The Season 1 Props/Sets/Decor Discussion Thread

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

The cat poster and the cat... thingy are nice touches. I do wonder who was the cat-lover, among the girls. Did we ever get dialog about pets at home?

Not that I recall. And I believe the "thingy" lol is a pillow.

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I do remember that briefly, Tootie had a cat. So maybe the cat decor was hers?

You do? Wow, good memory, lol. But the cat poster is also in "Molly's room" in her episode, and there wasn't a lot of consistency with this one room being made over for each episode to suddenly be "_____'s" room, so who knows, lol.

And look, our old friend the tiger shows up on the downstage side of the chest of drawers in "Overachieving", and in the windows in "Adoption", lol.

It's possible this is "Tootie's Tiger" since it transitions to the girls' room over the cafeteria in the window by Tootie and Natalie's bed, and, noting that this is Natalie and Tootie's room where these two screen caps are from, the tiger is at the head of Tootie's bed in "Adoption" (the fact that the furniture layout in "Tootie's room" in both of these episodes is completely different notwithstanding ). But that's just a possibility; a likely one putting these pieces, together, but not absolute fact.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

You do? Wow, good memory, lol.

Yeah, it's the two-part episode where Jeff gets her a cat (5-23 and 5-240), mentioned on this blog, which also mentions an episode (5-19) where Tootie suggests smuggling in a cat. So apparently, she had an affection for cats.

But the cat poster is also in "Molly's room" in her episode, and there wasn't a lot of consistency with this one room being made over for each episode to suddenly be "_____'s" room, so who knows, lol.

That's true.

And look, our old friend the tiger shows up on the downstage side of the chest of drawers in "Overachieving", and in the windows in "Adoption", lol.

It's possible this is "Tootie's Tiger" since it transitions to the girls' room over the cafeteria in the window by Tootie and Natalie's bed, and, noting that this is Natalie and Tootie's room where these two screen caps are from, the tiger is at the head of Tootie's bed in "Adoption" (the fact that the furniture layout in "Tootie's room" in both of these episodes is completely different notwithstanding ). But that's just a possibility; a likely one putting these pieces, together, but not absolute fact.

Maybe they just moved the beds between semesters, as you might do when you want to rearrange the furniture for a fresh change.

['80sSitcoms]

Check it out, that one painting appears as early as "Overachieving". If it is indeed Blair's, did Tootie steal it for her and Nat's room for this episode?

And has anyone noticed the Snoopy and Woodstock poster that appears in "O" as well?

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Check it out, that one painting appears as early as "Overachieving". If it is indeed Blair's, did Tootie steal it for her and Nat's room for this episode?

Blair must have been showing off her artwork!

And has anyone noticed the Snoopy and Woodstock poster that appears in "O" as well?

Straight out of the 1970s!

['80sSitcoms]

Whoa, check out Natalie 'n Tootie's room in "Adoption"---they've got rear windows!

There are already the windows on the side wall ("side" if you're walking through the door---some may think "rear" as from the audience's viewpoint)---but check it out when the girls move to the back of the room (or, "side" if you're the audience, lol)---there are windows in that wall as well!

Looks like extra effort to make that room feel "different", lol.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

Whoa, check out Natalie 'n Tootie's room in "Adoption"---they've got rear windows!

There are already the windows on the side wall ("side" if you're walking through the door---some may think "rear" as from the audience's viewpoint)---but check it out when the girls move to the back of the room (or, "side" if you're the audience, lol)---there are windows in that wall as well!

Looks like extra effort to make that room feel "different", lol.

The windows on stage right are awesome! They must have been able to swap out walls. It's a nice detail. GREAT find!

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

The windows on stage right are awesome! They must have been able to swap out walls. It's a nice detail. GREAT find!

That was a surprise discovery---I wish they'd used those more!

['80sSitcoms]

The question has been brought up; is the pay phone in the cafeteria lounge the same pay phone was was previously in the dorm?

And the answer is...

Maybe, but probably not, but at least partially definitely not.

If you look at the bodies of the phone they certainly look mostly identical, so it's hard to tell from that alone. However, the receivers and cords are obviously different.

And, I'd never really thought about it before with such awareness, but one thing I love about that lounge pay phone is the black receiver and the thick black "curly" cord which was the type of cord "regular" phones had back then (I guess I have never seen another pay phone with that type of cord; they're always the cold, hard steely ones like the one in the dorm had).

The receiver being black makes it more "uniform" with the unit, and that thick black curly cord has a warmth to it which makes it a "comfort food' type of phone for me, lol. There is just something about it I find delightfully cozy.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

The question has been brought up; is the pay phone in the cafeteria lounge the same pay phone was was previously in the dorm?

And the answer is...

Maybe, but probably not, but at least partially definitely not.

If you look at the bodies of the phone they certainly look mostly identical, so it's hard to tell from that alone. However, the receivers and cords are obviously different.

And, I'd never really thought about it before with such awareness, but one thing I love about that lounge pay phone is the black receiver and the thick black "curly" cord which was the type of cord "regular" phones had back then (I guess I have never seen another pay phone with that type of cord; they're always the cold, hard steely ones like the one in the dorm had).

The receiver being black makes it more "uniform" with the unit, and that thick black curly cord has a warmth to it which makes it a "comfort food' type of phone for me, lol. There is just something about it I find delightfully cozy.

Great observation, '80s! The cord styles definitely indicate they were different phones. Like you, I only ever used the ones with steel cords. I think those were much more common, as the other kind would be easily vandalized.

['80sSitcoms]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Great observation, '80s! The cord styles definitely indicate they were different phones.

I don't know, what if they got that pay phone from season 1, and the prop guy thought or a producer got the idea of switching out the receiver for a corded one like a regular household phone, to give it that "special touch"? Of course it could be a different pay phone, but I wonder if any pay phones ever had coiled rubber cords? I never saw one, but I don't know that any like that didn't exist.

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Like you, I only ever used the ones with steel cords. I think those were much more common, as the other kind would be easily vandalized.

Well I'm sure glad they got a solid black receiver with the rubber coils. Those thick rubber coils just had a "warmth" about them that I love.

['80sSitcoms]

And now a look at some season 1 sets we haven't yet seen in this thread:

First, here's a look at different angles of the cafeteria---and apparently, a camera in one of them! I never noticed this before! You can tell when the camera pans over during Mr. Bradley's entrance that that black thing is not part of the set, and isn't supposed to be seen, lol.

Also, between Cindy and Nancy is what looks like a type of sink/washing station, so I'm assuming it's where the girls are supposed to rinse off their dishes before leaving their dishes trays on the cart behind Cindy.

['80sSitcoms]

And now we have a couple of looks at the gym...

I'm curious what the big wooden rack-type device behind the left of Cindy is? More racks for towels? A climbing device? lol

(these smaller screencaps by the way are from episodes of DS and FOL only available at DailyMotion---for some reason, "Running" will not play all the way through anymore on YouTube, not in any of the uploads! [they all stick at the same place and remain stuck for the rest of the vid] )

['80sSitcoms]

And the stable!

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

And now a look at some season 1 sets we haven't yet seen in this thread:

First, here's a look at different angles of the cafeteria---and apparently, a camera in one of them! I never noticed this before! You can tell when the camera pans over during Mr. Bradley's entrance that that black thing is not part of the set, and isn't supposed to be seen, lol.

It seems rather high up to be a camera... It looks like a black curtain on the wall. But maybe it really is a camera.

Also, between Cindy and Nancy is what looks like a type of sink/washing station, so I'm assuming it's where the girls are supposed to rinse off their dishes before leaving their dishes trays on the cart behind Cindy.

Yep!

Also notice the tureen of mystery meat!

The photo plaques on the wall look very similar to the ones seen in Season Two. And there's also a vending machine which looks similar to the one in the lounge in seasons 2-4.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

And now we have a couple of looks at the gym...

I'm curious what the big wooden rack-type device behind the left of Cindy is? More racks for towels? A climbing device? lol

I'm pretty sure they are stall bars for exercising:

(these smaller screencaps by the way are from episodes of DS and FOL only available at DailyMotion---for some running, "Running" will not play all the way through anymore on YouTube, not in any of the uploads! [they all stick at the same place and remain stuck for the rest of the vid] )

I ran into the same issue when I was trying to get a screen capture of "Buddies Forever" for the photo gallery in "The Group". I ended up using screen shots from DM instead of YT.