Different Apartments - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

pilotguy · 08-03-2005, 08:25 PM

Do you know what always struck me as weird on "Make Room For Daddy/The Danny Thomas Show" (Especially during the "Marjorie Lord-Angela Cartwright" years)?

The Williams' apartment kept changing and being different every season...although no mention was ever made of them moving or even doing extensive remodeling!

For the first several "Marjorie & Angela" seasons, each new season would bring very noticeable changes to the apartment....a different type of staircase, a dividing wall in a different location, a doorway on a different wall, etc. After a few of those "subtle change" seasons, the Williams family suddently turned up in an apartment which looked absolutely NOTHING like any of the previous apartments...a COMPLETELY different layout and look...yet NOTHING was ever said about them moving!

When Lucy and Ricky Ricardo moved (even to that larger apartment with a window) it was acknowledged and dealt with within the series. When George Burns & Gracie Allen's Beverly Hills TV home changed dramatically, it was explained that the Burnses had the house remodeled while they were in New York City. Just about every sitcom that has had a drastic "home set" change offers the viewer SOME sort of explanation for the change....but "The Danny Thomas Show" never did.

Has anyone else here noticed that about the Williams' constantly changing apartments?

PracTz · 01-31-2009, 07:01 PM

Yeah, I'd noticed the fact that they never made any effort to explain the apartment's/s' drastic changes but I guess they thought the viewers were supposed to accept that the same way the viewers accepted there being a full off-stage orchestra backing Danny up anytime he wanted to sing!

Howard · 12-24-2025, 07:10 PM

Seasons 5-6 were the same apartment and the last 3 seasons 1961-64 was the same place as well. I think the production designers were trying new ideas out but luckily they settled on the final set for 3 years which I think was the best!

stevea · 12-25-2025, 12:06 AM

Single-season apartments were seasons 4, 7, and 8. It would have made sense for a move after season 4, since single Danny married Kathy and gained a child, although I don't think, as stated above, a move was mentioned.

Several apartment designs had slight elevations to bedroom quarters, maybe 4 or 5 steps. The season 4 apartment had a definite upstairs, which I'd think would be odd in a city apartment building.

Howard · 07-16-2026, 05:26 PM

Today it would be called a duplex apartment meaning there's more than one floor and very expensive.

stevea · 07-17-2026, 02:52 AM

The slight elevations/duplex were in the seasons 5 and 6 apt., the season 7 apt., and the season 11 apt., which was a slightly different version of the season 9 and 10 apt.

I do agree the final version was the best, but if you look closely at season 11, you'll see some modifications--most notably, the addition of a 5 or 6 step staircase.

I would have been pretty happy in the season 7 apt.

Howard · 07-18-2026, 06:50 PM

Good eyes! Yes the final season (11) did have a short staircase but everything else was unchanged. I'd be happy in the final apartment but I also loved the long, sweeping staircase in season 4. Very dramatic. Nice to hear from someone who REALLY knows this show like me! I was obsessed with it and am so glad it's on Catchy Comedy daily as well as Me-TV+ on Saturdays. The writing on this show in my opinion was top-notch and heard there was screaming and cursing during rehearsals before being filmed in front of a live audience on Friday nights. Wish I could have been there!

stevea · 07-18-2026, 07:20 PM

Yes, it was the same apt., other than the added set of steps.

It would have been interesting at the time to find out why they thought it was necessary to change the set so often, other than a supposed move for Danny's remarriage for season 5.

Yes, I also like that curving, full stairway for season 4. Danny's bedroom was downstairs, and I guess there would have been 2 bedrooms for the kids, upstairs.

Howard · 07-19-2026, 07:02 PM

Oh, that's interesting! I always thought ALL the bedrooms were upstairs and the only thing downstairs was the living room and the kitchen. Actually I don't remember seeing danny's bedroom at all during this season!

stevea · 07-19-2026, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Howard

Oh, that's interesting! I always thought ALL the bedrooms were upstairs and the only thing downstairs was the living room and the kitchen. Actually I don't remember seeing danny's bedroom at all during this season!

I don't think we see Danny's bedroom. We see him go into a door on the right, near the piano--it may not be a bedroom; it could be a den or something. So his bedroom could be upstairs. Makes sense.

Like the previous S1-3 apartment, there is a door at the back which I think we see goes to the kitchen and dining area, and the entrance door is to the left.

I hadn't seen a season 4 episode in quite awhile, but I watched one called something like "The Talented Kid." i read a comment somewhere that said the show used Rusty Hamer's singing talent in that show, and in season 7 show 8 Rusty, the Weightlifter.

Whoever wrote that was wrong about The Talented Kid. H actually couldn't sing at all in that episode.

But check out the other episode - here's a link --

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tD0V...pLM1I-&index=8

The whole episode is funny, but check out the Danny and Rusty singing at the end, around 23:30.

Howard · 07-20-2026, 06:55 PM

I think the Production designer and people behind the scenes were playing with different ideas on how the best layout would be but until the last 3 seasons in that spacious environment was the perfect apartment. the others (except for seasons 5/6) looked kinda cramped and mushed together for such a upper-class family.

08-03-2005, 08:25 PM	#1
pilotguy Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 09, 2003 Posts: 1,305	Different Apartments Do you know what always struck me as weird on "Make Room For Daddy/The Danny Thomas Show" (Especially during the "Marjorie Lord-Angela Cartwright" years)? The Williams' apartment kept changing and being different every season...although no mention was ever made of them moving or even doing extensive remodeling! For the first several "Marjorie & Angela" seasons, each new season would bring very noticeable changes to the apartment....a different type of staircase, a dividing wall in a different location, a doorway on a different wall, etc. After a few of those "subtle change" seasons, the Williams family suddently turned up in an apartment which looked absolutely NOTHING like any of the previous apartments...a COMPLETELY different layout and look...yet NOTHING was ever said about them moving! When Lucy and Ricky Ricardo moved (even to that larger apartment with a window) it was acknowledged and dealt with within the series. When George Burns & Gracie Allen's Beverly Hills TV home changed dramatically, it was explained that the Burnses had the house remodeled while they were in New York City. Just about every sitcom that has had a drastic "home set" change offers the viewer SOME sort of explanation for the change....but "The Danny Thomas Show" never did. Has anyone else here noticed that about the Williams' constantly changing apartments?

01-31-2009, 07:01 PM	#2
PracTz Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2002 Location: United States of America [Happily Living in the 20th Century] Posts: 2,711	Yeah, I'd noticed the fact that they never made any effort to explain the apartment's/s' drastic changes but I guess they thought the viewers were supposed to accept that the same way the viewers accepted there being a full off-stage orchestra backing Danny up anytime he wanted to sing!

12-24-2025, 07:10 PM	#3
Howard Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 23, 2003 Posts: 264	Seasons 5-6 were the same apartment and the last 3 seasons 1961-64 was the same place as well. I think the production designers were trying new ideas out but luckily they settled on the final set for 3 years which I think was the best!

12-25-2025, 12:06 AM	#4
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 45,109	Single-season apartments were seasons 4, 7, and 8. It would have made sense for a move after season 4, since single Danny married Kathy and gained a child, although I don't think, as stated above, a move was mentioned. Several apartment designs had slight elevations to bedroom quarters, maybe 4 or 5 steps. The season 4 apartment had a definite upstairs, which I'd think would be odd in a city apartment building.

07-16-2026, 05:26 PM	#5
Howard Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 23, 2003 Posts: 264	Today it would be called a duplex apartment meaning there's more than one floor and very expensive.

07-17-2026, 02:52 AM	#6
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 45,109	The slight elevations/duplex were in the seasons 5 and 6 apt., the season 7 apt., and the season 11 apt., which was a slightly different version of the season 9 and 10 apt. I do agree the final version was the best, but if you look closely at season 11, you'll see some modifications--most notably, the addition of a 5 or 6 step staircase. I would have been pretty happy in the season 7 apt.

07-18-2026, 06:50 PM	#7
Howard Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 23, 2003 Posts: 264	Good eyes! Yes the final season (11) did have a short staircase but everything else was unchanged. I'd be happy in the final apartment but I also loved the long, sweeping staircase in season 4. Very dramatic. Nice to hear from someone who REALLY knows this show like me! I was obsessed with it and am so glad it's on Catchy Comedy daily as well as Me-TV+ on Saturdays. The writing on this show in my opinion was top-notch and heard there was screaming and cursing during rehearsals before being filmed in front of a live audience on Friday nights. Wish I could have been there!

07-18-2026, 07:20 PM	#8
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 45,109	Yes, it was the same apt., other than the added set of steps. It would have been interesting at the time to find out why they thought it was necessary to change the set so often, other than a supposed move for Danny's remarriage for season 5. Yes, I also like that curving, full stairway for season 4. Danny's bedroom was downstairs, and I guess there would have been 2 bedrooms for the kids, upstairs.

07-19-2026, 07:02 PM	#9
Howard Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 23, 2003 Posts: 264	Oh, that's interesting! I always thought ALL the bedrooms were upstairs and the only thing downstairs was the living room and the kitchen. Actually I don't remember seeing danny's bedroom at all during this season!

07-20-2026, 06:55 PM	#11
Howard Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 23, 2003 Posts: 264	I think the Production designer and people behind the scenes were playing with different ideas on how the best layout would be but until the last 3 seasons in that spacious environment was the perfect apartment. the others (except for seasons 5/6) looked kinda cramped and mushed together for such a upper-class family.