always liked the tiger. For years I thought it was so random (but wonderfully so) with that sombrero on it - I can't believe you never noticed him before! But I'm glad you're in "the group (about knowing about tigers with sombreros)" now!

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

This is the only episode I've noticed that painting in so far, and it's the final set in "Dope"---I guess while Sue Ann was drugged out and spacing out about whales, Blair was celebrating her clear ability to think by dashing off a painting of Notre Dame, lol.

Haha! That's... weird.

lol, the poor clock...we should go put a flower in its hair

Oddly enough, I found a similar grandfather clock, with the rotating celestial bodies, on ebay, for $500.00.

Yeah, I've always liked the tiger. For years I thought it was so random (but wonderfully so) with that sombrero on it - I can't believe you never noticed him before! But I'm glad you're in "the group (about knowing about tigers with sombreros)" now!

Hee! No, I never noticed the tiger before. I'm honored to be in "The Group"!

That's why I love this forum. There's always someone who has noticed some little detail no-one else has ever noticed, or has some special insight. It makes watching the re-runs so much more interesting!

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Hee! No, I never noticed the tiger before. I'm honored to be in "The Group"!

That's why I love this forum. There's always someone who has noticed some little detail no-one else has ever noticed, or has some special insight. It makes watching the re-runs so much more interesting!

Quite!

And yes I do take pride in the fact that I have "known the tiger" for decades now, but I have to admit, where I have gotten some credit here for catching things about props on the sets, some of these I believe I never would have even noticed were it not for looking things up in episodes on YouTube. It is SO easy to see something like the Notre Dame painting in NG2, when you are purposefully keeping an eye out for noticeable things, and then just happening to see it in a photo I already had from "Dope" featuring the tiger. Or noticing the vase of flowers in "Shoplifting" and seeing apparently those same flowers in Molly's room in "Molly's Holiday", or seeing how many globes there were, and how there were two different season 1 clocks! Just viewing the shows routinely, it would be hard to catch all of these. But thanks to YouTube and an ongoing gallery of screen caps here, now things like that are much easier to see!

But yes, I am proud that I knew about the sombrero-wearing tiger all along on my own! It was always so cute/random in the girls' room over the cafeteria, and then when I noticed those props in season 1 I was like "Wow! That's where they got the tiger with the sombrero!"

Say, now we can imagine what a world would be like where set pieces on FOL were included in the opening credits!

[RetroGuy2000]

Haha! Your revised opening credits are crazy!!!