Monday, August 15, 2016

Soapdish (1991)




I love a good sudser.  I've been a Days of Our Lives fan since I was a kid and had internships at All My Children and The Bold and The Beautiful in college.  Yes, I even watched Passions (Martimmy anyone?).  And if The Sun Also Sets was a real soap, I probably would've tuned in as well. Soapdish is a hilarious parody of the daytime drama with an incredible ensemble cast and all the necessary elements: backstabbing co-stars, a decapitated man back from the dead, a homeless deaf mute who regains her speech, a transsexual and a rare case of Kopfgeschlagen.    


Soapdish was filmed in New York, NY and Los Angeles, CA


Location: The Paramus Mall
Address: 6600 Topanga Canyon Boulevard, Canoga Park, CA   
Westfield Topanga Mall near Macy's 












Location: World Entertainment Services Building
Address: 10 Columbus Circle, New York, NY  Time Warner Center








Location: Jeffrey & Laurie's Date
Address: 834 7th Avenue & 54th Street, New York, NY  Formerly The Stage Deli




Location: Jeffrey's Apartment Building
Address: 162 54th Street, New York, NY











The drain pipe scene was most likely shot on a soundstage or another building.




Location: Celeste Attempts Suicide
Address: 65th Street/Columbus Avenue/Broadway intersection, New York, NY



You can see Lincoln Center in the background on the left.  The M104 bus sign below was another clue.







Locations Visited: August 2016, October 2016, June 2017



Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Kate & Allie (1984-1989)



Two childhood friends move in together after their divorces to help raise each other's kids.  I'm not quite sure how Kate's travel agency income and Allie's alimony payments coughed up enough to live in Greenwich Village but I'm willing to suspend disbelief.   Two divorced women living together raised eyebrows, so they had to be seen going into separate bedrooms before bed on many occasions.  A parade of male love interests put any remaining doubts to rest.  The groundbreaking series had the unique aspect of being taped in New York and each episode's opening scene was shot on-location in The Big Apple. 


Location: Kate & Allie's Greenwich Village Apartment
Address: 72 Bank Street, New York, NY









Location: Kate & Allie's High-Rise Apartment
Address: 235 W 65th Street at 8th Avenue, New York, NY

During the last season, Allie got married and moved uptown to this building. Since her husband was away a lot, Kate moved in too.  A textbook shark jump.  This pic was taken from 64th Street.




Locations Visited: August 2016




Gilligan's Island (1964-1967)



Tuning in to see the misadventures of 7 castaways was practically an afterschool tradition.  I put homework right out of my mind as well as logic in order to enjoy an episode.  Suitcases full of clothes for a three hour tour?  And just how exactly did Mary Ann make those coconut cream pies?  

Location: The Tropic Port
Address: Honolulu Harbor, HI

While I was visiting Puu Ualakaa State Park for The Brady Bunch (1969-1974), I overheard a tour guide mention that this is where The S.S. Minnow set sail that day for a three hour tour.  I didn't actually make it down to the harbor but you get a glimpse of it from way up in Puu Ualakaa State Park.




Location Visited: July 2016