Catch Me If You Can (2002)

In Steven Spielberg’s “Catch Me If You Can,” Frank Abagnale Jr., played by Leonardo DiCaprio, lives at this home early in the film. Supposedly located in New York, the real home can be found in Studio City, California. It is located next door to the house from “My Stepmother Is An Alien.”

LOCATION: 12075 Valleyheart Dr, Studio City, CA 91604

Frank and his family are forced to move into a smaller apartment at this building, which can be found in Yonkers, New York.

LOCATION: 110 Buena Vista Ave, Yonkers, NY 10701

Frank Abagnale Sr, played by Christopher Walken, reads a letter from his son as he walks into the Abagnale Stationers store, which can be found in San Pedro.

LOCATION: 421 W 6th St, San Pedro, CA 90731

After posing as an airline pilot, Frank begins forging payroll checks at the former Ambassador Hotel. The hotel was a staple of film and television, appearing in such films as “The Graduate,” “Forrest Gump,” “Seven,” “Bobby,” “True Lies,” “L.A. Story,” “True Romance,” “The Mask” and dozens more. The hotel has since been demolished, with only this post and statue from the original building remaining.

LOCATION: 3400 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010 (now demolished)

Carl, played by Tom Hanks, is on the hunt for Frank, who stays at the Tropicana Motel in Hollywood.  While the Tropicana was a real motel at one time, it was demolished in 1988.  Instead, the Hollywood Roosevelt was used.  It’s actually the rear of the Roosevelt building that is seen in the film.

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LOCATION: 7000 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028 (rear of the building on Hawthorn Ave)

Carl eats at a diner, where a waitress tips him off that the alias Frank has been using is the name of “The Flash” in the comic books, cluing him in that his suspect may be younger than he originally thought.

This was filmed at the former Quality Cafe in downtown Los Angeles.  The diner was a one-time staple of films, appearing in “Seven” “Training Day,” “Ghost World,” “Another Day In Paradise,” “(500) Days Of Summer” “Million Dollar Baby,” “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” “The Heartbreak Kid” and dozens more.  However, it was not an actual restaurant open to the public.  Instead it was used solely for filming.  Sadly, it ceased to function as a filming location and was completely renovated in 2014.  The interior of the property no longer bears any resemblance inside to how it appeared in so many films.

LOCATION: 1238 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90017 (since closed and remodeled)

The Miami Airport where Frank slips past the FBI by surrounding himself with attractive flight attendants was actually filmed at the Ontario Airport in Ontario, California.  This particular terminal is not in active use and has popped up in countless other films, including “Saving Mr. Banks,” “Zodiac,” “Blow,” “Argo” and many more.

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LOCATION: 1940 Moore Way, Ontario, CA 91761

Another view of the same airport, depicted as the baggage claim terminal in the film.

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Later in the film, Frank takes his father to an upscale restaurant, where he tells him he bought him a Cadillac.  The actual location is not a restaurant at all.  It’s the famous “Pompeian Room” of the Doheny Mansion, located on the campus of Mount Saint Mary’s University in Los Angeles.  While the mansion does offer occasional tours to the public, some of the guides can be strict about allowing photos inside.  Many films have shot at the mansion, including “The Princess Diaries,” “Drag Me To Hell,” “Flowers In The Attic,” “Spider-Man 3,” “The Three Amigos” and more.

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LOCATION: 10 Chester Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90007

The bank scenes were filmed at Union Station, a train station in downtown Los Angeles.  It has featured in many films as well, such as “Blade Runner,” “The Dark Knight Rises,” “Species,” “Bugsy,” “Pearl Harbor” and more.

LOCATION: 800 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Frank strikes up a romance with Brenda, played by Amy Adams, who brings him to the house of her father, played by Martin Sheen.  Frank has to make an abrupt departure with the FBI hot on his heels.  The house used in the film can be found in Pasadena.  The address is on E Crary St, but the back of the house faces that direction and the perimeter is surrounded by a wall, so you won’t see much from there.  The front side of the house is actually around the block on Layton St, which dead-ends into the driveway of the home.  The same house has also been seen in the films “Matilda,” “Hocus Pocus” and “Scream 2.”  Unfortunately, the property owners have since posted no trespassing signs near the end of Ladyton St, making it much more difficult for pedestrians to see the house anymore.

LOCATION: 2186 E Crary St, Pasadena, CA 91104 (front of the home faces Ladyton St)

Frank is arrested in front of his mother’s house, which can be found in Pasadena. The same location appears in the film “Disturbia.”

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LOCATION: 3077 E California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91107

Late in the film, Frank passes this store and stops as he sees a pilot’s uniform on display. This can be found just a few buildings up from the Abagnale Stationers store seen early in the film.

LOCATION: 446 W 6th St, San Pedro, CA 90731

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