Andy Griffith's Mayberry filming backlot and Desilu Studio 

Thanks for this! I lived with Don Knotts (my uncle) back in 1977. We would watch reruns of the show in the evening sometimes.

The Andy Griffith show was probably the greatest comedy show ever. Don Knotts character Barney Fife just brilliant. Still being shown today in reruns I laugh just as much as when I was watching them as a kid. Thank you for showing us where the magic happened.

This has been one of the most in-depth videos I’ve seen that has gone into the history of where The Andy Griffith Show was filmed.

Your use of superimposed vintage pictures over the modern scenes, and a complete walk around of the property, and inserting actual video scenes from the shows is superb. Very in-depth. Bravo!

Boy, life would of been just bit more wonderful if they left us the Andy Griffith set for us to walk through and reminisce.

This episode of "History Hunters" was truly a trip down memory lane. Thanks for the memories, Jeff!

Jeff, this was phenomenal. The research and the accompanying film clips and pics were absolutely great. It's a shame that just about nothing remains of the historic shows and sites you showed us... It really is amazing that "The Andy Griffith Show" has never been off the air, somewhere in the world, since it was first shown. I read once that Jim Nabors had a hard time watching the opening scene where he is marching with fellow marines. He said that many of them were killed in Vietnam. This affected Jim tremendously... Great job, as always...👏💥

Hollywood history unfortunately suffers the same fate as much of real history. But, location is everything. Knowing where places and events happened, and having the opportunity to visit these places is more than a dream. I loved the manhole cover. That is history. And yes, as a kid Andy Griffith was my favorite show. I guess it still is. Thanks Jeff

I loved Floyd. He was my favorite character. Griffith was quite the actor. Very versatile. Thank you both for this trip. Stay safe.

Andy Griffith said he didn't want to record in front of an audience. He said the actors go for the cheap laugh, when you do that. Thanks for the tour !

I'm 58 and still haven't seen Gone With The Wind and I'm suprised cause my Mom and I would always watch all the greats when I was little. 10 Commandments and Wizard of OZ came on once a year and remember us huddled around the old tv. Thanks Jeff! And my late wife was obsessed with I Love Lucy, I still have gobbs of her memorabilia.

I don't know how you do it Jeff. You take a street where nothing is there resembling what used to be there and bringing back the days of yesteryear. Even though there's not much left of the studios, I feel like I have a better feeling of what yesterday was like. Thank you again for a wonderfully entertaining video.

Growing up, The Andy Griffith Show was one of my all-time favorite shows to watch with family. Now, we all love to watch your channel. Thank you for sharing this history with us, Jeff & Sarah!

I watch The Andy Griffith show every night.

Brought back a lot of memories watching those shows growing up. As always, I appreciate all of the work that that you put into these videos.

Ronnie Howard is STILL hilarious in this show.!!! A CLASSIC and beyond.!! Excellent video BTW.

It's funny, we just started watching Andy Griffith again as a "filler" between two other shows. It's so hard to believe that all of that is completely gone without even a plaque in the sidewalk or some sort of sign like you stated! Thank you for yet another great and informative episode! Always look forward to see what's coming next!

God Bless you I was a 15 year old lot boy and I worked there in the summer of 67 and 68 for $1.10 an hour And I couldn’t have given as good a tour as you do please keep up the great work and keep our great American heritage going

My husband and I live in North Carolina, close to the original “Mayberry.” 3 years ago we were married in the courthouse By an Andy Griffith impersonator. I am originally from the Bay Area of CA and spent much of my life in the places you and Sara visit. Tuolumne, Sonora, Placerville, Stockton are all very important places to me, and growing up. Thank you for your videos. I love being able to show my husband the places I visited as a kid.

Progress doesn’t care about the past. It’s such a shame that as the remnants of the shows that taught morals to young children disappear, society becomes more like every apocalyptic movie ever made. What was once frowned upon has now become normal and if you don’t agree with those who do it, you are the one shamed and cancelled.

Big fan of history. Appreciate all the hard work you put into your videos. Thank you.

Hey Jeff, first, thank you for doing this. Really great work! My best friend growing up was Mark Hazelwood, son of the great singer/songwriter Lee Hazelwood. Their next door neighbor was Andy Griffith. I saw him all the time but he was, to me, just another person. He came to Mark's birthday parties, swam in the pool with us, and was as normal as you would imagine he'd be. Without people like you, this era will will eventually be lost so yes, again, thank you!!!

Jeff, I got to agree with you when you looked at that parking garage and said:.. This isn't progress to me. So true. Anyway, as usual, an excellent and thoroughly interesting video.

Second comment: Also the iconic opening scene of Andy and Opie walking the dirt road with their fishing polls was shot at Franklin canyon reservoir it hasn't changed much except the trees and foliage has grown.

Awesome job Jeff! Thanks for the “look behind the scenes” experience of all these shows! Being a kid in the early to mid 80’s watching The Andy Griffith show reruns and Hogan’s Heroes and Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. (I was a Marine too) I would never of thought these shows were all filmed in one location just different little sections. Really cool! Thanks again and can’t wait till next Sunday again! Take care you two, Frank from Philadelphia, PA.

Spent many days of my youth playing, riding my bicycle and talking with people on the back 40 . CBS and Desilu were the greatest playgrounds ever. I just didn't realize the history being made right before my eyes. You have brought back some great memories. 👍 ❤

I am just in awe I grew up on Andy Griffith as well as I love Lucy but the AG show is in my heart ironically I’ve worked for many many years in that exact area in and around Culver City/Baldwin Hills and never had a clue thanks so much for the trip down memory lane I loved photo stills

I must make a soaring tribute to Jeff on this review of Mayberry and RKO history. The intimate walk coupled with historic photos along the way really gave me a detailed comparison of life then and now. As a boomer who reveres the great fantasy period of TV and film that filled our hours after school and beyond, I thank you so much for this wonderful story.

Hello History Hunters, Thanks so much for sharing and bringing back great memories of these shows. 👍

Thank you for this...it’s like going back home!

Thanks Jeff. I love Andy Griffith. I watch just about anything he has done. His old movies,his Mayberry show,Matlock,his later movies. Any type of guest appearances he did,that I can find. After getting sick in 2017,I started watching a lot of his stuff🙂

Jeff & Sarah, I grew up watching most of the shows mentioned in this episode of History Hunters. It brought back a lot of memories for me growing up, where the whole family; grandparents, mom and dad, brothers and sisters, would all sit in front of the TV watching these great (wholesome) programs. I’m a little older than Mitch M and must confess that I too haven’t seen Gone with the Wind. Not long ago I heard some people talking about it and saying it should be destroyed - which IMO would be a shame. You cannot erase history, but we can all learn from it. Anyway, thanks for all the hard work you put into making these great videos. They bring a great deal of enjoyment to my busy life.

Good program. Andy was one of my all time favorite actors. Thank you for a stroll down memory lane. 💚🙏🏼🇺🇸

I too grew up with these shows, thanks for showing me what I will never get to see. I always wanted to go to LA . I wanted to see Laural canyon , the Whisky A GoGo and so many other places . But its all screwed up . Thanks for sharing this with us .

THANK YOU!!! I love "The Andy Griffith Show" and still watch it EVERY TIME it is on TV! I have watched the RU-vid videos on the 40 Acre Lot, films and photos taken while it was there. Truly, thank you for showing us what is where the lot USED to be! A true Andy Griffith fan will love this!!!

Gone but not forgotten. The days of morals and values have gone the way of all these film sets. I tell my children that each show had a message within it that at least garnered some semblance of wholesome lifestyles.

Now that I know for sure it's all gone, I am sadder than ever. That show was a GOD reminder to us all about how human we are and what integrity really is as well as father, grandma, friend, and great to people. I wish I could go there and if I was a billionaire I would rebuild it for real and fill it with the same kinds of people who loved it.

I'm 78 so I remember about all of the shows you mentioned. We never think of where they are actually filmed. I guess that would take away some of the magic.

Great episode, but it is sad that nothing remains.

Those were the days for sure, I know I have seen most every episode of the Andy Griffith show. And also watched most of the show's that you mentioned in your video. Thanks for the walk down memory lane. 👏🎥

Thank you for your research! The bygone era when television was worth watching! You did a great job splicing in the snipits of the original over the future it became!

Absolutely outstanding content! I'm 43, and I remember watching a lot of these shows with my parents as a child. Brings back a lot of memories for me. Keep up the great work and stay safe.

This is the Best show of Set Locations for any Movies and Series I have seen yet........All of the Shows in this area are my Favorites.......The Real McCoys, Andy Griffith, Batman, Hogan's Heroes, Gomer Pyle, Star Trek, Tarzan, King Kong, Gone with the Wind, Superman and many more ...... Thank you 👌👌👍👍

Don't forget to snoop a little around where the Morrison sisters had their 'shine still and see if they left any jars of "elixir" behind.

I played on the sets when I was a kid. Security used to chase us out on the weekends. Lived on Duquesne st. Good times

Many of the outdoor scenes from "Gone With the Wind" were filmed here in Chico CA. as well as "Robin Hood" with Errol Flynn. 🧐". Warner street was named in that honor. Many yrs ago I caddied for Alan Hale in Medford Oregon for the Hollywood Hackers charity game. 😅

That was AMAZING!!! Thank you! I was born in 64 in L.A. and lived there all my life i moved a few years ago. That brought back wonderful memories :) thanks!

That was fantastic! There are several 40 acre lot videos out there, but man o man, you really take the time to do the homework to make your videos the best. Thanks!!

If you're a Star Trek - Original Series fan, the episodes of "Miri", "Errand of Mercy", and "City on the Edge of Forever" had scenes filmed at 40 acres. In "City On the Edge of Forever" you will see William Shatner and Joan Collins pass by Floyd's Barber Shop. Such a shame it's all gone, but the property became to valuable for development to preserve.

When I lived in L.A we often went by the studio where The' I love Lucy' show was filmed. I wish I as alive during the original run and could have went to see it filmed live. My sisters and I all loved Lucy and so do my kids ! my son can rattle off trivia with the best of them! I noticed your clip of Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C where he is driving through the gate and "Belmont Studios" was shown as the fictional name of the studio, I believe they chose that name because Lucy used to go by Diane Belmont early in her career. That was a little tip of the hat to Lucy, who was, Jim Nabor's ( Gomer's) boss at the time). You did a wonderful job on this video. Thanks for showing us all those wonderful filming locations.

I love this episode. My favorite shows growing up. I never would have thought they were filmed in California. Great reaction by Sarah at 7:35! Please do more of these type of videos.

Getting to travel all over Georgia and South Carolina it interesting how many small towns I pass through that I think, “This could be where Mayberry was filmed!” It seems like all these little towns got a facelift right after WWII and still have a courthouse with a bell tower and clock that goes back years earlier. Close to where I live now, the towns of Covington, Jackson and Monticello Georgia are perfect examples.

Just brings the good, memories back

I was a big fan of the Andy Griffith show, and i love lucy. This was just amazing to see the historical sites, of the old tv shows. And that was also amazing,to see the site of roger rabbit. I knew the golden girls was filmed in a studio, i love that show as well. Thank you for sharing, the old cast locations. 👍👍👍

I grew up with these shows and loved them all. This tour brings back many fine memories and makes me feel like a kid again.

Excellent video !!! Full of fabulous history and insight into the incredible activities at the 40 acre back lot. It's a real shame that they didn't preserve the area. It would now be a major tourist attraction. You did a marvelous job with this video. Thanks a lot.

I still have a Desilu metal cable box. They used to sell old movie set items at Andy's salvage yard out on the Arrow Hwy near Irwindale.

Another great history hunters you were able to fit all of that history in 22:48. I watched every show and movie you explained. Aunt B reminded me of my grandmother. Thanks again.

Awesome 👍. Thanks for taking me back to childhood memories. The good old days 💗💗💗

I used to sell the Daily News newspaper at these studios. That's when a afternoon paper was still around.

Growing up in the late 50's and 60's these shows were part of our lives then. All those locations are gone but the places still seem real, they did such a good job. This was a real good one, very informative but kinda sad. I wonder if the lady had an insurance policy taken out on Buster as it looked like she helped the wall out at 15:18

I might not have recognized citizens arrest scene right off but I would have known after the Mayberry reference, I can still hear the Gomer voice repeating..."citizens arrest, citizens arrest... CITIZENS ARREST". Thanks for your time and effort 😅😅😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣👍👍👍👍👍

Another amazing vid... and more stuff I'd known nothing about. Thanks Jeff!! This one falls into the category of "I spent so long telling my wife about it, that I just had her watch it again with me... and then we talked about it for like an hour. Really cool stuff how they built everything, then disappeared it all into oblivion, but there are those like Jeff that document it all and remember... so it will never truly be gone.

This is incredible! Thank you so much for this! I am a huge Andy Griffith Show fan! Along with many of the other shows and movies you have graciously mentioned! If only things stayed as they were. But, thanks to people like you we at least get an idea of what it was like. 💕

Very interesting! Go back and look at that manhole cover suspected to be part of the set. If you line it up with the fire hydrant across the street you will see it's pretty much an exact match in the next footage from Mayberry. Great research and enjoyed the episode.

19:54 the short lived Fox TV Series "Woops!" was on stage left, the left door was used for the studio audience. Also in 1992 the stage on the corner of Cahuenga and Waring was used for the show Empty Nest. I was in the audience for an episode of both of those shows. And I have walked the old 40 Acre lot many times, it's fun just imagining "what was."

I worked on Hayden for years on Sony productions and misc. tv shows and never knew! Thanks for the video!

Love all the shows you filmed as i grew up with all of them and didnt know they where filmed here . Does make me feel old. But again your addons to each story made it much more Thankyou for such a lovely video again x

Days gone by, never to return. Sadly.

Good morning Jeff and Sarah. Love the videos! I appreciate all of the work that goes into what amounts to 30 mins or so of entertainment for us subscribers. You and I are about the same age and share the same childhood television memories. I am a Thousand Oaks native and would love to see a then and now filming locations. I know that Gunsmoke was filmed where I grew up in Wildwood. Paramount Ranch in Agoura was also the site for very many shows that we watched. Munsters Go Home. Mash and many others. These places might be worth checking out. Take care and stay healthy.

Thank you once again. You do have a passion for Hollywood history and it shows. And all this time I thought Sarah had a deadpan sense of humor, until today, when I learn that she has no idea what is going on until after she gets there. And out of curiosity I had to research why you kept running into the "no filming" in cemeteries. Around Los Angeles, cemeteries are paid 1,000 to 10,000 dollars to be used for filming so unless you pay, no filming allowed.

Thank you History Hunters for doing this. Lots of my childhood is contained in this video- including "The Loaded Goat" and "Citizen's Arrest" episodes. All of your vids are excellent.

That's interesting about the Batman television show being filmed there. I took of tour of Warner Brothers Studio and the guide pointed out the building used as Gotham City Hall, so I thought the entire television series was filmed there. Apparently not :-)

Hey Jeff great video the Andy Griffith show and all them shows were great it is sad all that is gone your videos are great wish I could meet you and Sarah you guys are awesome Randy from Kentucky.

Great walk down memory lane! Thanks for this video. The Star Trek TOS “Miri” has some shots of a trashed street and bunch of buildings. You can see the courthouse and Ellie’s drugstore. Search for “when Star Trek visited Mayberry”, and you’ll see the Kirk-Keeler walk past Floyd’s Barber Shop, plus other pix. A cable channel here is showing a bunch of Untouchables episodes every week. It’s easy to see the Mayberry church, the theater, and other buildings in Mayberry that were used in shooting The Untouchables (no pun intended). 😁

i have watch a lot of your video's ..love ever one ..and i love how calm and cool Sarah is ..she awesome ....thanks for your video's

"ANDY, ANDY!" It's always sweeter that Aunt Bea's pie and returning birds to their family to find out where the Mayberry memories still are. Stay safe everyone!

Thank you so much for all your time and effort to show the locations of all the shows I've watched as a kid. love this

I too grew up with Andy, Col Hogan, and Lucy. It’s always a little sad for me to know those sets have been gone for years now. I do enjoy learning the history, thank you for visiting the area and sharing.

Nice investigative work here. I was hoping there would be a shot of Myer's Lake in here too

As a previous person just said, what a shame some of this history was never saved , even if only a small bit, as a reminder.

Well, Well done. So much research went into that production. Thanks for doing what you do and keep up the outstanding work.

Jeff, great job again. As usual. We are roughly the same age, grew up watching same show. My parents took me to Disneyland when I was 6 or 7. I took pictures (on a tour) of Rock Hudson, Dean Martin, Lucille Ball's homes with my little KODAK camera. After the tour my mom asked "what do you want to do now?" And I remember saying "let's go by and see if Lucy is home, I want to say hi to her." My mom informed we that "we can't do that." "Why not? We know where she lives" I said. I know for a fact, had my mom and dad driven back to her house I would have gotten out and walked up by myself and knocked on the door. I felt I knew her of course. She probably would have not been there, a maid answer and let me know she wasn't there and I would have said "ok" and turned around and walked back to my parents rental car. I like to think I would have said "tell her Joey Riddle from Tulsa came by to say hello." But I dont know at 6 or 7 years old. But I do know I was game to knock on her door!! Thanks for all the great memories!

As always nice job Jeff and Sarah. interesting, your recordings of things long past are now updated for history. Things that have changed will be changed again, and you have recorded it to be looked back on with a, remember in 2021 it looked like this!

Awesome content I wish more people would do stuff on the history of The Andy Griffith Show it's the most popular long-running show in history and people rarely even talk about it anymore

Jeff this is my favorite TV show andy griffith show was the best very informative video thanks so much Jeff great video thumbs up as always my friend

I really loved the video. Excellent work to all of you! I am seventy two years old. Grew up in Silverlake with my brothers. Our Dad worked in the movies and I can remember my dad taking us to the studios in those days in the fifties. Your work really brought it back for me. It is a total shame that no real memories are posted anywhere. It would mean so much to movie and television fans. However, I will give credit to one tribute, and that is the Laurel and Hardy Music Box steps are right around the corner from where I grew up. Thank you all for making this video. BTW, i went into Federal Law Enforcement and as a tribute to Barny Fife, I always carried a bullet in my shirt pocket, And when I got into a tight spot, I later would joke: WWBD?

"They paved paradise and put up a parking lot". Gomer Pyle and Hogan's Heroes were the two shows I had any interest in. I've been to Old Tucson several times. Once, during the High Chaparral heyday, got to see Manuelito Montoya! it's been modernized since the 60's, but still quite a place to visit!

That sign bracket. Dang, if it could talk.

Great presentation my friend. This is my Graceland. I have the entire series of Andy Griffith. I watch these reruns about 300 nights a year. I never get tired of it. The progress of man destroyed what would of been a Major Tourist Attraction which would of seen millions of dollars every year easily. The spin offs of the show's materials Hotel's Restaurant's on and on and on. I know I would of went there as much as I could being from Canada. R.I.P to the great wonderful cast of those simpler relaxing days gone by in Mayberry U.S.A. XO

i was born in the early 50's and as a child of the television era i loved these shows, now in reruns i have seen every episodes of andy griffith, i love lucy, danny thomas and still not sick of them at all. my only regret is that these sets were totally destroyed and are gone, such a shame and a piece of history !

I used to love the "I Love Lucy" reruns when I was a pre-schooler. I used to think that the town of Mayberry was a real town. (I was also crazy about "Car 54" and "The Honeymooners".) I miss the cozy worlds depicted by television shows of late 1950's and early 1960's. Sad to see these make-believe worlds replaced by parking lots and industrial buildings.

I recently read somewhere that in real life “Ang” was really doin’ Helen Crump, or the actress that played her. Just a little useless Mayberry trivia. My favorite episode was where a cow thief was stealing cows by putting shoes on the cow’s hooves and they brought in a “‘big city” detective (from Mt. Pilot no doubt) to solve it. It had to do with Barney putting faith in his friend who had faith enough in him to make him deputy. “Mr. McBeavy” was another fave where Andy had to put his faith in Opie who he at first thought was lying.

Jeff & Sarah, this video was terrific. For us old farts that remember those shows, it’s sad to see that there is/are no record on the sites as to what programs were made. Can you imagine Cecil B. De Mille saying “ ok we will build all these Roman sets and after we finish we will put a parking lot in” It seems to me that keeping history isn’t too important to those who are in charge of our movie & TV history. Yes we do have the film, but there is no awe and wonder anymore. Just my humble opinion lol thanks again guys from Down Under.

Another great video as we've grown to appreciate

I can’t remember exactly but I think a scene for the original Star Trek was shot on the Mayberry set also.

So sad that everything was destroyed.

Excellent, Thanks...the shows you mention are the one I grew up watching....lots of good memories with friends and family.

Thank you so much for doing this video. So much history gone now but it was wonderful the way you showed how it used to be. Those were indeed the days. Thanks again. I enjoyed your video very much. You do such a great job. I can hardly wait until your next one. Say hi to Sarah for me. Take care my friend

set pieces from the Mansion in "GONE WITH THE WIND" are being loveingly stored in a south Georgia barn, look up fellow vlogger "Jordan the lion" trip to Georgia, on his trip to see the set pieces from that movie, he's a big fan of Clark Gable.