70s/80s sitcom landmarks in New York City?

December 6, 2010 6:54 PM

I'm headed to New York City soon and would like to visit some landmarks from 70s or 80s TV shows (with a preference toward sitcoms). I tried (unsuccessfully) to hunt down the front door from "The Cosby Show" -- what else can I look for?
posted by laze to Travel & Transportation around New York, NY (12 answers total)

Not 70s or 80s, but if 90s are okay: Tom's Restaurant (the Seinfeld diner) is at 112th and Broadway.
posted by oinopaponton at 7:07 PM on December 6, 2010

I'm pretty sure the front door from the Cosby show is on Leroy street between Hudson and Varick

A lot of the Seinfeld exteriors are on the Upper West Side - Tom's Restaurant ("Monk's Diner") is on Broadway at 112th
posted by Mchelly at 7:07 PM on December 6, 2010

Best answer: You can see the street and house in the opening credits of All in the Family, and the building in the opening credits of The Jeffersons.

Another Queens thing -- the Queensboro bridge was in the opening credits of Taxi.
posted by Ashley801 at 7:08 PM on December 6, 2010

Best answer: Also the "Mad About You" apartment building is on lower fifth avenue at 12th street.

And the Odeon (not from a sitcom but heavily featured in the old SNL opening credits) is on West Broadway at Duane Street
posted by Mchelly at 7:14 PM on December 6, 2010

Not 70s or 80s, but if 90s are okay: Tom's Restaurant (the Seinfeld diner) is at 112th and Broadway.

Stop for a picture. Don't stay for the food (it's awful). Also, the interior was not used in the show. If you're in the neighborhood, take a peek into The Cloisters, and St John the Divine. Neither have a damn to do with TV, but if you're trekking all the way up there to see the Seinfeld diner, you might as well take in two of the more underappreciated NYC attractions.

On the other hand, The Little Owl is housed in "That Building from Friends," and is easily one of my favorite restaurants in NYC. The restaurant itself doesn't feature in the show at all, though...
posted by schmod at 7:15 PM on December 6, 2010

Best answer: Scouting NY concentrates more on cinema than TV, I think, but you might find something there. And if you're interested, for some films he has 'then-and-now' pieces about their NY locations: Taxi Driver, Ghostbusters, Rosemary's Baby.
posted by lapsangsouchong at 7:24 PM on December 6, 2010

Archie Bunker's house.
posted by mazola at 8:14 PM on December 6, 2010

Here's an amusing and touching video about Jerry Stiller going to Astoria, Queens to visit the house which was used as the exterior of the Costanza's on Seinfeld. If you watch the video closely you could probably pick up enough hints to find the place, or get close anyway.
posted by illenion at 8:15 PM on December 6, 2010

It has been used in a lot of stock footage for movies and TV, so remember the Flatiron Building. Also, lots of cop shows showed real NYPD precinct buildings as exterior shots. Lastly, New Utrecht High School was the school in Welcome Back, Kotter.
posted by AzraelBrown at 4:34 AM on December 7, 2010

Response by poster: Thanks for the suggestions, all!
posted by laze at 11:29 AM on December 9, 2010

FYI, the house from The Cosby Show is at 10 Leroy Street (Between Varick and Hudson - I was right!)
posted by Mchelly at 8:21 AM on December 10, 2010

Response by poster: Funny -- last time we were there, we tried so hard to find the Cosby Show house and couldn't find 10 for the life of us. Found 8, 9, 11, 12...
posted by laze at 10:41 AM on December 10, 2010