Commissioner Gordons Office layout help

[mm56up]

Hey all
Looking to make a custom diorama of his office, not having much luck finding any kind of photos online beside the usual bookcase shots

Was there a wall safe further to the left of that bookcase wall?

And where there TVs built in the wall to the right of the entrance door?

Or am I imagining these haha. Thanks everyone

[BiffPow]

Was there a wall safe further to the left of that bookcase wall?

Yes.

And yes to the other question, as there is no other place for the built-in television to have been. To the left of the entrance door is a wall with a window and another door/alcove, etc.

[mm56up]

Was there a wall safe further to the left of that bookcase wall?

Yes.

And yes to the other question, as there is no other place for the built-in television to have been. To the left of the entrance door is a wall with a window and another door/alcove, etc.

Your amazing. I searched so much for a photo of the safe lol.

[rsaffle]

Hey all
Looking to make a custom diorama of his office, not having much luck finding any kind of photos online beside the usual bookcase shots

Was there a wall safe further to the left of that bookcase wall?

Another picture for you and a link to the scene on Youtube.

[mm56up]

Hey all
Looking to make a custom diorama of his office, not having much luck finding any kind of photos online beside the usual bookcase shots

Was there a wall safe further to the left of that bookcase wall?

Another picture for you and a link to the scene on Youtube.

Thank you!!! Such a great help!

[Ben Bentley]

Hey all
Looking to make a custom diorama of his office, not having much luck finding any kind of photos online beside the usual bookcase shots

Was there a wall safe further to the left of that bookcase wall?

And where there TVs built in the wall to the right of the entrance door?

Or am I imagining these haha. Thanks everyone

Welcome to our board! Interesting topic and there's definitely quite a lot to unpack here as the Commissioner Gordon's office actually went through quite a lot of changes throughout the run of the show. Some of the early changes become tricky to keep track of because of the shooting order versus the broadcast sequence that we are all familar with.

First things first, the Pilot version of Gordon's set is quite literally a different set, on a different stage, at a different Studio lot! After the pilot wrapped and the show was green-lit to Season, the standing set space requirements resulted in the entire production moving its home-base over to Desilu Culver, where The Batcave, Wayne Manor and Gordon's Office sets would remain for the rest of the show's duration.

- Fox Lot - Pilot version - Different set completely, different wood paneling, book shelves and set dressings.

- Desilu V1 - "Fine Feathered Finks"- The first story filmed over at Desilu Culver and the first time we see the office that we think of. Note that there is an extra single door over to the right of the couch/window on the back wall. "Fine Feathered Finks" is also the first use of the hidden CCTV.

- Desilu V2 - In "Joker Is Wild" (the fifth two-parter filmed), we see that the extra door over to the right of the couch/window is now gone. Confusingly in the broadcast order of the episodes the door seemingly reappears because Zelda and "Instant Freeze" were actually filmed before "Joker is Wild". For the most part those kinds of shooting/broadcast order differences settle down after "A Riddle A Day". If you're interested in learning more about the show's production order, here's the link to a whole thread about it, including graphics and even a video that Scott and I filmed where we talk about it in depth: http://www.66batman.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7854

- Additional conference table for episodes such as "Fine Feathered Finks" and "True or False Face"

- Appearing and disappearing window variations to the left of the safe. Venetian doors appear for "True or False Face" and then again in "Shoot A Crooked Arrow". In "Marsha"s Scheme of Diamonds", the same panel becomes home to a more traditional window.

In the opening scenes of "The Puzzles Are Coming" there is the addition of another large window to the office, this time occupying the "fourth wall", situated where the camera would usually be.

Similarly, this window/vantage seen in Puzzler, is also used when King Tut lures O'hara out on to the ledge for some midday acrobatics in "Tut's Case Is Shut". We see the "fourth wall" window again, this time by-night as Batman and Robin exit the office in "Ice Spy".

- In "Green Ice" we see the addition of an Air Conditioning vent, approximately above the safe or on the panel to it's left that has previosuly been a window.

- Eventually we start to see the outer hallway beyond the main double doors. This hallway eventually has an elevator that we see in "Hizzoner The Penguin", "Deep Freeze". In the teaser at the end of "The Bloody Tower", Batman and Robin emerge into the hallway (now with an added curtain) to chase Catwoman into the elevator.

- Here are some generally decent wider shots that show the layout of the office:

A last honorable mention goes to the re-dressing of Gordon's office as that of Venerable Ireland Yard's, Superintendent Watson. After all, Police Commisioner's decor varies little around the world...

I hope some of this helps with your diorama project, be sure to keep us posted!

[BiffPow]

Incredibly thorough references, Ben!

[Ben Bentley]

Incredibly thorough references, Ben!

Thanks, Sir, this is the kind of minutia I take an odd amount of pride in.

Here's a couple more S3 office variations/additions that came to mind after my initial post.

- Commissioner Gordon is coaxed out of the "fourth-wall" window into a balloon basket in "The Ogg and I"

- The window to the left of the safe makes an appearance in "The Funny Feline Felonies". This scene probably offers one of the best/sharpest looks at the giant area rug.

- O'Hara and Gordon keep an eye out for some extra-terrestrial activity in "Joker's Flying Saucer" from the trusty "fourth-wall" window. Although this time, the window is at a slightly different angle to previous uses, as illustrated nicely in the angled shot looking down on Adam. The conference table is also present for this scene, again at a different angle than we are used to seeing it positioned.

[Ben Bentley]

Based on all the screen captures I pulled for this thread, i've gone ahead and done a very basic layout. Very much N O T to scale, FYI.

(click to enlarge/save)

[BiffPow]

Based on all the screen captures I pulled for this thread, i've gone ahead and done a very basic layout. Very much N O T to scale, FYI.

(click to enlarge/save)

Gordon_Office-Layout-Desilu-V2.jpg

[Batfanman]

Great job with the scaps! I always thought it would have been funny to "flip" the video for the Londinium set scenes that had Gotham counterparts (similar in spirit of the Dutch angle) so that everything had that driving on the opposite side of the road effect. Any signage and Robin's costume emblem could have been reversed to appear normal.

[mm56up]

Based on all the screen captures I pulled for this thread, i've gone ahead and done a very basic layout. Very much N O T to scale, FYI.

(click to enlarge/save)

Gordon_Office-Layout-Desilu-V2.jpg

Ben thank you so much for this this is amazing, and such great history so much I did not know with so many changes. You can teach a college class!!

[BiffPow]

You can teach a college class!!

That he can…and maybe should!

[Ben Bentley]

Based on all the screen captures I pulled for this thread, i've gone ahead and done a very basic layout. Very much N O T to scale, FYI.

(click to enlarge/save)

Gordon_Office-Layout-Desilu-V2.jpg

Ben thank you so much for this this is amazing, and such great history so much I did not know with so many changes. You can teach a college class!!

You’re most welcome!

[mm56up]

No Picasso but I'm happy for now. It's made of Foam