tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972588591329925648.post3261634625678333809..comments2023-10-20T04:42:12.175-07:00Comments on Magnum P.I. Set Decorator: Set Construction and How They Are BuiltMagnum Decoratorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03148857678317907267noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972588591329925648.post-41770982862062089042008-11-11T02:55:00.000-08:002008-11-11T02:55:00.000-08:00Wow, my brain is hurting trying to remember that a...Wow, my brain is hurting trying to remember that answer! I think they gave me a picture from a magazine or maybe a still from the movie. I'm pretty sure there were only 1 or 2 photos at most. I used to build a lot of stage set and architectural models so I had to make the bridge look a little less professional since Higgin's was doing it. Considering the materials I used, it couldn't have been too accurate anyway. Yes, the internet has certainly changed our research methods--not always for the good, however!<BR/><BR/>RickMagnum Decoratorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03148857678317907267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972588591329925648.post-86474635583334946932008-11-10T21:35:00.000-08:002008-11-10T21:35:00.000-08:00Another question... Do you happen to remember what...Another question... Do you happen to remember what you were looking at when you made the bridge? A VHS or BETA videotape of the movie? Or a still picture sent from Los Angeles? Something else?<BR/><BR/>Today of course a picture of the bridge can be found in a few seconds on the web, but it would be interesting to know what your solution was back then.rubber chickenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05080706577449157526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972588591329925648.post-44146189928590920112008-11-09T17:52:00.000-08:002008-11-09T17:52:00.000-08:00Hi Rick,Thanks for the post on this topic - answer...Hi Rick,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the post on this topic - answered my questions :)<BR/><BR/>On the topic of the bridge - having built it you must have almost shed a tear when magnum blew it up in season 7! That was a classic scene - very funny.<BR/><BR/>Thanks again,<BR/>DaveAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972588591329925648.post-70481743397541706542008-11-07T13:10:00.000-08:002008-11-07T13:10:00.000-08:00Hi Mike, Thanks for the great questions! I think...Hi Mike, Thanks for the great questions! I think I need to remind people that I was involved in almost 100 episodes of Magnum 20-25 years ago with most of the episodes overlapping. Remember each ONE individually is difficult. You saw one each week, I worked on 2-3 a week at the same time! I have only watched a few episodes since then and I don't always remember if I even did them or not until I see the credits. If I see my name, I did it!<BR/><BR/>Any set that happened in seasons 4-6 I would have been directly responsible for and slightly responsible for season 7. I may not remember what I did, but I did it!<BR/><BR/>I built the original model of Higgin's bridge. There were 3 - a beginning, a partially completed, and a finished one for that episode. I did have to cheat and use chopsticks for structural and time constraints, but you would never have noticed even in a close-up. I was also just off camera to remove or reglue any piece that John Hillerman used on camera for the many takes. Apparently there were other episodes where it was destroyed or damaged. I don't remember fixing it, but maybe I did or maybe someone else did. Sorry if I can't give a definite answer 25 years later!<BR/><BR/>Yes, Tom's bedroom set directly adjoined the guest house living room (camera right), If it was not going o be used in that episode, another set might occupy it's place with the bedroom walls taken down. I believe the bathroom was on the left when you came in the bedroom. Again if it was going to be used, it was thee, if not, it probably would have not been set up. Once sets were permanently established or set up, it was up to my crew to maintain them. I might occasionally inspect them, but they were pretty good about maintaining them on their own.<BR/><BR/>I don't believe there was any particular attempt to match the actual front of the boathouse with the guesthouse on the stage. I don't know why they didn't use the existing / actual guest house or servants quarters behind the actual boathouse at the Anderson estate. As I already stated, it is a little unbelievable that you would have a room like the living room set below the water line that close to the ocean, but that was all done before my time.<BR/><BR/>Hope that answers your questions and glad to be of help. If nothing else it's good to exercise the memory once in awhile!<BR/><BR/>RickMagnum Decoratorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03148857678317907267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972588591329925648.post-37686661843301202592008-11-07T10:22:00.000-08:002008-11-07T10:22:00.000-08:00Thank You for your inside photos and stories. All ...Thank You for your inside photos and stories. All of us at Magnum-Mania.com are totally (80's term) enjoying your blogs. It's a great inside view of the mechanics of how the greatest television show ever was made. I do have a couple of questions in no particular order. I read that you built Higgins' model of the bridge. I was wondering just how many models there were of the bridge since it was destroyed numerous times, and did you build all of them? Was it really built from match sticks?<BR/>I also read that you didn't build the permanent sets, but the guesthouse set for example was redressed several times for flashback or years gone by shots, It was even painted red at one point. The guesthouse facinates me for some reason. Were you involved in redressing that set for those episodes? Also, was the bathroom and bedroom actually connected to the main room in the guesthouse, or were they stand alone sets? I don't believe there were any shots of the area where the large boat doors on the actual building were shown in the set, was that an issue in setting up shots? How close was the guest house set made to match up with the actual building exterior? Lastly (for now) any idea why the guesthouse was portrayed to be in a completely different part of the estate than the boat house actually was located?<BR/>Thanks so much for your time in this. Your words and photos are invaluable to us.<BR/>Mike (n1095a)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972588591329925648.post-49004818501894406352008-11-07T09:19:00.000-08:002008-11-07T09:19:00.000-08:00Thanks Anonymous (sure are a of of people with the...Thanks Anonymous (sure are a of of people with the same name). It was TV from our era before MTV made 2-3 second shots normal, before cars blew up every 5 minutes, and blood splattered on the wall was a daily occurrence. Long live nostalgia! (I think there is a pun in there somewhere?)<BR/><BR/>AlohaMagnum Decoratorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03148857678317907267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2972588591329925648.post-47221911981477938162008-11-07T04:25:00.000-08:002008-11-07T04:25:00.000-08:00Just found you this morning and wow, I'm lovin...Just found you this morning and wow, I'm loving it! I'm an 80's kid and loved those shows Magnum, Simon & Simon, Airwolf, RipTide, Knight Rider, etc. Love your post and the behind the scene trick and pictures....Keep up the great blog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com