CBS is apparently looking to sell historic Television City complex. SOLD!!

I hope it survives. Great Mid Century building.

I was lucky enough to see a taping of "Politically Incorrect" there.

 

What films there now? I know The Young and The Resetless, The Price is Right, Real Time with Bill Maher, and The James Corden Show.

American Idol? NCIS?

 

Are you kidding me? This is California, not Virginia or Mass. NOTHING here is really "historical" except missions. CBS is far more deserving to be preserved than a lot of other crap the state of Calif. deems "historically significant." In my own town, a big two block redevelopment was put on hold for three years until the fate of a run down hot dog stand where only the homeless ate was decided. The state decided in favor of this hot dog stand instead of new business and residences. They're going to have to redesign everything around this beautiful historical site.

 

The developers also bought the old Culver Studios and are building a massive studio complex around that on the West side (already leased by Amazon), so there is the chance they'll let it stay as a TV studio, rather than bulldoze it and turn it into a big mall/condo/thing.

 

The last thing the CBS / farmer's market area needs is more mall /condo. That phony shopping monstrosity they build behind the farmer's market annoys me. Oh well.

 

Sad to hear this, I worked there for a number of years. Some fans in the music forum here would appreciate that I got to watch Ringo Starr's soundcheck on the Craig Ferguson set when he was there in 2008. He sang "Boys" and flashed me a peace sign, good times!

 

Oh, The Grove is huge. That thing makes tons and tons and tons of money. (I know -- I spend way too much at the Apple Store there. And the Wood Ranch Restaurant.) It's almost always jammed, to the point where it's hard to walk around during the day. God help you on Friday/Saturday nights...

 

This is the site of the old Republic Studios. Hallowed ground, for me.

 

It's hardly York Minster!

 

The term 'historic' is over used.

 

So is 'beautiful', it would appear.

 

Colonials, Dave!

 

It is all relative.

Obviously in the UK, history goes back to Roman, Druid, Viking, ancient Celtic, etc.

Los Angeles is a bit younger than that and thus its "historic" focus is inevitably more modern. LA has great examples of Art Deco, Craftsman, Googie, and Mid Century Modern. Television City falls into the latter category. LA also has buildings or houses designed by Charles Eames, Frank Lloyd Wright, and other notables.

There is a dearth of prehistoric megaliths. Except on the old set of Spinal Tap.

 

But enough about the monarchy!

 

"Wood Ranch" that's one of the magic words to me: Wood Ranch, Urban Outfitters, J-Crew, Disney Store, Victoria Secret..... The Mall-ification of America is what bugs me. The absolute sameness of it all. I used to enjoy Pasadena, but I don't go there anymore as it's been bleached into sameness. A friend from Santa Barbara made me drive to Pasadena for a visit and I said: Why did we drive all the way here? It's from the same cookie cutter as Santa Barbara -- without the scenery! And don't even get me start on how they destroyed Rodeo Drive! I bet if I go home to Pennsylvania, all the cool fascinating shops on South Street in Phila are now gone... replaced with chain stores much to the happiness of greedy landlords. When I first saw the Grove all I could think of was Asbury Park New Jersey with all it's big phony facades, trying to look grand, but just fronts to peddle trinkets. Bleech!

 

Does Les Moonves' exit have anything to do with this?

 

I ber it does.

 

Then I guess Ronan Farrow must be very happy that CBS Television City could very well be going the way of the Dinosaurs.

 

A friend of mine just said this today, and I laughed for five minutes. It's true: worst case, I think they have to give Moonves almost $200 million, and if they sell TV City for close to $800 million, they wind up with lots of cash left over.

 

The company has been slowly transitioning out of that facility for over ten years.

 

And sitcoms:

All in the Family



"All in the Family" cast shows up for work! [at CBS/Television City in 1973] - photos by Bob Harris

 

Some shows from other networks (like Three's Company on ABC) were also filmed there.

 

@Tom Perry I actually have the complete production guide to the first season of All in the Family. All of this is based on scripts that I got from eBay. All thirteen episodes of this season were taped at CBS Television City Studio 31.

#001 - Meet the Bunkers (December 15, 1970; January 12, 1971)
#002 - Writing the President (December 22, 1970; January 19, 1971)
#003 - Archie's Aching Back (January 05, 1971; January 26, 1971)
#004 - Archie Gives Blood (January 19, 1971; February 02, 1971)
#005 - Judging Books by Covers (January 12, 1971; February 09, 1971)
#006 - Gloria Has a Belly Full (January 26, 1971; February 16, 1971)
#007 - Mike's Hippie Friends Come to Visit (February 09, 1971; February 23, 1971)
#008 - Lionel Moves Into the Neighborhood (February 16, 1971; March 02, 1971)
#009 - Edith Has Jury Duty (February 23, 1971; March 09, 1971)
#010 - Archie Is Worried About His Job (March 02, 1971; March 16, 1971)
#011 - Gloria Discovers Women's Lib (March 09, 1971; March 23, 1971)
#012 - Success Story (March 16, 1971; March 30, 1971)
#013 - The First and Last Supper (March 23, 1971; April 06, 1971)

 

I mentioned this earlier, but I worked there in the 2000s. I wasn't a fantastic time for me personally but I have many fond memories of being at that location due to its history. It was my first job at a network and even just eating at the commissary seemed kind of cool at the time. I often wandered around during off-hours, looking through all the odd Price Is Right game paraphernalia (the wheel, for one) and various soap opera sets. A few times, for the CBS Survivor finale, the Jeff Probst helicopter would land on the roof, since the finale was often taped there. A lot of little details and anecdotes but I have plenty...I also have a number of photos I took of just the various locations, no people. Any interest?