The Manson Family

June 26, 2019December 22, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The history of The Manson Family and their victims is long and vast, scattered all across California and beyond, spanning through the heart of Hollywood, into the far reaches of the desert. We’ve previously we posted articles covering Spahn Ranch and Barker Ranch. Here we will take a look at many additional sites related to the history of The Family, in semi-chronological order. We do not endorse any of the crimes related to this subject matter. This article’s sole intention is to simply acknowledge the places where these events happened and show them as they stand today.

Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, who would become the second member of The Manson Family and one of the most devoted, did not get along with her father from a young age. Not far from LAX airport, you’ll find the childhood home of Lynette.

LOCATION: 6511 W 82nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90045

Of particular interest is the lamp post in front of the home. On the cement in front of it, Lynette scrawled her name as a child, which remains there to this day. Eventually Lynette ran away from home, leading her to Venice Beach, where she met a recently paroled Charles Manson.

When released from Terminal Island in San Pedro in 1967, Charles Manson headed north to the Bay Area. He played guitar at the UC Berkeley campus, where he would meet Mary Brunner, the first member of the Manson Family. Here is the famous Sather Gate at the Berkeley campus.

LOCATION: Sather Gate, Sather Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720

Just inside the gate is the courtyard area where Manson played his guitar and met Brunner. Here are some views of what the general area looks like today.

Mason became a resident of the famous Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco during the “Summer of Love” in 1967, renting an apartment unit in this building. It was in San Francisco that he also met future family member Susan “Sadie” Atkins.

LOCATION: 636 Cole St, San Francisco, CA 94117

Around this same period, Bobby Beausoleil, who would later become involved in the first of the Manson Family murders, was also in San Francisco. He posed for a famous photo on the front stairs of this house, which at the time was occupied by underground filmmaker Kenneth Anger. Anger filmed portions of his short film “Invocation of My Demon Brother” at the house, which featured Bobby Beausoleil and Anton LaVey, with music by Mick Jagger.

LOCATION: 1198 Fulton St, San Francisco, CA 94117

Here are the stairs where Bobby posed for his photo. While serving his sentence for his murder conviction, Beausoleil later composed the score to Anger’s film “Lucifer Rising,” after a score by Jimmy Page was rejected. You can read a bit more about this home in our separate article about the Kenneth Anger House.

Eventually Manson would make his way back down to Southern California. Susan Atkins joined Manson in his trek south, along with other Family members. Sadie worked as a stripper at the Candy Cat One in Chatsworth, California. The Candy Cat remained open for decades until 2017, when it finally closed its doors. You can still see the faded letters where the sign once was.

LOCATION: 21625 Devonshire St, Chatsworth, CA 91311

Just across the street from the former Candy Cat One is The Munch Box, a staple of the San Fernando Valley that has been in business since 1956. Charles Manson used to sit and eat at The Munch Box, waiting for Sadie to finish her work shifts. A market also once stood in this area, which was one of the spots the women of the Manson Family would go digging through the dumpsters, looking for discarded food.

LOCATION: 21532 Devonshire St, Chatsworth, CA 91311

There are conflicting stories about how Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys came to know The Manson Family. The most common story is that he picked up members Patricia Krenwinkel and Ella Jo Bailey in 1968, who were hitchhiking, and brought them back to his place on Sunset Blvd. The story has been disputed, but what is known is that the Family began staying at Dennis Wilson’s home for a time. During this period, Wilson and Manson undertook some musical collaborations. Manson’s song “Cease to Exist” ended up being recorded under the name “Never Learn Not to Love” on The Beach Boys’ “20/20” album, though the sole songwriting credit went to Dennis Wilson.

Eventually the Family would overstay their welcome and Wilson split from them by selling the home. The house still stands, but it is fairly difficult to get a decent view. Fencing and trees surround the entire property along the street. Here is a view of the driveway gate.

LOCATION: 14400 Sunset Blvd, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272

Here is a view within the property, when one of the gates was open.

Across the street on Will Rogers State Park Rd, the road goes up an incline, allowing for views over the fence. The trees still obscure most of the property though. It should be noted that parking is difficult here. Sunset Blvd is quite busy along this stretch and has no parking shoulder. You can go up Will Rogers State Park Rd, but the nearest parking area is at the top, meaning you’d have a long walk down and back up to return to your vehicle. Your best bet is to take one of the side roads in the vicinity, but many of them are private, so it can be tricky.

Here is a view of the horse stables at the property.

Both Charles Manson and Charles “Tex” Watson visited the famous Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood. Watson is said to have lived on the road just behind it for a time.

LOCATION: 8901 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Members of the Family attended parties at the house of Harold True on multiple occasions. This is Harold’s former house, which was located directly next door to Rosemary and Leno LaBianca.

LOCATION: 3267 Waverly Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Over in Beverly Hills is the original home of Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate, before they moved to Cielo Drive, where the fateful murders took place. It was here that they first met their maid, Winifred Chapman, who would continue working for them at the Cielo house and would have the unfortunate role of discovering the bodies the morning after the murders.

LOCATION: 1600 Summitridge Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Jay Sebring, another victim of the Manson Family, was a celebrity hair stylist prior to the murders who had connections all over Hollywood, including Warren Beatty and Bruce Lee. His hair salon could be found on Fairfax Ave in Los Angeles. The space remains a hair salon to this day, albeit under different ownership.

LOCATION: 725 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Sebring’s house could be found in Benedict Canyon, about a mile from Tate and Polanski’s house on Cielo.

LOCATION: 9860 Easton Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

In early 1969, Charles Manson rented a house in Canoga Park, where members of The Family stayed with him. They called the house the “Yellow Submarine,” due to its paint color. By this time, Manson had already discovered Spahn Ranch, but he felt it was too disorganized for musical recording and wanted to use the home as a studio. The Family’s time there would be brief and the house was eventually demolished. Today, an apartment complex stands in its place.

LOCATION: 21019 Gresham St, Canoga Park, CA 91304

The most well-known home of The Manson Family was of course Spahn Ranch in Chatsworth, California. This is where the murders were ordered. You can read much more detail about the history of Spahn Ranch in our article here.

LOCATION: Formerly 1200 Santa Susana Pass Rd, Chatsworth, CA 91311 (now defunct), nearest present address is 22601 Santa Susana Pass Rd., Chatsworth, CA 91311

The events that set the stage for the Tate-LaBianca murders really kicked into full motion in 1969 with the shooting of Bernard “Lotsapoppa” Crowe. Crowe had agreed to a drug deal with Charles “Tex” Watson, who burned him and kept the money. An angry Crowe called Spahn Ranch and asked for Charles. The name mix-up put him on the phone with Charles Manson, rather than Watson. Crowe threatened to harm Watson’s girlfriend if the situation wasn’t fixed, so Manson headed to his apartment in the middle of Hollywood. There things escalated and Manson ended up shooting Lotsapoppa. Leaving under the belief he had killed Crowe, when Manson watched the news, he saw reports of a murdered member of the Black Panther party. Crowe had in fact survived the shooting and was not a member of the Panthers. However, Manson erroneously believed he was on the hook for murder and that the Panthers would soon visit Spahn Ranch seeking retaliation. Manson also believed that Watson owed him big for having taken care of his situation.

The apartment where Lotsapoppa was shot has long since been demolished. It is now a parking lot for the famous Magic Castle.

LOCATION: 7001 Franklin Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028

More trouble would soon come when Gary Hinman set up a drug deal with a biker gang through Bobby Beausoleil. While Beausoleil denies ever being a member of the Manson Family, he held many ties with them. After the bikers claimed the drugs were bad, they demanded their money back from Beausoleil. Beausoleil went to the house of Gary Hinman, along with Mary Brunner and Susan Atkins and held Hinman captive. Believing he had received a large inheritance, they demanded money from him. Hinman denied having money and also disputed that the drugs were bad. Eventually Charles Manson would visit the house as well, slicing Hinman with a sword.

Bobby Beausoleil would then murder Gary Hinman, with words written in blood on the walls, in an attempt to make it look like a crime committed by the Black Panthers. Not long after, Beausoleil was found asleep in Hinman’s car and charged with murder. Here is the former Hinman house, which has since been remodeled and is obscured by trees and shrubs. There used to be stairs leading up to the house, which have also since been removed.

LOCATION: 964 Old Topanga Canyon Rd, Topanga, CA 90290

With Beausoleil arrested for murder, the events fell into place for the first night of the Tate-LaBianca murders. Many members of the Family have claimed the murders were intended to appear as copycat crimes, to make it appear as if Hinman’s killer was still on the loose, thus resulting in Beausoleil’s release. Others have disputed this motive, however.

Steven Parent lived at this house in El Monte, California. Parent had the misfortune of trying to sell William Garretson a clock radio on the night of the murders on August 8, 1969. Garretson was staying in a guest house at the Tate residence when Parent paid him a visit. As Parent was leaving, he encountered Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel and Linda Kasabian. Watson shot and killed Parent in his car in the driveway.

LOCATION: 11214 Bryant Rd, El Monte, CA 91731

Earlier the same night, Sharon Tate, Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger and Voytek Frykowski had dinner at the El Coyote restaurant. The Mexican restaurant was a favorite of Tate’s. It would unfortunately turn out to be their final meal.

LOCATION: 7312 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Here is a view of the front entrance of El Coyote, which remains in business to this day.

This is alleged to be the table where the group ate their dinner.

This is the entrance to the private road of Cielo Drive. Much of Cielo is actually a public road. It is only the portion leading up to the houses that is marked private. It is at the foot of the private road where the killers parked their car, heading up the rest of the way on foot in darkness.

LOCATION: Formerly 10500 Cielo Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 (now defunct), changed to 10066 Cielo Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

While that portion of Cielo Drive is private, the road directly across the street, Bella Drive, is not. It too goes up an incline and from the top you get a clear view of all the homes along Ceilo Dr. The house furthest to the left in front of the city skyline is where the Tate/Polanki residence once stood. The killers’ original plan was to murder the occupants of every house along the block. The Tate murders proved more difficult than they had anticipated, however, so they abandoned plans to enter the other homes. While neighbors did hear sounds the night of the murders, the canyons echoed sounds and it was difficult to place where the noises came from.

LOCATION: Cielo Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, as seen from 1436 Bella Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Here is a better view of where the Tate/Polanski home once stood, taken from Beverly View Drive. The home has since been demolished and a mansion belonging to “Full House” creator Jeff Franklin stands in it’s place.

After the murders, the killers traveled about 1.5 miles up Benedict Canyon Drive and stopped at this home on Portola Drive. Here they used a hose to wash off the victims’ blood. However, the homeowner discovered them and wrote down their license plate, which would become a heavily incriminating piece of evidence during the murder trials.

LOCATION: 9870 Portola Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

The killers then made their way further up Benedict Canyon. They pulled over to this section of the road, across the street from 2901 Benedict Canyon, where they tossed the clothes they wore during the murders. In 1969, this area was a wide shoulder where cars could pull over. Now a guard rail blocks it, but there is still a strip of land there with enough space to fit a car. Based on descriptions later provided by Susan Atkins, which described the area as mountain on one side and a ravine on the other, a local news station recreated the drive from Cielo, traveling at a moderate speed and changing their clothes. When they finished, they pulled over to the nearest shoulder they could find, leading them to the precise location where the clothes were tossed.

LOCATION: 2901 Benedict Canyon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Here’s another view of the area.

Upon making the discovery, the reporter headed across the street to notify the police.

The killers then made their way over to Beverly Glen Blvd, where they tossed the gun. They believed this area to be an empty canyon where the weapon would not likely be recovered. From the road above, this is the view they would have seen. It was not an empty canyon, however. At the bottom of the hill was a neighborhood and the gun was tossed into one of the back yards.

LOCATION: Beverly Glen Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 (near 3627 Longview Valley Rd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423)

This is the home where the gun was discovered.

LOCATION: 3627 Longview Valley Rd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423

Here you can see a view of Beverly Glen Blvd in the distance, where the gun was tossed as the killers passed.

Not content with one night of murders or with how they were carried out, Charles Manson decided to accompany the group for a second night of killings. After roaming around in search of a suitable site, they made their way over to the neighborhood of Harold True and eventually selected the house next door, belonging to Rosemary and Leno LaBianca. The group consisted of Manson, Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, Linda Kasabian, Patricia Krenwinkel, Leslie Van Houten, and Steve “Clem” Grogan. Manson entered the LaBianca house and tied up the victims, telling them they were only there to rob the place and would not be harmed.

He then returned to the car with Rosemary LaBianca’s wallet and sent Watson, Krenwinkel and Van Houten in to do the killings. He told them to hitchhike back to Spahn Ranch and he would take the remaining group out to perform a different set of murders. Here is what the LaBianca house looks like today. A gate and garage have been added and trees planted to obscure the view. Much like the Cielo house, the address was also slightly changed.

LOCATION: Formerly 3301 Waverly Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027, changed to 3311 Waverly Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Manson then took the second group to this gas station in Sylmar and had Linda Kasabian dispose of Rosemary LaBianca’s wallet in the restroom. Here is the side of the building where the restroom once was. During the trial, the prosecution alleged that this gas station was chosen in a predominantly black area, as to implicate black killers and bring about a race war called “Helter Skelter.” One of the few blows against the “Helter Skelter” motive came when the defense noted that Sylmar was not a predominantly black area.

LOCATION: 12881 Encinitas Ave, Sylmar, CA 91342

Manson then walked over to this Denny’s and ordered a chocolate shake. The Denny’s still stands there today.

LOCATION: 12861 Encinitas Ave, Sylmar, CA 91342

Manson, Grogan, Kasabian and Atkins then went to this apartment building on Venice Beach, looking to commit the next murder. They came here because Kasabian remembered a resident there she disliked. After knocking on a door and failing to find the correct apartment unit, which Kasabian later claimed to have done intentionally to avoid more killings, the group abandoned plans to commit murder here. Upon making their way down the stairwell to exit, Susan Atkis deficated in the building before leaving.

LOCATION: 1011 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA 90291

The morning after the LaBianca murders, the family arrived at the house. Noticing some unusual activity; the fact that the LaBianca’s boat had been left out and the curtains were drawn closed, they went across the street to phone the police.

LOCATION: 3306 Waverly Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027

In the wake of the murders, The Manson Family fled to Barker Ranch in Death Valley. It was here that Charles Manson was eventually captured. You can read our article about Barker Ranch here.

LOCATION: Just off of Goler Wash Rd, Death Valley National Park, Panamint, CA 93592 (easiest access is via Ballarat, CA, GPS coordinates: 35°51′34.57″N 117°5′18.76″W)

While at the Sybil Brand Institute, Susan Atkins confessed to a cell mate named Virginia Graham about the Tate Murders. Graham in turn shared what Atkins had told her with homocide detectives, which eventually helped lead to the indictment of Charles Manson. The prison shut down in 1997, but today the grounds are still owned by the Los Angeles sherrif’s office, where it is used by warehouse companies and for filming purposes. Walking the grounds, however, it still very much feels like a prison.

LOCATION: 4500 City Terrace Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90063

The trial for the Tate/LaBianca murders was held at the Hall of Justice in downtown Los Angeles.

LOCATION: 211 W Temple St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Members of the Manson Family who were not incarcerated sat at this corner on Broadway and Temple, speaking with media throughout the duration of the trail. After Manson shaved his head and carved an X into his forehead, the members followed suit.

LOCATION: Intersection of N Broadway / W Temple St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

After Manson was convicted and sent to Folsom Prison, Family members Sandra Good and Lynette Fromme moved into the attic unit of this house in Sacramento, in order to be nearer to him.

LOCATION: 1725 P St, Sacramento, CA 95811

There used to be an outdoor starcase on the side of the house leading to the attic unit, which has since been removed.

Over at the Historic Sacramento City Cemetery, a famous photo of Lynette Fromme and Sandra Good wearing robes was taken for a German magazine at this grave plot. The gravestone is marked Heintz at plot B83 276. It actually sits very near the entrance at the intersection of Broadway and Ninth St. From there it can be found 2 plots forward, 4 plots to the left.

LOCATION: 1000 Broadway, Sacramento, CA 95818

On September 5, 1975, Lynette Fromme left her house on P Street dressed in a red robe and came to the California State Capitol building in Sacramento. She stood at this tree and aimed a gun at then President Gerald Ford, who was walking past. Secret Service members immediately subdued her with no shots fired. For her crime, she served 34 years in prison before being paroled in 2009. The easiest way to reach the tree where the incident happened is from the intersection of 12th St and L St. Ford was leaving the Senator Hotel and crossed that intersection, heading for the California State Capitol building.

LOCATION: 1315 10th St, Sacramento, CA 95814

The final tenant of the original Cielo Drive residence before it was demolished was Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails. When Trent relocated from Los Angeles to New Orleans, he took with him one piece of the Cielo property; the infamous door that had “Pig” scrawled in Sharon Tate’s blood by Susan Atkins. Trent purchased this former funeral home in New Orleans in 1995 and converted it into a recording studio. He had the Cielo door installed as the front entrance to the studio. Trent would eventually relocate back to Los Angeles in 2004, this time leaving the Cielo door behind for good. The building stood vacant until 2010, when it was purchased by a surgeon looking to convert the property into a retail area. It has since been remodeled beyond recognition, but we managed to visit back when the original building still stood. The door at the front entrance to the former studio on Magazine Street sat behind a steel gate and remained until around 2012, when the building was completely remodeled. The door was preserved and sold to a private collector named Christopher Moore, who currently owns it.

LOCATION: 4500 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

After Charles Manson died in 2017, his funeral was quitly held in Porterville, Califonia and his ashes were spread in a nearby, undisclosed location.

LOCATION: 765 W Henderson Ave, Porterville, CA 93257

Here is the back of the funeral home.

There are countless more locations related to these events, which we have not covered. There are also many books that dive much deeper into the subject. We simply aimed to present a visual timeline of one of the most infamous crimes in American history. It is a fascinating, tragic story. It was very real and these are the places where it all unfolded.

Related articles: Spahn Ranch, Barker Ranch

Can’t Hardly Wait (1998)

June 25, 2019October 9, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The party house from the 1998 teen comedy “Can’t Hardly Wait” can be found in Altadena, California. The house has been used in a variety of productions over the years, including “American Pie,” “Bye Bye Love,” “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” and “I Know Who Killed Me,” as well as such TV shows as “The Mentalist” and “This Is Us.”

LOCATION: 1090 Rubio St, Altadena, CA 91001

The high school seen in the film is John Marshall High School. A regular location in film and television, it has also appeared in such movies as “A Nightmare On Elm Street,” “Rebel Without A Cause” and “Pretty In Pink,” as well as such TV shows as “Boy Meets World,” “Boston Public” and many more.

LOCATION: 3939 Tracy St, Los Angeles, CA 90027

22 Jump Street (2014)

June 23, 2019November 30, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

In the sequel comedy “22 Jump Street,” the church used as the police headquarters in the first film is briefly seen again.

LOCATION: 222 N Roman St, New Orleans, LA 70112

The team is seen relocating to a building across the street, supposedly located at the titular address. In reality, there are only some houses across the street from the church. The new HQ is another church located about 5 miles away.

LOCATION: 614 St Maurice Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117

Here is a wider shot of the church.

Over at the Sony lot in Culver City, California, you can find this football helmet shaped vehicle, used in an action sequence in the film.

LOCATION: 10202 W Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232

Some props from the film are also on display at Sony Pictures Studio.

Dumb And Dumber (1994)

June 21, 2019October 15, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The classic 1994 comedy “Dumb and Dumber” is primarily set in the cities of Providence, Rhode Island and Aspen, Colorado. However, aside from some brief road clips and establishing shots, the production took place in neither city. The majority of the production took place around Salt Lake City, Utah and Northeast Colorado.

In the opening scene, Lloyd, played by Jim Carrey, pulls up in a limousine and attempts to talk up an Austrian lady standing on this corner. The street sign says Hope St, but the real location is at the intersection of 700 S and 200 W in Salt Lake City.

LOCATION: Intersection of 200 W / W 700 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84101

The building the woman stands in front of has since been completely remodeled. Some tracks have also been added to the street for trolleys. However, the building on the opposite side of the street, seen in the background of several shots, still bears some resemblance to how it appeared in the film.

Also worth noting, this same intersection is used in another scene in the film, when Lloyd is driving Mary to the airport and turns around to talk, with his back to the road as he blows through a red light. He is driving down W 700 S and the same building can be seen on the left side of the frame.

During the opening credits, Harry, played by Jeff Daniels, is introduced driving the “Shaggin’ Wagon,” a van decorated like a dog to promote his grooming business, “Mutt Cutts.” After stopping off for hot dogs to feed his van full of dogs, he races through the city late for a dog show. He is seen passing this intersection.

LOCATION: W 700 S / S 600 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Harry is seen again turning at this intersection, which is actually the same location as the shot above, facing the opposite direction.

Lloyd meets Mary Swanson, played by Lauren Holly, as he picks her up at her house, supposedly located in Providence. Mary’s house can be found on the grounds of La Caille, where several other scenes in the film were also shot, which we’ll cover later in this article. La Caille is a scenic area that is used for a variety of purposes. In addition to a restaurant, the property regularly hosts wedding photography and also has many guest houses around the grounds. Of all the filming locations on La Caille, Mary’s house is the most difficult to access. It is one of the guest houses on the grounds, often occupied by visitors who pay to stay in the home. The driveway leading down to the house is gated and marked as private. However, it is still possible to see a bit of the house from the gate, including the front door where the scene takes place.

LOCATION: 9563 Wasatch Blvd, Sandy, UT 84092

Harry nearly runs down a jogger at this intersection, as he continues racing to the dog show.

LOCATION: W 700 S / S 400 W, Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Harry speeds down Technology Way in the city of Orem, Utah, where he jumps the truck in the air. The trees have grown significantly in the years since the film was shot, obscuring most of the background. However, just enough of the house in the distance remains visible enough to match it up with the film.

LOCATION: Technology Way, Orem, UT 84097 (near the intersection of E 1600 N St)

Here is a wider view of the street. It’s not as steep as it appears in the film. Low angles and the use of a ramp make it look like much bigger dip in the road. Technology Way is a very short road, with the jump filmed on the side nearest to E 1600 N St.

Harry finally arrives with the dogs for Mrs. Neugeboren at Palmer Court housing development in Salt Lake City.

LOCATION: 999 Main St, Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Harry opens the back of the van to reveal the dogs, covered in ketchup and mustard from his reckless driving.

Lloyd drops of Mary at the airport, supposedly located in Providence. It’s actually the Salt Lake City International Airport. The airport has since been remodeled, so these views can no longer be matched up.

LOCATION: 776 N Terminal Dr, Salt Lake City, UT 84122

Here is the general vicinity in which he crashes his limo.

Harry and Lloyd’s apartment exterior can also be found in Salt Lake City. Known as the Smith Apartments, the building has changed very little since filming took place and is immediately recognizable. The interior of the apartment was a set at Osmond Studios in Orem, Utah, which has since closed.

LOCATION: 228 S 300 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Here is a wider view of the building.

Harry and Lloyd escape from around this corner, mistakenly believing they are avoiding the gas man for late payments. As they turn the corner, a man can be seen in the background urinating against the brick wall of the neighboring building.

Here is where the blind boy, “Billy in 4C,” sits stroking the dead bird Petey that Lloyd sold him.

The scene where Lloyd gets robbed by an old lady was filmed just a few buildings down from Harry and Lloyd’s apartment. The building has unfortunately since been remodeled and the scene mostly just showed a sidewalk and wall anyways, so it may not look too recognizable. This stretch of sidewalk is where the scene took place, however.

LOCATION: 279 E 300 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Mary’s parents’ house in “Aspen” is actually located in Park City, Utah, the same town where the Sundance Film Festival famously takes place each year. You have to travel up a mountain to see it. There are many beautiful houses and majestic mountain views in the area.

LOCATION: 6 Perserverance Ct, Park City, UT 84060

Lloyd has a fantasy as he drives about striking up a romance with Mary. He arrives at this “house,” which is actually the La Caille restaurant in Sandy, Utah. It’s on the same grounds as Mary’s “Providence” house where she first meets Lloyd.

LOCATION: 9565 Wasatch Blvd, Sandy, UT 84092

Lloyd embraces with Mary at this door, where he spins her and pulls up her dress.

As Lloyd’s fantasy continues, he hosts a party in the same location. The room and fireplace in the scene are located on the second floor of the La Caille restaurant. There was one other scene shot on the grounds of La Caille, which was set at the pond. It was ultimately deleted from the film, however.

Harry and Lloyd stay at the honeymoon suite of The Second Time Is Best Motel. The exterior is actually the M-Star Hotel in Heber City, Utah. The interior was a set at the former Osmond Studios in Orem, Utah.

LOCATION: 425 S Main St, Heber City, UT 84032

Harry and Lloyd have burgers with Mental at Dante’s Inferno. The building is now the American Legion Post in Ogden, Utah. While in Ogden, be sure to check out the swimming pool from “The Sandlot.”

LOCATION: 845 W 24th St, Ogden, UT 84401

The scene where Harry fills his van with gas, spilling fuel from under the dog’s leg was filmed at a former gas station in West Valley City (6381 W 2100 S, West Valley City, UT 84128). The gas station has since been completely removed and a trucking company has taken it’s place.

Lloyd stops off at a convenience store, where he sees some guys drinking big gulps. The building, now a lending company, is also located in Ogden.

LOCATION: 3087 Washington Blvd, Ogden, UT 84401

This building seen across the street still matches up perfectly with the film.

The exterior of the snow owl benefit, supposedly located in Aspen, is the Devereaux Mansion in Salt Lake City.

LOCATION: 340 S Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84103

The interior of the snow owl benefit scene was shot just across the street from the Devereaux Mansion, inside the Grand Hall of the former Union Pacific Depot, which is now a property called The Getaway. The Grand Hall is actually open to the public, but it has limited daily hours, so if you plan a visit, just be sure you go when it’s open. The far wall underneath the train mural, just left of the doorway is where the bar was set up in the film. The hall is quite large, so it was blocked from limited angles in order to be scaled down for the film.

LOCATION: Union Pacific Depot, The Gateway, 400 W S Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84101

Nicholas, the man behind the kidnapping of Mary’s husband, stays at this house in Kamas, Utah. Although the residence is in Kamas, it’s actually just a few blocks away from Mary’s parents’ house in Park City.

LOCATION: 8 Oak Ct, Kamas, UT 84036

Small Soldiers (1998)

June 20, 2019December 10, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

In the 1998 Joe Dante film “Small Soldiers,” Alan’s house was not actually a real house, rather a set constructed on the Warner Bros. Ranch in Burbank, California. The set was built specifically for the film, but remains standing to this day and has since been used for other productions, including “Pleasantville” and the TV series “Pushing Daisies.”

This Warner Bros. Ranch is separate from the main Warner backlot and unfortunately not open to public tours at this time.

LOCATION: 411 N Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505

Another set from the film, The Inner Child toy store, is located over on the main studio lot of Warner Bros. and can in fact be seen on their studio tour. The building was famously later used as the coffee shop where Emma Stone works in “La La Land.”

LOCATION: 4000 Warner Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505

Some of the establishing shots of the town were filmed at Orange Circle. A popular filming spot, Orange Circle has also been featured in such films as “That Thing You Do!,” “Big Momma’s House,” “Frailty” and many more.

LOCATION: 100 S Glassell St, Orange, CA 92866

Related articles: Matinee (1993), The ‘Burbs (1989)

Daddy Day Care (2003)

June 15, 2019October 12, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The house from the 2003 Eddie Murphy comedy “Daddy Day Care” can be found in Pasadena, California.

LOCATION: 351 Congress Pl, Pasadena, CA 91105

Goodfellas (1990)

June 9, 2019January 2, 2023 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

One of the most memorable scenes in Martin Scorsese’s classic 1990 film “Goodfellas” is when Henry Hill, played by Ray Liotta, takes Karen, played by Lorraine Bracco, on a date to the Copacabana in Manhattan. The camera follows them as they take a side entrance, skipping the line and walking through the kitchen out onto the restaurant floor, where a table is immediately brought for them.

The Copacabana was a legendary restaurant located in the actual spot seen in the film. Acts such as Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr. and The Supremes all performed there. However, after fifty years, it was relocated in 1992, not long after the film was released. The Copacabana supposedly appears again in Scorsese’s 2019 film “The Irishman,” but an alternate location stood in for it.

LOCATION: 10 E 60th St, New York, NY 10022

Henry meets Jimmy, played by Robert De Niro, at the Sherwood Diner, where they await news of Tommy becoming a made man. These scenes were filmed at what was then known as the Maspeth Diner. After the success of the film, it changed its name to the Goodfellas Diner. However, it got damaged by a fire in 2018. Since then, the building has remained closed down and appears in disrepair these days. The diner also makes a brief, return appearance in Scorsese’s “The Irishman.”

LOCATION: 56-26 Maspeth Ave, Maspeth, NY 11378

Jurassic World (2015)

June 8, 2019October 18, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

In 2015’s “Jurassic World,” the story takes us back to Isla Nublar, the same fictional island from the original “Jurassic Park,” supposedly located off the coast of Costa Rica. The locations are a composite of multiple places, including Louisiana and Hawaii. Filming largely took place at Kualoa Ranch in O’ahu, where as the original film also shot, albeit to a lesser extent.

As the ferry takes the boys to the island, the establishing shot shows the majestic Nā Pali Coast on the North Shore of Kauaʻi. There are a variety of ways to see the coast, including boat and helicopter tours. Some areas can also be hiked.

LOCATION: Nā Pali Coast State Wilderness Park, Kapaʻa, HI 96746

The escalators where the boys head to their room is on the island of O’ahu at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center. The same escalators were featured in the TV series “Lost.”

LOCATION: 1801 Kalakaua Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815

The helicopter pad where Claire, played by Bryce Dallas Howard, is picked up is at Kualoa Ranch in Oahu, where the original “Jurassic Park” also filmed scenes. The pad set was initially kept after filming was completed, but eventually the ranch decided to remove it, as many helicopters travel the nearby air space and they had concerns one of them might confuse it for an actual landing pad. Many of the locations around Kualoa Ranch have signs such as this posted, identifying which films shot where.

LOCATION: Kualoa Ranch, 49-560 Kamehameha Hwy, Kaneohe, HI 96744

The helicopter pad is featured in a number of scenes throughout the film. Quite a bit of CGI was added, to include the buildings and train rail featured in the park. In the distance is the Moli’i Fishpond, also part of the Kualoa Ranch property, which is featured in several other scenes in the film.

The Indominus rex paddock set was also built on Kualoa Ranch, which does still stand. There are a wide variety of tours available at the ranch, more than one of which are film related. We recommend the Premier Movie Site Tour, as it takes you to many locations from this and other films that are only seen on that particular tour. The Hollywood tour, while cheaper, skips many locations on the ranch.

Here is the interior of the deck overlooking the Indominus Rex paddock.

A view of the deck from the exterior.

In a later scene, Claire brings Owen, played by Chris Pratt, to the paddock, where they initially believe the Indominus rex may have escaped. The claw marks Owen points out are still there.

The Moli’i Fishpond is where the giant mosasaurus emerges from the water and eats the shark. Quite a bit of CGI was added to the scene. The Moli’i Fishpond area has been featured in many movies, such as “Triple Frontier,” “50 First Dates,” “Snatched,” “Tears of the Sun,” “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates,” “You, Me and Dupree,” as well as the TV show “Lost.” Here is a sign identifying the mosasaurus scene.

LOCATION: 49-243 Kuukama St, Kailua, HI 96734

It’s also on the banks of the Moli’i Fishpond where Owen’s bungalow and trailer set was built, though it has since been removed. It’s worth mentioning that parts of this area can also by seen by visiting the local shops near the pond, which rent their buildings from Kualoa Ranch. They offer tours of their own near the water for a small fee, but the Premier Movie Site Tour offered by the ranch is still our recommended way to see it.

As the boys ride a train out to the Gyrosphere area, they pass a valley where gallimimus are running alongside a vehicle. This is a nod to the original film, where Dr. Grant and the two children run from a gallimimus stampede, which was filmed in the exact same location at Kualoa Ranch. The same valley pops on again in the sequel “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,” when a convoy travels on an expedition into the park.

The mountains seen here have a railway added via CGI.

In the Jungle area of Kualoa Ranch, there is a stream that runs through, which is where the scenes of the Indominus rex attacking park security took place. Unfortunately, their tours quickly drive past this location, so you have to be quick trying to get photos.

The set where the boys wait in line for the Gyrosphere ride also still stands at Kualoa Ranch, with a stunning backdrop looking out over the ocean.

The scenes of the boys wandering the park in the Gyroscope were filmed at Jurassic Kahili Ranch in Kauaʻi. This is the same ranch where the brachiosaurus is first seen in the original “Jurassic Park.” It also appeared in the sequels “The Lost World: Jurassic Park” and “Jurassic Park III.” For years, the ranch remained closed to the public, proving to be one of the most elusive and sought-after locations for fans of the franchise. That changed in 2019, when the ranch began offering public tours for the first time. The tours were unfortunately suspended in 2020 due to the pandemic, but they may resume in the future.

The scene of the boys riding around with the dinosaurs was actually a composite of a couple different areas. This is the field they initially traverse.

LOCATION: Jurassic Kahili Ranch, 5-1771D, Kuhio Hwy, Kilauea, HI 96754

The filmmakers also wanted these mountains in the distance of several shots, which are in fact located in the same general area, but not from all of the specific angles seen in the film. Visual effects were employed to place the mountains into the desired areas of the shots.

The boys then notice an area of the perimeter fence that has a gate open. This set piece was left standing at the completion of the film, at the request of the ranch. The gate really does open and it’s heavier than you might expect.

LOCATION: 22.173597, -159.398782

Here is a wider view of the full set piece.

This is the view of the other side of the gate, where the boys look down. There is also a reverse shot looking back up towards the open fence at the Gyrosphere. This trail was made specifically for the film, to allow in equipment and crew and achieve the desired shots. The tour itself does not go down this trail, but guests are allowed to walk up on foot and take a closer look, if they’re so inclined.

As Claire and Owen go searching for the boys, they encounter a dying apatosaurus, which had the misfortune of encountering the Indominus rex. This was also filmed at Jurassic Kahili Ranch.

They then discover more dead dinosaurs lying scattered across this hill, realizing the Indominus is killing for sport.

In the closing shot of the film, the T-rex emerges from this area onto the helicopter pad, back at Kualoa Ranch in O’ahu.

Here is one of the vehicles seen in the film. It was actually owned by Kualoa Ranch prior to production. When the filmmakers saw it, they asked to use it in the film.

If you get a chance to visit Hawaii, we highly recommend Jurassic Kahili Ranch in Kauaʻi and Kualoa Ranch in O’ahu. Both offer spectacular views and very recognizable locations from not only this film, but the original “Jurassic Park” as well. As a reminder, these are private ranches closed to the general public for unauthorized experiences. Please do not trespass. The only way to see them is by booking a tour.

Thanks to Sean Mello for providing the GPS coordinates of the fence.

The Smashing Pumpkins – Today

June 7, 2019December 22, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The classic 1990s music video for “Today” by The Smashing Pumpkins was filmed in the small town of Taft, California. In the early scenes of the music video, singer Billy Corgan parks his ice cream truck next to the former Schmidt’s Fotoshop and sits on the sidewalk. Although the building has long since been abandoned, it hasn’t changed much and is still recognizable.

LOCATION: 112 4th St, Taft, CA 93268

It’s actually not the only music video to film there. The Weeknd’s video for “Call Out My Name” filmed on the same street and the same building can be seen in many shots.

Deadwood

June 1, 2019October 15, 2022 / filmoblivion / Leave a comment

The David Milch TV series “Deadwood,” despite garnering critical acclaim and a loyal fan base, prematurely ended after three seasons back in 2006. Since then, various attempts to tie the story up have been made, with many doubts it would ever happen. In 2019, however, it finally did and the show was given the opportunity to reach a satisfying conclusion with “Deadwood: The Movie.” Please note if you’ve not watched the film, this article contains spoilers.

While set in the town of Deadwood, South Dakota, both the original TV series, as well as the movie, were primarily shot in Newhall, California at Melody Ranch. Another renowned HBO series, “Westworld,” shot at the same ranch, where it served as the town of Sweetwater. The production designers did a great job of giving each show a much different look from one another.

Melody Ranch is private property, inaccessible to the general public most of the time. However, the ranch does in fact offer tours (something of a rarity for movie ranches), with the caveat being that no tours occur whenever active production is taking place on the ranch. The challenge is the fact that production is almost always taking place there. So opportunities for the general public to see it are rare and not something you can plan much in advance. You simply need good timing or a lot of persistence. In years past, the ranch also hosted the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival, which also allowed the public inside, but due to the heavy demand of productions over recent years, the festival has relocated elsewhere.

Given that the “Deadwood” show and movie are tied together as one narrative, this article is intended to cover both, but once it was clear the original show would not return after the third season, many of the sets were remodeled, dismantled or shifted around, as often happens on studio lots. When filming for the movie finally got up and running in 2018, much of the sets had to be recreated. Since the story in the film picks up 10 years later, as South Dakota is entering into statehood, many of the sets also had to be updated to reflect the passage of time. The photographs in this article showcase the movie’s sets.

Much like the original show, most of these sets have since been repurposed or dismantled after filming completed, in order to make way for new productions coming in. Here we offer a glimpse into that brief moment in time where Deadwood stood in full glory once again.

LOCATION: 24715 Oakcreek Ave, Newhall, CA 91321

The most famous location is of course the Gem Saloon, owned by Al Swearengen (Ian McShane), who would often stand on the balcony overlooking the activities of the town.

The Grand Central Hotel is where the villainous Senator George Hearst, played by Gerald McRaney, takes residence. He too often stood out on the balcony, engaging in verbal jousts with the residents of Deadwood.

Seth Bullock, played by Timothy Olyphant, lives in this house at the end of the main street of Deadwood. This location had long been demolished since the original show, with the original blueprints lost. The production designer had to study the original show footage in detail in order to rebuild the set for the film.

Here is a look inside Seth’s house, where he is seen walking down these stairs.

Here are the train tracks and station platform where visitors arrive.

After running a hardware store with Seth, Sol Star, played by John Hawkes now lives with Trixie at the Bullock & Star Hotel. In the film, as Hearst rides through the streets in a parade, Trixie stands on the hotel balcony and berates him.

The Bella Union, owned by Cy Tolliver (Powers Boothe) in the series, is now owned by Joanie Stubbs (Kim Dickens) in the film. The same building was famously used as the brothel in Westworld where Thandie Newton’s character works. It’s also seen in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood” when Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt’s characters are interviewed on a western set.

Here is the interior of the Bella Union, which viewers of “Westworld” should immediately recognize as the The Mariposa Saloon, where Maeve works. It also appeared in the film “Django Unchained.”