The 1983 film “Rocky III,” starring Sylvester Stallone, Hulk Hogan and Mr. T, was filmed in Philadelphia, New York City, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
Early in the film, a montage is shown of Rocky defending his title against challengers. The exterior of Radio City Music Hall in New York City is seen as one of the locations where he fights. The landmark concert hall has appeared in countless productions, such as “The Godfather,” “Home Alone 2: Lost In New York,” “Rosemary’s Baby,” “Annie,” “Radio Days” and many more.
LOCATION: 1260 6th Ave, New York, NY 10020
The house where Rocky lives can be found in Los Angeles, California. It is located at Fremont Place in Hancock Park. Despite being a popular neighborhood for filming, Fremont Place is one of the few gated communities in Los Angeles, making it inaccessible to the general public. Other films showcasing locations inside Fremont Place include “Rocky IV,” “Taken,” “The War Of The Roses,” “Zodiac,” “Gone Girl” and more. It is also a popular location for TV shows, such as “Monk,” “Prison Break, “The Mentalist,” “CSI: Miami,” “Rizzoli & Isles” and many more. Rocky’s house in this film is actually located directly across the street from the house used as his home in the next installment, “Rocky IV.”
LOCATION: 55 Fremont Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90005
Rock trains for his fight against Clubber Lang, played by Mr. T, inside the Crystal Ballroom at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. The hotel has appeared in dozens of productions, with this particular ballroom appearing in such films as “True Lies,” “Pretty In Pink,” “The Bodyguard,” “Romy And Michele’s High School Reunion,” “The Fabulous Baker Boys” and more. It has also appeared in such TV shows as “True Blood,” “Bridgerton” and more.
LOCATION: 506 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071
The most iconic movie location from all of the “Rocky” films appears once again when a Rocky statue is unveiled at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
LOCATION: 2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19130 (the actual steps face Spring Garden St)
The 2003 Christmas comedy “Elf” was primarily filmed in New York City. After discovering he’s actually human, Buddy the Elf, played by Will Ferrell, seeks out his father Walter, played by James Caan, in New York. Walter’s office is located in the famed Empire State Building.
LOCATION: 20 W 34th St, New York, NY 10001
When Buddy takes Jovie, played by Zooey Deschanel, on a date, she shows him the Christmas tree in front of Rockefeller Center. The two then ice skate there.
LOCATION: 45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10111
Later in the film, Buddy helps Santa get his sleigh back into the air. The sleigh passes through Central Park at Bethesda Terrace and Fountain. The terrace is another famous New York landmark seen in countless films.
LOCATION: 72 Terrace Dr, New York, NY 10021 (inside Central Park)
The 2002 Adam Sandler comedy “Mr. Deeds” was largely filmed in New York City, with a few scenes filmed in California. Longfellow Deeds, played by Adam Sandler, takes Babe Bennett, played by Winona Ryder, to Bethesda Terrace and Fountain in Central Park. This area has been seen in countless films, such as “Home Alone 2: Lost In New York,” “The Avengers,” “John Wick,” “Elf,” “Ms. 45” and dozens more.
LOCATION: 72 Terrace Dr, New York, NY 10021 (inside Central Park)
Babe tells Longfellow she grew up in this home, which can be found in Pasadena, California.
The 1996 sci-fi action film “Independence Day” was a large scale production, filming in California, New York, Utah, Washington D.C., New Mexico and more. Capt. Steven Hiller, played by Will Smith, lives at this Los Angeles home, where he first spots the giant spaceship in the sky.
LOCATION: 6033 W 74th St, Los Angeles, CA 90045
The First Lady, played by Mary McDonnell, receives a phone call at the famed Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Downtown L.A. The hotel is a staple of film, having appeared in such movies as “Ghostbusters,” “Fight Club,” “Species,” “Blonde,” “Enough,” “Cheaper By The Dozen,” “Oppenheimer” and many more.
LOCATION: 506 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071
The alien ships are seen destroying a number of famous landmarks, including the US Bank Tower in Downtown Los Angeles. The building has appeared in countless films, including “Southland Tales,” “Fracture,” “Darkman,” “The Thirteenth Floor” and more.
LOCATION: 633 W 5th St, Los Angeles, CA 90071
The Empire State Building in New York City is also seen being destroyed.
LOCATION: 20 W 34th St, New York, NY 10001
The sequence with the fires engulfing the tunnel full of cars was filmed at the Second Street Tunnel in Downtown L.A. This is another popular filming location, appearing in such films as “Kill Bill,” “Demolition Man,” “Blade Runner,” “The Terminator,” “Double Dragon” and many more.
LOCATION: 620 W 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Hiller drags a defeated alien across the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. The salt flats have been seen in many films, such as “Pirates Of The Carribean: At World’s End,” “The Tree Of Life” and this film’s 2016 sequel, “Independence Day: Resurgence.” The I-80 freeway traverses straight through the Bonneville Salt Flats, with viewing points on the side of the road. There’s also an exit to drive in for a closer look.
LOCATION: Bonneville Salt Flats, UT 84083
Wendover Airfield, located near the border of Nevada and Utah, served as the airfield where President Thomas J. Whitmore, played by Bill Pullman, gives his speech to rally the troops before taking their final stand against the aliens. This scene was filmed in front of Hangar 2. This area is private property, but they do allow tours. Wendover Airfield has appeared in many films, such as “Con Air,” 1982’s “The Philadelphia Experiment” “Mullholland Falls,” The Core” and Ang Lee’s 2003 version of “The Hulk”
LOCATION: 345 Airport Way, Wendover, UT 84083
Hiller’s military uniform can be found on display at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino is Las Vegas.
LOCATION: 3667 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109
The famous late night TV show “Late Show with David Letterman” was taped at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City. The theater has a long and storied history. During Ed Sullivan’s tenure, he hosted legendary musical performances from Elvis Presley and The Beatles.
During Letterman’s tenure, his comedy bits included tossing items out the windows of the building and bringing nearby business owners onto the show, such as the owner of Hello Deli and the owners of a souvenir shop near the studio.
LOCATION: 1697 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
Letterman’s successor, Stephen Colbert, continues to run “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” in the same studio.
In the 2004 romantic comedy “13 Going On 30,” starring Jennifer Garner, filmed heavily in New York City, with additional scenes filmed in Southern California. Jenna Rink, played by Garner, lives at this home as a teenager, which is located in South Pasadena, California.
LOCATION: 1837 Spruce St, South Pasadena, CA 91030
Next door on the left is the home of Mark Ruffalo’s character.
LOCATION: 1839 Spruce St, South Pasadena, CA 91030
The two homes really are side by side, just as depicted in the film.
Living as an adult in New York City, Jenna is seen riding through Times Square.
LOCATION: Times Square, New York, NY 10036
The dance sequence set to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” was filmed inside 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,” “L.A. Story,” “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.
LOCATION: 650 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90014
Late in the film, Jenna jumps out of a cab at the intersection of Meridian Ave / Mission St, South Pasadena, CA 91030. The same intersection appears in the original “Halloween,” as well as such films as “Step Brothers,” “Straight Talk,” “Carpool” and “Prototype.”
Jenna and Matt ultimately move into this home, which is painted pink in the film. It is also located in South Pasadena. The same home appeared in the television series “Cold Case.”
LOCATION: 1965 Fletcher Ave, South Pasadena, CA 91030
The 2005 film “Lords of Dogtown” is set in the Dogtown area of Santa Monica during the 1970s. However, the film shot at a variety of different locations around Southern California. Early in the film, the boys are shown waking up early and making their way out to the beach to surf. Stacy Peralta, played by John Robinson, is seen climbing out his window with a surfboard in the early AM hours. Stacy’s house can be found in San Pedro.
LOCATION: 334 W 17th St, Los Angeles, CA 90731
Stacy’s house is mostly seen in close-ups or shots facing the opposite direction.
Jay Adams, played by Emile Hirsch, lives at this house in San Pedro. He is seen skating off the garage roof a couple times in the film. The property seen in the film sits along a back alley behind W 12th St. We’ve provided the GPS coordinates below.
LOCATION: Rear alley behind 565 W 12th St, San Pedro, CA 90731 (GPS coordinates: 33°43’58.4″N, 118°17’21.8″W)
Jay is then seen skateboarding along Speedway in Venice.
LOCATION: Dudley Ave / Speedway, Los Angeles, CA 90291
Tony Alva, played by Victor Rasuk, lives in this home, also located in San Pedro.
LOCATION: 538 W Santa Cruz St, San Pedro, CA 90731
Later in the film, the kids are seen skating in the alley directly behind Tony’s house as they prepare for their first skateboard competition.
LOCATION: Alley near 566 W Santa Cruz St, San Pedro, CA 90731 (GPS coordinates: 33°44’40.8″N, 118°17’22.0″W)
The filmmakers recreated the legendary Zephyr shop in San Pedro. The original building where the real shop was located is in Santa Monica (2003 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405), but it was not used in the film.
LOCATION: 157 N Bandini St, San Pedro, CA 90731
Jay, Stacy and Tony catch a ride through town on their skateboards by hanging onto the back of a bus. They are seen riding past Bandini Street Elementary School, where they let go of the bus and continue through a line of cars.
LOCATION: 425 N Bandini St, San Pedro, CA 90731
The boys test out their new skateboard wheels at Mar Vista Elementary School.
LOCATION: 3330 Granville Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90066
Jay is seen skateboarding down Bicknell Ave in Santa Monica, where he informs Stacy he didn’t make the team. This is very close to where the real Zephyr shop was formerly located.
LOCATION: Ocean Ave / Bicknell Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90405
The nationals competition, supposedly set in Del Mar, was actually a composite of two church parking lots in Altadena. Most of the footage was filmed at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church, but the opening footage arriving into the parking lot was filmed across the street at Westminster Presbyterian Church (1757 N Lake Ave, Pasadena, CA 91104).
LOCATION: 1879 N Lake Ave, Altadena, CA 91001
The restaurant where Stacy officially joins the team and a fight breaks out with the manager is Rae’s Restaurant in Santa Monica. A staple of film and television, Rae’s has been seen in such films as “True Romance,” “Bowfinger,” “Starsky & Hutch” and more. The restaurant is only seen from interior views in this film.
LOCATION: 2901 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405
After a drought causes many homeowners to drain their pools, the boys start sneaking into back yards and skating the empty pools. The are first seen sneaking into the yard of this home. The same home appears in the film “Secretary.”
LOCATION: 4004 Kenway Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90008
The police chase the boys in front of this house, which has since been remodeled some. Sid is seen running down the middle of the street.
LOCATION: 4245 W Mt Vernon Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90008
Skip Engblom, played by Heath Ledger, scolds the boys for missing practice while they eat at Venice Beach.
LOCATION: 1425 Ocean Front Walk, Venice, CA 90291 (facing Market St)
Jay makes some crude remarks to some elderly women walking down the street in Santa Monica. This is located close to the Santa Monica Pier.
LOCATION: 1450 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401
The Ocean Front Skate Festival scenes were filmed at the Fisherman’s Village shopping mall in Marina Del Rey.
LOCATION: 13755 Fiji Way, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292
The boys discuss offers from a competitor at a gas station in Seal Beach. The real building is actually a restaurant, located in San Pedro.
LOCATION: 3401 S Pacific Ave, San Pedro, CA 90731
After shifting business alliances to Topper Burks, played by Johnny Knoxville, Tony Alva chooses a new logo for himself at the Byrdview house in Chatsworth (also known as the Farralone Estate and Fox House). It has appeared in many films, including “Swordfish,” “Transformers,” “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,” “The Salton Sea,” “Bewitched,” “Tomcats” and “Dreamgirls.” It has also appeared in such TV series as “Six Feet Under,” “Mad Men,” “Californication,” “The Last Man on Earth,” “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” “Aquarius,” “Moonlight” and “Good Girls Revolt.”
LOCATION: 9361 Farralone Ave, Chatsworth, CA 91311
The Seattle skyline is shown from Kerry Park during a skate tour montage. The park is a famous tourist spot, which attracts a lot of visitors. The park was also featured in the films “10 Things I Hate About You,” “Life or Something Like It,” “A Guy Thing” and “The Details,” with this same view also serving as the drawing of the Seattle skyline on the television show “Frasier.”
LOCATION: 211 W Highland Dr, Seattle, WA 98119
Stacy films a cameo for “Charlie’s Angels” on the Warner Bros. backlot. It can be seen as part of their studio tour. This facade also served as the Gotham City Police Headquarters in the original “Batman” TV series. The scenes of Stacy in London were also filmed on the Warner backlot.
LOCATION: 4000 Warner Blvd, Burbank, CA 91505
Stacy is shown posing for photos in front of the Golden Gate bridge. The bridge is one of the most often seen locations in film, having appeared in “Zodiac,” “Interview With The Vampire,” “Vertigo,” “The Rock,” “Pacific Rim,” “X-Men: The Last Stand,” “Big Eyes,” “Terminator: Genisys,” “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” “Superman: The Movie,” “San Andreas,” “A View To A Kill,” “Dirty Harry,” “Hulk,” “The Abyss,” “The Bridge” and many more.
LOCATION: Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA
Tony can be seen getting photographed in front of the Statue of Liberty in New York. Another of the most iconic locations seen on screen, it has appeared in endless films, such as “Splash,” “The Godfather Part II,” “Superman,” “Escape from New York,” “Home Alone 2: Lost In New York,” “Ghostbusters II,” “X-Men,” “Comrades: Almost a Love Story,” “The Abyss,” “Past Lives” and countless more.
LOCATION: Statue of Liberty, New York, NY 10004
The World Professional Skateboard Championship scenes were filmed inside the Long Beach Arena. It is only seen from interior views in the film.
LOCATION: 300 E Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802
Late in the film, Tony Alva is living at this home.
LOCATION: 1027 S Centre St, San Pedro, CA 90731
Stacy Peralta runs into Jay Adams, where he learns of Sid’s illness at this parking lot in Venice Beach, located at the end of Rose Ave, stretching down to Dudley Ave. The same area appeared in the films “White Men Can’t Jump” and “Harry and Tonto.”
LOCATION: 1 Rose Ave, Venice, CA 90291
Thanks to Rob on Location for finding several of these locations and Erin’s Nerd Stuff for identifying the Del Mar nationals location.
One of the most memorable scenes in Martin Scorsese’s classic 1990 film “Goodfellas” is when Henry Hill, played by Ray Liotta, takes Karen, played by Lorraine Bracco, on a date to the Copacabana in Manhattan. The camera follows them as they take a side entrance, skipping the line and walking through the kitchen out onto the restaurant floor, where a table is immediately brought for them.
The Copacabana was a legendary restaurant located in the actual spot seen in the film. Acts such as Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr. and The Supremes all performed there. However, after fifty years, it was relocated in 1992, not long after the film was released. The Copacabana supposedly appears again in Scorsese’s 2019 film “The Irishman,” but an alternate location stood in for it.
LOCATION: 10 E 60th St, New York, NY 10022
Henry meets Jimmy, played by Robert De Niro, at the Sherwood Diner, where they await news of Tommy becoming a made man. These scenes were filmed at what was then known as the Maspeth Diner. After the success of the film, it changed its name to the Goodfellas Diner. However, it got damaged by a fire in 2018. Since then, the building has remained closed down and appears in disrepair these days. The diner also makes a brief, return appearance in Scorsese’s “The Irishman.”
There are so many sites related to author Jack Kerouac scattered across the United States, one could probably dedicate an entire website to it. Here we pay a homage to a man who not only influenced a generation, but helped shape American counterculture.
This residence in the town of Lowell, Massachusetts is where Kerouac was born on March 12, 1922. His family lived on the second floor.
LOCATION: 9 Lupine Rd, Lowell, MA 01850
A plaque can be found on the front porch of the house.
Kerouac’s family frequently relocated around Lowell. By age four, they moved to this house, said to be Kerouac’s third home, which the author referred to as “sad Beaulieu.” Beaulieu was the name of the street and Jack’s older brother Gerard died of rheumatic fever while they lived there.
LOCATION: 34 Beaulieu St, Lowell, MA 01850
The Kerouac family relocated to Jamaica, New York (near Queens), where they lived in the upstairs unit above what was then a drugstore. It was here that Kerouac wrote the “The Town and the City” and began crafting the initial pieces of his most famous novel, “On the Road.”
LOCATION: 133-01 Cross Bay Blvd, Jamaica, NY 11417
Renowned author William S. Burroughs (“Naked Lunch,” “Junky,” “Queer”) lived in this New Orleans home from 1948 to 1949. The house was famously documented in “On the Road,” where Kerouac recounted visiting on January 21, 1949.
LOCATION: 509 Wagner St, New Orleans, LA 70114
Kerouac would finish “On the Road” in New York City at 454 W 20th St, New York, NY 10011. Nearby, at the corner of 7th Ave and W 20th St is where Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarty say their goodbyes at the end of the novel.
As is well documented, “On the Road” was not published for many years after it’s completion. By the time it was first published in 1957, Kerouac had moved to Orlando, Florida. It was in this home where he lived when “On the Road” became a bestseller and skyrocketed the author to instant fame. Kerouac also began the manuscript for “The Dharma Bums” at this home. The historic nature of the house was not known to Kerouac historians until 1996, when research for an article about the author led to the discovery.
LOCATION: 1418 Clouser Ave, Orlando, FL 32804
Kerouac’s final home, where the author resided in 1969, can be found in St. Petersburg, Florida. The house, reportedly still owned by the Kerouac family, is said to still contain the desk of the author, as well as other personal belongings. Mostly sitting empty since the 1970s, the house is in need of renovation. If upkeep can be successfully funded, the home has been considered to be opened up for public visitation in the future.
LOCATION: 5169 10th Ave N, St. Petersburg, FL 33710
After Kerouac’s passing, he was relocated back to his birth town of Lowell, Massachusetts for his funeral and burial. His grave can be found at the Edson Cemetery. The trails around the cemetery are laid out like streets. The author’s grave site can be found near the corner of Lincoln and 7th, six graves up and three graves in. It is rumored that singer Bob Dylan still visits Kerouac’s grave twice a year.
Two grave stones can be found there for the iconic writer. Here is the original.
LOCATION: Edson Cemetery, 1375 Gorham St, Lowell, MA 01852 (Lot 76, Range 96, Grave 1)
Just past it is a larger headstone, which was added in 2014. It features an engraving of the author’s signature, along with the words “The road is life.”
These locations only scratch the surface of all the Kerouac sites to be discovered all across the United States, but it is of course the man’s writing which stands the greatest test of time.
In the 2014 Alejandro G. Iñárritu film “Birdman,” Michael Keaton plays Riggan Thomas, a former superhero actor who is trying to breathe new life into his career by putting on a Broadway play.
The theater where Riggan stages his comeback, and where much of the film takes place, is the St. James Theatre, which really is located right in the heart of Broadway. Although crafted to look like a single take, the film was in fact shot in many different takes across several locations, which are not always as close together as depicted in the film. Some of the interior shots of the St. James Theatre, for example, were actually sets built at Kaufman Astoria Studios (34-12 36th St, Astoria, NY 11106).
LOCATION: St. James Theatre, 246 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036
During a couple scenes in the film, Sam, played by Emma Stone, sits on the rooftop of the neighboring Helen Hayes Theatre (240 W 44th St, New York, NY 10036), where she is joined by Mike, played by Edward Norton.
The Majestic Theatre, which sits across the street, can also be seen many times throughout the film.
Film Oblivion 