LOS ANGELES – Welcome to Mr. Lorre's neighborhood.
On an early evening last month, many of TV's biggest stars gathered at a busy section of Warner Bros. Studios for a photo shoot, cocktail party and chance to kiss the ring of the man who made them rich and famous.
The event was loosely tied to the final days of shooting for the sitcom "Two and a Half Men," which after critical drubbings and volatile behind-the-scenes drama is wrapping up a dozen seasons of high ratings Feb. 19.
It also was a chance to pay tribute to Chuck Lorre, a producer with one of the most impressive streaks in TV history. Of the last seven sitcoms he has played a part in creating, none has flopped, a record that includes "Grace Under Fire" (1993-98), "Cybill" (1995-98) and "Dharma and Greg" (1997-2002).
Besides "Men," his current slate of hits consists of "The Big Bang Theory," "Mike and Molly" and "Mom." All three feature actors with busy film careers, but no one appears to be leaving anytime soon.
"As a 38-year-old blonde woman, I'm usually not written as a multidimensional person with a lot of problems," said "Mom" star Anna Faris, who has headlined such Hollywood hits as "The House Bunny" and the "Scary Movie" franchise. "Chuck gives me that, and probably most of the other actors will tell you the same thing."
On the studio lot where his four sitcoms are simultaneously shot, the 62-year-old producer was humble about his success, reminiscing about how even into his mid-30s he had to scrounge up 38 cents to put enough gas in his tank just to get to his second cousin's house for a free meal.
"You know, I can remember getting a ticket for making an illegal U-turn," Lorre said. "It was a $50 ticket, and I broke down and I sobbed because it wiped me out — $50 was unthinkable."