Is Mr. Belvedere a Pittsburgh Icon? (Beaver Falls, Latrobe: house, taxes, living)

[Jowel]

I am reminiscing on 1980's popular culture which, to me, was the golden age of quality, wholesome television sitcoms.

I know quite a few people strongly associate Full House with San Francisco as one example, as well as other non-sitcom shows with their host storyline city or state (i.e. LA Law, Fresh Prince of Bel Aire, and Beverly Hills 90210 obviously with LA, Northern Exposure with Alaska, etc., Seinfeld with NYC, Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry with North Carolina, etc.).

In my mind, Mr. Belvedere is one of those greatly popular 1980's entertainment relics that I automatically associate with Pittsburgh (although technically the family lived in suburban Beaver Falls). Do Pittsburgh locals think of or promote that same association, or is there any sort of museum or commemoration that acknowledges the show or its exposure of Pittsburgh?

I know Mr. Rogers has a statute in his honor (very well deserved) since he's from Pittsburgh, but I really haven't heard of any commemoration for Mr. Belvedere.

I'm just curious and responses are appreciated!

[Merge]

In the decades I've been living here, I have never once heard Mr. Belvedere mentioned. But my social circle could be radically different from yours. Are people in NC big fans of dapper English housekeepers, or is that mostly just SC?

[UKyank]

As with most shows 'set' somewhere in name only but filmed in California with nothing more then passing references to whatever city it's set in, local popularity isn't going to be any much more then whatever fame it has nationally.

[Jowel]

Originally Posted by Merge

Are people in NC big fans of dapper English housekeepers, or is that mostly just SC?

I haven't heard that about SC , and I don't know that most NC residents would be a big fan of dapper English housekeepers, but I for one love the Mr. Belvedere show and it just stands out in my mind as a "Pittsburgh" show (and had frequent Pittsburgh references written into it).

I can tell you that the Andy Griffith Show is based around the small town of Mt. Airy NC, and quite a bit of the economy in that town has been built around iconography and tourism focused on that single show. Of course, as a much, much smaller and less economically diverse place than Pittsburgh obviously, it's had to find its niche out of survival, so that may have something to do with why the association seems much stronger.

[Merge]

Originally Posted by Jowel

I haven't heard that about SC , and I don't know that most NC residents would be a big fan of dapper English housekeepers, but I for one love the Mr. Belvedere show and it just stands out in my mind as a "Pittsburgh" show (and had frequent Pittsburgh references written into it).

I can tell you that the Andy Griffith Show is based around the small town of Mt. Airy NC, and quite a bit of the economy in that town has been built around iconography and tourism focused on that single show. Of course, as a much, much smaller and less economically diverse place than Pittsburgh obviously, it's had to find its niche out of survival, so that may have something to do with why the association seems much stronger.

Pittsburgh is mentioned a lot in Cronenberg's Videodrome too... but people don't seem to associate themselves with that much either.

[Jowel]

Originally Posted by Merge

Pittsburgh is mentioned a lot in Cronenberg's Videodrome too... but people don't seem to associate themselves with that much either.

I must confess I'm not that familiar with this one, but I'll have to check it out.

[fleetiebelle]

Originally Posted by UKyank

As with most shows 'set' somewhere in name only but filmed in California with nothing more then passing references to whatever city it's set in, local popularity isn't going to be any much more then whatever fame it has nationally.

Yeah, I think people identify more with pop culture that actually involves the city itself because it was filmed here. Mr. Belvedere being set in Pittsburgh is just a minor trivia blip. Haven't thought about that show in years.

[safak]

Full House the main character was on 'Wake up San Fransicso' or w/e it was called, and mentioned quite often in the series.

Its been a hella long time since i watched Mr Belvedere but i don't think he hosted a 'Buters of Pittsburgh' show that they mentioned dozens of times per season.

I didn't even remember the show was set around here, i did just see a 'Boy Meets World' rerun with my kids where Corey and Shawn went to Pittsburgh (showed the incline and all) to try to get Topengas parents back together. Couple bad 'steel' jokes thrown in but w/e. For the record, they failed, the parents did not get back together as of the last episode ending, no spoilers on the next ep. plz.

[guy2073]

Maybe instead of raising taxes Pittsburgh could sell Mr belvedere bobble heads at the airport and train station to tourists

[Pitt Chick]

Never heard of Mr Belvedere.
Fred Rogers is from Latrobe.