Grady Bishop interview

Grady Bishop is a well respected stunt coordinator around Hollywood and Florida who has worked on a ton of different movies and tv shows ranging from 2 Fast 2 Furious to the Disney and Universal parks to We're the Millers. In the old days he made up stunts for the Nickelodeon tv series"The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo" and had the time of his life with the crew and at Nickelodeon Studios! Read our interview below and see him explain just how much fun it was and what went wrong with the show.

How did you get started in the entertainment business?

Started when I was three riding in Wild West Shows and Rodeo's

When you were approached to do Shelby Woo how did you react?

I was grateful for the opportunity for a series. The Prod Coord Norma Sardy called me in and Executive Producer Angie Bartenbach initial interview and Alan Goodman interviewed and hired me. Best Producer I ever worked for to date.

What was a typical day like at Nickelodeon Studios?

Family and team effort. Taking action to hire place than ever before without losing srory or credibility.

Do you remember other shows being filmed where you were at?

Yes I would run from Shelby to SeaQuest, to Fortune Hunter, to Swamp Thing, to Superboy, to Thunder In Paradise.

As a Florida native how great was it to have tv production going on in the area and why it has since decreased? I'm a native Texan where the work wasnt. Made the move to Florida to do Miami Vice Stunt Show at Universal and Indiana Jones at Disney between movie jobs.

I always hear positive stories about the staff down there how great were the people that you worked with?

It was a family and team effort. No egos in the bunch ever. Until the end when NY sent Jim Burns in. That's when all went to Hell in a hand basket and IATSE set up a picket line on show 8 of 13 that was proving we could shoot film without LA or NY helps. NY sent help and we died. As did the Studio which in now the Blue Man Group Dinner Show and the grave site of what once was Nickelodeon and family of Shelby Woo.

Considering Shelby Woo was a  children's show and high budget did that help for your arrangement in casting stunt players for the show?

It got larger each year. All Stunt Players were on AFTRA Contacts and paid well. Nothing like film but professional rate although we did it as much for the fun and teamwork than the money.

Were there any props that you ever get to see from the studio that looked cool for you to own?

I had couple for years. When we died I went to sound stage to pick up left stunt equipment. I sat in Shelby's living room and police station set and wept. I'm not to big to say I cried off and on for several days. I grew there had my daughter while there and built great relationships and had great mentors there like Alan Goodman, Norma Sardy.

What was the most fun action sequence that you got to do on the show?

All of em. But blowing up the house was the best.

The sound stages were very large there but the show also shot on location. Was that also an advantage in playing big action stuff?

The backlot at Universal was back then a real backlot was our best asset.

Were you ever slimed at one point or seen someone else get it?

Never me but saw numerous friends slimmed.

Did you have a favorite ride at Universal Studios Florida?

Yep but its gone Kong and Back To The Future and ET because their old school. 

There was also a studio tour where guests could look down above on the cast & crew working. How often was it that you could interact with them?

Yes we had fake film crew and did highfalls firegags shootouts on the lot and spoke with the guests.

Favorite behind the scenes memory.

Pre-Production meetings and anytime on set. Was warm helpful friendly supportive crew. They loved Alan the Cast and tasks handed us each week. Never the money was the story more than anything else we were rich in value of teamwork and friendship.

What do you think made Nickelodeon Studios so great and special?

The People the local people LA and NY were always jealous of us but always always liked working with us.

Would you like to see Nick Studios be reopened?

Everyday

The funniest thing that happened on set. 

Scared Director Chuck Vincent with life size fake alligator on set at 5:30am. Whole crew was in on it he never got me back but swore to. Great Director and friend. 

Do you think your experience at the Nick Studios was a learning process in terms of the work you do now in a beneficial way? 

Every Day Every Set. Will carry what I learned to the grave.

Thank you Grady for the interview. It was a pleasure. I'll show you the project once it is done. Thank you!

Byron Taylor interview

You've seen his name from the credits of all the classic Nickelodeon shows ranging from Double Dare to Finders Keepers to Nick Arcade to Guts to Weinerville to Figure It Out to Legends of the Hidden Temple and more! His job was titled "Production Designer". His name is Byron Taylor and you can just say he was the one who transformed the sets and colorful features of alot of different shows. Our interview talks about how he was involved with the creation of Nickelodeon Studios Florida to his shows, how big everything was, good times, and challenges.

1. How did you first become involved with Nickelodeon?

 I became involved with Nickelodeon completely by chance. I was at the blue-printer's with a friend and we ran into Jim Fenhagen who we had gone to NYU with. Jim needed someone to assist him. The other guy wasn't available but I was. It was supposed to be two weeks of drafting on a new show called Double Dare. The set was almost completely designed, but I did work on the Sundae Slide, the Wringer, and other stuff. About a month later it was being built at shops in Brooklyn & Manhattan. I then went to Philadelphia to baby sit during load-in. There was a certain degree of chaos figuring out how to do a show like that and I wound up staying through the first 65 episodes. 

2. When Nickelodeon Studios was first seen as an idea what was your initial reaction?

 My initial reaction to "Nick Studios" was: having a dedicated facility to produce the shows in would be a great idea, and a lot better than spaces we had worked in by that time, even though it would be in Florida! 

3. Were there any changes to the studio's final format than the one it was originally designed to be?

There were so many "tweaks" made to Nick Studio's original configuration that you could write a book about it. The stages and production support space was set early on using the same Butler Buildings as the other Universal stages. Each stage was supposed to hold two shows the size of the original Double Dare, which had started out in a 50' x 90' studio in Philly. This was a huge error since the most recent version of Double Dare was considerably bigger. The cyclorama was scaled to the original Double Dare even though there was about 30' to the overhead steel available. A "state of the art" automated lighting system was installed oriented for the two set configuration as well. This posed a problem for the rigging of all future sets. I could go on...

4. How exactly large was the studio?

Nick Studios stages were approximately 110' x 150', slightly larger than the other Universal stages. The 3 story Core Building was 80' x 200' and included space for the studio tour show.

5. The first tv show to produce there was Family Double Dare. What exactly did you change about the art direction than the original show?

I can't remember what show was first produced at the studio but some version of Double Dare had been shot the year before on one of the Universal stages with the biggest change being a bigger obstacle course area to go along with a bigger home base first used in Philly on the Imax stage where Finders Keepers was produced. 

6. Which set did you have the best time working on and which set was the hardest to shoot on?

 My favorite show to design at the studio was Double Dare 2000 (my favorite all time is Finders Keepers) but I also liked Legends, Roundhouse, Weinerville and even art directing Kenen & Kel and Shelby Woo. 

7. Since the budget set of Roundhouse was big was it an easy task at first creating the design of the show?

 Roundhouse did not have a very big budget and I reused parts of older sets to create the environment. The original concept had an actual working turntable to hold multiple sets that would rotate into view for each scene. We wound up painting a turn table on the studio floor and all the scenery for each scene was made from "found objects" and sheets of corrugated cardboard by Art Director Diane Stapleton & the crew.

8. "Guts" was filmed in the largest soundstage at Universal. Can you describe how the production layout was formed for all the pyrotechnics and "Extreme Arena"?

GUTS was taped on the biggest stage at Universal (100' x 200'). In later seasons it was basically configured wall to wall and grew to require an additional stage to store game pieces (as did Legends and DD2K for storage and prep). About 25% of floor space was given to the Aggro Crag at one end of the studio, and about the same for pool area at the opposite end. There were no pyrotechnics used in the show, just air cannons with metallic confetti, compressed nitrogen blasts and a lot of dry ice fog.

9. How great were all the staff you worked with in Florida?

The Florida crews were great to work with over the ten years the studios were in operation. And I've had the chance to work with a number of them on a shows subsequently shot at Universal like My Family's Got GUTS. 

10. Have you been slimed yourself?

The slimiest I ever got was when we shot a special episode of Family Double Dare with some of the creators of the show like Geoffrey Darby, Bob Mittenthal & Gerry Laybourne.

11. Did you have a favorite ride at Universal Studios Florida?

I only went on 3 or 4 rides at Universal the entire time I was there, so I never had a favorite but I liked Back to the Future.

12. Was the studio tour ever a hassle for you whenever you were designing the production or working on a show?

The integration the studio tour both physically and from a content point of view had lasting effects on shows produced there, while at the same time, the type & scale of the shows themselves changed. Nick started producing multi-camera sitcoms that took up an entire stage with multiple sets. The studio tour that wound it's way through the production facility (called the Core Building) necessitated the sets be oriented as much as possible to the long windows on the second floor that provided a view down to the stage for the guests. This was a real problem for shows that were shot single camera style like Fifteen and Shelby Woo.

13. Favorite behind the scenes memory.

There were are many behind the scenes memories at the studios it's hard to pick a favorite, but I'll work on it... 

14. What do you think made Nick Studios so great and special?

 The thing made Nick Studios so special was a combination of the growth of Nick as a network and the variety of shows it produced and of course, the people who contributed to them.

15. If given the chance would you like to see it reopened?

 The studios were never very sound proof, and that became evident once the Geyser was up and running and going off every hour! Now that there is a roller-coaster running by outside the stages I don't think they could be used for television production due to noise and vibration. And I think they are very happy in Hollywood and Santa Monica.

16. Do you know where the big props from the studios are at now like the giant Nickelodeon sign that was in front of the studios and the slime geyser?

I'm not sure what Universal did with the sign or the Geyser... maybe they're in the bone yard if there is room for one on their property. 

17. And the colorfulness that made the front of the studio was very unique & lively. How exactly did you or the staff come up for the colors that blended in front and inside the studios?

The studio facade decoration took awhile to develop and there is an early version of it shown in a large aerial rendering of Universal Studios hanging in Building 22 (the production office) still as of 2008. 

The actual Core Building between the two stages changed quite a bit as the Tour was developed and issues of capacity and accommodation were dealt with (if you bring several hundred people an hour to what amounts to a dead end at that section of the park, you have to provide restrooms, and if the there is a loss of power where the escalators and elevators are out, you need to provide an exterior stair from the second floor for people exiting the tube). 

Eventually, it came down to two design schemes for the exterior that were essentially collages, with the one implemented more architecturally driven that the other. 

Todd Talbot interview!

Todd Talbot played Matt Walker was a main regular on all four seasons of Nickelodeon's, first and only soap opera, Fifteen (named Hillside in Canada where the cast was from). If you were a die hard Nick fan during this time you might remember it but not a lot don't(Fifteen has gained a cult following since and is now getting a full season released to streaming). Matt was one of those high school jocks who had a sweet girlfriend but had one secret: he was an alcoholic; adding on to the crazy dramatics of teen angst! I did an email interview with Todd to talk about his days filming the third and fourth seasons of Nickelodeon Studios Orlando,what went on behind the scenes, and a crazy way it can get reopened today! Watch Todd everyday on HGTV's "Love It or List it" and make sure to visit his website toddtalbot.ca

 

1. How did you get the role as Matt Walker?

I auditioned in Vancouver along with a few thousand other kids, it was a long process that culminated in an on camera test to memorize the entire script and do it all the way through with a reader. I was dreadful but the reader made one mistake and I jokingly said that "I can't possibly do this if he can't get his lines right" and the producers loved that attitude and later told me that it sealed the deal.

2. Favorite episode that sticks out to you?

I haven't seen an episode in over 20 years! maybe one of the first because it was all so new! First kissing scene with Laura Harris. 

3. What was a typical day like at Nick Studios?

We would get there REALLY early, get into make up based on the call sheet. If we had some time off, we would run over to Universal and play on some of the rides. Other than that, we would hang in the green room, learn our lines, hang in the dressing rooms, roam the halls, spy on other shows shooting, regular kid stuff. 

4. Do you remember any other shows being filmed where you were at?

Clarisa Explains it all ? There was a show that had dancers and a motorized chair - really cool!!

There were some game shows...can't remember their names. I'd love to host a game show there now!

5. Considering that you were so far from home (Vancouver), what was one of the good things about living/working in Orlando?

The beach, the weather, Universal

6. Do you still keep in touch with anyone from the show?

Not really, I bump into a few folks here and there.

7. Have you ever been slimed?

No

8. Did you have a favorite ride at Universal Studios Florida?

I remember there was a flint stones ride, Also king kong

9. Fifteen was the first soap opera for Nickelodeon and definitely ahead of its time. How do you feel about it making a huge impact on fans today along with 90s Nickelodeon shows?

It was a blast, I learned a lot, if folks enjoyed it or get a kick out of it now that's awesome, I still have a hard time watching it. Very critical of young Todd!

10. Has there ever been any talks of a reunion show?

Not that I'm aware of, it would be a monumental task getting everyone together. Might be fun to do a reunion party!!

11. Another Canadian show that was imported from Nickelodeon to the U.S. was "You Can't Do That on Television." Did you ever watch that?

A couple times, we shot season two of Fifteen at CJOH in Ottawa and that is where YCDTOTV was shot, before our time.

12. Any other behind the scenes or fan moments that happened on set at the studios you can recall? What do you miss about the show?

Met Steadman (Oprah's guy) along with his daughter one day when they were on a back stage tour. I remember shaking his hand and realizing my hand could barely grip his gigantic hand! Cool guy!

13. I think that Nickelodeon Studios was a special place for kids and adults to interact with actors and tv shows and just have a lot of fun especially somewhere like Orlando. Would you agree with that?

I do, and now having two young kids of my own, I think they would get a kick out of something like that now!

14.Would you like to see Nick Studios be re-opened?

Only if they were going to shoot a show called 'Forty' The life and times of Matt after rehab!!

15.Thank you for taking the time to answer the questions about Nickelodeon studios Todd. I'll show you the project once it's finished. Take care!

Hope this works for you.

Kirk Fogg interview

From 1993-95 the Nickelodeon game show "Legends of the Hidden Temple" combined brains and athleticism. Kids would answer questions around history based knowledge while playing games centered around the history subject of that episode while the grand finale was going through a 3 min maze to retrive the grand prize called "Temple Run". I got to interview through email the host Kirk Fogg to talk about his experience at Nickelodeon Studios and why it should come back! Please be on the lookout for his website kirkfogg.com launching soon!

 

1. How did you become the host of legends of the hidden temple? 

 I was picked out of the Screen Actors Players guide then I went for the interview and had to do some play by action and boom they picked me....They didn't have much time to choose so I was lucky cuz I didn't have much experience..

2. What was a typical day like at Nick Studios? 
Typical day for me was showing up and walking around the set trying to figure out what the show was about.  I didn't get a lot of hands on guidance so it was a bit overwhelming due to the nature of the production.

3.  In past interviews you said that you had ran through the temple run yourself can you describe how complicated it was? 
Temple wasn't that complicated for me runing through because all the doors were open.  I just wanted to see if I could get through it under 3 minutes without passing out.  It's harder for adults in that you have to do a lot of ducking.

 4. Did you have a personal favorite team? 

I don't know. It changes.  But mostly I guess I like the Silver Snakes ....but don't hold me to it.

5. The set you all filmed in was huge. Do you remember how big the soundstage was?

Sound stage- pretty typical, large.  We had everything on it.  Moat, Steps and Temple.  It was huge.

 6. What was one of the good things about living/working in Orlando,FL? 

It was nice going to Orlando.  It's very chill there and it gave me a chance to relax(sometimes) and get my head together.  The people of Orlando were very nice.

 7. Do you remember other shows being filmed where you were at? 

When I was there they were still doing Double Dare, Figure it out(I think) and Guts(I think).  But during my shoot mine was the only show taping that I know of.
 

8. What was Dee Bradley Baker, who voiced Olmec, like in person and do you keep in touch with him? 

Dee is a very cool guy who was living in Orlando at the time.  Very talented. I encouraged him to move to LA for his career....nice move!

9. Do you happen to know where Olmec's statue is today? 

 I'm sure the producers have all the important stuff. I didn't get anything...:(

10. You may not be aware but how do you feel knowing that your show and the rest of the 80s & 90s Nickelodeon made such an positive impact on fans and is still loved today? 

Didn't really sink in until about 15 years later when the fans got older and began to voice thier opinions on social media...it's awesome!

 11. Alot of people wanna know this but have you ever been slimed? 

Never been slimed...ha ha

 12. Did you have a favorite ride at Universal Studios Florida? 

I remember liking the restaurant drive in movie ...not a ride and not even sure if it's on the Universal Studios lot.... In LA I liked the Back to the Future...which I'm not sure they still have.

 13. You recently starred in a Volkswagen commercial, how much fun was that? 

Love doing commercials.  The last one was great...shot it quick inbetween rain storms. Lot of people saw that one.

14. Any upcoming projects you're working on you can tell us about? 

 Nothing entertainment related to speak of at the moment but that could change... I am launching a website KirkFogg.com.   

15. Any other behind the scenes or crazy fan moments that happened on set at the studios that you can recall?

 No crazy fan moments...everyone was kept at a safe distance.  

16. What do you think was the best thing about Nickelodeon Studios? 

I liked the unpretentiousness of the Florida Studios. Less Hollywood(ish)

17. Would you like to see Nick Studios be reopened? 

It should and they should bring back the gameshows. Not sure what they are thinking.

18. Thank you Kirk for the interview. Definitely nice to hear from you. I'll show you the documentary once finished. Thanks! 

Thanks Bilall.  Sorry it took so darn long to do this... maybe it was better that you sent the questions via the email...Kirk.

Dan Frischman interview

Dan Frischman was already a TV star in the 80s in the show Head of the Class. Comedy and improv he does it both. But he became a new face to the 90s generation from his regular role on the Nickelodeon sitcom "Kenan & Kel" lasting for four seasons from 1996-2000. The show became a huge hit but no introduction is needed for that. In our interview Dan reveals what made Nickelodeon Studios in Florida a special place for kids and adults and if it should reopen! Be sure to check out his website! http://www.danfrischman.com/

1. How did you get the role of Chris on Kenan & Kel?
It was created and produced by two of my co-stars from a previous show I was on — "Head of the Class" on ABC.  They originally asked me if I knew a "Chris Elliot" type for the role.  I couldn't really think of anyone for them.  A month or two later, they asked me if I wanted to do it.  I'm glad I hadn't though of anyone!

2. What was a typical day like at Nick Studios?

Very easygoing and fun.  We'd read or rehearse, and we all got along nicely together.  Tape days were exciting, with our live, lively audiences.  The show was all about goofball comedy hi-jinks, so laughter abounded and people seemed to love it.

3. How much fun was it filming the opening sequence at Universal Studios and meeting Coolio?

I wasn't there for that part of the taping, and had only heard of Coolio!  At first, it seemed odd to me that a rapper not involved with the show was starring in the opening sequence.  It made more sense after I saw it.  I thought he and the theme song were great.

4. Do you remember other shows being filmed where you were at?

There were a few, like a children's show that an old college friend, puppeteer Rick Lyon, was involved with.  Don't remember the name of it, though.

5. Have you ever been slimed?

No!  Managed to escape that.  They had a live show for studio visitors, performed a few times a day that included an audience member being slimed.  When my nephew Andy visited from New Jersey (along with my niece Ali), he was chosen to be slimed.  He hated it, and cried afterwards.  I don't recommend it!

6 Did you have a favorite ride at Universal Studios Florida?

Yeah, umm...no.  They were all just fine, but I don't remember them.

7. What was one of the good things about living/working in Orlando?

So easy to get around.  Most of the people were very nice, and there was an upbeat, fun quality to the area.

8. There were so many memorable episodes from the series such as "I Dropped the screw in the tuna" or "the hollywood episode? Which episode stands out to you?

My favorite episode came later -- the one wherein my mean brother comes to visit.  I did double-duty that week, playing both characters.  A good challenge, and much fun.  I also enjoyed an episode wherein the President visits the store.  My best line came when the President said hello to me, and all I could respond with was, "I have a radio in my car."  For some reason, it was the one line of mine that the fans seem to remember the most.

9. If you had to pick out one flaw about Nickelodeon Studios what would it be?

There was a TV monitor outside the dressing area that had a goofy Nickelodeon cartoon character singing a very annoying jingle.  It ran on a loop and they wouldn't turn it off!  Otherwise, no complaints.

10. I always hear positive stories about the Florida staff. How great were everyone that you worked with down there?

Very.  They were all supportive and professional.

11. Do you still keep in touch with anyone from the show?

I was friendly with Ken Foree for years, though we've sort of lost touch.  It happens.  I'm still good friends, though, with producer Dan Schneider, and I'm directing episodes of his newest show, "Sam & Cat."

12. Was there a bit of a difference between filming in Florida then when the show moved to Nick on Sunset in Cali?

Much easier to film at Nick on Sunset, but only because I live out here!  And two nieces I have who live out here, too, were the perfect age for the show -- so they often came to the live tapings and looooooved it.  That made it all so much more worth it.

13. Any upcoming projects you can tell us about you're working on.

Three offhand: I just finished writing an animated screenplay about a scrawny parrot, I've been teaching acting, and there's the previously mentioned TV directing.  I love being on the other side of the camera!

14. Nick Studios had plenty of hangout spots between the gak kitchen, dressing room, and make up room. Where was your favorite area to be?

On the set, working!  Loved playing Chris, and helping Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell make people laugh.

15. How do you feel knowing that the show and the rest of 80s and 90s Nickelodeon made a positive impact on fans and is still loved today?

That's a very nice thought, so thank you.  It makes me feel great to have been part of a project with strong lasting-power.

16. Any behind the scenes or fan moments that happened on set at the studio you can recall (studio tour,live audience)?

My favorite fan moment happened at a mall in Los Angeles.  A kid, shopping with his parents in a department store, kept staring at me while I thumbed through some shirts.  He couldn't figure out where he knew me from, and I could tell it was driving him batty!  I just smiled, said hello, and moved on.  Half an hour later, I was walking to my car in the outside parking lot, and there he was, walking with his parents.  He stared at me again, and it suddenly dawned on him.  He lit up and he yelled to me, "You have a radio in your car!" -- in the same sing-songy way that I'd said it on the show.  I laughed hard, and his parents looked on, totally confused.  It was a great moment.

17. What do you think made Nick Studios so great and iconic?

The people who worked there really cared about the shows and network.  They hit the right chords at the right moments, using the right talent to do so.  It's one of those lucky combinations of things that can just happen.

18. It's been 8 years now and alot of people miss it but would you like to see it reopened if it should?

Of course!

Thank you Dan for the wonderful interview for the project. Loved hearing your story and you supporting Nick Studios!  I have a page for updates to the project and the final version put there. You are welcome to "like" it. https://www.facebook.com/NickStudiosPastPresentandFuture

You're very welcome.

Charlotte Booker interview

The short-lived (1991-92) Nick at Nite tv show, "Hi Honey I'm Home", which detailed about a family from the 1950s who get transported to the modern day world of the 90s is one of those rare shows that only a few remember. What makes it more surprising is that it was filmed at the newly opened Nickelodeon Studios  in Orlando,FL! I got the chance to talk with Charlotte Booker, who portrayed the mom Honey Nielsen, to talk about what it was like filming there all part of the project about Nick Studios!

Then

Now

1. How did you get the role of Honey Nielsen on Hi Honey I'm Home?
I auditioned in New York, several times, for the writers, producers, networks, and  director.  

2. The first day you were at the studios were you amazed by how large it was and just being there?
Well, it was fun and felt very odd to be part of a theme park.  But I had been in TV studios before.  And I knew Universal Orlando because I had done another pilot for Nick at Nite called THE EARLY DAYS (about a TV variety show from the late 1940s-50s, like Burns and Allen). 

3. What was a typical day like at Nick Studios? 

Drive to work, read through the script at a table with everyone, rehearse, lunch, rehearse changes, go home and study.  Then on days we were shooting we'd get there very early for makeup, rehearse, and shoot the shows twice, once with an audience. Doing it with an audience was like doing a stage play--fun.  After the audience left, we fixed whatever mistakes were made.

4. Do you remember other shows being filmed where you were at?
I remember Clarissa Explains it All for You.  There were others, but frankly, we were so busy, we didn't have time to hang out with anyone else.

5. What was one of the good things about living and working in Orlando? 

Working is always a luxury for an actor.  That part was fun.  Originating a role was great fun. The cast and the writers I was working with were amazing.  And of course I had lots of out of town visitors from NY and the Midwest because everyone wants to come to Florida for Disney, the weather, the beach, etc.

6. Though Hi Honey I'm Home wasn't originally a Nick show, did you all blend in well with the other tv productions being taped there at the time? It actually was originally a Nick at Nite show.
 

7. Do you still keep in touch with anyone from the show? 

Oh yes.

8.  I always read stories about how the staff was all just a comforting environment. How great were all the people that you worked with there? 

Terrific.  Pros.

9. Have you ever been slimed? 

No.  As I said, we didn't hang out at Nick--we were there to work. And, unlike the other casts, we were mostly adults. So no.

10. Did you have a favorite ride at Universal Studios Florida? No. I did ride some of them but have no memory of what they were!

11. You may not be aware but how do you feel knowing that the show, though short-lived, and the rest of 90s Nickelodeon made a positive impact on fans and is still loved today? 

I'm always surprised when someone remembers it.

12. Any acting projects you're working on at the moment? 

I'm writing plays these days and working on my own projects.  I did a role on the new Jim Gaffigan pilot and a small part in a short film directed by Michael Cera.  And I have a tiny part in the new Coen Brothers movie. But mostly I do theatre.

13. Any behind the scenes or fan moments that happened on set at the studio you can recall (studio tour,live audience)? 

My all-time favorite "Honey" moment was meeting and working with Gale Gordon, Lucy's Mr. Mooney. The other golden era TV stars (Eva Gabor, Ann B Davis, Jim Nabors, Barbara Billingsley, et al) were a treat, too.
  

14. I think that Nickelodeon Studios was a special place for kids and adults to interact with actors and TV shows and just have a lot of fun especially somewhere like Orlando. Would you agree with that? Yes.

15. Would you like to see Nick Studios be re-opened? Of course, but convincing them to do that is probably not gonna happen.  Sorry.

Mike Speller interview

When you think of the 1991-93 Nickelodeon show "Welcome Freshmen" some folks get confused. But that's okay because if you're a die hard old school Nick fan you may remember this show and sadly it seems to be forgotten by the current people in charge of Nick today. Teens performing sketches, getting into mishaps, themes centered around teenage problems, and a bumbling principal was what this show was about(try not to think about Saved by the Bell). In this interview I talk with Mike Speller, who played vice principal Mr. Lippmann, to talk about his time on the show and at Nickelodeon Studios where it was filmed at!

Then

Now

1. How did you get the role of Mr. Lippman on Welcome Freshmen?

  Regular on-camera auditions via my agency, ending my first year in Orlando. I read a 'drill sergeant' type scene (aka Lippman) for the first audition, then overslept on callback day and was a sweaty wheezing mess when I arrived to read the scene again with producers...ie, Got lucky!

2. What was a typical day like at Nick Studios? 

    As I recall, first two seasons started at 8am on-set--doing the standup routines, of all things-- and went until about 4 or 5pm.  Later seasons the hours were more reasonable & better shared among the cast.  Off-times I either napped in my dressing room (my day-job was 6pm-1am)  OR snuck up to the production offices or editing suites to chat with friends...

3. Orlando was a known as Hollywood East during that time. Describe how great it was to have all the tv production going on then.

  Right place, right time.  There were a lot of commercials being filmed in the area, a few movies, and Disney & Nickelodeon doing their share.  My day job paid well but it was nice to have other opportunities & bounce creatively on a consistent basis.

4. Do you remember other shows being filmed where you were at?

  Clarissa Explains it All, Nick Arcade, and some other game show (?) in the studios when we started doing the first season. Superboy & Swamp Thing series were just taking off on the Universal lot then as well.

5. You also appeared on the game show Nick Arcade. How much fun was that show?

  I'm very competitive & the host Phil (?) loved our group for that.  Free video games too!  Who could ask for anything more?

6. Do you think there was a similarity btwn Welcome Freshmen and the other show Saved by the Bell? (Students, principal, shenanigans, etc)

    Definite similarities but our show did more of a Jekyll-Hyde turnaround from skit-based to character-based scripts.  More challenges = We win!  Btw, that's how we always referred to it: "the OTHER show."

7. Do you still keep in touch with anyone from the show?

  I have friends from the day job (Disney) that appeared with me on the show and I still keep in touch with them.  The kids were a vastly different age group & I trust they grew up just fine without this vice-principal watching over them.

8. Have you ever been slimed?

  I believe so...on an episode of Double Dare...or I have hysterical amnesia and can't recall accurately.

9. Did you have a favorite ride at Universal Studios Florida?

  I got to preview Back to the Future (so to speak) but didn't indulge too much at 'the competition'.

10. Though you have been performing before you did Welcome Freshmen,  do you think it helped inspired your performances today since the show had sketches when it first started?

  I had some theater & some improv experience at the time but both the day job (WDW Adventurers Club) and WF gave me license to play, which is a rarity.  I've written a few one-man shows, done a lot of spoken word stuff more recently because I like having that freedom & control.

11. Was there a reason the show changed to a sitcom during the last season?

   Seasons 1-2 were sketches, 3-4 were character-driven.  There's more possibilities (comic or dramatic) in situational writing than gag-writing, in my humble opinion...not sure if that was the motive behind the producers' decision.

12. You may not be aware but how do you feel knowing that the show and the rest of 90s Nickelodeon made a positive impact on fans and is still loved today?

  I'm pleased the show had a following, still amazed I was part of a network effort and--nostalgia or not--glad to be noticed again (YouTube be praised!)

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13. Any behind the scenes or fan moments that happened on set at the studio you can recall (studio tour,live audience)?

  We got to do a couple promotional things I was proud of--a trip to Washington DC with Linda Ellerbee leading an evening of educational content; and a fan-lottery to a school in Oregon where most of the cast & Hulk Hogan (don't remember him in the show) got to do interviews, autographs, and slime their principal! 

14. I think that Nickelodeon Studios was a special place for kids and adults to interact with actors and TV shows and just have a lot of fun especially somewhere like Orlando. Would you agree with that?

  Yeah, the studio tours were a mixed bag.  It was novel and exciting to see folks go by when we weren't performing; it also made me self-conscious when I messed up on tape because--perfectionist that I am--I had to censor myself from time to time. :)

15. Would you like to see Nick Studios be re-opened?

    I think there's a need for novel fun programming (that doesn't involve reality chumps,slobs, or snobs); I think there's a need for some educational messages to come from whatever product is put on-air.  If Nick Studios made those goals priorities, I'd be on-board.

Moira Quirk interview

From 1992-95 "Guts" on Nickelodeon set a new boundary for kids across the country. It combined extreme sports for and athleticism for kids. Swimming, running track, boat paddling, and of course the final challenge--the famous Aggro Crag is what made it was one of Nick's groundbreaking game shows of all time. It was so successful that it spawned a spin off titled "Global Guts" which featured kids,not just U.S. this time, from countries all over the world competing on the show. I guess you can say Guts in the 90s was a great time for kids to be active pre obesity and technology of the new millennium.  Well the "On your mark. Get set. *blows whistles*" game referee Moira Quirk who we knew as "Mo" on the show took the time for me to interview her to discuss what it was like filming at Nickelodeon Studios Florida and her time on the show. Do you have it?

Then

Now

1. How did you get the role in Guts?

It was simply an audition… or a series of them. They kept bringing me back to show me to the next person up the Nickelodeon line.

2. What was a typical day like at Nick Studios? I know the cast & crew filmed in Soundstage 21 as opposed to Stage 18 and 19 if I'm not mistaken.

I remember it was the largest soundstage Universal Studios had. We’d shoot three shows a day. Then we would or wouldn’t go home.

2. I know you've answered this before but describe climbing the Aggro Crag.

It wasn’t quite the same for me as when the contestants climbed it. I didn’t have Mylar being shot at me for a start. I remember being surprised that the ground below me was squishier than I had anticipated!

3. What was one of the good things about living/working in Orlando?

I made great friends in Orlando with amazingly talented people. A few are still there, but most of us are in LA and New York and Chicago now. As for Orlando, or rather Florida, the heat and humidity was too much for me. The cockroaches were too much for me. But I loved going to the ocean and the beautiful beaches. I lived in a lovely old Southern Gothic Victorian by a lake and I loved that!

4. Orlando,FL had a reputation of being known as Hollywood East in the early 90's. Do you remember any other shows being filmed where you were at?

Other than Nickelodeon shows, not really.

5. What was it like to see all these other nations, particularly your hometown England, compete on Global Guts? It was really like a mini Olympics to me.

It was fun! It was a great way to see the show out.

6. What did you think of the 2008 revival "My Family's Got Guts"

I’m embarrassed to say I never saw it.

7. Do you still talk to Mike O'Malley?

Of course!

8. You were also appeared on Figure It Out sometimes. How much fun was that show?

Perhaps it was my schedule, but I always felt I walked off the plane, walked onto the set, got slimed and then had to fly home. So, if it was a fun show, I never had time to notice.

10. Describe the feeling of getting slimed.

Well, if you can imagine a really slimy substance landing on you… it’s like that.

11. Speaking on upcoming projects you do alot of voice acting these days. is there a difference between that and regular acting?

Implying it’s irregular acting? Hmm! But yes, voice over is my gig now. Sometimes you might actually see me in person- check out Dirty Work at dirtywork.com (only if you’re older!)- but usually I’m in front of a microphone. There is definitely a different skill set involved, even between the different types of VO work I do. An audiobook is very different from a BBC radio play, which is different from an LA Theatre Works play-recording, which is different from a game like Skyrim, which is different from a game like Star Wars or X-Com, which is different from a Marvel cartoon which is different from Madagascar.

12. Did you have a favorite ride at Universal Studios Florida?

I did! At that time there was the Hanna Barbera ride. It was a simulator ride and you would chase Dick Dastardly and Muttley. I am hugely into Hanna Barbera cartoons, so that was like my happy place. Mostly because there was an interactive area attached and my favourite spot was where you could push the buttons to make the sound effects (like ‘zup zup zup’ when someone takes off really quickly!) I could waste quite a lot of time in that room.

13.How do you feel knowing that Guts is loved today along with the other Nickelodeon shows during that time?
It’s rather nice. I still remember shows I enjoyed as a kid, so if GUTS evokes those same feelings that’s pretty cool.

14. Any other behind the scenes or fan moments that happened on set at the studios?

Honestly, it’s all the behind the scenes tomfoolery that really informs a show. And my lips are sealed.

15. What do you think was the best thing about Nickelodeon Studios?

Its love of orange.

16. Would you like to see Nick Studios be reopened?

I don’t know what studios might already be there and operating, but if Nick wanted to reopen and run a union operation and it was beneficial to the region, then godspeed!

Shaina Freeman interview

Gullah Gullah Island was the musical show that ran on Nick Jr. for preschoolers from 1994-99. It showcased a family residing in South Carolina on a secluded area called "Gullah Gullah Island" (though actually the show filmed in Orlando,FL) and they would sing,dance,and rap in musical acts while teaching educational stuff to kids. I got the chance to interview Shaina Freeman who starred on the show(she left before the final season) to discuss her time at Nickelodeon Studios all part of the project!

Then

Now

1. How did you get the role in Gullah Gullah Island?

It was the usual way anyone gets a role, a casting call, several auditions and being selected. I already did commercials and print modeling, but this was my first television role. I will say that I had a competitive edge because at age 4 I could read and memorize my lines a lot better than most girls my age.

2. What was a typical day like at Nick Studios?
Depending on whether we were filming or rehearsing, sometimes we'd get there in the morning and do table reads and walk throughs of the stage or Get there in the morning, hair/makeup and wardrobe, and filming. Between scenes I could go to the green room and hang out and eat or sometimes have a little while to play in the theme park. Sometimes I was doing voice-overs for the songs 

3. What was one of the good things about living and working in Orlando?
There was nothing in particular I liked about living in Orlando more than any other city. I did however particularly enjoy the location filming in South Carolina, it was beautiful.

4. Do you remember any other shows being filmed where you were at?
I remember all that, Kenan and Kel, Legends of the hidden temple and Clarissa explains it all was actually the exact same set as Gullah Gullah, only decorated differently. (You'll notice the position of the front door, stairs, kitchen door, etc.) Also, all the animators and voice actors of some of the nicktoons were at the studios, as well as the offices of Nickelodeon Magazine

5. What was Phillip Garcia, who played Binyah Binyah, like when not in costume?
He was really funny. He liked playing pranks and was always smiling and telling jokes. 

6. Is it true that you moved out of Florida and that's why you weren't back for the third season?
I did three seasons, including the pilot season. My family moved to California shortly before the last season started filming where I started school, joined a girl scout troop and started dance lessons. I chose not to return because I preferred being a normal kid over acting and wanted to stay in California.

7. Did you get a chance to meet Tristan Mays, who replaced you on the show?
No, but we talk online sometimes

8. Do you still keep in touch with former cast mates?
I'm facebook friends with most of the cast and a few crew members  

9. Have you ever gotten slimed?
yes

10. Did you have a favorite ride at Universal Studios Florida?
 I really used to enjoy Fieval's playland and the Barney attraction ( I was very young, and a lot of the attractions were very scary for me: Jaws, ET, Alfred Hitchcock, Back to the future, etc.) 

11. Gullah Gullah Island has since become a cult favorite and very loved show among adults who watched Nick Jr when they were younger. How do you feel knowing that your show and the rest of the 80s and 90s Nickelodeon shows made an impact on fans? 

It's always nice to hear that it had such a positive impact on anyone of any age. I take it as a compliment and am just grateful for the happiness it brings them

11. What have you been up to these days?
I graduated from Auburn University in 2010 and have since been working in marketing and sales

12. Can you describe any behind the scenes or fan moments that happened at the studio?

I remember hanging out with the older kids from All That in the green room between scenes and they were so nice and cool. 

13. I think that Nickelodeon Studios was a special place for kids and adults to interact with actors and TV shows and just have a lot of fun especially somewhere like Orlando. Would you agree with that?
 Yes. 

14. Would you like to see Nick Studios be re-opened?

Yes. I think kids deserve the rare opportunity to get a behind the scenes view of their favorite tv shows and have something to do at Universal Studios besides waiting in hour-long lines for 3 minute rides