A native of Miami, Bob Vila attended Miami Dade Junior College and received

an Associate of Architecture degree. He entered the University of Florida

in 1965 as an architecture major, and graduated in 1969 with a degree in

Communications Science. Initially, he focused his professional eye on

newspaper reporting. In 1973, after a two-year stint with the Peace Corps,

serving in Panama (1969 and 1970), and two years working and studying in

Europe, Vila returned to the United States and settled in Boston, where he

studied at the Boston Architectural Center before forming his own

residential remodeling and design business.

Bob's restoration of a Victorian Italianate house in Newton Center,

Massachusetts, was honored as 'Heritage House of 1978' by Better Homes and

Gardens and subsequently became the subject of a Boston Globe article. It

was the newspaper profile that caught the attention of a WGBH television

producer, who soon after produced a pilot program on home renovations using

Vila and his Newton Center home as the focal point.

Some months later, Vila was asked to be the host of a 13-part television

series on step-by-step home renovation. Vila agreed, and, in 1979, 'This

Old House' premiered and was an immediate hit in the local Boston market.

The series was subsequently picked up by PBS and was broadcast nationwide on

public television with Vila as its host for ten years.

Home Again is now taping its fifteenth season as Bob and This Old House celebrate 25 years on television.

Wow, that's a resume to brag about. It's funny how things work out for us sometimes. One day a nobody and the next, a household name.

I think Mr. Vila should do a special show where he has all of us moderators on and gives us all a special acknowledgment and thank you.

Afterall, how would he like to have to answer all of these questions himself???? LOL, just joking. Tomh...sshhhhh, ok?

It's funny, he was on the television the other day and I was lying on the floor with the baby...all of a sudden, I jumped up, looked at Frank and said "OMG, I WORK FOR BOB VILA!!!! I AM A REPRESENTATIVE OF HIM AND ALL HE STANDS FOR" Tomh will get the irony in that one.

But we all in a sense, work for him, and represent him. If we make a mistake, the poster is going to say "On that Bob Vila site...what does Bob know..." Hmmmm?

Just MHO,

MiniFoxx

Moderator - Construction Project Blog

http://www.bobvila.com/BBS/Construction_Project_Blog/flat-page1.html

Some have better luck next time around,

some don't, and some don't even try.

Yes, great idea Minifoxx! He should do a special to thank us! A special home repair show for each of us moderators, LOL! I'd be first in line!

And too true, to go from humble beginnings to a household name like that.

Hmmmm, how ARE the homes for his shows selected, anyway? I think a season or two for his BBS moderators might be a great idea :)

Regards,

-k2 in CO

Moderator, Miscellaneous Forum

http://www.bobvila.com/BBS/Miscellaneous

Are two separate companies. We do not make any decisions on what goes into the show. Or it would probably be at my house. In our FAQ section there are the instructions to get your house on the show. However there are about 5,000 applications a year and the show works on one, two and occasionally three projects. And it's not free. The show basically documents the homeowner's progress and delves into projects people have been asking about.

Here are some links to sites that have automated sign ups.

HGTV

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/be_on_hgtv/

TLC

Each one has its own application under "Get on the Show" link http://tlc.discovery.com/

Extreme Make Over, Home Edition:

http://abc.go.com/primetime/xtremehome/casting.html

Thanks for the response Handyman! Interesting.

Well OK then :) Somehow I guessed it wouldn't be FREE...(what is?) Just "heavily discounted" for his moderators, LOL!

Regards,

-k2 in CO

Moderator, Miscellaneous Forum

http://www.bobvila.com/BBS/Miscellaneous

doesn't that just figure that'd be the way things go for us? Maybe Tim Taylor is available...NOT.

We will just have to all get together ourselves and make our own show!!!! How's that?

Thought my house would be perfect project for the show since it is a rebuild from a fire. Needs new sewer and septic. Has beautiful pine tongue in grove hard wood floors AND walls. You should have seen it. Five acres, plenty of room for Bob, Chevy and the camera crews....Hey maybe HomeDepot will sponsor us for a show LOL.

So BVC...is it just 'using' the name BobVila (with permission of course) or is it really affiliated with him?

Ok, I'll let it die - (for now anyway) - have to feed my crew. they are about to have a revolt if I don't.

Thanks for the info Greg. Appreciate it, didn't know you could request to be on the show. Have to check into it and see what it's all about.

MiniFoxx

Moderator - Construction Project Blog

http://www.bobvila.com/BBS/Construction_Project_Blog/flat-page1.html

Some have better luck next time around,

some don't, and some don't even try.