Meeting at Denny's? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

RetroGuy2000 · 03-11-2020, 02:56 AM

As you know, the first four seasons of The Facts of Life were taped at Metromedia Square, a huge television production facility on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. Metromedia was at the heart of the television industry, producing series for all three television networks as well as smaller companies from the 1960s through the 1980s, and being the successor company of the DuMont Network, the world's first commercial television network.

Metromedia Square was closed in 2000, and torn down in 2003; there's a high school where the facility was located.

In the Reelz documentary, Julie Pie mentions that after taping their episodes, the girls would go to the Denny's across the road from the studio. They loved Denny's, and even in the 1990s, there was a 1979-era photo circulating online of Julie Pie and Lisa in front of a Denny's restaurant (I always wondered about that). The Denny's is still there, on Sunset Boulevard!

I don't live in California, but I occasionally visit Los Angeles for business. The next time I'm in LA, I want to visit that Denny's. It's too late to see Metromedia Square, but I can still hang out at a place our Eastland Girls loved. I also plan to visit Pomona College and see the formerly ivy-covered campus buildings, as well as other sites: maybe Sunset Gower, etc.

I figure if I set a specific date, I could invite the rest of you guys, as well. I know FOL-ITA is in Italy, and Valentina is in the UK, which seems a bit far, but are there FOL fans in the US interested in making an Eastland excursion sometime? Just food for thought...

Lorimar Television · 03-11-2020, 03:44 AM

Yes that was amazing to find out! That sounds very interesting Retro, maybe I would

RetroGuy2000 · 03-19-2020, 02:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorimar Television

Yes that was amazing to find out! That sounds very interesting Retro, maybe I would

That'd be cool!

I'll also see if I can involve some of the folks on the show.

cfr1970 · 03-19-2020, 10:33 AM

Back in the 90's I visited L.A. again and had breakfast at an IHOP in Sunset Blvd. I specifically remember joking that we''d never spot any celebrities eating here lol. I should've went to Denny's instead! At least i'd be able to say I ate at the same place as the FOL girls.

BTW I love Dennys!! I went to Vegas in January and it was my go to breakfast every morning.

RetroGuy2000 · 03-19-2020, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cfr1970

Back in the 90's I visited L.A. again and had breakfast at an IHOP in Sunset Blvd. I specifically remember joking that we''d never spot any celebrities eating here lol. I should've went to Denny's instead! At least i'd be able to say I ate at the same place as the FOL girls.

BTW I love Dennys!! I went to Vegas in January and it was my go to breakfast every morning.

I definitely prefer IHOP (I love their flavored syrups, which Denny's doesn't have), but if we're talking the "Facts of Life" Denny's, well, that's a different story...

I wonder how many fans of the show ate there all these years, unaware of the site's part in Facts of Life history...

cfr1970 · 03-19-2020, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I definitely prefer IHOP (I love their flavored syrups, which Denny's doesn't have), but if we're talking the "Facts of Life" Denny's, well, that's a different story...

I wonder how many fans of the show ate there all these years, unaware of the site's part in Facts of Life history...

If you do make it there and see a cast pic on the wall from one of their visits take a pic of it and post it here. I know some Hollywood restaurants do that when the stars come to visit, but not sure if one from the 80's would still be hanging.
They'd probably only have today's stars and I wouldn't recognize any of them if they fell over me in the street.

EDIT: The thought of Blair Warner eating at Denny's just entered my mind. I can see Jo dragging her in there and saying "Just order!"

RetroGuy2000 · 03-19-2020, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cfr1970

If you do make it there and see a cast pic on the wall from one of their visits take a pic of it and post it here. I know some Hollywood restaurants do that when the stars come to visit, but not sure if one from the 80's would still be hanging.
They'd probably only have today's stars and I wouldn't recognize any of them if they fell over me in the street.

I wouldn't recognize most stars today, either.

If I see any cast pics, I'll be sure to get some photos for this forum.

Quote:

EDIT: The thought of Blair Warner eating at Denny's just entered my mind. I can see Jo dragging her in there and saying "Just order!"

"But there's a hair on my menu..."

cfr1970 · 03-19-2020, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

I wouldn't recognize most stars today, either.

If I see any cast pics, I'll be sure to get some photos for this forum.

"But there's a hair on my menu..."

Didn't she say that to Jo when they went to Manhattan to see their old friends? I LOVE that episode!!

RetroGuy2000 · 03-19-2020, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cfr1970

Didn't she say that to Jo when they went to Manhattan to see their old friends? I LOVE that episode!!

YEP! That's where that line is from. I love when Jo blows it off the menu in disgust at Blair.

Bonniegirl · 03-19-2020, 09:21 PM

I live in LA, and that Denny's on Sunset is totally still there !

I am on my cell phone or I'd post a pic for you. I know exactly which one they are talking about ! There are two Denny's that are not very far from each other on Sunset Blvd.! If you Google it , it's NOT the one in the "Gower Gulch "( around the 6000 block ) , it is the one east of that !

Bonniegirl · 03-19-2020, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bonniegirl

I live in LA, and that Denny's on Sunset is totally still there !

I am on my cell phone or I'd post a pic for you. I know exactly which one they are talking about ! There are two Denny's that are not very far from each other on Sunset Blvd.! If you Google it , it's NOT the one in the "Gower Gulch "( around the 6000 block ) , it is the one east of that !

5751 Sunset Blvd.

Bonniegirl · 03-20-2020, 02:59 AM

RetroGuy2000 · 03-20-2020, 03:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bonniegirl

I live in LA, and that Denny's on Sunset is totally still there !

I am on my cell phone or I'd post a pic for you. I know exactly which one they are talking about ! There are two Denny's that are not very far from each other on Sunset Blvd.! If you Google it , it's NOT the one in the "Gower Gulch "( around the 6000 block ) , it is the one east of that !

Thanks for the local knowledge, Bonnie! I sure appreciate the info. I did see the correct address.

To see the actual restaurant the girls all loved, where all the girls ate, and Julie Pie and Lisa posed for a photo in 1979, would just be incredible.

RetroGuy2000 · 03-20-2020, 03:22 AM

From the Julie Piekarski website, which I first visited in the 1990s.

cfr1970 · 03-20-2020, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

From the Julie Piekarski website, which I first visited in the 1990s.

Wow! I love this pic! Blair Warner posing in front of Denny's! What would Boots St. Clair say?!

03-11-2020, 02:56 AM	#1
RetroGuy2000 Julie,Julie Anne,&Felice 4Ever Forum Star Join Date: Dec 27, 2013 Posts: 16,914	Meeting at Denny's? As you know, the first four seasons of The Facts of Life were taped at Metromedia Square, a huge television production facility on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. Metromedia was at the heart of the television industry, producing series for all three television networks as well as smaller companies from the 1960s through the 1980s, and being the successor company of the DuMont Network, the world's first commercial television network. Metromedia Square was closed in 2000, and torn down in 2003; there's a high school where the facility was located. In the Reelz documentary, Julie Pie mentions that after taping their episodes, the girls would go to the Denny's across the road from the studio. They loved Denny's, and even in the 1990s, there was a 1979-era photo circulating online of Julie Pie and Lisa in front of a Denny's restaurant (I always wondered about that). The Denny's is still there, on Sunset Boulevard! I don't live in California, but I occasionally visit Los Angeles for business. The next time I'm in LA, I want to visit that Denny's. It's too late to see Metromedia Square, but I can still hang out at a place our Eastland Girls loved. I also plan to visit Pomona College and see the formerly ivy-covered campus buildings, as well as other sites: maybe Sunset Gower, etc. I figure if I set a specific date, I could invite the rest of you guys, as well. I know FOL-ITA is in Italy, and Valentina is in the UK, which seems a bit far, but are there FOL fans in the US interested in making an Eastland excursion sometime? Just food for thought...
	__________________ The Facts of Life's "Lost Girls" Tribute to Julie Piekarski, Eastland Girl Join "The Group", Sitcoms Online's Facts of Life group!

03-11-2020, 03:44 AM	#2
Lorimar Television Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 06, 2007 Posts: 7,034	Yes that was amazing to find out! That sounds very interesting Retro, maybe I would
	__________________ Some of my favorite theme songs: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-e...89CsiJpV_irnNw

03-20-2020, 03:22 AM	#14
RetroGuy2000 Julie,Julie Anne,&Felice 4Ever Forum Star Join Date: Dec 27, 2013 Posts: 16,914	From the Julie Piekarski website, which I first visited in the 1990s. Attached Images

03-19-2020, 10:33 AM	#4
cfr1970 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 13, 2017 Location: Kissimmee, Florida Posts: 3,368	Back in the 90's I visited L.A. again and had breakfast at an IHOP in Sunset Blvd. I specifically remember joking that we''d never spot any celebrities eating here lol. I should've went to Denny's instead! At least i'd be able to say I ate at the same place as the FOL girls. BTW I love Dennys!! I went to Vegas in January and it was my go to breakfast every morning.

03-19-2020, 09:21 PM	#10
Bonniegirl AKA Hazel Horvath Forum Addict Join Date: Jul 10, 2014 Posts: 65,864	I live in LA, and that Denny's on Sunset is totally still there ! I am on my cell phone or I'd post a pic for you. I know exactly which one they are talking about ! There are two Denny's that are not very far from each other on Sunset Blvd.! If you Google it , it's NOT the one in the "Gower Gulch "( around the 6000 block ) , it is the one east of that !

03-20-2020, 02:59 AM	#12
Bonniegirl AKA Hazel Horvath Forum Addict Join Date: Jul 10, 2014 Posts: 65,864