Friday, December 18, 2015

Diff'rent Strokes (1978-1986)









One of the top 5 catchphrases of the 80's came from this show about a rich Park Avenue businessman adopting the two sons of his deceased maid.  It didn't matter if you were team Garrett, Adelaide or Pearl, each era had its share of very special episodes.  Unfortunately, the young cast had more than their shares of struggles post cancellation.  Nonetheless, Diff'rent Strokes had a nice long run, enduring three housekeepers, two networks and two Maggies.

Location: Manhattan's Upper East Side


You get a nice view from across the East River at Gantry Plaza State Park...





This is also where one of the photoshoots from Gia (1998) was filmed.


Location: The Drummond Penthouse
Address: 900 Park Ave at 70th St, New York, NY
























Location: Arnold & Willis' Basketball Court
Address: 4975 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA  LA Grace Church


Much thanks to Michael McGinnis for this information.  The basketball court is actually the parking lot located on N Alexandria Avenue...











The building you see when Arnold and Willis hop into the limo is across the street 1515 N Alexandria Avenue...





Location Visited: December 2015, October 2018, January 2022

16 comments:

  1. The basketball court & Harlem street were recorded in Los Angeles.
    The real cast never flew to New York. Those are second unit shots.

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    1. Thanks for the info, Pete. I had a feeling the cast never went to NY, but there is a shot of the limo driving down a city street when Charlotte Rae's credit is up during the season one opener that is definitely Manhattan.

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  2. The basketball court was behind a church @ 4975 Alexandria st right off Sunset Blvd. & down the street from Metromedia Square where the show was filmed.

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    1. Wow, Michael, thanks so much for the information! Did you work on the show?

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    2. No, I know someone who lives near there & saw them filming it.. They randomly told me recently, I was like you were holding that valuable info. this whole time?

      Anyway, checked it out & it looks the same. No basketball net though anymore ;)

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    3. Yes, valuable indeed. I wonder what else they know! Thanks again. I'll be in LA in October so I hope to swing by at some point.

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    4. Well, the reason I found out & that church was even being discussed is that location was a church up until recently. Now, it’s being rented out for various things.

      That part of Hollywood, all of Hollywood actually, has a lot of new developments going up - luxury condo mixed use buildings mostly - so hopefully nothing happens to that location.

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    5. Yeah, I used to work around that area back in the early 2000s and a friend of mine recently sent me a picture of what it looks like now. I was shocked.

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  3. I got another one for ya’

    The next shot after basketball when Mr. Drummond picks up Arnold &Willis it’s @ 1515 Alexandria Ave. in Hollywood which is exactly where he would have picked them up in real life because that’s right across from the church Basketball court 😉

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    1. Yes! I did notice that when I did a view on google! Here I was combing the streets of Harlem. Now if I can only pinpoint what road the limo heads down.

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    2. That could be anywhere. It’s got the fence in front of it which the basketball area on Alexandria Ave. does as well. But, it’s a shot with none of the cast & only the car so it very well could be New York.

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    3. I meant the city street just before Conrad Bain's credit and Charlotte Rae's credit. In the latter, they pass yellow street signs (which Manhattan used to have, along with yellow license plates) but it's too blurry to make anything out. I've been looking up in Harlem and around 1st and 2nd Avenues.

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  4. Oh, right. Yes, I used to live in New York & that does look like around 1st & 2nd

    I think all the close ups in the car are shot in LA & when they get out of the car & are shown from behind walking into their building I think that is a building in LA.

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    1. Yeah, since they filmed on the Universal lot, I assumed it was maybe the entrance to the Universal Sheraton or Hilton.

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  5. wow the whole time i thought the basketball shot was in Harlem . THis is one of my favorite shows of all time RIP TO THE VAST WE LOST

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    1. Same here! The magic of Hollywood. So sad how almost everyone is gone.

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