It was 1952, on the Susie McIntyre kitchen set. Susie was Betty Feezor's predecessor as Channel 3's maven of cooking and stuff. Here, young Doug McDaniel, displaying that lean and hungry look, is on the left. In the white shirt is Julian Massi (obviously defying child labor laws). That's handsome Max Davis in the sweater, and floor supervisor Charlie Lineberger on the end.
This was called a "standing" set, for it was always left standing, and never "struck," because—in this case, being a kitchen set—it was hooked up to the city water and sewer systems, and the refrigerator contained real food. It would have been too much trouble to move it, so it was built snuggly against a studio wall, to allow most of the room always to be available for other productions. Most sets, though, were disassembled immediately after use and removed for storage in the "prop room."
Secrets revealed: Our kitchen sets always had a window over the sink to give them a touch of realism, and placed outside the window was fake foliage, or a photo mural of some landscape, or both. Some TV stations (and you know who you are) were too chintzy to go to that trouble. They'd just keep the blinds closed.
Photo courtesy Doug McDaniel
