Biff's in L.A. - real or not?

In some episodes of "Adam-12" the officers are shown eating at a place called "Biff's".  Most of the scenes are of the interior variety but there are a couple of shots of the exterior.  The sign features dark script on a backlit rectangular background and I think it might be a drive-in as well as a sit-down restaurant.
 
The interior was almost undoubtedly a set but could the exterior shots been of a real restaurant?  Was there an actual "Biff's" someplace in Los Angeles in the late '60s and early '70s?
 
After "Adam-12" is over "Dragnet" comes on, but so far I haven't seen Joe and Bill eat anything other than takeout from an unseen sandwich shop across the street from the station.
 
Brad

Oh Brad and here I thought I had too much time on my hands.....

Hey Brad, Funny you should mention Adam-12.  A friend of mine just bought an exact replica of the squad car, complete with light bar.  It's hilarous to see him driving it around town.

Which squad car?  The Plymouth or the AMC?  Is there a place named "Biff's" in Pittston?

Brad

Brad_Olson


In some episodes of "Adam-12" the officers are shown eating at a place called "Biff's".  Most of the scenes are of the interior variety but there are a couple of shots of the exterior.  The sign features dark script on a backlit rectangular background and I think it might be a drive-in as well as a sit-down restaurant.
 
The interior was almost undoubtedly a set but could the exterior shots been of a real restaurant?  Was there an actual "Biff's" someplace in Los Angeles in the late '60s and early '70s? 

Brad

From “Los Angeles History of Restaurants and Bars”
 
http://www.latimemachines.com/new_page_46.htm
 
W.W. "Tiny" Naylor (the nickname Tiny came from him being six foot four and weighed 320 pounds) started Biff's (his son's name) in 1948. The Tiny Naylor chain started in 1957 at Wilshire and Virgil. Tiny Naylor died in 1959.

Brad_Olson


Which squad car?  The Plymouth or the AMC?  Is there a place named "Biff's" in Pittston?

Brad

The Plymouth.  I'll try to get a pic next time I see him.  The car is perfectly restored. 
 
An AMC police car?  Tough to be taken serious in that one.
 
No Biff's in Pittston.  In fact we don't even allow guys named Biff in pittston.

Adam12, Dragnet, and from another thread- The Andy Griffith Show???!!!

Are you guys living in the some bizarre fantasy world built around the past???!!

Come on with great quality contemporary TV shows like COUGAR TOWN
you should all be ashamed of yourselves!!

Brad_Olson


In some episodes of "Adam-12" the officers are shown eating at a place called "Biff's".  Most of the scenes are of the interior variety but there are a couple of shots of the exterior.  The sign features dark script on a backlit rectangular background and I think it might be a drive-in as well as a sit-down restaurant.
 
The interior was almost undoubtedly a set but could the exterior shots been of a real restaurant?  Was there an actual "Biff's" someplace in Los Angeles in the late '60s and early '70s?
 
After "Adam-12" is over "Dragnet" comes on, but so far I haven't seen Joe and Bill eat anything other than takeout from an unseen sandwich shop across the street from the station.
 
Brad

My Dad (Paul Hultman) bought five Biff's Restaurants in the Los Angeles area 1964 when I was nine. It was too costly to change the name so he kept it and eventually opened more restaurants with the Biff's name. I remember as kids we were excited to watch Adam-12 to see the Hollywood location of Dad's Biff's restaurant on TV. I have tried to find which episode or episodes but there are so many on Hulu.com. I remember outside scenes definitely and possibly some inside scenes, so it might have not been a set as you think.
Here's a partial url of an early menu:  worthpoint.com/worthopedia/biffs-coffee-shop-restaurant-vintage-menu


So, YES, there really was a Biff's!


Ask anyone who lived in Santa Monica or Reseda, California during the Seventies and they have happy memories of Biff's.
The locations I know of were:
Hollywood (in Adam-12)
North Hollywood? (might have been used for Adam-12)
Reseda
Northridge
L.A. 7th and Alvarado (was in the movie "A Patch of Blue.")
Santa Monica 3rd and Wilshire
Burbank
Encino
Long Beach, CA. (Dad sold that soon after buying it)

As this is a food forum, my Dad made sure the food was fresh and high quality, the kitchens CLEAN, he switched from using creamer to half and half in all the Biff's (not done in coffee shops back then), used Blum's Fudge sauce for hot fudge sundaes, invented a Sirloin Steak toasted sandwich on french bread which we kids got to taste test (yum) but I stuck to my tried and true Patty Melt on rye with grilled onions and an ice cream shake (3 choices, vanilla, strawberry or chocolate). BTW, it was never a drive-in or drive-thru. As soon as he could, my Dad upgraded the atmosphere and menu of Biff's.

IM

Brad_Olson


In some episodes of "Adam-12" the officers are shown eating at a place called "Biff's".  Most of the scenes are of the interior variety but there are a couple of shots of the exterior.  The sign features dark script on a backlit rectangular background and I think it might be a drive-in as well as a sit-down restaurant.

The interior was almost undoubtedly a set but could the exterior shots been of a real restaurant?  Was there an actual "Biff's" someplace in Los Angeles in the late '60s and early '70s?

After "Adam-12" is over "Dragnet" comes on, but so far I haven't seen Joe and Bill eat anything other than takeout from an unseen sandwich shop across the street from the station.

Brad

My Dad (Paul Hultman) bought five Biff's Restaurants in the Los Angeles area 1964 when I was nine. It was too costly to change the name so he kept it and eventually opened more restaurants with the Biff's name. I remember as kids we were excited to watch Adam-12 to see the Hollywood location of Dad's Biff's restaurant on TV. I have tried to find which episode or episodes but there are so many on Hulu.com. I remember outside scenes definitely and possibly some inside scenes, so it might have not been a set as you think.
Here's a partial url of an early menu:  worthpoint.com/worthopedia/biffs-coffee-shop-restaurant-vintage-menu


So, YES, there really was a Biff's!


Ask anyone who lived in Santa Monica or Reseda, California during the Seventies and they have happy memories of Biff's.
The locations I know of were:
Hollywood (in Adam-12)
North Hollywood? (might have been used for Adam-12)
Reseda
Northridge
L.A. 7th and Alvarado (was in the movie "A Patch of Blue.")
Santa Monica 3rd and Wilshire
Burbank
Encino
Long Beach, CA. (Dad sold that soon after buying it)

As this is a food forum, my Dad made sure the food was fresh and high quality, the kitchens CLEAN, he switched from using creamer to half and half in all the Biff's (not done in coffee shops back then), used Blum's Fudge sauce for hot fudge sundaes, invented a Sirloin Steak toasted sandwich on french bread which we kids got to taste test (yum) but I stuck to my tried and true Patty Melt on rye with grilled onions and an ice cream shake (3 choices, vanilla, strawberry or chocolate). BTW, it was never a drive-in or drive-thru. As soon as he could, my Dad upgraded the atmosphere and menu of Biff's.

Damn, if this mans first post here doesn't underscore the power of the Internet, nothing will!
Welcome, IM! 

Yeah, Tom, I was thinking the same thing as I read the "real story". 

IM-  Thanks for bringing back some memories from my youth in the South Bay area.

Thank you chewing the fat and mayor al,
My measly 1 post compared to your 2,222 and 12,498 posts!!!!
I'm a lady by the way.

A Patch of Blue 1965 (great movie) with Sidney Poitier with Biff's in the background is on youtube. Elizabeth Hartman is in this scene with him. Movie also stars Shelley Winters, awesome actress.

A Patch of Blue (1965) Part 4
copy and paste the url below in your browser with the 3 w's in front of it:
.youtube.com/watch?v=n40V3LaKSDw&feature=related


On minute 3:59 is the first sight of Biff's at 7th and Alvarado in the background, and then at minute 4:31 and onwards up to THREE Biff's signs visible. lol.
It's across from MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, California USA.

I looked on Google maps and the Biff's location is a check cashing establishment and across the street is a Langers? coffee shop. It's not the greatest part of town.

---------------------

Calling all Adam-12 fanatics: You are more than welcome to post directions to the Biff's episodes that are posted on hulu (or any other places). I like Adam-12 but I find the plot a little redundant and just couldn't bring myself to hunt through all the episodes to find Biff's.

Excellent addition to Roadfood, person and prose.  

(I don't know if that sentence worked or not)

Welcome to Roadfood!  

You are so right about the neighborhood around Langer's not being the best part of town.

My parents owned the corner of 8th and Alvarado and my mother pressured my father in to selling so his odds of getting killed by a drug dealer would be lessened.

Growing up in LA (and still living here) Biffs is a good part of my memories.  Thanks to all for bringing them back.

Thanks Mar52!
What a small world!!
Your parents sound very smart.

The area didn't look so bad on google maps panoramic view, but I wouldn't want to send anyone to the area now. When I go to LA now it's to catch a plane at LAX and I always take the pretty shortcut through MDR.

We used to go to the Old Spaghetti House in Venice in the Seventies and I catch myself looking for it or looking for the big brick building it was in. That place was awesome and always busy. I wonder what happened to it?

Thanks 6star for posting that link.
It's a super interesting site and I spent time emailing back and forth with the site owner. He's fascinated with restaurants and all the little details and stories that go with them. He's going to post more info on Biff's soon.

Ahh, The Spaghetti Factory.  I always ordered the 3 sauce on spaghetti dish.

It was fun, but not good enough to sustain a customer base.

Do you remember Merlin MdFly's?

IM



I looked on Google maps and the Biff's location is a check cashing establishment and across the street is a Langers? coffee shop.

Delicatessen. In business since 1947.

Ok, this is funny. I was actually watching Adam 12 and have been recording all of the addresses they take calls from to map out the area they patrolled on the TV show (talk about too much time on your hands!!). I am also interested in the historical places in the show and just saw Biff's in Season 1, Episode 25. This is about the 3rd episode I have seen it in in Season 1. If I see it in more episodes, I'll post here so you can see your Dad's restaurant and keep a record of when they appeared in Adam-12.   :-)
 
 
Chris

Outlaw 13


Ok, this is funny. I was actually watching Adam 12 and have been recording all of the addresses they take calls from to map out the area they patrolled on the TV show (talk about too much time on your hands!!). I am also interested in the historical places in the show and just saw Biff's in Season 1, Episode 25. This is about the 3rd episode I have seen it in in Season 1. If I see it in more episodes, I'll post here so you can see your Dad's restaurant and keep a record of when they appeared in Adam-12.   :-)
 
 
Chris

 
Sorry, I just saw this post.
 
I would like to see what area they responded to calls in. I think that's a neat idea!! Reminds me of the scene in the first Terminator when the evil Arnold hears on the police scanner the address on "Olympic - pronounced by the dispatcher "Olym-Pick." Cameron probably took the idea for the scene from Adam-12.
 
Thanks for posting the episode!! It's pretty clear the officers had ZERO counseling skills!! Interesting to see the second Darin of Bewitched too! It must have been before he got the Bewitched gig!
(add www.) hulu.com/watch/832/adam-12-log-92-tell-him-he-pushed-back-a-little-too-hard#s-p1-n1-so-i0
 
In reality they would have stayed close to the studio to keep costs down. From watching Season 1 episode 25, I can't tell if Biff's is the North Hollywood Biff's or the Hollywood Biff's which was close to the Capitol Records Building. It probably was the Hollywood Biff's which might have been closer to the TV studio. But I KNOW at some point they filmed Adam-12 INSIDE the North Hollywood Biff's also because when my crazy cousin who lived in North Hollywood took us kids there to eat (aprox 1964) the waitresses were talking about it with us.
 
At the Hollywood Biff's my Dad would play Frank Sinatra's new song "Strangers in the Night" on the rather large jukebox that sat toward the back of the coffee shop.

mar52


Ahh, The Spaghetti Factory.  I always ordered the 3 sauce on spaghetti dish.

It was fun, but not good enough to sustain a customer base.

Do you remember Merlin MdFly's?

 
Wow, the Old Spaghetti Factory still has A LOT of locations in Calif, Oregon and Washington and a few across the country. I had no idea they were still in business. The Venice/Santa Monica, California location in 1975 was awesome. It was always busy and the decor and food were amazing. The menu is still the same!
(www.)
osf.com/index.html
 
I wonder if they make their own pasta? I see no mention of it on their website. I would only order Mizithra YUM spaghetti and the caramel dessert. I'm not a big fan of tomato sauce or chocolate.
I watch all the TV cooking contest reality shows and the judges always disapprove if the contestants don't make their own fresh pasta, but I have only been to one short lived pasta restaurant (it was in Miami) that made their own fresh pasta. It was AWESOME and matched my budget but I only ate there once in the Eighties and it was gone. It's so simple. Why don't spaghetti places do it?
 
Never heard of McFly's.
 

joerogo

Brad_Olson


Which squad car?  The Plymouth or the AMC?  Is there a place named "Biff's" in Pittston?

Brad

The Plymouth.  I'll try to get a pic next time I see him.  The car is perfectly restored. 
 
An AMC police car?  Tough to be taken serious in that one.
 
No Biff's in Pittston.  In fact we don't even allow guys named Biff in pittston.

A guy named Biff,  would last about an hour in prison!
Edit: except for Biff Masters, Rin Tin Tin!

Actually it was "Rip" Masters ( for Ripley) and there were Biff's resturants in many places in the U.S. They were pretty much as seen on Adam 12.        -Old enough to remember 

GeneralJeep


Actually it was "Rip" Masters ( for Ripley) and there were Biff's resturants in many places in the U.S. They were pretty much as seen on Adam 12.        -Old enough to remember 

His close friends called him Biff!

I nominate this as "Thread of the Week"
 
IM, yours might be the most memorable first post EVAR.
 
How did you come up this thread ???

Biff's appears in the episode "clear with a civilian, part 1"

I remember seeing a large Biff's sign in either Burbank or North Hollywood up until the mid 90's. Can you please list the addresses (or nearest cross-streets) of these two locations? BTW, MeTV (a network on many digital sub-channels of TV stations including Ch. 56, KDOC in the LA area) run Dragnet and Adam 12 back-to-back M-F, 10am-11am). I just saw the Biff's sign in Adam 12 TODAY! It was a night shot. I'll see if I can find the name of the episode for you. Thanks again!

Yup. CLEAR WITH A CIVILIAN PT. 1 was the one I saw today (3-12-12) on MeTV.

I can't believe there  are so many people like me with so much time on their hands that we resort to looking up info on restaurant signs seen on old TV shows.
 
That's why I'm here, and I thank IM for answering all the questions I was thinking when I saw the "Biff's" sign on Adam 12.
 
I too look up the locations and see what is there now.  My how areas out here have changed in 40 years.  When I visit my home town, which is also a big city, not much has changed in 40 years. I guess I came to LA when it was still growing.

Just started watching Adam 12 on Netflix. Haven't seen it since I was a kid, and have been re-living my childhood! I first noticed Biff's in Season 1 Episode 6, Log 161 "And You Want Me To Get Married". I missed the exact time stamp, but it was within a few seconds of 16:30. The guys walk out the door door, talking about how great the food is, and of course Malloy talks about how pretty the waitresses are. Wish I had found this site a few years ago when this was all new. I miss everything. 
Mike

Welcome JustMike.  I look forward to more of your input.
 
Jim

I just finished that episode, and thought i would see if Biffs was an actual restaurant. Funny