James Brendlinger and the other one
They couldn’t afford a landscaper!? James is quite right that the greenery is way overgrown in the exterior shot from the FOL opening theme. Check out this comparison between then-and-now (now being 2014). The building is Harwood Court dormitory at Pomona College, located at 170 East Bonita Avenue in Claremont, California. (bottom photo by Lindsay Blake from this article in Los Angeles Magazine)
James’ other observation about the opening theme: The creepy dude in the back of this shot. OMG I can’t believe I never noticed him! (BTW, these exterior shots around the “campus” didn’t appear until Episode 5.)
Since James and I discuss it… the first time we ever EVER met Edna Garrett in the “Diff’rent Strokes” pilot: