Jennifer Jason Leigh

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

The Hitcher (1986)

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In the 1986 Rutger Hauer film “The Hitcher,” a dust storm sweeps through the town.  This was filmed at Death Valley Junction, a remote, desert town located near the California / Nevada border.  The same building and town would actually show up once again on screens just over a decade later, in David Lynch’s “Lost Highway.”

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LOCATION: Near the intersection of State Line Rd / CA-127, Death Valley Junction, CA 92328 (nearest address is 608 CA-127, Death Valley Junction, CA 92328)

Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982)

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The 80s comedy “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” like so many other films of that era, shot in the San Fernando Valley, north of Los Angeles, California.

The mall scenes in the film were shot at the Sherman Oaks Galleria, which has since been completely remodeled and looks nothing like it did in the film, so we’ve opted to omit it here.  However, it can be found at 15301 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403.

The titular Ridgemont High was primarily filmed at Van Nuys High School in Van Nuys, California, with a few additional scenes shot at Canoga Park High School and James Monroe High School.  The same high school was used in the films “Christine,” “Sleepwalkers,” “Rock ‘N’ Roll High School” and many more.

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LOCATION: Van Nuys High School, 6535 Cedros Ave, Van Nuys, CA 91411

Brad, played by Judge Reinhold, and Stacy Hamilton, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh, live at this house in West Hills. Many scenes were filmed inside the house, including the infamous scene of Brad masturbating in the bathroom.

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LOCATION: 24124 Welby Way, West Hills, CA 91307

The house is of course mostly remembered for the topless pool scene with Phoebe Cates. That scene really was filmed at the pool in the back yard, which remains more or less the same as it appeared in the film, aside from the diving board being removed. The changing room was also not authentic to the home. It was a exterior facade built by the production, while the interiors shot on a studio set.

Here is an alternate view of the pool. There are also public real estate listings available online, offering many ground level views of the pool and back yard.

The apartment of Mike Damone, played by Robert Romanus, can be found in North Hollywood.

LOCATION: 5944 Riverton Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91601

“The Point,” where Stacy loses her virginity later in the film, was shot at the Mid Valley Youth Baseball fields in Encino.  There are quite a number of fields here, which can be confusing, but each of them is numbered.  The field from the film is field 4 and the dugout from the film is the third base dugout.

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LOCATION: 17301 Oxnard St, Encino, CA 91316