The Goldbergs, currently airing on ABC, was created by Adam F. Goldberg and is based on his youth, growing up in the Philadelphia area. The series is set in the 1980’s and features a lot of pop culture references from that era. Every episode identifies the year as “Nineteen Eighty… Something”, thus allowing the writers to reference a variety of events without having to follow a chronological order.
Sony Pictures Studios
Like many single camera comedy series, The Goldbergs is filmed on a soundstage. Production is done at the Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California, just outside of Los Angeles. Fortunately for fans of the show, Sony offers public tours of its studio. These tours do not guarantee seeing the Goldbergs’ sets, however they will often try and visit if the show is not in production. If you want to increase your chances, visit the studios in late spring after the television season has ended production. There is still no guarantee, but there is a good chance you will see some of the sets at this time, since they won’t be in use.
One Goldbergs spot you will see on the tour is the classic art deco Thalberg Building. The sign on the front of the building still says Columbia Pictures. The exterior of this building is used as the William Penn Academy on the Goldbergs. While the interior of the building is just offices, you can get your photo taken outside. This is where they film the school scenes.
When I did the tour, we got to see the basement set from The Goldbergs. Unfortunate we weren’t permitted to take any photos. However it was awesome to see the set and all the 80s toys they had. I really wanted to stay and play with everything!
As we left the set, we could see through a window star Troy Gentile. He was practicing a dance routing with a choreographer. We watched for a couple moments before we had to move on.
The Goldbergs House
Another Goldbergs location that you can visit is the house used for exterior shots. This is an actual residential house located not too far from Sony Studios. The house is located at 3071 Earlmar Drive in the Cheviot Hills neighbourhood. The show has done extensive filming here, in the front, backyard, and along the street over the years. Even the tree in front of the house has played into several plots on the show.
An interesting fact about this house is that it is a bungalow or ranch-style house, with only 1 floor. As the interior set has a second floor, the producers asked the owners if they could install windows in the roof. This is to make it appear as though the house has a second floor. I had the opportunity to speak to the owner. She told me that they agreed to the modifications on the condition that the roof is restored once the show ends.
While you can’t see it from the front, there is also a treehouse in the backyard that has been built by the show and used for production. Please keep in mind this house is a private home, and you should respect the property. Only take photos from the street, and don’t trespass.
If you have any questions or thoughts about The Goldbergs or any filming locations, please share with me in the comment section below.
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