The Andy Griffith Show & Desilu Locations

We take a look at the locations where the Andy Griffith show filmed and what they look like today.

[@MrFreddarama]

If the "40 acre backlot" had not been demolished and redeveloped it would have become the most famous piece of TV history and today would have been such a big visitor attraction and would have been used for many more productions. It's a sad that it's not around today.

[@theexplodedguys264]

Yeah 😢

[@tampazeke4587]

This amazing video simultaneously brought me feelings of great happiness and great sadness. Part of me wants to believe that Mayberry, or maybe just the Mayberry set, still exists somewhere, fully intact and the characters still live there frozen in time.

[@james-he7xv]

It does, it’s 2 hours from where I live in mt airy North Carolina, Andy’s real hometown and where the show is based on. It’s a new time though so don’t expect Mayberry from that era.

[@cascade5682]

Ballona creek never freezes.

[@keithsw2566]

I live in the mountains of Western N.C. and our little town is just like Mayberry

[@james-he7xv]

@@keithsw2566 me too I live in brevard nc

[@bobmcdoggish9659]

@@james-he7xv Unfortunately, Mount Airy is just a tourist trap of the worst kind. In the area, however, the view from the top of Mount Pilot is amazing.

[@byromania]

You did an amazing job!! No filler, and your formatting was EXCELLENT!!!!!

[@finallyitsed2191]

Growing up watching all these shows was far better than anything today. As mentioned below, it is sad that most all of these places are now gone, but they were very real to me and still exist when I watch these shows. Thank you for such a well put together history.

[@rogerhoke3103]

I feel the same as you

[@cksu1186]

I still visit these places. I'm near 60 years old. Watching the shows since kindergarten.

[@prestonbealle8632]

Well, we have an unprecedented number of great shows on the air, movie quality. These shows were good, but you don't think "The Sopranos", "Mad Men", "Breaking Bad", "Yellowstone", "Homeland", "24", "Billions" or "Game of Thrones" can stack up to Andy Griffin and Batman?

[@finallyitsed2191]

@@prestonbealle8632 I made mention of growing up watching these shows. I do think it’s a shame that young kids now won’t have the same opportunity to watch shows like Andy Griffin that focus on good wholesome characters. I never cared for Game of Thrones but Breaking Bad, the Sopranos, and Lilyhammer are completely kick ass but that is a comparison of apples and oranges. Shows for kids and shows for adults. Kids don’t need to grow up on the Sopranos.

[@prestonbealle8632]

@@finallyitsed2191 Fair comment. There are still wholesome, upbeat shows but perhaps not with the true life lessons that Andy Griffith delivered in almost every episode. Also such fare as "Leave it to Beaver", "Ozzie and Harriet", and "Father Knows Best" would teach you something while being entertaining.

[@joefoxx6835]

And this is why we celebrate America!!! ... rather than try to burn it down with all it's history.

[@larryseibert4102]

Very well done. I worked at Desilu and MGM back in the day, 1964-1965 in the lighting and electrical department on many of the shows you mentioned. I grew up and lived in Alhambra, CA. Went to Mark Keppel High School. This was a very nice trip down memory lane. I also love StarTrek! Thank you.

[@TheNedH]

Wow! This is so great to read. I provided some history in my comment. Please feel free to correct anything I said that is incorrect. I just wanted to add some details, as I understand them, to the stories told in this video. (At one time in the 90s I worked in home video and our company controlled home video rights to the RKO film library, which is now owned by Warner Media.

[@ozzieray]

Did the leaks in the roof mess up the electricity?

[@NeenerBananas]

I posted a response in the wrong place. My dad went to Mark Keppel in the 50’s. Must have graduated around 1956 before he joined the Army and headed to Germany. I grew up in the San Gabriel Valley. Hot Fudge Sundaes at Twoheys were favorites in our family. My parents went there when they were young and we continued the tradition when I was in H.S (Arroyo H.S.).

[@denisehogarth5433]

In 1972 a few of my classmates (me included) were lucky enough to visit Paramont Studios. We got to play in the prop dept. look inside for the labels of costumes to see who wore them. We saw part of an episode of Mission Impossible. Very tall men. We saw Jack Dodson (Howard Sprague) and got his autograph. At the end of the day we had a late lunch where we saw a few actors and actresses but our teacher would not let us interupt their meals. What a great memory

[@wadestevens5659]

??? Interesting anecdote BUT Andy Griffith was not shot at Paramount. That’s what this video is all about. It was shot at Desilu….MILES away.

[@denisehogarth5433]

@@wadestevens5659 I should have been more detailed but I am heading for my twilight years but Mayberry RFD and I do believe it was at Paramount. No Andy No Barney No Opie. I did however get the year wrong. 1971 to correct it. I could have been still shaken up over Sylmar Quake

[@TCSp4]

I’m watching The Andy Griffith Show now!!! It’s my favorite show of all time.😁 Thank you for sharing this with us. 🙏🏻👍🏻

[@michaelconte537]

This is by far THE best video I’ve seen regarding the “then & now” areas of The Andy Griffith Show. The editing, narration, and everything that went into this is “First Class” all the way. There’s no nonsense or wordiness and it gets right to all of the interesting features people clicked on this link to see in the first place. Great historical footage (and obvious knowledge) to compare to current day conditions, as well as some great Star Trek humor. I wish more “KZbinrs” used this as their standard when making videos. Truly an awesome job…well done!!

[@BeckVMH]

And, Greg has an incredible media voice!

[@ricklockhart6576]

You did a WONDERFUL JOB, I am 61 and to this day I can watch Andy Griffith, I Love Lucy, Gomer Pyle, and get so much enjoyment and laughter out of watching these classics. I will never get to go to those places myself, so thank you for taking me.

[@leesagrrl]

My Dad is 70 and I "lent" him the Blu-Ray Box set some years ago. I love to go over to his house and watch it with him... sh!t. I think I'm gonna cry now. Carry on...

[@GregoryLong-ft8dw]

😊​@@leesagrrl

[@ricklockhart6576]

@@leesagrrl you made me tear up , I look at these shows and think everybody that brought me so many great memories, and to this day can make me laugh is now passed away except Ron Howard , and I still watch I LOVE LUCY and the the main 4 cast has passed away . The fact that these shows were on 50 years ago and I have seen them more time that I can count, they still bring me happiness. Rock on

[@RandymanB]

Awesome video! My dad worked at Desilu as a set medic, told stories of patching up Lucy's knee after a fall on stage. He also works at Ziv Television and various other production companies. I love learning about the history of all this, I was too young at the time he worked there to appreciate it all.

[@dadduorp]

As a lifelong SoCal resident and historic preservation activist (as well as an Andy Griffith Show fan), it makes me sad to see the changes Greater Los Angeles has undergone over the course of my 63-year old life. Because high real estate values here attract developers and Wall Street/foreign investors, many of what made LA a tourist attraction and source of local pride has disappeared. Thanks for your video. Well done!

[@aubreyhinde9817]

Exceptional video!! I shared it to the TAGS Andy Griffith Show group, I know they’ll love it like I do! 😁👍🏻 I’m such a nerd for classic tv and film locations!

[@eda4318]

What platform is the group on? I would like to join

[@pagerus]

Desi and Lucy were so smart and I’m amazed how much they bought and owned. Desi must have been a very smart financial man along with Lucy.

[@kevinpowers9024]

Really good video. This took a lot of time and effort. The 40 acres back lot was also used on The Green Hornet. On almost every car chase scene, you can see they pass the Mayberry Courthouse over and over. If anyone knows, did Bruce Lee and Andy Griffith ever meet? They shared the same filming location during that time. Andys house in Mayberry was also used on a Gomer Pyle episode. In the episode "I'm Always Chasing Gomers", Gomer accidently gets stuck on Carters plane to "Wichita" while going home to see his Mother. While there, Carter sees Gomer everywhere he looks. It's a funny episode. The exterior shots of the house in this episode is the AG house from the AG show. Some great still pics here also. The pic of Barbara Eden kissing Andy on the cheek is cool. She was drop dead gorgeous back then. Who was the guest star in the pic at 18:32? Looks a little like Bill Bixby from his episode, but may not be. Pluto TV has an AG channel. All Andy all the time. I watch a couple of episodes almost every day. We need a Gomer Channel now! Thanks for the video. I really enjoyed it.

[@deezee6732]

I believe that is Mark Miller who played Bob Rogers the attorney sent to Mayberry for training but who Barney thought was going to replace him in the episode "Barney's Replacement."

[@heygetoffmylawn1572]

@@deezee6732…Could be. The actor Mark Miller, just passed away a few weeks ago. He was also in the TV program…Please Don’t Eat the Daisies.

[@heygetoffmylawn1572]

Kevin Powers…Great recall on that episode. My compliments, Sir. 😊

[@halfwaydecent6842]

Barney could've given Bruce Lee some pointers on self defense and making your whole body a weapon. 😉

[@coloradostrong]

kzbin.info/aero/PLCC6FYUU-Hg0p-Bp2gY_a0wjjO9Oex0Yp Gomer for you.

[@frankprincipe6481]

This was such a great video !! Thanks for producing and sharing !! Loved it !!

[@garystepp1054]

On the air from 1960 to 1968- still on in 2022. That tells you what you need to know about how good that show was. I went to college in Raleigh NC in the mid 80’s and had a group of friends that would recant the last night’s syndicated episode almost every day at lunch. We would laugh and talk about all the great lessons that show would teach and how funny it was. In 1988, I moved to the DC area and actually saw the Darlings (Dillards) at a venue called the Birchmere. After the show, I was able to go backstage and actually meet them. I can’t even begin to tell you how wonderful that moment was.

[@sardu55]

Eat this stuff up. Often, I'll do the same thing (wander around some historic area that is generally overlooked) pondering what once was. You do a very good job piecing together those things here for Andy Griffith, with an overview of the Desilu Studios facilities, which I have always had a strong interest in. Thank you for doing this, it's actually a benefit to not only fans but people interested in history of the business. Hope you'll take some deeper looks at Desilu operations in the future. Thanks much.

[@richardmattingly7000]

Desi Arnaz is largely unheralded when it came to being amongst the pioneers of TV, and he more than Lucille Ball that did much of the behind the scenes work at the studio. Indeed when it sold in 1968, Ball had let others including including her second husband mostly do the heavy lifting of running the studio that Arnaz had done. Those that paid for shows in the early years were of Cigarette Co. and other brand names who in return had ads often featuring its stars shilling their product exclusively on air. Indeed Fred Flintstone could be seen lighting up with Barney selling its sponsors brand in a rare early ad and networks had to carry them because thet were in episodes. Both Ball-Arnaz puffed away selling its sponsors products and since the beginning of Hollywood many stars had lucrative deals as a sideline. When Hogans Heroes ended its outdoor set met a firey end as well because part of a exploitation film who reused it to clear the site in its agreement. Many studio sets where either modified of or changed for the next priduction, and at night when the classic Dracula with Lugosi was filmed its sets were used for Spanish version of the story by another small film company...

[@Mark-hb5zf]

What an excellent trip down memory lane for all my favorite TV shows I still watch to this day.

[@jimmyb1559]

To me the Andy Griffith show was the greatest ever. You recreated everything beautifully. We felt like we were on a professional tour of the studios. Great job. You’re very talented. Thank you.

[@thomasnothstine7493]

It was on all the time in my house - my 5 young children loved it and as teenagers we still watch episodes frequently - they will go on to watch Andy Griffeth throughout their lives just as I still do in my 50's

[@rubinmendoza13]

…I can tell that a lot of thought (and work) went into making this video. I’ve produced (mostly) commercials and recognize most of the locations, so I really enjoyed the history lesson. Thank you for producing and uploading!

[@MagSeven7]

Thanks so much for this wonderful video. Your efforts are greatly appreciated. Incredibly, The Andy Griffith Show is still popular on those nostalgic TV channels. It reminds us boomers of a simpler time in our lives! I love these types of videos to the sets of tv shows and movies. A few years ago we visited Monument Valley and when I returned home, I watch all those John Wayne movies filmed there and paused the movie each time I recognized a rock or cliff I'd just visited! Thanks so much again.

[@jamiewhitefield3232]

The 40 acres back lot should have been preserved, can you image the pilgrimages to Mayberry that would still continue till ths day?

[@ronniebrown4586]

watched them all as a kid, now 61 I still watch them, they never get old

[@whosoever9198]

Without exaggeration I probably watch an Andy Griffith Show once a day. I often tell my wife how I’d love to live there. Thanks so much for this video!

[@thomasottvideos]

This is one of the best documentaries on KZbin. It should receive an award.

[@edryba4867]

Hey Greg! I’m really glad you did this. After living in several California cities, I once again live in Culver City. This Comment was written before I watched most of your video, so there’s some information that’s not quite duplicated, but it covers some of the things your video does, albeit a little more in-depth. I was born in Culver City, Ca. I’ve lived in a number of California cities, and I’m very happy to once again be living in my home town. There were SO many studios here! Starting in the “Silent” era of the 1920’s, there was The Mack Sennett Studios (home of gazillions of two-reel comedies, starting the the silent days, and LOTS of Laurel and Hardy two-reelers came from there), Keystone Studios (home of the Keystone Kops), and of course Desilu Culver (more about that later… and as of this writing, that lot, where Stalag 13 once was, and where HUNDREDS of movies and TV shows were filmed, now has a sign out front that reads “Amazon Studios”). Sennett and Keystone are no longer there. But just drive a couple of blocks West of what was Desilu Culver (also known as the “Forty Acres” lot), and you’ll find SONY Pictures (and Columbia Pictures - SONY owns them both). That property was originally something called “Triangle Studios”, but it’s most famous for having been LOT #1 of M-G-M Studios. Did I say Lot #1? They once had SIX separate lots that ran West of what’s now SONY. Well, FIVE of then did… they ran West between Washington and Culver Boulevards. Lot #6 was where West L.A. College and many condos are now. It’s a couple of residential blocks South of Culver Boulevard on Overland Avenue. Just turn left on Overland when you’re headed past SONY. It’s several residential blocks South of Culver Blvd. And that little shopping center on your right as you’re headed South down Overland Avenue - the one with the Ralphs Supermarket in it, along with the Denny’s in the Northeast corner of that shopping center was once the home of “The Ben-Hur Stables”, where horses for Westerns and exotic animals for the Tarzan movies that were made starting in the 1930’s were housed. M-G-M had so much property, parts of it could look like ANYWHERE on Earth. Hundreds of movies were made there, including those great Musicals M-G-M was famous for. There are a lot of soundstages on Lot #1, and they’ve been named after famous movie stars. The Gene Kelly stage is right next to the Fred Astaire stage. They are identical to each other… just to prevent complaints from the stars, such as “HIS stage is ONE FOOT longer than mine!” There are a million stories about the great studios of Culver City. But those will have to do. I want to see this video!

[@jimmyjoseph51]

Franklin Lake was a popular site for many different TV shows and movies. It is instantly recognizable to anyone who watched the ABC WWII show, Combat! I can still see Sergeant Saunders and his patrol walking down the different paths through the Franklin Lake area. Truly nostalgic.

[@wendywagoner4924]

Did you know that Mr. Gower, the pharmacist in the classic ,"It's a Wonderful Life" was named after Gower St. where DesiLu was located?

[@gregslookback3656]

Fantastic, I did not. How cool. Thank you

[@tombeyerlein3813]

I didn't know that, but it makes sense, since It's a Wonderful Life was an RKO Radio Picture.

[@ericmikesell4624]

Loved this, pure magic!

[@ralphus44]

I really enjoyed your video; very informative and made me nostalgic for those old days in history.

[@mikeb1617]

Omg...brilliantly narrated!...thank your for this wonderful peice of history.

[@heygetoffmylawn1572]

I absolutely enjoyed the content of this vid. Excellent. It held my interest and I watched to the end. Keep up the good work. I liked it so much, I Subbed. Thank you, Greg. Great narration of the history. Definitely thumbs up 👍.

[@steveralston824]

Thank you! I really enjoyed that!! I've walked around the 40-acre site too which was neat - but sad too.

[@robertmac7833]

I could watch this video a hundred times. It’s MAGIC.

[@tagnut1952]

Great job on putting this all together. I've seen several good coverages of the old studio'(s), but none as fine as this one. I got to visit a few studio's back in 1969 and loved the tours. Always amazed me the "illusions" they could do making movies and tv shows. Like walking into a building, but in reality they stopped filming once the door opened, and then perhaps days later, picked it up in the studio as they came through the door. Most folks had no idea this was the way it was done. Thanks again for the great memories.

[@scotpens]

The interior shots could just as easily have been done days (or even weeks) earlier!

[@leopoldogonzalez8068]

What great stories. I never tire of re-visiting these old show sets. Everything is so well explained. Tnank you very much.

[@dakotaseven947]

Nicely done coverage. Brings back awesome memories from my career working as a cinematographer at Paramount Studios for 24 years. I’ve gone thru the Ball entrance on Gower Street having lunch at Astro Burger on the corner of Melrose Ave.

[@richardreider6213]

Thank you so much for this. As a 69 year fan of Superman, this has always been hallowed ground. I have the old 40 acres map but had no idea of what it looked like today - until today . Just a great video and history you created. Thanks very much again!

[@apollocobain8363]

Nicely done.

[@1963Fall]

As a huge Andy Griffith and Star Trek TOS fan, I want to thank you for making this. Incredible job to you. Also, I have never seen the flyover video of the back 40. Soooooo cool. A time gone by that will live with me until I'm gone. Thanks again!!!!!!

[@Americae_Primum]

I work in the industry and I have worked at every one of these major studios at one time or another, including Warner Bros. Every time I step foot onto these lots, I always take a moment to reminisce on all of these great movies and shows of a classic and wholesome time and place from which they were conceived and flourished. Albeit they were reruns, I watched every single one you mentioned. Andy Griffith was probably my favorite, but really it's hard to pick just one because they were all great. Excellent video, thank you.

[@cjsansoo7]

A friend of mine asked me to work on an independent film she was making. Imagine my surprise when I pulled into the old Desilu studio. It was an honor to just walk around the lot and take in all of it's history.

[@joec1576]

Great video. By the way, I'm a Star Trek fan as well, so keep making those references. I believe there's a picture from an episode of Andy Griffith that has Barney standing in outside the Sheriff's office, and from the angle it's being shot you can clearly see a sign for the "21st Street Mission," on a building. Apparently the Star Trek Episode, "City On the Edge of Forever" was being filmed at the same time. Ron Howard once said he used to ride his bike around the sets on the 40 acres backlot. Such an experience. I'd of loved to have had that chance. It's amazing how close everything was there. Gomer Pyle's Camp Henderson and Stalag 13 were practically next to each other. Always enjoy hearing about the 40 Acres Backlot. Thanks again for the look back.

[@teletape]

Such a great job. You have such an easy way and your attention to cool details like manhole covers and trees for reference points really gets me excited.

[@dianemartenet862]

Nicest tour I've ever seen on KZbin!

[@bobbybutler4199]

LOVE IT :) !

[@SenorZorrozzz]

Rebuild Mayberry. It’s possible.

[@deezee6732]

Absolutely the best made historical location video of the Andy Griffith Show on You-Tube. Well done Greg. Oh and by the way did anyone ever tell you that you sound a lot like Cousin Brucie of radio fame?

[@gregslookback3656]

Hi Dee, Thank you and no but I do remember Cousin Brucie and that's a great compliment!

[@Miketheman926]

That was fascinating to see being a fan of those old time shows especially Andy Griffith.. You did a great job with the narration (great voice also) and pointing out a lot of the facts

[@robsash8991]

Excellent video! Love this stuff. Well done.

[@rsykesjr]

I agree with so many of the other commenters… You did an outstanding job in producing and presenting this video. Thank you very much.

[@vanpelt2321]

For years, the geographical concepts of Desilu-Cahuenga/Desilu-Gower and 40 Acres were all conflated into one locational lump. Thank you so much for carefully and happily delineating each location with its own history in the Golden Ages of Film and Television. It was not only informative but exciting to see each location with its own history and character and how they served needs of the industry. Great detective work and we appreciate the service you've done to people like us invested in our cultural legacy.

[@kathylucas6587]

Amazing video! You did a fantastic job. Favorite part was Lucy and Desi leaving the studio…you can see a newspaper box by the door that says papers are .10 cents. This was a wonderful trip down memory lane. Definitely bittersweet.😊❤️

[@kathik]

Good catch, I missed that!

[@markdamron236]

Thanks, this is great!

[@chrisjeffries2322]

Tony Curtis said the boarding the train scene from Some Like It Hot, where Marilyn Monroe dodges the steam, boarding the train was filmed there. It was the only studio that had a train station.

[@robertwomack6015]

An awesome video. Thank you so much for this. You sir are a natural. Hope to see more in the future 👍

[@BigGreenKing5582]

Wow! I really enjoyed this video. I shared it in my Nostalgia group from little McDonald, Ohio. Thank you for this!

[@robertthompson6958]

I’ve seen many of these but this is the best of the bunch.

[@keithd.glasgow809]

Excellent production quality Greg - more than fitting for the content. You have a very professional delivery, and a great voice. Kudos

[@aviduser1961]

I have been studying the area surrounding what was Desilu Cahuenga. Now Red Studios. I worked there in the late 1980s on many TV shows. But that immediate area is fascinating to me because this is where Chaplin made all his Mutual shorts, Buster Keaton did his best work here. Technicolor has a plant that made most of the color prints for the country in the 40s and 50s. And as you mentioned, Metro Pictures was located in this area. Add to that the motion picture and TV history of what is now Red Studios and you have a very historic area. Excellent work. Very accurate which is rare on KZbin.

[@Periwinkleblue.]

You've done an excellent job of presenting this information both clearly and with humour. I dearly love the Andy Griffith show and often watch it when I grow nostalgic for innocent times and want to "visit" Mayberry. 😊 Thank you.

[@casst346]

what a great job presenting this wonderful tv history locations..thanks kindly for sharing..

[@Goodshaft]

A Really Heart warming video ..........GREAT Narrated !

[@peymang]

I am a film location nut, and I must say this is the most well done video I have seen of all the location youtubers yet. Appreciate your efforts.

[@AarosConcerts]

This is really cool! Thanks for sharing!

[@Sawlon]

I've been binge-watching Andy Griffith again. Great video, Greg!

[@paulferguson2574]

Awesome , thank you for the trip!!!!

[@tiffanyb.7596]

Excellent video! I am so grateful that Lucy & Desi made so many shows possible! ✨Thank you for taking the time to show us these important places! They remain very dear to us, as new generations discover them for the first time. 😊

[@harveycohen5949]

Phenomenal production. Thanks for making and sharing this literal walk down memory lane.

[@ReviewsChannel-e4r]

You did a beautiful job on that Greg. It's lovingly narrated. Thank you for the time you put into this detailed video.

[@brianmorris8045]

Dang it Greg, ya got me whistlin' that danged fishin' hole tune. I have the words here somewhere. But we have sung it at our ukuelele club for a bit of fun. A whole room of would be whistlers. Hilarious. That was a couple of years ago...so might recycle it and do the song again. 😃

[@jeffjordan3806]

Thanks for the historical and educational video !!!!

[@HenPapirman]

Never seen The Andy Griffith Show, I only came here for the "& Desilu Locations" so thanks for that. Would love to see a full video on Lucy and Desi and I Love Lucy.

[@tagnut1952]

"Never seen the Andy Griffith Show"'?? Oh wow, you're probably the only one on the planet. LOL Well Hen, you owe to yourself to start with episode #1 and watch the first 5 years.

[@HenPapirman]

@@tagnut1952 Actually, I'm just about to begin the 6th I Love Lucy season (been binging it for the first time.) I read a lot about them, whatever I can find, reading, listening, watching, etc. That's why YT offered me this video, I assume.

[@strykkerbrock6449]

@@tagnut1952 Agree...after season 5..NO BARNEY, AND COLOR...RUINED THE SHOW..THATS MY OPINION! The first 5 seasons are the best show ever produced...my wife & I watch it everyday on KZbinTv

[@cjsansoo7]

Thank you for bringing back so many pleasant memories. As a child of the 1960's, I remember " The Andy Griffith show" and the characters of Mayberry. Most of them have passed on as have so many of my family members. We didn't know how good we had it back then. I wish I could get in a time machine and travel back to those days!!!

[@jamescalifornia2964]

• Beautiful job bringing back this TV history for another "visit" ... 🎭👌

[@kamikazi777]

Great work! Thank you.

[@craigroberts6439]

Excellent job on this…..network quality performance.

[@kathik]

I agree. Greg made it not to show himself off but truly a story with great quality.

[@lindagacsko]

What you are describing is the second location for I Love Lucy. I have worked on the lot at Santa Monica Blvd and Las Palma ave and worked in the studio where I Love Lucy was filmed. There was a plaque on the wall and pictures showing the stage, audience, and orchestra. They used the GENERAL SERVICE STUDIOS, now sunset Las Palmas Studios from 1951- 1953, stage 2.

[@gregslookback3656]

Yes, thanks I was just concentrating on Desilu Cahuenga and post 1955 but that is so cool you worked at another historic place.

[@jamesziegler2763]

interesting

[@dave1956]

Very neat! I love The Andy Griffith show to this day.

[@jeffstewart395]

Great Video. I also have seen all the other videos on Mayberry but you have included lots of photos and some interesting insight to the Andy Griffith show that I had not seen or heard before. Well done. Thank you.

[@frederickooi392]

Thanks for all your effort in putting this together. Grew up watching these shows and this was a wonderful way to remember them.

[@joeanderson9852]

❤

[@EastTexasProductions]

One of the best looks at the history and current locations of The Andy Griffith Show that I've seen. It is my ALL TIME favorite television show, and Star Trek TOS happens to be my second. Great look back on these locations. Thank you for sharing this with all of us fans who otherwise may never get to see the locations.

[@yurwurstnightmare9318]

Sir, you did an excellent job of describing the set and locations for all of us fans of the show. Thank you!

[@JimAllder11]

I worked at Ren-Mar Studios on Cahuenga in '06/'07 before they renamed the place Red Studios (after the camera company). You did your homework on this. Nice job. But you should know that the only reason those accoutrements on the façade of stage 8/9 remain, is simply because they're permanent and hard to remove. So they just keep painting over them. It's very unlikely that anybody working there even knows that was the audience entrance for the I Love Lucy show. Nobody knew that when I worked there. Also, Who Framed Roger Rabbit was shot there. Specifically evidenced in early scenes wherein Eddie Valiant walks out of a soundstage and leaves the lot, and on the DVD menu when Benny the Cab drives onto the lot. (He drives right past my old corner office on the left, just past the quad.) Also the last shot of Raiders of the Lost Ark (with the crate) was filmed with the camera angled down on the floor of Stage 4. (You can actually match marks in the concrete to the floor in the movie; it's wild.) Other shows that were shot there include: Weeds, Monk, the Robert Redford film Lions for Lambs, the Apple nano commercials, and the Foo Fighters video 'Pretender' (Stage 8/9). I had to run interference for the band on that one because the Fire Marshal found out they used shiny flammable red and white paint on center of the stage. Anyway, that's what they were shooting on the lot during my brief time there. Oh, there is one other interesting story my boss Carol Casella (Director of Ops) told me. There used to be a mural of sky and clouds on the side of one of the stages. Right next to the commissary. And when the movie Crash came out in 2004, Carol and the owner, Cathy Lambert, both saw the film in the theater and recognized that mural painted on the side of one of their stages in the movie. In a movie that never contracted to rent space on the lot. LOL Turned out the TV show Monk let the producers of Crash on the Ren-Mar lot on a Sunday to shoot that footage. Things between Carol & Cathy and the Monk production went downhill after that, and Monk eventually moved off the lot and onto the Universal lot. Oh, and there's a cyclorama on stage 7 occasionally used by the Star Trek people for alien planets. But they only used it a handful of times when they couldn't book a larger one, elsewhere. Fun times.

[@marthasotelo7602]

Thank you so much for the memories of these great shows and their locations!!!

[@aubnic42]

Wow! What a great video. Well done!

[@prestonbealle8632]

This is beyond fabulous and doesn't exist anywhere else. I got a private tour in 1965 when "Batman" and "Star Trek" were in production and hung out on each set with the stars for a day. Mr. Spock gave me one of his ears right off this head, and Robin tried to pick up my 17 year old sister. I though he was being so kind to her until I read in his book that he and Adam West had a rented "sex house" where they took different girls every night before heading home. My sister was about 5 minutes from agreeing to see him after the production day was finished! Also I believe "Mission Impossible" might've been that day but we went to more than one studio that week. My father was in television advertising and the networks were happy to treat him well, since he was their source of revenue.

[@TheTerryGene]

I am glad that you highlighted the scene in “City on the Edge of Forever” where Bill Shatner and Joan Collins stroll past Floyd’s Barber Shop. It always brings a smile to my face!

[@CogensFamilyTV]

Nice video! I also always wondered where the location was that Andy went camping after he gets sick of trying to "relax" at home, and constantly getting interrupted by Barney. Andy is cooking bacon with a pup tent set up and convict (Allan Melvin) comes along.

[@kingslaphappy1533]

Great job on this, you are truly a location detective! The “retaining wall” to my eye appeared different to me in both the shape of the brick, as well as the flat “ top” capping stone which appears to be be of a different thickness. Keep making these great vids, love ‘em!

[@TheNedH]

At one point, in the 20s/30s, the Culver City lot was owned by Pathé Studios, which was a French company but was associated with RKO. (I believe, among other things, they provided newsreels for RKO.) Pathé sold their office and the backlot to David O. Selznick when he became an independent producer. That White-columned 'mansion-style' front office building you show with its front gate and entrance was used as the logo for Selznick International Pictures, and as such is indeed seen in Gone With the Wind, albeit before the movie proper actually starts. As you say, Selznick burned down all of the pre-existing structures on the lot -- including the King of Kings/King Kong gate -- in order to make way for his new Gone With the Wind sets, and used the footage of the burning buildings as the burning of Atlanta. It was filmed a full year before principle photography would begin. Selznick actually first met Vivian Leigh the night of the fire shoot. Those Gone With the Wind structures which Selznick built to represent Atlanta in the movie became downtown Mayberry. Eventually, Selznick sold it all to RKO, whose parent company sold to Desilu, etc. Another quick aside, the main RKO studio, which you show, was right next door to the Paramount Studio, so when Lucy sold Desilu to Paramount, the two properties were merged into one. The RKO globe is still built into the outside wall at the corner of Gower and Sunset, and there's still manhole covers on the lot with RKO logos. It should be pointed out that the reason the Star Trek, Mission:Impossible, and Untouchables films were made and released through Paramount is because they were originally Desilu properties. (Note: I believe that still photo from Miracle of the Bells is probably of Fred MacMurray from that film. As a priest, Sinatra's character wore a black suit.)

[@badwolf6934]

Thank you for making this video. Would love to see more behind the scenes of shows where Mash, Bonanza and Wagon Train was filmed.

[@mikegriffin415]

Thanks for the video and for including a picture of the “Manicurist” at 18:31, aka Barbara Eden 😍

[@RickJones222]

Well done. I enjoyed this piece of history!

[@craigroberts6439]

Too bad “good television” isn’t a priority anymore….just look at the crap the networks put on now.

[@josephandrews8483]

Don (Barney) was definitely a ladies man and held himself well at many swinging night clubs in Hollywood and was nothing like Barney.