Downey

What’s Love Got To Do With It (1993)

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The 1993 Tina Turner biopic “What’s Love Got to Do With It” was largely filmed in Los Angeles, California, with the locations sometimes doubling as other cities for the story. Ike and Tina, played by Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett, eat dinner 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,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “Another Day In Paradise,” “(500) Days Of Summer” “Million Dollar Baby,” “The Heartbreak Kid” and many more.  However, it was not an actual restaurant open to the public.  Instead it was used solely for filming (much like Johnie’s Coffee Shop in mid-town L.A.).  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. 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)

Ike and Tina perform at New York’s Apollo Theater. The interior scenes were actually filmed at the Warner Grand Theater in San Pedro, California. The same theater also appeared in many other films, including “Pearl Harbor,” “Zodiac,” “Seabiscut,” “Remote Control,” “Win A Date With Tad Hamilton,” “Ghosts Of Mississippi,” “Boys And Girls,” “Live By Night,” “Worth Winning,” “Mark Of Love,” “Invasion Earth: The Aliens Are Here” and “From Wharf Rats to Lords of the Docks.” It has also appeared in such television series as “The O.C.,” “Party Of Five,” “Melrose Place,” “T.J.Hooker,” “7th Heaven” and “Cousin Skeeter.”

LOCATION: 478 W 6th St, San Pedro, CA 90731

Ike and Tina’s house can be found in View Park-Windsor Hills. It is the actual home Ike and Tina Turner once lived in, with the original furniture and decor once owned by the couple used for the film. The exterior has since been lined with gates and hedges, making it a bit difficult to see from ground level.

LOCATION: 4263 Olympiad Dr, View Park, CA 90043

Ike gets into a confrontation with Tina and her friend at the former Johnie’s Broiler in Downey.  The restaurant has a unique history, having appeared in many other films, such as “Heat,” “The Game,” “Short Cuts,” “License To Drive,” “My Stepmother Is An Alien,” “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 what was seen in the film.

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LOCATION: 7447 Firestone Blvd, Downey, CA 90241

One Hour Photo (2002)

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In the 2002 Mark Romanek film, “One Hour Photo,” Robin Williams plays a mentally unstable photo developer who becomes obsessed with a family whose photos he develops. The home of the Yorkin family can be found in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. In the film, Sy, played by Williams, sits on the street and watches the home. In reality, however, the property sits tucked away behind a fence and trees and is not visible from the street. Here is an aerial view of the home, which was also featured in the film “Cruel Intentions,” as well as the TV shows “Californication” and “Ray Donovan.”

LOCATION: 136 S Canyon View Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90049

Sy’s aparttment can be found in Skid Row in Downtown Los Angeles. It is located just a few buildings over from one of the murder scenes in the film “The Little Things.” It’s not the safest of areas, so use caution if you visit.

LOCATION: 534 Wall St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Sy sits at a diner, looking a duplicates he made of the Yorkins’ family photos. This 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,” “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” “My Stepmother Is An Alien” 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 what was seen in the film.

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LOCATION: 7447 Firestone Blvd, Downey, CA 90241

Sy follows Will Yorkin, played by Michael Vartan, to a hotel in Torrance. The real building is not a hotel, but a business area and medical center.

LOCATION: 20780 Madrona Ave, Torrance, CA 90503

License To Drive (1988)

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The 1988 comedy “License to Drive,” starring Corey Haim and Corey Feldman, was filmed in Southern California. The high school where Les Anderson, played by Haim, sees Mercedes Lane, played by Heather Graham, being picked up by her boyfriend is Walter Reed Middle School in North Hollywood.  This same school was seen in the films “Role Models” and “Accepted,” as well as the TV shows “Malcolm in the Middle” and “7th Heaven.”

LOCATION: 4525 Irvine Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91602

Here is the house where Les lives with his family.

LOCATION: 536 Dalehurst Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024

Les falls asleep during driver’s ed class and dreams about speeding around in the alley behind this building in Downtown Los Angeles. It has been featured in countless films and television series, including “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Beverly Hills Cop II,” “Divergent,” “The Muppets,” “Wrath Of Man,” “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “Unlawful Entry,” “Inspector Gadget,” “Child’s Play 2” and dozens more.

LOCATION: 635 Mateo St, Los Angeles, CA 90021

Here his the home where a friend of Mercedes lives.

LOCATION: 661 Woodruff Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024

This his the house where Mercedes lives.

LOCATION: 485 Loring Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024

Wes takes Mercedes on a date to the El Rey Theatre, which was also seen in the film “Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back.”

LOCATION: 5515 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Archie’s Atomic Drive-in restaurant, where Les and Dean, played by Corey Feldman, flee after denting the door of a nearby car was filmed at Johnie’s Broiler in Downey.  The restaurant has a unique history, having appeared in many other films, such as “Heat,” “The Game,” “Short Cuts,” “My Stepmother Is An Alien,” “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” “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 what was seen in the film.

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LOCATION: 7447 Firestone Blvd, Downey, CA 90241

Dean’s house has been completely remodeled and no longer appears anything like how it did in the film.

LOCATION: 6313 Riggs Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90045

Short Cuts (1993)

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The 1993 Robert Altman film “Short Cuts” is based on short stories by author Raymond Carver. Originally set in the Pacific Northwest, for Altman’s film adaptation, he switched the setting to Los Angeles. The film features intersecting stories performed by an ensemble cast.

The house of Ann and Howard Finnegan, played by Andie MacDowell and Bruce Davidson respectively, can be found in North Hollywood.

LOCATION: 4950 Bellaire Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91607

The house next door is where Zoe, played by Lori Singer, lives with her mother Tess, played by Annie Ross. After being injured by a car, the Finnegan’s son Casey returns home. Zoe is playing basketball with some friends in front of the garage and asks Casey why he’s not in school, but he does not answer.

LOCATION: 4946 Bellaire Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91607

The restaurant where Doreen, played by Lily Tomlin, works is the former Johnie’s Broiler in Downey.  She is visited there by her husband Earl, played by Tom Waits. The restaurant has a unique history, having appeared in many other films, such as “Heat,” “The Game,” “License To Drive,” “My Stepmother Is An Alien,” “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” “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 what was seen in the film.

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LOCATION: 7447 Firestone Blvd, Downey, CA 90241

My Stepmother Is An Alien (1988)

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The 1988 comedy “My Stepmother Is an Alien,” starring Kim Basinger and Dan Aykroyd, was filmed in Southern California. Steven Mills, played by Aykroyd, works as a scientist at this building, where he sends radio signals to space. The same building, found in Westlake Village near Thousand Oaks, was featured in the film “Demolition Man.”

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LOCATION: 1 Baxter Way, Westlake Village, CA 91362

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Celeste, played by Basinger, first arrives on Earth at the beach front property of Ron Mills, played by John Lovitz. The property, which was also featured in the TV series “Beverly Hills, 90210,” can be found in Hermosa Beach.

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LOCATION: 3500 The Strand, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

The Mills house where Steven and Celeste live can be found in Studio City. The same house was featured in such films as “A League of Their Own,” “Candyman” and “Adams Family Values.” It is also located next door to one of the houses used in the film “Catch Me If You Can.”

LOCATION: 4222 Agnes Ave, Studio City, CA 91604

The front of the property has since been lined with tall hedges, obscuring the view from the street.

Celeste, unaware of how to prepare breakfast, sneaks out in the middle of the night to a diner, where she orders everything on the menu. This scene 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,” “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” “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 what was seen in the film.

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LOCATION: 7447 Firestone Blvd, Downey, CA 90241

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Jawbreaker (1999)

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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

Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)

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In the 2002 comedy-horror film “Bubba Ho-Tep,” Bruce Campbell plays an elderly man claiming to be Elvis Presley, who faces off against an ancient, evil mummy.  Along with a black man claiming to be John F. Kennedy, the two stay at the Shady Rest Retirement Home, supposedly located in East Texas.  The real location was an abandoned building on the grounds of the former Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in Downey, California.

Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center was founded back in the late 1800s.  The hospital upgraded to a newer facility located nearby and abandoned a lot of their older buildings, with ownership transferred to the county.  The buildings sat vacant for years.  The site of the Shady Rest Retirement Home was located near the intersection of  Consuelo St and Esperanza St.

The area was formerly patrolled by security, but some of the roads were still open to the public.  Unfortunately in 2017, two buildings were burnt by fires, including the retirement home seen in the film, with the suspected cause being arson.  Since then, fencing now blocks off all streets leading to the building, with a second fence surrounding the building itself.  Security still heavily patrols the area as well. Here is an aerial view of what remains of the building since the fire. While it was not destroyed entirely, the damages were significant.

This is the closest public location seen from the street, near the intersection of Consuelo St and Dahlia Ave. It is unfortunate the filming location was essentially lost, but more importantly, no injuries were reported from the fires.

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LOCATION: Approximately 7608 Consuelo St, Downey, CA 90242 (GPS coordinates: 33°55’20.4″N, 118°09’43.5″W)