Ever since I did a post about the classic TV Dick Van Dyke Show I have wanted to share with you about author, artist Mark Bennett who spent years drawing blueprints of beloved Classic TV Shows. His fantasy book available for purchase is “TV Sets: Fantasy Blueprints of Classic TV Homes.” He has drawn blueprints of The Mike and Carol Brady House, Leave It To Beaver, The Patty Duke Show, The Jetsons, I Love Lucy, Family Affair, The Flintstones, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and Laverne and Shirley to name a few.
Mark Bennett’s famous detailed blueprint drawings can also be found at the Los Angles County Museum of Art and The Museum of Modern Art and he has been “coined a master of nostalgia and social evaluation, acting as “the most earnest of his generation of West Coast artists drawing on popular culture.”
via Amazon
The back cover of the book shows the Ricardos’ address for the I Love Lucy Show was 623 E 68th Street, Apartment 30, but per IMDB.com, 68th Street in Manhattan only goes up to 600, which means the apartment was in the middle of the East River. Well, this is fantasy folks, but the blueprints of the TV Shows are for real and exact as seen in the shows with Mr. Bennett occasionally needing to take liberties drawing in rooms never seen on the shows to make a complete house.
Mark Bennett also wrote the book How to Live a Sitcom Life that is about how to solve daily problems in life using your favorite television personalities as your role model. Each section in the book offers helpful hints on issues like caring for a pet, buying a car, and domestic issues per the wit and wisdom of Mark Bennet, TV junkie style.
I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of the book and see my beloved TV Shows house floor plans come to life. There is another person that does this kind of TV Show blueprint drawing that I will be featuring in a future post, so stay tuned.
Sources: Mark Moore Gallery
Great post Sue. Love looking at blueprints.
Thanks Vidya
I loved the Brady Bunch house! Those stairs in the living room were amazing. I would love to get my hands on this book. There are a few other favorite sitcoms houses I would love to see as well, Frazier is one that comes to mind. There was a lamp on that show, that I would love to get my hands on. I sometimes wondered if I was watching the show just to see my lamp. LOL
Jenny Lynn recently posted…Taquitos
I got a great giggle from your “watching the show just to see my lamp.” I do that too on many shows. Stay tuned to tomorrow for the Frazier Show blueprints Jenny as I did a post about where to get that blueprint.
Sue recently posted…Fun Retro Kitchens
And I can’t wait to read your blog after you read the book. Blue print for TV show. So cool!
Journey of LIfe recently posted…Journey to the Philae Temple
I am going to do another post about a woman who also does this too.
Sue recently posted…Jeremy Renner’s Mansion Is $25 Million
I would like to see the blue print for the Huxtable’s house too. Miss that show! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Michelle, I loved your wolf story today.
Sue recently posted…Enchanting Fairy-tale English Cottages
I always wanted to see a blueprint for the Huxtable’s house, because the upstairs seemed bigger than the mail level, and I could never figure out where the dining room was in relation to the living room.
Ginger Kay recently posted…Are you too old or too young for fairy tales?
I wonder if the other company I plan to do drew the Huxtable’s house. I will have to try to remember to check it out.
Sue recently posted…50s Retro Kitchens
You know, it never occurred to me that someone had to draw up blueprints for tv homes! Interesting article. Thanks for sharing.
Loy recently posted…WHAT A BABY BOOMER NEEDS TO BE HEALTHY AND HAPPY
Hi Loy and nice to meet you and glad you liked the post.
Sue recently posted…Tybee Island Mermaid Manor Cottage circa 1935
Well thank you for pinning me! So flattered. And, may I say I’ve found a kindred spirit in houseaboodle- I LOVE HOUSES!!!! ANd I’ve had so many. Some day I’m going to have to blog about that. In the meantime, I’m following you. Keep up the great posts!
Hi Cheryl, so happy to meet you too actually. If you have a nice house story, let me know.
Sue recently posted…The “Love Story” Movie and Houses
I will. Actually- I have a few already posted on my blog. I’ll have to back and send you those links.
Cheryl Nicholl recently posted…The Graffiti of Time
The Graffiti of Time is awesome.
Sue recently posted…Pink Houses
Thank you Miss Sue! I love peeking in windows- just ask my kids (I hope they don’t start a blog about ME! Uugh!!)
Cheryl Nicholl recently posted…Avalon
This is cool. How did you get hold of this blue print?
I always imagine how creativity rolls when planning a show and then designing the floor plan with it.
Awesome!
Ruchira recently posted…Would you Yahoo on this?
Hi Ruchica, the blueprint is from the book itself that is for sale on Amazon.
Sue recently posted…A House Made Out Of Newspaper – The Paper House
That is fascinating! Thanks for sharing – I love looking at floorplans, even for imaginary movie houses!
House Crazy Sarah recently posted…The Bruno House in Texas
I want to see his drawing of I Dream Of Jeanie bottle.
Sue recently posted…Jeremy Renner’s Mansion Is $25 Million