Los Angeles

L.A. Story (1991)

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The 1991 Steve Martin comedy “L.A. Story” features multiple locations all over the titular city. At the beginning of the film, four cars yield for one another, before all proceeding simultaneously into a four way collision. The intersection can be found at Kingsland St and Butler Ave in Mar Vista.

LOCATION: Kingsland St / Butler Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90066

Trudi, played by Marilu Henner, lives in this apartment in West Hollywood. Harris, played by Steve Martin, continues a dead-end relationship with Trudi, while looking for a way out.

LOCATION: 884 Palm Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069

The famous freeway sign from the film is not actually located on a freeway. Instead it was filmed on Burbank Blvd in Encino. The sign was of course a prop built by the production. The area where the sign could be found is just past Hayvenhurst Ave. We’ve listed the GPS coordinates below, however, we do not recommend visiting this location. Burbank Blvd has moderate to heavy traffic and there is no sidewalk or parking on the shoulder. It becomes narrow in some places and puts you dangerously close to traffic at times. At best, simply driving past it is likely a safer option to anyone interested in seeking it out.

LOCATION: Just past the intersection of Hayvenhurst Ave / Burbank Blvd, Encino, CA 91436 (GPS coordinates: 34.167274, -118.489291)

Matte paintings were used to depict a city skyline in the distance.

Harris has to submit financial records to the Fourth Reich Bank of Hamburg to get restaurant reservations at an exclusive restaurant. The bank scenes were filmed 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,” “The Wedding Singer,” “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

The restaurant where Harris meets Sara, played by Victoria Tennant, was a composite of two locations. The exterior was actually not a restaurant at all, rather an entrance to an apartment complex, which still exists today.

LOCATION: 426 S Norton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90020

After Harris and Trudi finish eating, Harris initially forgets Trudi on the street curb and starts to drive away. This is the same general spot as the restaurant entrance.

The dining patio, however, was part of the Ambassador Hotel, which was demolished in 2006. The hotel was a staple of film and television, appearing in such films as “The Graduate,” “Forrest Gump,” “Seven,” “Bobby,” “True Lies,” “True Romance,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “The Mask,” “Calendar Girl” and dozens more. Only this post and statue from the original building remain at the location.

LOCATION: 3400 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010 (now demolished)

Harris’ house can be found in West Hollywood.

LOCATION: 1206 N Orange Grove Ave ,West Hollywood, CA 90046

Sara lives at this apartment in, also located in West Hollywood. The same building has been featured in the films “Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey,” “The Limey,” “Rush Hour” and more.

LOCATION: 1400 N Hayworth Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90046

Harris’ friend Ariel, played by Susan Forristal, lives just a few doors up from Harris. The location of the apartment complex has since been completely remodeled and no longer bears any resemblance to how it appeared in the film.

LOCATION: 1220 N Orange Grove Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90046

Harris goes skating inside the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). The portion of the museum seen in the exterior establishing shot has since been torn down for remodeling. The same area was seen in the 1988 film “Miracle Mile.”

LOCATION: 5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

The Now! clothing store where SanDeE, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, works is currently a pharmacy.

LOCATION: 8491 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Sara’s ex-husband Roland tries to win her back as they stand at the Tail O’ The Pup hot dog stand. It is also seen at the beginning of the film, hanging from a helicopter as it travels across the city. The hot dog shaped site was originally located on La Cienega Blvd. At risk for demolition, it was relocated to San Vicente Blvd in the mid-80s. The business then closed in 2005 and the stand was put in storage until 2022, when it finally reopened in West Hollywood. The iconic stand has appeared in countless films, such as “Body Double,” “Annie Hall,” “Ruthless People,” “My Girl 2,” “Heartbreaker” and more.

LOCATION: 8512 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069 (previously located at 329 San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048, originally located at 311 La Cienega Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211)

SanDeE’s apartment can be found in Venice Beach.

LOCATION: 25 Windward Ave, Venice, CA 90291

A false doorway was added on the side of the building, making it appear SanDeE lives within the mural.

The Colonic Institute can also be found in Venice Beach. The same building can be seen in the film “Point Of No Return.”

LOCATION: 523 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA 90291

Harris and Sara attend an art museum fundraiser at this house in Rancho Palos Verdes. Only a small portion of the home can be seen from the street.

LOCATION: 3456 Vía Campesina, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275

The El Pollo del Mar resort where Harris and Sara unexpectedly run into one another can be found in Long Beach. The front entrance to the property is gated off, but the back side of it, also seen in the film, is visible from the beach.

LOCATION: 20 S 37th Pl, Long Beach, CA 90803

WandaVision

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The Marvel TV miniseries “WandaVision” is set in the town of Westview, New Jersey. The show was filmed between Atlanta, Georgia and Los Angeles, California at locations including Pinewood Atlanta Studios, Warner Bros. Ranch and Disney Golden Oak Ranch. Wanda and Vision, played by Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany, live at this home, which was located on Blondie Street at Warner Bros. Ranch. The house was not a real home, rather a facade. The producers sought out an artificial look for the neighborhood, in favor of using real locations. The home was most famous for being the Griswold house in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” but also appeared in such films as “American Beauty,” “Hocus Pocus,” “Small Soldiers,” “Pleasantville” and more.

In the first episode, the house is depicted as a single story home in the 1950s. By episode 2, the period has jumped ahead to the 1960s and the home has become a two story house. Warner Bros. Ranch was located separate from the main Warner Bros. Studio lot and 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)

Dottie, played by Emma Caulfield Ford, lives at this house, which was also located on Warner Bros. Ranch. The house was best known for appearing in “Lethal Weapon,” but also appeared in many other productions, such as “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” “American Beauty“, The Three Stooges serials, “Pushing Daisies,” “The Middle” and many more. It too has since been demolished.

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

Dottie has a party at a pool in her back yard. This was the same pool at Warner Bros. Ranch where Clark fantasizes about the department store woman in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”  While it was located fairly close to Wanda and Dottie’s houses, it was actually on the opposite side of the street.  If not for the trees in the background of the photo below, you could see Wanda and Vision’s house in the distance. This set has likewise since been demolished.

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

The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

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The popular spy drama TV series “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,” which ran from 1964 – 1968, featured this 1966 AMT Pirahna.  For the show, a special, lengthened version was of the car was built, to accommodate spy gadgets. The vehicle 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.

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

Mank (2020)

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The 2020 David Fincher film “Mank,” about screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz and his story of writing the screenplay for “Citizen Kane,” is set in the 1930s and 1940s, against the Hollywood studio backdrop of that era. The film likewise shot around Southern California. The movie employs heavy use of CGI to maintain the period look, often taking portions of real locations and adding computer generated elements and different backgrounds altogether. Fincher himself described the process as being as labor-intensive as a Marvel movie. It makes it challenging at times to nail down specific locations, as the real life places in present day don’t always align with what is seen in the film.

One location that matches up very well is the ranch where Mank, played by Gary Oldman, spends much of the film writing “Citizen Kane.” The Kemper Campbell Ranch in Victorville, known at the time the film takes place as the Verde Ranch, is where these scenes were shot. The ranch is, in fact, also the actual location where the real Herman J. Mankiewicz wrote much of “Citizen Kane.” Today, the property is a private estate and cattle ranch. Due to the fact that there are full-time residents living at the ranch, they do not offer tours to the public. However, they do offer guest rentals at the property. The guest rentals are currently only available at group rates, with a two night minimum, so it can be quite a costly stay, unless you have a larger party to help split the costs. Here is the area of the ranch featured most heavily in the film, where Mank stays.

LOCATION: 10 Kemper Campbell Ranch Rd, Victorville, CA 92395

Here is a closer look at the building. The door, stairs and courtyard are all featured throughout the course of the film, as it cuts between Mank writing in 1940 and various flashback scenes throughout the 1930s.

Here is a look at one of the roads leading to the ranch, which is also seen several times in the film.

Here are some additional views of the ranch and surrounding mountains.

In a flashback scene, Charlie invites Mank on a weekend trip to what turns out to be the Hearst Castle. They depart from the Glendale Station, just as the characters state in the film. Mank arrives at the station drunk. While the real building was featured in the scene, visual effects were used to add additional buildings and palm trees into the background.

LOCATION: 400 W Cerritos Ave, Glendale, CA 91204

The same building appears in the 1927 Buster Keaton film “College.”

Mank awakens at the Hearst Castle to screams coming from outside. It is made to appear the scenes shot at the real Hearst Castle, located in San Simeon (750 Hearst Castle Rd, San Simeon, CA 93452). However, the scenes were actually shot at The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens in San Marino. The southwest corner of the Huntington Art Gallery building served as the grounds of the Hearst Castle, with quite a bit of visual effects added to the shot, such as the Hearst towers and palm trees. The Huntington grounds are quite large, so we’ve provided GPS coordinates below of the exact spot.

LOCATION: 1151 Oxford Rd, San Marino, CA 91108 (GPS coordinates: 34.126274, -118.113582)

Mank follows the sound of the screams and discovers a film set, where Marion Davies, played by Amanda Seyfried, is performing a scene in which she is burned at the stake. This scene was also filmed at The Huntington Library, near the Australian Garden and Desert Garden, according to comments online. The film employs so many visual effects, adding mountains and open land, to the point that we were unable to match with certainty the exact spot the set was built.

In yet another scene at the Huntington Library, Marion walks with Mank to a fountain, where she asks him about which roles he feels she could play. The fountain can be found on the North Vista, with the GPS coordinates 34.128229, -118.113415. More visual effects were used in the scene, showing the Hearst Castle in the distance.

While at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles, Mank sees Upton Sinclair giving a political speech. The hotel is one of the most frequently used locations in all of Los Angeles, having appeared in “Ghostbusters,” “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Independence Day,” “Fight Club,” “Enough,” “The Outfit” and countless more productions. The interior of the hotel also appears at the end of the film, when the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay is awarded.

LOCATION: 506 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071

Mank runs into his friend C.C. in front of Bullocks Wilshire, a famous art deco building on Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles. Mank learns that MGM is hiring actors to play outspoken citizens against Upton Sinclair. Once a luxury department store, Bullocks Wilshire now operates as a law school. The building has also been featured in the films “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” “The Aviator,” “The Public Enemy” and “Dunston Checks In,” the TV series “Moonlighting” and Areosmith’s music video for “Love in an Elevator,” in addition to many other productions.

LOCATION: 3050 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010

The Trocadero Nightclub was not a real club. The exterior location used was Cicada Restaurant in Downtown Los Angeles, with a few visual effects composited into the shot, such as the Trocadero sign. The location has been featured in countless films, such as “Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood,” “Pretty Woman,” “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” “Indecent Proposal,” “Suicide Squad” and “Bruce Almighty,” as well as such TV shows as “Mad Men, “The Morning Show” and “American Horror Story.”

LOCATION: 617 S Olive St, Los Angeles, CA 90014

Mank tries to intervene in a potential suicide of his friend Shelly Metcalf, pulling up in front of the brick sidewalk on the right.

LOCATION: 1944 N Kenmore Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Mank then knocks at the front door of Shelly’s home, which is located in Hollywood.

As Mank is leaving, he drives over La Loma Bridge in Pasadena, with the Griffith Observatory visible in the distance. This is another visual effect. In reality, the Observatory is not visible from the bridge, although it is visible from Shelly’s home. The same bridge was featured in the film “The Little Things.”

LOCATION: La Loma Bridge, 799 La Loma Rd, Pasadena, CA 91105

Related articles: Seven (1995), The Game (1997), Fight Club (1999), Panic Room (2002), Zodiac (2007), The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button (2008), The Social Network (2010), Mindhunter

The Beverly Hillbillies

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The Clampett Mansion from the classic television series “The Beverly Hillbillies” can be found in the upscale Bel-Air neighborhood of Los Angeles. Known as the Chartwell Mansion, the property has also been featured in such films as “Cinderfella,” “Over The Top,” “Armed and Dangerous,” “Disorderlies” and “High Society.” A neighboring home once owned by Ronald and Nancy Reagan was later purchased and incorporated into the same estate in 2016.

Aside from some remodeling to the roof, the exterior otherwise still appears very similar to how it did on the show. Interiors for the show were filmed at the former General Services Studios, now known as Sunset Las Palmas Studios (1040 N Las Palmas Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038). In 2019, the house sold once again for around $150 million, which according to the L.A. Times, set a record for the highest price of any home in California history.

Like many homes in the neighborhood, walls and hedges line the perimeter, eliminating any visibility from the street. The surrounding roads, which are narrow and do not allow street parking, are located near Hotel Bel-Air, with regular traffic through the streets. There are cameras peppered along every street and property, with construction crews, landscapers and security in abundance. It is a difficult spot to photograph, even managing aerial photography was a challenge. In spite of the many obstacles, here is the Clampett home, as it appears now.

LOCATION: 750 Bel Air Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90077

Related articles: The Beverly Hillbillies (1993)

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,” “Death Valley” 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,” “Enough” 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 such films as “Night Of The Comet” and “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

Prometheus (2012)

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In the 2012 Ridley Scott film “Prometheus,” a prequel to his 1979 film “Alien,” this RT01 Transport vehicle was intended for use exploring “LV-223,” a moon thought to be home to humankind’s alien ancestors. This was one of three RTs built for the film and the only one with a fully outfitted interior for filming. The vehicle could be found on display 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.

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

House II: The Second Story (1987)

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The 1987 horror sequel, “House II: The Second Story” was, like the original film, shot primarily in Southern California. This time the setting was a property known as the Stimson House, located near Mt. Saint Mary’s University.

The same house was featured in the film “After Midnight,” as well as such TV series as “Mad Men,” “Pushing Daises,” “The Bionic Woman” and more.

LOCATION: 2421 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90007

The Western scene was filmed at Paramount Ranch. Unfortunately in November 2018, the ranch fell victim to wildfires and nearly every building was burnt to the ground.  However, plans have been announced to rebuild the sets.

LOCATION: 2903 Cornell Rd, Agoura Hills, CA 91301 (now demolished)

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Related articles: House (1985)

Species (1995)

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The 1995 sci-fi film “Species” was filmed in Utah, Southern California and Puerto Rico. Early in the film, after escaping from a science lab, the half-human, half-alien Sil, played by Natasha Henstridge, arrives by train into Los Angeles at Union Station.

LOCATION: 800 Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Union Station has been seen in countless films, such as “Blade Runner,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “The Dark Knight Rises,” “Pearl Harbor” and many more.

Xavier Fitch, played by Ben Kingsley, assembles a team to find Sil. They set up operations at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel.  They first arrive at this alley entrance facing S Olive St.  The same alley can be seen in the film “Chinatown.” There is a gate here blocking entrance into the alley, so it’s a bit tricky getting a photo.

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LOCATION: Alley between 523 / 525 S Olive St, Los Angeles, CA, 90013

They are seen entering the lobby of the Millennium Biltmore, which has been featured in dozens of films, such as “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Independence Day,” “Blonde,” “Oppenheimer,” “The Outfit” and many more.

LOCATION: 506 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071

The team is later seen leaving from this side of the hotel facing S Grand Ave. The same area can be seen in the films “Seven,” “A Star Is Born” and more.

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LOCATION: 530 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071

Sil gets a hotel room at this hotel in West Hollywood.

LOCATION: 7212 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046

The club Sil heads to in search of a man is actually the lobby of the famous Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, which was heavily dressed to appear like a club. The “entrance” seen in the film is the back of the building. The theater has likewise appeared in such films as “Ed Wood,” “Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood,” “The Aviator,” “The Bodyguard,” “Batman Forever” and many more.

LOCATION: 6233 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Looking to mate with a human partner as soon as possible, Sil aggressively picks up a man at the club and heads back to his place. After detecting he is a diabetic, she determines he’s not a suitable partner.

LOCATION: 1500 Blue Jay Way, Los Angeles, CA 90069

After getting into an accident, Sil meets another man she quickly tries to seduce. Just as she is about to have sex with him at his house, Preston and Laura, played by Michael Madsen and Marg Helgenberger respectively, catch up to her at the home, located in Pacific Palisades.

LOCATION: 14458 Rustic Creek Ln, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272

After Sil escapes, she returns back to the home in a car to observe Xavier Fitch’s team investigating the scene. This is a bit of movie magic as the road actually dead ends just a couple houses down into a cul-de-sac, so Sil would not have been able to approach the home from this direction. The team is seen driving past her vehicle, which in reality, they’d likewise be driving straight into the dead end.