There is no stranger tale than one that is based on fact. Comedians of Los Angeles include the scriptwriters, who make funny happen, believe in the same concept: whenever you take something funny or peculiar in real life and exaggerate the premise into a dreamlike setting, you have the makings of comic gold. Los Angeles knows that its many tourists love to laugh and appreciate comedy—from the historic sets of comedy shows that were taped in Los Angeles or even the comedy shows that were set in Los Angeles over the years. To help you make the most of your sightseeing in Los Angeles, we've highlighted some of your favorite sitcoms that have been set in the City of comedic Angels over the years.
California's high Hispanic population certainly helped paved the way for the success of NBC's Los Angeles-based Chico and The Man series, which starred Jack Albertson and the late Freddie Prinze. It was notable for being the first television series set in a Mexican American neighborhood. That tradition continued with the George Lopez Show, a recently cancelled sitcom set in Los Angeles. The sitcom Cybill, starring Cybill Shepherd and Christine Baranski, was also based in the area and featured faded television star Cybill Sheridan (played by you know who) struggling to maintain her fame in small bit parts. The sitcom earned some respectable ratings in its debut but was canceled by the CBS network in 1998 for unclear reasons. (Shepherd claims it was because of the show's controversial depiction of sex and feminism, while others claims it was simply a controversial lack of ratings).
The Ellen TV sitcom certainly made history and long before Ellen confessed to the world that she finds girls pretty, this sitcom was depicting the Los Angeles lifestyle perfectly. The Ellen show (originally entitled "These Friends of Mine" upon its debut) followed a notable cast of characters (and distinctly iconic Los Angeles type residents) such as Ellen Morgan, Paige Clark, Holly, Adam Green, Joe Farrell and Audrey Penney. The show lasted from 1994 to 1998, producing 109 episodes, and surviving a major retooling and a scandalous TV moment that made history and won an Emmy award for Best Series Writing.
Entourage is a series still in production featuring the acting talents of Kevin Connolly, Adrian Grenier, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara and Jeremy Piven. The series follows rise of fictional character Vincent Chase, a young A-list movie star living in Los Angeles, who is surrounded by his childhood friends from New York City. The show is loosely based on Mark Wahlberg's experiences as an up and coming star. Other Los Angeles based sitcoms of merit include The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Sanford, Three's Company starring John Ritter, The Jamie Foxx Show, and Yes, Dear. Some of these legendary sitcoms are featured in museums in and around the Los Angeles tour area. Make plans to see all of Hollywood's funny memories at tours such as The Movie Stars' Homes Tour Combination and Universal Studios.
