California

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

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The 2004 Clint Eastwood film “Million Dollar Baby” was shot around Southern California. Early in the film, Frankie, played by Eastwood, speaks with Father Horvak outside of this church, which can be found in Venice.

LOCATION: 940 Coeur D Alene Ave, Venice, CA 90291

Frankie’s house can be found in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of East L.A.

LOCATION: 5206 Argus Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90041

Scrap, played by Morgan Freeman, has dinner with Maggie, played by Hilary Swank, at the Broadway Diner. These scenes were filmed at the former Quality Cafe in Downtown L.A.  The diner was a one-time staple of films, appearing in “Training Day,” “Ghost World,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “Another Day In Paradise,” “(500) Days Of Summer” “Seven,” “The Rules Of Attraction,” “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” “The Heartbreak Kid” and many more.  However, it was not an actual restaurant open to the public.  Instead it was used solely for filming.  Unless the building was being set up for a production, most of the time it was closed up and locked by a large metal door covering the front windows.  So catching a glimpse of it was rare. 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)

Maggie’s apartment can be found in Venice.

LOCATION: 20 Dudley Ct, Venice, CA 90291

Maggie buys her mom a new house, which can be found in Sun Valley.

LOCATION: 11115 Wicks St, Sun Valley, CA 91352

After Maggie sustains an injury, she is checked into a rehab facility. The exterior scenes were filmed at St Luke’s Hospital in Pasadena. The same hospital appeared in the films “Kill Bill,” “Flags of Our Fathers,” “La La Land,” “Faster,” “Starsky & Hutch,” “Halloween II” (1981) and more.

LOCATION: 2632 E Washington Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91107

Related articles: Breezy (1973), The Bridges Of Madison County (1995), Changeling (2008), American Sniper (2014)

Bewitched (2005)

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The 2005 film adaptation of “Bewitched,” starring Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell, was filmed in Southern California. The home of Isabel, played by Kidman, can be found in Studio City.

LOCATION: 4427 Radford Ave, Studio City, CA 91607

Late in the film, Isabel and Jack, played by Ferrell, move into this home, located in Hancock Park.

LOCATION: 510 S Lucerne Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90020

Related articles: Bewitched

Purple Rain (1984)

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The 1984 film “Purple Rain,” starring Prince, was shot around Minneapolis, Minnesota and Los Angeles, California. Early in the film, The Kid, played by Prince, is seen performing at the First Avenue nightclub with The Revolution. The venue is seen multiple times throughout the film.

LOCATION: 701 N 1st Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403

The exterior of the venue was actually a composite of two locations. Close-ups of the box office area were filmed at The Wiltern in Los Angeles. The same location appears in the film “Freakier Friday.”

LOCATION: 3790 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010

The Kid’s house can be found in Minneapolis. Less than a year before his death, Prince actually purchased the home in 2015.

LOCATION: 3420 Snelling Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55406

Later in the film, The Kid drives up to check on his mother, who is sitting on the curb. These scenes were filmed in Los Angeles. While his mother is sitting in front of 922 Irolo St, only the view across the street is seen, facing 919 Irolo St.

LOCATION: 922 Irolo St, Los Angeles, CA 90006 (facing 919 Irolo St, Los Angeles, CA 90006)

The Wizard Of Oz (1939)

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Numerous original props from the classic 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz” can be found on display at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, California. Perhaps most notable of all are the ruby slippers of Dorothy, played by Judy Garland.

LOCATION: 6067 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Also on display are Dorothy’s pinafore and blouse.

Here is the headpiece worn by Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion. Rubber ears were sewn to a wig that combined with a beard attached under the chin to complete the headpiece. It is the only known version from the film to still exist.

Here is the hat worn by Margaret Hamilton as The Wicked Witch of the West.

Here is one of the uniforms worn by a Munchkin soldier.

The Middle

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The house from the TV sitcom “The Middle,” which ran from 2009 to 2018, could be found at the Warner Bros. Ranch in Burbank, California. The ranch was a small lot located apart from the main studio lot, which was not open to public tours. The entire ranch was demolished in 2023, with sound stages taking over the space.

LOCATION: 411 N Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505 (demolished)

Beverly Hills Ninja (1997)

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The 1997 Chris Farley comedy “Beverly Hills Ninja” was filmed around Southern California. Haru, played by Farley, joins a clan of ninjas in Japan and trains in their martial arts. These scenes were filmed at the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, in their Japanese Garden.

LOCATION: 1151 Oxford Rd, San Marino, CA 91108

The hotel scenes were filmed at the The Langham Huntington in Pasadena. The hotel has appeared in countless films, including “Seabiscut,” the 1998 remake of “The Parent Trap,” “Lovelace,” “Saving Mr. Banks,” “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” “Charlie Wilson’s War,” “Richie Rich A Christmas Wish” and many more. It has also appeared in the TV series “Westworld,” “Simon & Simon,” “Remington Steele,” “Highway to Heaven,” “Knots Landing” and more.

LOCATION: 1401 S Oak Knoll Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106

Haru disguises himself as a chef at Hop Louie in Chinatown, where a fight soon ensues.  The restaurant has since closed, but the facade still remains.  The same restaurant was also seen in the 1990s comedies “Surf Ninjas” and “Mystery Men,” as well as the film “I Love You, Man.”

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LOCATION: 950 Mei Ling Way, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Haru gets captured by his enemies and taken to a meeting with a rival gang at the Malibu Hindu Temple in Calabasas. The temple also appeared in the 1998 film “Jeans” and the TV series “The Big Bang Theory.”

LOCATION: 1600 Las Virgenes Canyon Rd, Calabasas, CA 91302

Cellular (2004)

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The 2004 film “Cellular” was shot in Southern California. In the film, Jessica Martin, played by Kim Basinger, lives in this home, which can be found in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles.

LOCATION: 527 Loring Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

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The third and final installment in Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy, “Spider-Man 3,” was filmed in New York City, Cleveland, Ohio and Los Angeles, California. The Daily Bugle is once again featured, which is the iconic Flatiron Building in Manhattan. The building has appeared in countless films, such as “The Usual Suspects,” “As Good As It Gets,” “I Am Legend” and of course “Spider-Man.”

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LOCATION: 175 5th Ave, New York, NY 10010

As with previous installments, the interior of Harry Osborn’s (James Franco) Manhattan home is once again filmed at the Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills, California.

LOCATION: Greystone Mansion, 905 Loma Vista Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210

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In one scene, Many Jane is seen making dinner in the kitchen with Harry.

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After a battle with The Sandman, played by Thomas Haden Church, Spider-Man climbs out of a crashed armored truck, in front of this building in Cleveland, Ohio. Several scenes were filmed in Cleveland, standing in for New York City. The same building was seen in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”

LOCATION: 900 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44115

Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) invites Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) to dinner, where things do not go as planned. These scenes were filmed at 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,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “Drag Me To Hell,” “Flowers In The Attic,” “The Three Amigos” and more.

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LOCATION: 10 Chester Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90007

Spider-Man arrives at a bank the Sandman has jobs robbed, only to find Sandman has just left the scene. The same building was also seen in the films “(500) Days Of Summer,” “Killing Zoe” and “Night Hunter.”

LOCATION: 401 S Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Eddie Brock, played by Topher Grace, prays inside of this church for the death of Peter Parker. The interior scenes were filmed at St. Brendan Catholic Church, which has appeared in numerous productions, including “The Curse Of La Llorona,” “Fight Club,” “A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors,” “Armageddon” and the Guns N’ Roses music video for “November Rain.”

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LOCATION: 310 S Van Ness Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90020

Related articles: Spider-Man (2002)