5 Iconic TV Houses in Los Angeles
You know the saying “there is no place like home” ? Well, it’s true. It is that place where you can put your feet up, relax and unwind. It is the place where you raise your family and is uniquely yours. When it comes to our favorite TV shows, the characters in the show invite us into their homes and therefore, their lives. Many of the exterior shots of the homes shown in TV shows have been filmed in Los Angeles, even if the setting of the show is in another state. This is because many of them are located near the studios where the shows are filmed. Because of this, we have put together a list of some of our favorite iconic TV homes from the past and present.
The Brady Bunch
Here’s a story of a man named… maybe you have heard this one. AND, that song is probably running through your head right now, sorry! For 5 seasons, our favorite TV family, The Brady’s, “lived” in this house, the exterior of which is located in North Hollywood. It is said that producers chose this house because it looked relatable to middle class TV viewers at the time. Producer Sherwood Shwartz also said that it looked like a house that an architect would live in. The Brady Bunch House was built in 1959, is almost 2,500 square feet and boasts 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. Fun fact – when the original owners of the house sold it in 1973 (for a cool $61,000), the new owners had to build a fence around the house to fend off people looking in the windows so they could catch a glimpse of this famous family home.
Happy Days
While the show is set in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, we are pretty sure this house, located in Hollywood hasn’t seen much snow. Built in 1923, the home used for exterior shots of the iconic sitcom Happy Days is almost 4,000 square feet and has 6 (yes, 6!) bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and is estimated to be worth over $3 million. And even though the Cunningham’s didn’t have one, this house has a pool in the backyard (which we are positive Richie and crew would have loved and The Fonz would have done cannonballs in). It has been said that the house was chosen because it looked like you could find it in the midwest in the1950’s.
American Horror Story
Well, there is one thing you can say about this house… creepy. And not just because it is the “Murder House” from the first season of American Horror Story. OK, well maybe that is the reason. Renowned architect Alfred Rosenheim built the house in 1902 to use as his personal residence on what what was originally called “Billionaire Row”. Located in Country Club Park, the house is a historical landmark in Los Angeles. The home has 3 stories and is 10,440 square feet. It not only has 6 bedrooms and and 5 bathrooms, it boasts 6 incredible fireplaces, Tiffany stained and leaded glass, Italian brickwork, Peruvian Mahogany paneling, a cathedral ballroom that was once a chapel that was run by the Sisters of Social Service, a huge basement, and a world class recording studio.
Charmed
While Charmed is set in San Francisco, the exterior of the home that housed the Halliwell sisters is in Los Angeles. The home is located on the 1300 block of Carroll Avenue in Echo Park, which was one of Los Angeles’ first suburbs. All of the homes on this street are picturesque Victorian Homes and the block has served as a backdrop for many tv shows and movies. In fact, the house that is at the end of Michael Jackson’s iconic video “Thriller” is located on Carroll Avenue as well as Mad Men Don Draper’s childhood home. Built in 1903, The Charmed House is almost 3,000 square feet and has 5 bedrooms and (while we are sure the Halliwell sisters could have conjured up at least another one), it has also one bathroom.
Modern Family
Who doesn’t love this sitcom about family? Each of the families lives in a home distinctive to them, all located in Los Angeles. Claire and Phil’s home is located in Cheviot Hills and has 4 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms over 2,700 square feet. The interior of the house was re-created with some subtle differences on a sound stage. The home in which Gloria and Jay live is in Brentwood and was chosen by one of the creators because it was down the street from his house and he always felt that a character like Jay would live in a home like this. Mitchell and Cameron live in a Spanish style duplex located in Century City. The production designer worked to stay true to the style of the homes, while creating spaces that were perfect for the individuality of each of the families.
As you can see, productions aren’t only filmed on sound stages and studio lots. Los Angeles is truly a stage in which characters and magical moments are created. Come and discover everything Los Angeles has to offer with us!