Role Models (2008)

The 2008 comedy “Role Models,” starring Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott, was filmed around Southern California.  The Minotaur energy drink headquarters can be found in Santa Monica.

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LOCATION: 2800 Donald Douglas Loop N, Santa Monica, CA 90405

Danny and Wheeler, played by Rudd and Scott respectively, go to El Segundo High School in an attempt to sell Minotaur drinks.  The same high school has been featured in many films, including “WarGames,” “Superbad” and “The Babysitter.”

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LOCATION: 640 Main St, El Segundo, CA 90245

Danny argues with a coffee shop barista at this Pasadena establishment.  The same building appears in the film “Lady Bird” and is located just across the street from the South Pasadena Public Library, which was seen in the Rob Zombie remake of “Halloween.”

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LOCATION: 1019 El Centro St, South Pasadena, CA 91030

Danny and Wheeler also visit the Walter Reed Middle School in North Hollywood.  This same school was seen in the films “License To Drive” and “Accepted,” as well as the TV shows “Malcolm in the Middle” and “7th Heaven.”

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LOCATION: 4525 Irvine Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91602

Wheeler’s house is located at the Venice Canals near Venice Beach.

LOCATION: 2420 Strongs Dr, Venice, CA 90291

Danny talks King Argotron into allowing Augie back into a role playing party at The Burger Hole.  This scene was filmed in South Pasadena. The same restautant also appears in the film “Old School,” as well as such TV shows as “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” “Scandal” and “The X-Files.”

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LOCATION: 601 Fair Oaks Ave, South Pasadena, CA 91030

Ronnie locks Wheeler out of the vehicle at Ed’s Mini Mart.

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LOCATION: 825 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90404

Ronnie’s house can be found in Marina Del Rey. Most of the home is now obscured by large hedges.

LOCATION: 3111 Stanford Ave, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

Augie’s house can be found in Venice.  A small fence has since been built around the property.

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LOCATION: 822 Valita St, Venice, CA 90291

The Sturdy Wings Center can also be found in Venice.

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LOCATION: 2232 Lincoln Blvd, Venice, CA 90291

Danny’s house can be found in Los Angeles.

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LOCATION: 1169 Hi Point St, Los Angeles, CA 90035

Primary Colors (1998)

In the 1998 film “Primary Colors,” John Travolta plays Governor Jack Stanton, a Southern politician with many similarities to Bill Clinton.  Stanton serves Thanksgiving dinner on the front lawn with his wife, played by Emma Thompson, at the Banning House in Wilmington, California.  Built in 1863, the property was also seen in the 1992 Danny Aiello film “Ruby,” as well as 1995’s “Tales From The Hood” and the TV shows “Quantum Leap” and “Bronk.”  The house currently operates as a museum and is open the the public.

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LOCATION: 401 E M St, Wilmington, CA 90744

Late in the film, Stanton visits the home of Governor Fred Picker.  Picker’s house was filmed at the Oak Alley Plantation in Louisiana.  The plantation is likewise open to public tours.  This house and its distinct row of trees can actually be seen from the road of LA-18.  However, you might find it difficult to stop and get a photo, as there is no parking along the street.  The plantation was also famously used in the film “Interview With The Vampire.”

LOCATION: 3645 LA-18, Vacherie, LA 70090

Related articles: The Graduate (1967), Postcards From The Edge (1990), The Birdcage (1996)

Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines (2003)

The 2003 sequel “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,” much like the first two films, was shot mostly around Los Angeles, California.  Early in the film, the advanced T-X, played by Kristanna Loken, is sent from the future, where she arrives nude in the middle of Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.  She walks past this shop.

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LOCATION: 238 N Rodeo Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

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The T-X passes a famous shopping center known as Two Rodeo, where she steals a car.

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LOCATION: Intersection of Dayton Way / N Rodeo Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

The T-X gets pulled over while supposedly still in Beverly Hills.  In reality, this scene was filmed over in Culver City.

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LOCATION: Intersection of Washington Blvd / Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232 (in front of 9600 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232)

Arnold Scharzenegger returns as the iconic Terminator.  In a riff of the second film in the series, he once again arrives at a roadside bar and searches for clothes.  The exterior shots were filmed at this location in Agua Dulce, which is used exclusively for filming purposes.  The interiors were shot at the Cowboy Palace Saloon in Chatsworth (21635 Devonshire St, Chatsworth, CA 91311).

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LOCATION: 13800 Sierra Hwy, Agua Dulce, CA 91390

The T-X works her way through a hit list of victims, arriving at the drive thru of this burger restaurant near the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles.  The same location also appeared in the Matthew McConaughey film “The Lincoln Lawyer.”

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LOCATION: 1901 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90033

John Conner and the Terminator stop at this gas station in Acton. After stealing some supplies, the Terminator opens the back of the truck and Kate Brewster, played by Claire Danes, leaps out screaming.

LOCATION: 33488 Crown Valley Rd, Acton, CA 93510

The mausoleum housing the grave of Sara Conner was filmed at the Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier.  The property is quite large and the exact spot can be difficult to find.  The easiest solution is to search for the Whittier Heights Mausoleum.  GPS may attempt to have you enter through Sycamore Canyon Rd from Workman Mill Rd at Gate 14.  That entrance may or may not be open.  Instead, you’ll likely need to enter just down the road through Gate 17, which has a guard post.  A guard will approach and ask your purposes for visiting.  Once inside, you can navigate to the mausoleum.  The exact GPS coordinates are 34.007627, -118.053266.

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LOCATION: Whittier Heights Mausoleum, Rose Hills Memorial Park & Mortuary, Workman Mill Rd, Whittier, CA 90601 (GPS coordinates: 34.007627, -118.053266)

Related articles: The Terminator (1984), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Jawbreaker (1999)

In the opening scene of the 1999 comedy “Jawbreaker,” Courtney, played by Rose McGowan, along with Julie (rebecca Gayheart) and Marcie (Julie Benz) visit the home of Liz Purr, played by Charlotte Ayanna.  Liz’s house can be found in the Hancock Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.  Since filming ended, quite a few trees and shrubs have been planted and almost completely obscure all visibility of the home. The same home appeared in the film “Coming To America.”

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LOCATION: 555 S Muirfield Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90020

The car park where Liz is taken was filmed at the former Johnie’s Broiler in Downey.  The restaurant has a unique history, having appeared in many other films, such as “Heat,” “Short Cuts,” “License To Drive,” “The Game,” “One Hour Photo” and many more.  In 2007, the building was demolished.  However, Bob’s Big Boy purchased the property years later and rebuilt it based on the original blueprints and even some of the same materials.  So what stands now closely resembles the original location.

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LOCATION: 7447 Firestone Blvd, Downey, CA 90241

Identity (2003)

The motel from the 2003 thriller “Identity,” starring John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet and John Hawkes, was filmed at the Four Aces Movie Ranch in Palmdale, California.  The set has been seen in countless films, such as “House Of 1000 Corpses,” “Faster,” “Palm Springs”and “Slipstream.”  It has also appeared in such TV shows as “Twin Peaks” and “Buffy The Vampire Slayer,” as well as numerous commercials and music videos.

Please keep in mind the property is private and there are “no trespassing” signs posted.  However, it is easily visible from the road.  The set is a popular filming location, so you may encounter a shoot in progress when you visit.  If it’s a particularly secretive set, sometimes the roads next to it are closed off to the public.

LOCATION: Four Aces Movie Ranch, 14499 E Ave Q, Palmdale, CA 93591

Forever Young (1992)

The 1992 Mel Gibson drama “Forever Young,” written by J.J. Abrams, filmed largely in South Pasadena, California.  This house served as the home of Daniel, played by Mel Gibson.

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LOCATION: 612 Meridian Ave, South Pasadena, CA 91030

Claire, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, lived at this house.

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LOCATION: 1724 Oxley St, South Pasadena, CA 91030

Susan Finley, played by Millie Slavin, resided in this home.

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LOCATION: 1637 Spruce St, South Pasadena, CA 91030

Knight Rider

In the original “Knight Rider” TV series, running from 1982 – 1986, Michael Knight, played by David Hasselhoff, famously drives the Knight Industries Two Thousand, known as K.I.T.T. for short.  K.I.T.T. was an artificially intelligent, fully autonomous vehicle equipped with a hydrogen-powered turbojet engine, advanced construction and a variety of custom tools and weapons.

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LOCATION: Peterson Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

The vehicle chosen to portray K.I.T.T. was a 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am.  This particular vehicle was used in the pilot of the TV series.  It could be seen at the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California, which ran an exhibit entitled “Hollywood Dream Machines: Vehicles Of Science Fiction and Fantasy” from May 2019 through May 2020.

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The Wedding Singer (1998)

The 1998 Adam Sandler comedy “The Wedding Singer” was filmed in Southern California.  Sandler plays Robbie Hart, a wedding singer who lives with his sister at this Pasadena home. The same home appears in the 1991 TV movie “The Haunted.”

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LOCATION: 1075 E Topeka St, Pasadena, CA 91104

Julia, played by Drew Barrymore, lives in the house in Sierra Madre.

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LOCATION: 43 Sierra Pl, Sierra Madre, CA 91024

Robbie’s grandma lives at this West Hollywood home.

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LOCATION: 1425 N Orange Grove Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90046

Robbie tries to get a job at the A.G. Bartlett Building in downtown Los Angeles.  The building is currently used for a variety of businesses and lofts.  The property has been seen in countless other films, including “Seven,” “They Live” “The Mask,” “L.A. Story,” “13 Going On 30,” “The Prestige,” “Ghost,” “Bridesmaids” and many more.  This area cannot normally be accessed by pedestrians.  However, portions are visible from the street in a couple areas through the windows.

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LOCATION: 650 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90014

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)

The 1989 film “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure” supposedly takes place in San Dimas, Califorina.  However, due to tax incentives at the time, most of the production mostly took place near Phoenix, Arizona and the surrounding towns.

Bill and Ted, played by Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves respectively, practice as their band “Wyld Stallyns” in Bill’s garage.  Bill’s house was actually a composite of two locations.  The first house, which was used for interiors and the back yard, can be found in Phoenix.

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LOCATION: 112 W Kaler Dr, Phoenix, AZ 85021

The second house, used for garage shots of both the interior and exterior, was located in Pacific Palisades, California, but has since been torn down with a new home built in it’s place.

LOCATION: 1460 Amalfi Dr, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 (demolished)

Exterior shots of Bill and Ted’s high school were filmed at Coronado High School in Scottsdale.  The school, also seen in the film “Just One of the Guys,” has been heavily remodeled since filming took place.  The interiors were filmed at the former East High School in Phoenix (515 N 48th St, Phoenix, AZ 85008), which had already closed at the time of filming and has since been demolished.

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LOCATION: 7501 E Virginia Ave, Scottsdale, AZ 85257

One location that does still look similar to how it appeared in the film is Ted’s house, located in Phoenix.

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LOCATION: 1841 E Berridge Ln, Phoenix, AZ 85016

Here is another angle of the home.

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The Circle K, where Bill and Ted first meet Rufus, played by George Carlin, can be found in Tempe.  After seeing the time traveling phone booth, Ted delivers the iconic line, “Strange things are afoot at the Circle K.”  The store was a popular location for fans of the film, regularly attracting visitors who quote and reenact scenes. However, it permanently closed in 2022. Another business has since opened at the building.

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LOCATION: 1010 W Southern Ave, Tempe, AZ 85282

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Napoleon eats ice cream at the fictional Zyggies.  At the time, the restaurant was known as Showbiz Pizza Place, but it has since become a Chuck E Cheese.

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LOCATION: 8039 N 35th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85051

The bowling alley Napoleon gets thrown out of after being unable to pay can be found in Tempe.

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LOCATION: 4407 S Rural Rd, Tempe, AZ 85282

Bill and Ted take their crew of historical figures out to the San Dimas Mall.  This was actually filmed at the Metrocenter Mall in Phoenix.  The mall, which was only seen from interior views in the film, has since closed down.

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LOCATION: 9617 N Metro Pkwy W, Phoenix, AZ 85051

Waterloo, where Napoleon becomes enamored with the water slides, was filmed at Golfland Sunsplash in Mesa.

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LOCATION: 155 W Hampton Ave, Mesa, AZ 85210

This castle building is seen in some shots during the scene.

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Related articles: Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey (1991), Bill & Ted Face The Music (2020)