"Before a live audience" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TJL · 05-11-2002, 11:44 AM

I have always wondered why some sitcoms, either before the show (like Happy Days or Cheers) or after the show (All In The Family) aired a disclaimer claiming the were "filmed before a live audience."
I have also noticed that most of the shows that did this were done by Garry Marshall (Odd Couple, Happy Days, Laverne And Shirley).

As far as I can remember, Cheers was the last one to do this. And if so, why don't more current shows make the "filmed before a live audience" claim?

Anyone with any thoughts?

Sean Snow · 05-11-2002, 11:49 AM

Maybe today's producers/director's don't want the fourth wall to be broken by an actor saying this. These same producers don't want the shows to be rerun in daytime like they have in the past, so maybe it's just how today's producers/directors feel about it lol.

RainMan · 05-11-2002, 11:52 AM

What about Coach?

It said that before the start of every episode.

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Nathan Bush
"The Rain Man"

________________________________________________________

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TV Guy · 05-11-2002, 12:31 PM

The "live before a studio audience" was used to differentiate the three camera sitcoms from the one-cameras with a laugh track. Essentially, the producers were telling the audience, "that's not a laugh track -- it's a real audience." These days, one-camera shows without an audience, like "Scrubs" and "Andy Richter" generally don't have laugh tracks, so it's not really necessary for shows which do have a live audience, like "Frasier", to announce it.

TJL · 05-11-2002, 02:38 PM

Yet, there are some three camera sitcoms that do not tape in front of a live audience.
A recent example would be "Baby Bob."

JT · 05-11-2002, 06:07 PM

Some shows had the words "This show was filmed before a live studio audience" printed into the closing credits.I know the MTM Productions shows did this.

Superbatboy · 05-12-2002, 02:09 PM

"The Cosby Show is taped before a studio audience"

TV Guy · 05-13-2002, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TJL
Yet, there are some three camera sitcoms that do not tape in front of a live audience.
A recent example would be "Baby Bob."

Yes, but the vast majority of three-cameras do tape in front of an audience, which is why the "taped in front of a studio audience" identifier is no longer considered necessary.

05-11-2002, 11:44 AM	#1
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	"Before a live audience" I have always wondered why some sitcoms, either before the show (like Happy Days or Cheers) or after the show (All In The Family) aired a disclaimer claiming the were "filmed before a live audience." I have also noticed that most of the shows that did this were done by Garry Marshall (Odd Couple, Happy Days, Laverne And Shirley). As far as I can remember, Cheers was the last one to do this. And if so, why don't more current shows make the "filmed before a live audience" claim? Anyone with any thoughts?
	__________________ "I think I'll stroll up to the front to see how the shooting's going..." - Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce Read my blogs! http://centralparkamisguide.com/ http://dvdcriticscorner.com Visit me on Facebook!http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=641138880 Hey, I do the tweet thing too! http://twitter.com/TomLevier My shop of handmade items! http://www.etsy.com/shop/ColdGarageCreations

05-11-2002, 11:49 AM	#2
Sean Snow moo Forum Fanatic Join Date: May 06, 2001 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,408	Maybe today's producers/director's don't want the fourth wall to be broken by an actor saying this. These same producers don't want the shows to be rerun in daytime like they have in the past, so maybe it's just how today's producers/directors feel about it lol.
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05-11-2002, 11:52 AM	#3
RainMan Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 09, 2002 Location: Churdan, Iowa USA (Wish it was the UK so I could go to Holmfirth, West Yorkshire to see the cast of Last of the Summer Wine!) Posts: 1,175	Before......... What about Coach? It said that before the start of every episode. Cordially, Nathan Bush "The Rain Man" ________________________________________________________ LONG LIVE LILLITH STERLING CRANE! Attached Images

05-11-2002, 06:07 PM	#6
JT Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 29, 2001 Location: USA Posts: 7,223	Some shows had the words "This show was filmed before a live studio audience" printed into the closing credits.I know the MTM Productions shows did this.
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05-12-2002, 02:09 PM	#7
Superbatboy The Brandon Show Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: California..USA Posts: 793	"The Cosby Show is taped before a studio audience"
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05-11-2002, 12:31 PM	#4
TV Guy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 3,419	The "live before a studio audience" was used to differentiate the three camera sitcoms from the one-cameras with a laugh track. Essentially, the producers were telling the audience, "that's not a laugh track -- it's a real audience." These days, one-camera shows without an audience, like "Scrubs" and "Andy Richter" generally don't have laugh tracks, so it's not really necessary for shows which do have a live audience, like "Frasier", to announce it.

05-11-2002, 02:38 PM	#5
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	Yet, there are some three camera sitcoms that do not tape in front of a live audience. A recent example would be "Baby Bob."