TV houses are funny things. It was, and still is, rare to film a TV show in an actual home that it is based in, especially the ones filmed (say it with me) “in front of a live studio audience.”
But here’s where those core memories kick in. Because the programs pre-2000s mostly relied on a catchy theme song and opening credits, it only made sense to show the house where most of the action takes place. Some shows even filmed the cast in front of them … even when they were three thousand miles away.
Get This: That Fresh Prince House Isn’t Even in Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air house is a great example, pictured above. There are two surprising things. First being I was shocked to realize the iconic home only appears for maybe one second in the opening. But with TV shows then, there was no skipping the openings, so you watched them — repetition burned that into your brain. Second surprise — the house isn’t even in Bel-Air — it’s in Brentwood, California.
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Interesting side note — to commemorate the show’s 30th anniversary in 2020, Will Smith and Airbnb briefly opened up the actual TV house for a handful of $30-a-night stays. Sadly, the offer didn’t stick around.
You Can Actually Stay in the Mary Tyler Moore Show House
Another great example of iconic TV homes that you can actually stay in today is the large home used as the setting for the Mary Tyler Moore Show in Minneapolis. Many a ’70s kid looked closely at the house in the opening, imagining Mary walking in front of that famous apartment window from her living room.
Today, you can stay in the Mary Tyler Moore Show house, aptly named The Moore House Minneapolis. No word if they provide a beret as you enter, so you can head into the city and throw it in the air.
Keep scrolling for our list of more iconic homes that will take you back to your childhood, and even some more recent ones.
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