Two From Burbank
Many people have heard of the city of Burbank thanks to Johnny Carson (who loved to lampoon the town) and "Laugh-In" ("Beautiful downtown Burbank"). It's also home to the Disney Studios and Warner Bros. Studio. I'm fond of the city, having worked there, and spent hours haunting the various antiques (junk?) shops, book stores, animation galleries, and so forth. Today I have two photos (from October, 1974) taken there.
First up is this great photo of a lady posing next to Bob of "Bob's Big Boy" fame. While the oldest Big Boy restaurant (from 1949) is still in Burbank (a fabulous mid-century structure), this appears to have been the restaurant formerly located at 624 San Fernando Road. I always loved our infrequent visits to these restaurants, the Big Boy hamburger seemed impossibly huge and delicious at the time, and if you were smart enough to order a milkshake, it arrived in a heavy glass, with some extra shake in a frosty metal tumbler that had been used to mix it up. Just thinking about it makes me hungry!
Not too far away from Bob's was the NBC Studio on West Alameda Drive, where Johnny Carson moved (from New York) in 1972. Perhaps these nice ladies had traveled to Burbank to see a taping of Johnny's show. I used to drive past this studio all the time, but only set foot on the property for a school field trip. I should have gone to see Johnny at least once! In 2007, NBC moved most of its operations to the Universal Studios lot in Universal City.
32 comments:
Major-
As so many of us did, I've eaten at many Bob's Big Boy's in So. Cal. I also dined many a time at Chadney's, just across the street from NBC, and visible above the Mobil Gas Station. Unlike you however, I've been to NBC many, many times to see shows, and even 'behind-the-scenes', as I knew many folks who worked there over the years.
Thanks, Major.
Major, there were once Bob’s in both Fresno and Visalia, these were favored spots in my youth. Dad loved them and we went there often. I remember a little comic book with Bob as a sort of hamburger superhero.
Both are gone now. The Fresno one was a real googie, but the Visalia one didn’t open till the 70’s.
JG
I like how our lady friend in the first image is holding Big Boy's ear. I've eaten at Bob's Big Boy's on a number of our family trips to California, as my cousin Stu worked at [and managed] some of them (for 40+ years - early 1960s to 2004, if I recall correctly). Major has some photos of Stu to post, and I'll be interested to see if anyone recognizes him from their past visits.
I, once, went to the NBC Studios, but didn't see any shows. My Aunt took me there in 1976 for an afternoon tour. (Nanook, you're fortunate to have seen lots of shows there.) I only remember three things from that tour: Seeing Johnny Carson's studio (empty); seeing Della Reese walking through the parking lot; and being asked questions about gangsters, by the tour group, once they found out I was from Chicago.
Am looking forward to everyone's comments today...
In the 1st photo, our Lady In Pink is tugging on the Fat Kid's ear (as Sue also mentioned). She ordered that burger that Big Boy is holding up above his head. The little scamp is playing Keep Away with her. Pink Lady, "Gimme my burger you little hooligan or I'll rip your ear clean off! Actually, she looks too friendly to do such a thing, but who knows?
I think I'll have the Brawny Beef Combo. Which was probably one of their larger burgers, fries, and a soft drink. Plus the hot fudge cake!
In the 2nd photo, there is a Mobil Pegasus sign between the two ladies. It's all out of focus, but it's there.
I think I'll have lunch at Pepe's Mexican (something. Not food. Not restaurant... It looks like "Magic". But that doesn't make any sense.)
I've always liked that interlocked NBC logo. Now, all they seem to have is that simplified Peacock logo; which is fine. But I really liked the animated Peacock spreading its tail that they had back in the '60s:
https://youtu.be/Dc8tWbjBcAc
Thanks, Major.
- Jonquil Bouquet
FYI: I see that Don Ballard ("The Original Disneyland Hotel Blog") started posting again, and he recently posted a nice aerial shot of the DL hotel and surrounding area.
JB, you have more than two weeks to go. Good luck!
I used to eat at Bob's Big Boy quite often, and have visited that other Burbank location, which is still standing. They have car hop service at that location, just like they used to have, back in the day. Actually, I don't know if they still have the car hop service, that may have changed in recent years. I'll have the Pappy Parker's Friiiiiiiiied Chicken, please. Although you can't go wrong with a Big Boy Combo, either, followed by a Bob's Hot Fudge Cake.
Wow, that corner where the NBC Studios looks so very different today, I won't even bother to post the link to Google street view. It's pretty much unrecognizable. They built some of the studio's office buildings, right out to the sidewalk, and got rid of that wonderful sign. The Mobile gas station is now a Shell gas station. And the Chadney's building behind it, is still standing. It was recently a Simmzy's brew house, but closed in 2020 and is now a Brews Brothers Brewpub. And it looks like Pepe's was torn down and replaced by a Wienerschnitzel.
I remember going on the NBC Studio Tour, when I was in seventh grade. I only remember seeing the sets for Hollywood Squares and The Gong Show. I remember being surprised at how small everything was, compared to how it looked on TV. I've been back on the property only once since then, and that was to see The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. That was on Friday, March 5, 1993 (I just checked the date on my ticket). The reason we went was because Dolly Parton was the guest that night. And we ended up getting on camera, when Jay came out into the audience!
I’ve eaten at both the 1949 drive-in location and the one in today’s picture. I’m always torn between the Big Boy Hamburger and the Pappy Parker Fried Chicken!! Now I’m hungry too. The salad dressing has the ability to allow anyone who eats it to travel back in time to 1965. I don’t know why it’s always 1965... but it is. When you sip the chilled ice water from the short tiny clear water glasses you time travel to 1961. The Chocolate Shake ( made from vanilla ice cream ) can time travel you back even further to the 1950’s......and you can choose the exact year!!
In the 1980’s the giant Bob Big Boy Fiberglas figures would often get stollen as pranks from high school kids or college kids as dares or pranks fairly often to cause many of the San Diego restaurants to relocate the figures into the waiting Lobbies. These restaurants always seemed to have large waiting vestibules with wide vinyl wrap around benches , terrazzo floors and inside palm or plant gardens. The cigarette machines were always near the restrooms. Just to be clear I’ve never smoked ever ( except in 1985 at a party I took two puffs off a clove cigarette .... I had to clear my throat with 3 swigs from a Bartels & James wine cooler .... ) the Clove cigarette smell was overpowered by the amount of Drakar Cologne all the guys wore back then .
If you ever want to time travel to 1985 take 2 swigs of bartles & James wine Cooler and 3 sprays of Drakar cologne ..... and press down on one of the copper penny’s a girl has inserted into your penny loafer black shoe. WHAM!! ( literally) transported to 1985......
In 1988 some friends and I were trying to see Jonny Carson at NBC Studios ..... I cant recall if we just couldn’t get tickets or if they were not shooting . We ended up seeing part of a Bob Hope special being shot. It was kinda exciting and embarrassing ... embarrassing for Bob Hope : he seemed so grumpy and almost senile .... the simple scenes took forever because Hope was concerned the Morgan Fairchild and Brooke Shields has more lines than he did ... and script writers(??) would circle him and discuss stuff and make some changes.....
I would stand up and yell to bob Hope if this was the same sound stage PETTICOAT JUNCTION and BACHELOR FATHER were filmed on....
Bob Hope would get really mad...
Ok the very last part didn’t happen but between the long breaks of the Bob Hope special my friend ( also named Mike ) dared each other to stand up and ask questions like that !! Lol. But we remained well behaved citizens and did not.
It was that NBC visit that Bob Hope got put on my “Actors & Celebrities who are really jerks in real life “ list ; right above Tom Hanks . Tom Hanks is above Leonard Malton
Mike, you just reminded me that some kids from my high school stole the Big Boy statue from our local Bob's, and placed it on top of the fountain in the school's "Quad." I remember arriving at school one morning, and there he was, standing on top of the fountain looking like he had been there forever. Then there was this one time, when some kids stole our rival high school's mascot, which was a goat, and kept it hidden in Greg's bedroom. Wait, that was an episode of The Brady Bunch.
I remember my friend lived fairly close to the NBC Studios, so she went to the window where they handed out the tickets for The Tonight Show, right when they opened at 8 or 9 in the morning. I think they could run out of tickets fairly early, depending on who the guests were that day.
I remember Bob Hope doing the commercials for "Big K Mart," in the last years of his life, and wondering, WHY???
Here in Texas "Bob's" was "Kips." No other differences besides that, however. I went with my dad often. I wish I could get a Big Boy Burger now, but they've all closed. Best burger to come out of California (and no one say a word about In and Out. I had huge expectations of that place and was devastated...I still need time to heal. Blech!)
Yes, they had Big Boy comic books, although I can't remember what they were like, except they were nice but not exciting.
They had a Hot Tin Roof sundae that was fantastic!
And there will never be another Johnny.
Thank you, TM! You jarred a 4th memory loose from my brain. I do remember seeing that Hollywood Squares set....so small and flimsy looking.
We took the NBC Studio Tour late one afternoon in October of 1976 as we were moving out of California. Our tour ended up being very abbreviated - the tour guide wasn’t feeling well and a manager with the air of a used car salesman stepped in and offered us all complimentary tickets to the Tonight Show that was about to begin taping in compensation. My parents asked if my little sister and I could attend the taping (we were four and seven at the time), and when the guy said “Oh, yeah, sure - no problem,” my parents agreed. And then when it came time to get into the show, it turned out to be a “no kids allowed” sort of situation.
We left my mom at the Studio and went back to the campground with my dad for dinner, then climbed into bed while he locked up the trailer and left to go pick up my mom. That was the first time we were ever left alone without a babysitter, and I know he didn’t feel good about it but we weren’t scared - it just sort of felt weird. My mom told us her seats weren’t very good and we wouldn’t have enjoyed it if we had gone. I don’t recall who the guest was.
As far as the tour went, I don’t recall seeing any of the soundstages. All I remember is walking slowly down this wide, ground-floor hallway that had long glass windows to our left and what looked like corridors to offices on our right as our guide walked backwards in front of us. I remember him explaining about breakaway glass used in set construction (it was mostly made of sugar), and there was a table full of colored “glass” shards that we were free to take (sadly, I don’t know where my piece is anymore). I also remember we were coming up on a full-scale mock-up of a lunar rover on our left when the tour abruptly ended.
They have Frisch’s Big Boys in Ohio where my parents live, and when I was growing up visiting grandparents and later in college in their small hometown there were two locations, one near the university and the other - complete with slowly decaying and eventually abandoned car-hop infrastructure - at the south end of town. There is now only one in town, but it’s still going strong, and a friend of mine and I try to make a point of going there to eat (usually ordering a Big Boy Burger) whenever I’m in town. Note that Frisch’s Big Boy Burgers are different from what you West Coasters are used to. That took a bit of getting used to when we lived in SoCal.
Stu, I remember the Big Boy comic books. I had one for years that lived at my grandmother’s house. They were printed on newspaper stock (including the cover, IIRC). My copy included a story thahad Big Boy and his comic companions in an adventure on top of a cloud, and that in combination with the “Mickey and the Beanstalk” segment of Fun and Fancy Free led me to believe for years that you could walk around on top of a cloud. I clearly remember a discussion with Kindergarten friends on the playground about it and being bitterly disappointed when my dad confirmed my friends were right, although he did soften the blow a bit by pointing out that that made his job as a pilot a lot safer.
I forgot to mention that when we did the NBC tour, they had changed the NBC logo and the sign looked different from what you see in this photo.
I’ve eaten at Bob’s Big Boy in Toluca Lake many times but haven’t been back in a few years. My favorite dish is Chili Spaghetti! You need to try it.
I saw Carson once at NBC. One of the things I remember is that once the show was over, everyone left the set, the lights came down, the furniture got covered up with plastic and it was deserted – all in about 2 minutes. That’s it! Show’s over!
Thanks for today’s photos Major!
@ Sue-
All folks in the tour group could think to ask you was about the infamous Chicago gangsters-??!! My first question would be about the Union [Chicago] stockyards. (I realize they would've been closed by 1976; but still...) Or, how about Mrs. O'Leary's Cow-!
Nanook, I used to work mere blocks from Chadney’s, although it had JUST closed. A coworker told me about eating there, I wish I’d managed to get in at least once. Did you go to NBC courtesy of your friend (the one who also got you into Disney Studios)?
JG, I always loved to go to Bob’s, not that we did it that often. I was shocked when the one in San Luis Obispo (where some of my family lives) closed, it always seemed so busy - and as usual we had not managed to go there yet. I wanted to take my niece and nephew there. Love the old Googie restaurants, the one in Burbank (or is it Toluca Lake?) is wonderful.
Lou and Sue, yes, the way that lady is holding on to Bob’s ear reminds me of my niece when she was a baby, she liked to hold on to people’s ears. If I had any brains at all, I would have taken this opportunity to share the photos of Stu at the Bob’s that he managed. ARGH. Sometimes I’m in too much of a hurry when I am composing posts. Cool that you got to see NBC Studios, even if there weren’t any shows going. Funny that they immediately assume that you have gangster connections when they heard you were from Chicago!
JB, as a collector of advertising figures (a small collection), I have always dreamed of being able to have a full-sized Bob figure. And I have since noticed that there are variations, with slightly different burgers. Now people make modern copies for sale on eBay, which stinks. I don’t want a copy! They are usually poorly painted. The Brawny Beef Combo, gosh I don’t remember that one. I think the last time I went to Bob’s was in 2012. “Pepe’s Magic”, you don’t want to know! Order at your own risk. I like the peacock too, along with that awesome music.
Lou and Sue, Don Ballard seems to post something once in a blue moon, I would like it if he got back into it in a big way, but I’m not holding my breath! I think he gets more of a reaction from Facebook. What does JB have “two weeks to go” for?
TokyoMagic!, yes, the Burbank location for Bob’s is (pre-Covid) a place where folks loved to show up with their vintage hot rods on certain nights, that was fun, though good luck getting a seat to eat there on those nights. I didn’t remember that Pappy Parker’s Fried Chicken was from Bob’s… were there stand-alone Pappy Parker restaurants? When I think of the hundreds of times I drove past NBC Studios on my way to work, often seeing people in line to see “The Tonight Show”, I curse my laziness. I assumed I would always have the chance to go see a taping, but then I’d go home at night and NOT want to come back to Burbank. Once in a while I’d see Jay Leno driving on the streets near NBC in one of his beautiful old cars. Cool that you saw Dolly, I went to El Torito once and Dolly (and her husband, presumably) were sitting right near us.
Mike Cozart, yum, fried chicken, I guess I should order that when I go to restaurants, since I have burgers all the time. But I just get stuck in the habit of getting a Big Boy Combo! Yeah, the salad dressing - blue cheese - is good, and MAN those shakes are so delicious. Poor Bob, always getting kidnapped. I hope he was returned home safe and sound. Clove cigarettes, YUCK! I guess at a certain age you just have to try stuff like that. I don’t want to travel back to 1985 so bad that I would have to do the steps you mentioned!
Mike Cozart, I guess at least you got to see Bob Hope? Even though he was crabby and not sharp anymore. Two friends and I saw Bob on the 210 Freeway in a green Rolls Royce. One friend was so excited. “It’s ****ing BOB HOPE!”. Bob actually looked over at us and waved. Years ago, Mamie Van Doren posted something on Facebook - her memories of Bob, who she did NOT like. It seems funny that Bob would be so concerned about his lines, how about be concerned about the show being humorous? Be like Jack Benny, who could happily be the butt of jokes as long as the audience was entertained. Remember Bob doing commercials for AMWAY? That scam!
Lou and Sue, I’m jealous that you saw the Hollywood Square set! That should be in the Smithsonian!
Chuck, weird that your tour of NBC was cut short because your guide didn’t feel well. Didn’t they have someone else (besides the “used car salesman”) to step in? I wonder why no kids were allowed. Did the warm-up comic work really “blue”? Johnny could be a little naughty sometimes, but certainly nothing that a child couldn’t handle (they probably wouldn’t understand it anyway). The only time I went to NBC was for a school field trip, and I was in college at the time. They took us to the NBC news area to show us how they made the graphics that would appear in a square over the anchor’s head. “FIRE!”. “Police shootout!”. Etc. The artist showed us how he used Photoshop - it must have been one of the very earliest versions of that program. The local weatherman stopped by to say hello - Fritz Coleman, who might STILL be the local NBC weatherman. He was very nice, I used to see him doing standup at The Improv on Melrose. I have a Frisch’s Big Boy fiberglass tray, it is one of my treasures, ha ha. In Pennsylvania, Bob’s was called “Elby’s”, which always confused the heck out of me. “Elby?? His name is BOB!”. I’ve seen that graphic that showed the differences in the Big Boy burgers, how did they wind up different? I also remember the comic books, they weren’t great, but as a kid, anything free was the best. At Howard Johnsons we got paper hats, and were thrilled.
Chuck, they sure changed that logo a lot. Meanwhile, CBS is just fine with the all-seeing eye.
Sunday Night, I haven’t had chili spaghetti at Bob’s, but there is a legendary place in Burbank called Chili Johns, supposedly the folks from Walt Disney Studios used to frequent that place. One of the places I worked at ordered some to be delivered, I can’t say I loved it that much. But it was a fun experiment! Funny about how once the Tonight Show was over, it was OVER. I saw Jimmy Kimmel live once, it was the same thing, he could not get out of there fast enough.
Nanook, I know, kind of rude for Sue to be asked about gangsters. Maybe that was around when Al Capone's Vault was unveiled?
I walk my dog past that spot about weekly, its fairly grassy now…often on my way to Toluca Bob’s (who, yes still have car-hop service, safely got us thru some covid days, thank you). Pepe’s is now chickfille, but next door (before the Weinerschitzel) is an excellent place for craft coffee and awesome breakfast bowl.
Fun fact, the first ever IHOP opened across the side street from that Toluca Bobs before going global.
Cheers MS
I didn't remember Kip's having fried chicken, and I found an old menu online, and sure enough- no fried chicken. Why? The only thing I can think of is since there are so many places in Texas that sell it, it wouldn't be a big draw.
Or...something...
Major-
Actually, I had a handful of folks that over the years provided me with "access" to the Disney Studios". But... at one time, prior to his days working for The Mouse in marketing at DL, WDW & TDL, he DID work at NBC. First as a page, and then (I don't remember which department, exactly), but on one visit there, I was perusing some copy being written for (of all things) Wheel of Fortune, that was describing the tacky prizes awarded during the early years of the show. [Think: Chuck Wollery and Susan Stafford]. It could've very easily been for the [now infamous] ceramic Dalmatian-!
[It was anyway] an unwritten rule, that attending any television show production not geared at children, required folks be over the age of [usually 13-?] Sometimes older. It was written into the 'waiver & rules' printed on the back of all the tickets allowing admission into each production. Undoubtedly for a number of reasons, most probably having nothing to do with possible "racy" content, but more to do with 'kids just being kids', in what really amounts to a world for adults.
There are a number of stories describing Bob Hope as a letch, 'having a gal in every port', and Dolores [his wife] being "a good sport" if you get my drift.
Nanook, there’s no doubt you would be a better conversationalist than that ‘tour crowd.’ I’d love to sit and chat with you. Back in 1976, I could’ve discussed a little about the old historic stockyards with you, as my dad worked at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (the “Merc”) in the 60s and early 70s. ‘Pork bellies,’ etc. Maybe I’ll share some of those pictures, here, sometime...maybe on a Sunday, as they are rather boring. On weekends, as a kid, I played on the trading floor, when no one was around—while my dad did some work. Back then was my introduction to vending machines that gave you hot chocolate, coffee and chicken soup—all from the same machine. (A topic we previously discussed here, and I believe it was Nanook who put me at ease and mentioned the chicken soup did not come out of the same spigot as the hot chocolate or coffee.)
Major, JB has at least two more weeks to come up with romantic Valentine’s names. But he appears to be up to the challenge. (TokyoMagic’s working on romantic groundhog names for next week.)
I too remember Big Boy's comics, with their newsprint covers and the message "FREE to Our Customers". I recall them being a mix of awful stuff -- I imagined not-quite-pros knocking them out -- mixed with more polished pages that looked like they were recycled from the 1950s.
I remember milkshakes with a bonus in the metal blender at various places. This was back when a local department store would include a coffee shop / soda fountain.
I also remember Uncle John's Pancake House. They had at least four flavors of syrup at every table, all of them with sticky handles.
I even remember where my keys are.
@DBenson-
LOOKIE HERE and HERE
Sue, More than two weeks? I'm already sweating.
Tokyo, did NBC put a white oval over your face when you were "on camera"?
MS, I’m glad to hear that Bob’s still has their car hop service, we used to go to an A&W restaurant near my grandparent’s home in Minnesota, it was always so much fun to get the tray that hooked onto the car window and order burgers and onion rings. I didn’t know that IHOP started in Toluca Lake!
Stu29573, I’ll have to look, I think I might have a Kip’s menu (?), but I could be wrong. I’ll have to dig it out, and see if it has any fried chicken. You might be right about the competition in Texas, like selling ice to Eskimos.
Nanook, I had an acquaintance (not really a friend) who wound up becoming a page over at the NBC Studios, but because we weren’t really friends I didn’t hear that much about what went on. Once in a while he’d drop the name of a celebrity who he saw, I’m sure many must have passed through all the time. Wheel of Fortune, that’s one of those game shows that never did it for me. I like “Jeopardy!”! It makes sense about keeping kids that were too young out of a studio, the last thing you want is a crying child or rambunctious brats! I’m sure Bob Hope saw plenty of women, I guess Dolores figured it was best to not ask questions.
Lou and Sue, PORK BELLIES? Why am I blogging about Disneyland when I could be blogging about pork bellies! ;-) I know what you mean though, Chicago has SO much going on, and so much great art, music, history, food, museums, architecture… but people just want to know about gangsters. When I traveled to Europe, if people heard that I was from California, they just assumed that I surfed. I remember those vending machines with the chicken soup, it always seemed so weird to me. That being said, I was always happy to get hot chocolate in any form. The little cup dropping down, with the handles that popped out from the sides. Ah, I see now about the mysterious “two weeks”.
DBenson, yes, those comics were not great works of art, but kids were not picky. I think Bob’s girlfriend was named “Dolly”, and I’m sure he had a dog too, but I couldn’t tell you what the dog’s name was. The milkshakes with the extra bit in the metal cup was so great, man I wish I had one RIGHT NOW. I love a good pancake house, but sticky handles come with the territory. Also, those little racks with the different flavors of jellies for your toast.
Nanook, are those from your personal collection??
JB, ha ha, you have nobody to blame but yourself. You could be a killjoy like me and just sit it out! Yes, maybe that’s where TokyoMagic! came up with the idea of the white oval.
Major, Europeans think all Texas are cowboys and ride horses to work and school. Of course, we do, but we don't like to make a big deal about it.
Major-
Nah, those menus aren't a part of my collection - I hadn't yet developed my 'collectors blood', such as it is, when I might have been able to 'lift one' from the premises. I did note in the listing of their nationwide locations, the one I often dined at - the one located in the original Town & Country Market, across 3rd Street from the Farmers Market, at 3rd & Fairfax. That particular location was literally on the SE corner of 3rd & Fairfax - sitting at the edge of the parking lot for the Town & Country Market, and not connected to the 'market', proper.
HERE's a view of the Town & Country Market, looking decidedly-different than its famous neighbor across the street. (Opened in 1942, and describing itself as a "small town of 100 smart shops", I'm not certain just exactly how long it remained in the form pictured here, before it started to morph into what now passes for more regional, open-air shopping centers, but it was probably through most of the 1960's).
Sue, yes, that Hollywood Squares set/framework look very small and very flimsy. And I was kidding about working on the "Groundhog Day" names! I don't think I could even come up with one!
Chuck, now you jogged my memory, about the fake glass! I remember that demonstration and I remember them letting us take pieces home with us. I think that is something that I tossed out years ago. I guess I am not a hoarder if I've actually thrown out some things, right? Right??????
Major, as far as I know, there were never stand-alone Pappy Parker's restaurants. It was just an item on the Bob's menu. And I'm not sure, but I think it was something that was added later. I remember them really pushing that menu item in commercials, in the seventies. They had a little hillbilly character and he might have been done with claymation. I just remember the way he pronounce it.....Friiiiiiiiiied Chicken!
Anonymous, thanks for the info about Pepe's now being Chick-fil-a. I saw that on Google street view, but it was hard to compare what was where in today's photo vs. the current view.
Nanook and Major, I think the "no kids" rule was more about worrying if small children would keep quiet during the filming of a TV show. But at the same time, I do remember some of the warm up guys telling racy jokes. There was one who tried to hold back, but then he said "Oh, the heck with it, and told us a couple." I think I was 16 at the time, and I think it's when we where in the audience for "Laverne and Shirley." I'm guessing that they would not be able to do that today.
Here is a link to my "Tonight Show" ticket. The minimum age of 16 was the standard policy for most of the TV shows that we went to. At least, it was always printed on the ticket. But I started going to the filming/taping of shows when I was 13, and they never asked for an I.D.
Scroll down to the very last image, to see the Tonight Show ticket:
https://meettheworldinprogressland.blogspot.com/2009/12/snowflakes-in-emporium-1995.html
JB, ha, ha! NBC did not put a white oval over my face! I did record the show that night, and have transferred it digitally. I should upload it to YouTube.
I have been wanting to do a "Bob's Big Boy" post for a while now, but as with other "potential posts" that I have ideas for, I have been dragging my feet on it. I do have a stack of those Big Boy comic books. I just need to scan some of them. I also have a vintage Bob's menu from the 1950s, that my mom "took" from one of the restaurants. I have scanned that, but I wasn't able to locate those scans, otherwise I would have included a link to it, too. I might have to get that out and re-scan it.
Tokyo, I'm sure you can come up with one Groundhog Day name. All you need is one, for that day. Besides, you gotta. Sue says so. ;-) Them's the rules. (Even I have one in mind.)
We will all wait breathlessly for February 2nd to see your oh so clever name! No pressure.
Lou, Sue & Tokyo, thank you for jogging a memory!
I must have toured this studio since I remember the Hollywood Squares set too, and was also struck by how small it was.
Had a similar feeling touring the set of Ironsides at Universal.
Tokyo, please do a Big Boy post!
JG
TM!, “I started going to the filming/taping of shows when I was 13, and they never asked for an I.D.”. As awkward as it felt to be significantly taller than my classmates at 13, sometimes that early growth spurt came in handy. :-)
Nanook: Thanks! I don't remember the fake mustache, but that menu was a powerful blast from the past. Guessing those were maybe mid-60s prices. How much was the steak sandwich? Mom would say we stopped going there when my older brother learned to order that (we were a family of two parents and four kids).
The other main memory was that we could see the screen of the El Rancho Drive In as we were walking to the car. It always seemed to be two guys in suits talking. On the other side of the same small parking lot was a more upscale place. Bohanon, or something like that. We never went there. Mom said it used to be called Club Taboo, which sounded risqué but she and Dad somehow didn't get around to investigating.
They vanished from the local landscape decades ago, but lately I've seen Uncle John's in San Jose and Campbell. Both have the familiar sign, but the decor is 1950s aluminum diner. Guessing somebody simply bought the brand -- a sign on one before it opened indicated it was owned by Scramblz, a breakfast chain.
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