tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post2506794052046542681..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: The CHEERS setBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-13465602148229101052020-01-30T19:58:41.417-08:002020-01-30T19:58:41.417-08:00I've watched Cheers from end to end more times...I've watched Cheers from end to end more times than I'd like to admit. In season 11 around episode 4 I noticed that when they filmed a scene in Sam's office that when the office door opened you were not seeing the bar but a white sheetrock wall. I've always wondered why that changed. It kind of takes me out of the fantasy for a moment when I notice it. Eddie Sprousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16505565787512109700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-79202682241018969202019-10-12T21:16:27.750-07:002019-10-12T21:16:27.750-07:00I worked the cheers show at Kings Island, too. It ...I worked the cheers show at Kings Island, too. It was a cool experience to have been able to work on a show with that bar. Great piece of history!Abby Tutororowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00722759589254047946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-86141047054408664042018-03-31T14:45:30.335-07:002018-03-31T14:45:30.335-07:00Can you explain this picture of what looks like a ...Can you explain this picture of what looks like a recent picture of the bar with 3 of the actors from the series? Please and thanks.Kevin Garciahttp://www.thedeadpresidents.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-44394546861723151352017-02-15T10:01:01.003-08:002017-02-15T10:01:01.003-08:00Ken,
When I worked at Kings Island in Cincinnati d...Ken,<br />When I worked at Kings Island in Cincinnati during the summer of 1995, there was a live show based on "Cheers" episodes and Paramount/Viacom claimed the bar on that set was the bar from the show. Security actually did watch over it, but I was able to sit at Norm's stool one morning for a few seconds. Brian Stanleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07680156954772774996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-67968991864164219072017-02-14T17:37:31.123-08:002017-02-14T17:37:31.123-08:00In Yiddish it's Techumsah. In British it'...In Yiddish it's Techumsah. In British it's spelled Tecumseh, but pronounced "luxury yacht."Joe Beatsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-82584427607832850502017-02-13T23:24:51.063-08:002017-02-13T23:24:51.063-08:00On a trip to Southern Cal in Sept. 2000 I got a to...On a trip to Southern Cal in Sept. 2000 I got a tour of Paramount as a bonus for attending a filming of BECKER the day before. <br />The BECKER episode that I saw filmed was called "One Wong Move", and it had a cameo appearance by the first SURVIVOR winner, Richard Hatch. This was the only sitcom that I've seen filmed, out of about 5, where every scene was filmed in front of the audience instead of scenes either being pre-filmed and/or filmed later.<br />On my tour of Paramount the next day (I understand Paramount stopped its tours a year later post-9/11.), we saw the FRASIER stage. I remember we were told that CHEERS had been filmed there before FRASIER, and what I noticed most was how small it was. I only remember seeing the apartment set and a tiny set off to the side for the radio booth for Frasier's show. I also remember that all the furniture was covered to keep dust off of it.Jonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00483417885845331990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-6440607094833824352017-02-13T18:41:04.008-08:002017-02-13T18:41:04.008-08:00I can only imagine how awful the show would have l...I can only imagine how awful the show would have looked on videotape. Part of the appeal of Cheers was the warmth of the bar. That would have been lost with the show done on video.Mikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-64149144521419228212017-02-13T17:30:07.925-08:002017-02-13T17:30:07.925-08:00I've been rewatching a lot of episodes recentl...I've been rewatching a lot of episodes recently and really admiring the set and the style of filming in it--the wider view on things, all the activity in the background, the quick camera moves to little reactions from Frasier and Norm in particular, things like a character (Frasier in the instance I remember) walking relocating from one side of the bar to another because after 8 or 9 hours at the bar, you might need a change of scenery. It all feels very natural and lived in. What about some of those extra sets used only once or twice--people's houses and apartments for instance? They seem just as detailed and elaborate.Michael Cowgillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09324339889209417464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-58028977396219080012017-02-13T13:46:52.731-08:002017-02-13T13:46:52.731-08:00Watching an episode last night, after reading this...Watching an episode last night, after reading this post, I saw that the bar set was much, much deeper than I remembered. It goes on forever back there. No wonder you needed 30-40 extras to make it look not empty. <br /><br />By the way, according to this Hollywood Reporter article from 2014, the bar has been donated to the Museum of TV & Radio.<br /><br />http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cheers-bar-finally-finds-a-723417<br />Greg Thompsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-45485397112542557662017-02-13T13:20:09.157-08:002017-02-13T13:20:09.157-08:00I was lucky enough to attend a Cheers filming and ...I was lucky enough to attend a Cheers filming and have always had a question about the set design -- the episode I attended had several scenes in Sam's office and each time the action shifted in there, they stopped filming, unfolded the set (yes, very cool to watch), shot the scene in the office, then stopped and folded it back up. The question: why not have Sam's office designed back in the pool room, which would have eliminated the need for that time-consuming folding and unfolding? Was there a thought that the office would be rarely used and the pool room would see more action? Or did they need to leave room in the studio for those occasional swing sets? Or is there no reason?Paulnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-12792978333420472822017-02-13T06:35:21.036-08:002017-02-13T06:35:21.036-08:00Ken its " Tecumseh " I did the researc...Ken its " Tecumseh " I did the research.normhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794603165354675721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-13264336213028398662017-02-13T00:43:41.901-08:002017-02-13T00:43:41.901-08:00Are you involved in the NBC 90th Anniversary speci...Are you involved in the NBC 90th Anniversary special next week?MikeNnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-18377457600376769732017-02-12T19:59:16.683-08:002017-02-12T19:59:16.683-08:00Ken, is the test videotape footage of Cheers avail...Ken, is the test videotape footage of Cheers available for viewing anywhere? On YouTube or one of the series DVDs, by any chance?<br /><br />Would be interesting in seeing how different/bad everything looked on videotape.Steve Lanzi (formerly known as qdpsteve)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-66074336478210953662017-02-12T18:50:24.467-08:002017-02-12T18:50:24.467-08:00Great recollections, Ken. The whole set belongs i...Great recollections, Ken. The whole set belongs in the Smithsonian.<br /><br />Didn't they rebuild it, or reassemble it, for a FRASIER or two?Greg Thompsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-4406491370422726662017-02-12T16:41:09.493-08:002017-02-12T16:41:09.493-08:00Shows other than CHEERS filmed on stage 25: FRASIE...Shows other than CHEERS filmed on stage 25: FRASIER, BOSOM BUDDIES, THE LUCY SHOW, and HERE'S LUCY.<br /><br />Kelsey Grammer once joked that the reason neither of his later sitcoms (HANK and BACK TO YOU) succeeded was that they weren't filmed on stage 25 at Paramount.Dennisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-58572116532249966082017-02-12T16:34:56.344-08:002017-02-12T16:34:56.344-08:00Just as a point of information:
the accepted spell...Just as a point of information:<br />the accepted spelling of the Native American name is Tecumseh Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-37957175759952923362017-02-12T14:15:35.351-08:002017-02-12T14:15:35.351-08:00The wooden-indian (Techumsah) wasn't the same ...The wooden-indian (Techumsah) wasn't the same used in Creepshow 2, was it?Kleehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14306497851609490015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-65811833118947999292017-02-12T13:47:39.114-08:002017-02-12T13:47:39.114-08:00Friday question: Stoney's post about the sheep...Friday question: Stoney's post about the sheep in the bar reminded me, that kind of "this-would-never-happen" physical reach for a laugh (same with Woody hanging upside down outside the door window) is usually a sign (to me anyway) that a show is out of ideas.<br />Nothing wrong with that: a lot of years, a lot of shows, it has to be tough.<br />Does it get harder for you to come up with new ideas when a show is deep in its run and the characters have been around a long time?<br />cd1515https://www.blogger.com/profile/13442641020639066876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-17195420026602407602017-02-12T11:31:02.744-08:002017-02-12T11:31:02.744-08:00Cheers has long been one of my all-time favorites,...Cheers has long been one of my all-time favorites, and I can't get enough trivia about it. Thanks for sharing these.<br /><br />Also, I'd read about that videotaped scene before. I'd love to see it, just as a curiosity. It must be jarring. It was a little jarring to see the first season of Newhart (which was videotaped) after becoming familiar with the show in its later seasons, when it was filmed.Mikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-64379373785936497582017-02-12T11:09:01.804-08:002017-02-12T11:09:01.804-08:00Some sets are just iconic.
This is one. Some sets are just iconic. <br />This is one. The Bumble Bee Pendanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11782074071758250824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-90282531878864418702017-02-12T09:26:57.182-08:002017-02-12T09:26:57.182-08:00I noticed sometimes when the camera was on George/...I noticed sometimes when the camera was on George/Norm that down the hallway, instead of seeing the pool room in some episodes, it's just a brick wall behind through the corridor past the bathrooms. Also is there any pics of the bar being swung back to reveal Sam's office? That would be cool to see.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-83037742941112046162017-02-12T09:20:16.868-08:002017-02-12T09:20:16.868-08:00Wasn't Frasier filmed on the same set? Can yo...Wasn't Frasier filmed on the same set? Can you describe that set in relation to the Cheers set? Where was Frasier's apartment, radio station booth etc?Richard Pridehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14934266183635027035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-19293705856615015992017-02-12T08:31:09.508-08:002017-02-12T08:31:09.508-08:00What a great bar, ok Ken, really? You took nothing...What a great bar, ok Ken, really? You took nothing? oh man.<br />Here's a difference between a non-entertainment person and Mr. Levine(rhymes with wine):<br />I had the great fortune to tour the set (friend of someone in the biz) while shooting. In enjoying the show on tv, I just knew, felt, understood, the bar was really long, probably could sit 15+ stools. Just like the pic in the blog, there were (in my non-professional, non-analytical mind) 5 stools at that end of the bar, then another five at the other end, and surely 5 more in the middle. <br />I believe this is because a non-biz person is watching for the fun, excellent jokes and stories, and the situations, not to critique and analyze -- entertain me please, I don't want to think. <br />When I visited, I was astounded to see this short bar which could have fit in my basement.<br />Thanks for the memories.ChipOnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-87815967538673853412017-02-12T07:18:42.963-08:002017-02-12T07:18:42.963-08:00Which was the biggest challenge?
Diane stuck in d...Which was the biggest challenge?<br /><br />Diane stuck in ductwork under the floor<br /><br />The office filled with sheep<br /><br />Changing the set to show it had been burned<br /><br />The front door exploding<br /><br />The bar sealed in concrete block (I know...probably styrofoam)Stoneynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-75575300035274543002017-02-12T07:01:47.162-08:002017-02-12T07:01:47.162-08:00Did anyone get Sam's jersey that kept landing ...Did anyone get Sam's jersey that kept landing on Mr Bobo's table?Bill Avenanoreply@blogger.com