It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is a dark, wildly hilarious sitcom that premiered in 2005, centered around “The Gang”—a group of self-absorbed, morally bankrupt friends who run a dive bar called Paddy’s Pub. Mac (Rob McElhenney), Charlie (Charlie Day), Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Dee (Kaitlin Olson), and their unpredictable father figure Frank (Danny DeVito) constantly engage in outrageous, ill-conceived schemes that usually backfire in spectacular fashion. The show’s sharp, unapologetic humor has made it a cult classic and one of my all-time favorite shows.

Despite being set in Philadelphia, most of the show is filmed in Los Angeles. For instance, the exterior of Paddy’s Pub is located in downtown LA. The show has also used many Culver City locations for various scenes. I will attempt to chronical them all here, as I rewatch the series.

I happened to be downtown and took a shot of the exterior to Paddy’s Pub. This is not in Culver City, but is still really cool. The address is 544 Mateo Street in Los Angeles.

Season 2, Episode 8: "The Gang Runs for Office"

In “The Gang Runs for Office,” the gang decides to dive into politics, seeing it as an easy way to make money. Dennis, despite having no clue about politics, runs for Comptroller of Philadelphia, with Mac and Charlie serving as his completely unqualified campaign managers. Meanwhile, Dee and Frank take a different approach, trying to schmooze a wealthy political donor for contributions. As expected, their political ambitions quickly spiral into chaos, with disastrous and absurd results that showcase just how ill-equipped they are for anything resembling public office.

Dennis’s campaign brings him to the mall which is actually Culver City’s Fox Hills Mall.

Fun fact: Dona Hardy, who plays the old woman in this scene, also plays an old woman at Fox Hills Mall in the movie Superbad. The final scene of Superbad also takes place at the foot of this escalator. Additionally, she plays the elderly game show contestant in The Running Man. The exteriors for the game show were also shot in Culver City at One Culver (formerly known as Sony Pictures Plaza).

I found this great article about Dona Hardy and her background. She gave up her Hollywood dreams during the Great Depression, after briefly dating Anthony Quinn. She was married to a salesman for 33 years. When he suddenly died of a heart attack, she decided to give acting another try and landed the memorable role of Mrs. McArdle in 1987’s The Running Man at the age of 75. She continued acting until the age of 96, with her last credit in 2010. She died in 2011 at the age of 97.

Fun fact: Charlie Day can also be seen in Culver City in the 2011 comedy, Horrible Bosses. Many more episodes to come. Stay tuned!