Life on Set: 16 Behind-the-Scenes Photos From Iconic TV Shows

Two behind-the-scenes photos: on the left, people construct a giant set piece resembling a bed inside a sphere; on the right, puppeteers operate Sesame Street’s Oscar the Grouch and another character from behind set props.

Over the decades, TV shows have succeeded in creating detailed worlds that feel incredibly real. They’ve done such a good job, in fact, that taking a peak behind the scenes is pretty mind-blowing. These photos depicting on-set life from some of the most iconic shows on television are proof that it’s all just play pretend.

1. Gillian Anderson on the Set of ‘The X-Files’ 

A woman with shoulder-length red hair and a white robe holds a banana in her mouth, positioned like a mustache. She looks directly at the camera with a neutral expression. A person in a hat is in the background.
OldandBlue / Reddit.com

2. Norm Abram Doing His Thing for ‘This Old House’ 

A man wearing glasses, a plaid shirt, and a tool belt is sawing a piece of wood outdoors. He is leaning over the wood and looking at the camera, with a house wall in the background.
Garchy / Reddit.com

3. Getting Creepy With the Crypt Keeper on ‘Tales from the Crypt’

A man and a woman pose and smile next to a life-sized animatronic zombie in a colorful cap, surrounded by books. The man is playfully giving the zombie "bunny ears" with his fingers.
abrooks0812 / Reddit.com

4. Barbara Eden Climbing Into Her Bottle on the ‘I Dream of Jeannie’ Set

A behind-the-scenes view of three people working on the set of a giant, ornate, purple and pink clamshell bed with cushions, likely from a film or TV production. One person stands inside, two are at the base on a ladder.
UserDeleted / Reddit.com

5. William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy Taking a Lunch Break on ‘Star Trek’

Two men in Star Trek uniforms smile and eat from plates, one laughing joyfully while the other looks at the camera with a slight smile. The photo is black and white.
gliggett / Reddit.com

6. Johnny Cash Bringing the Brood to ‘Sesame Street’

A man plays an acoustic guitar in front of a building labeled 123, with a puppet character peeking out of a trash can beside him; the scene appears to be from a television set.
UserDeleted / Reddit.com

7. Under the Lights of ‘I Love Lucy’

Four people stand on a stage set resembling a rustic cabin bedroom, with bunk beds, a dresser, and visible studio lights and equipment overhead.
Fury57 / Reddit.com

8. Brandon Tartikoff, Woody Harrelson, and George Wendt Letting Loose After Filming an Episode of ‘Cheers’

Three men, two shirtless, dance and laugh together in a lively bar, with a live band playing in the background. One man holds a beer bottle. The bar walls are decorated with various memorabilia and pictures.
tomhagen / Reddit.com

9. ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’ Giving Us Perspective

Four men, shirtless and smiling, operate a small-scale movie set outdoors with a model orange car, blue truck, and trailer on a dirt track, surrounded by shrubs and hills in the background.
tomhagen / Reddit.com

10. Unlocked Nostalgia Courtesy of ‘Mr. Rogers Neighborhood’

A group of people laugh and smile on a television set. One man holds a puppet, while others stand nearby with papers, enjoying the moment under studio lights.
AdSpecialist6598/ Reddit.com

11. Arsenio Hall Collides with the ‘Power Rangers’ 

Three men pose together and smile. Two are dressed as Power Rangers—one in a blue suit and the other in a green and gold suit. The third man in the middle wears sunglasses, a dark jacket, and a "YO! YO!" hat.
AdSpecialist6598 / Reddit.com

12. Getting Cozy on ‘The Big Comfy Couch’

Four adults sit close together on a green floral couch with pink pillows, viewed from above. One is dressed as a clown holding a doll. The others smile warmly, and the setting appears cozy and whimsical.
AdSpecialist6598 / Reddit.com

13. Caroll Spinney Operating Oscar the Grouch While Wearing His Big Bird Legs — Seeing This Feels Illegal

A person kneels on the ground, peering through a large camera. Behind them, the green puppet Oscar the Grouch pops out of a trash can. Bright orange and pink fuzzy legs are in the foreground, suggesting another puppet nearby.
tomhagen / Reddit.com

14. Ann-Margret Recording Her Voice for Her Role as Ann Margrock on ‘The Flintstones’

A man in a suit and a woman in a white jacket sit at a desk reviewing papers, with cartoon cutouts of Fred Flintstone and Wilma Flintstone from "The Flintstones" behind them.
Bruinsrock11 / Reddit.com

15. A Glimpse Into the Set of ‘All in the Family’

Black-and-white photo of a TV studio set showing actors talking and sitting at a table, crew members operating cameras, and stage lights overhead. The set is arranged like a living room and kitchen.
UserDeleted / Reddit.com

16. Getting in the Zone for ‘Bewitched’

A black-and-white photo shows a man in a suit talking to a woman sitting cross-legged on a floral sofa, reading a book. Another man sits at a coffee table covered with books and papers in a cozy living room.
UserDeleted / Reddit.com

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Split image: On the left, a woman in a sleeveless purple dress smiles while kneeling against a white background. On the right, a man in glasses and a black leather vest stands in front of a brick wall with framed photos.
UserDeleted / nialldude3 via Reddit.com
Author
Rachel Schneider

Rachel is a Michigan-based writer with a bachelor’s degree in Professional Writing and English. Throughout her career, she has dabbled in a variety of subject matter from finance and higher education to lifestyle pieces and food writing. She also enjoys writing stories based on social media trends. Find her on Instagram @rachel.schneider922