Filming Locations – Meet the Stars

Are you a movie buff who likes to take interesting vacations? Wouldn’t it be fun to take a trip to Southern California to see movie filming locations?

California is rich in movie history with many interesting filming locations to visit. If you’ve never been to Universal City, this is a good place to start. Here you can go behind the scenes and see sets that are repeatedly used in movies. After your tour, visit Universal City Walk with restaurants and shops if you wish, but it’s a bit pricey.

However, everyone visits these top attractions and you and I are serious movie buffs and want something more interesting.

The best place in the world for fans of western film and history is the Gene Autry Museum of the American West, part of the Autry National Center at 4700 Western Heritage Way, off Interstate 5 near Griffith Park. Let me tell you folks, this museum has the most amazing things you have ever seen. Some exhibits are from movie history and many of the exhibits are from real life. The true story of Annie Oakley and the actual gun she used to make it, for example, will have you saying, “Hey, this girl was the real deal.”

After the museum, since you’re already in Griffith Park, take the drive to the Griffith Planetarium and see the spot where James Dean made Rebel Without a Cause. Remember the school trip and the climactic shootout. The studios shot many movies here in this huge city park. Remember the scene in The Rocketeer in front of the planetarium when he fights the kingpins and flies towards the blimp. Other films featuring the Observatory include Steve Martin Bowfinger’s Hollywood satire Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, the 1987 parody film Dragnet with Tom Hanks and Dan Aykroyd.

If you’re adventurous and don’t mind a lot of driving, there are plenty of famous filming locations scattered throughout Southern California. These are homes, stores, and malls like Puente Hills Mall 1600 Azusa Ave. City of Industry, California, where in 1985, Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly is accidentally sent back to 1955 in a DeLorean “time machine” powered by plutonium invented by the slightly mad scientist Christopher Lloyd.

Some locations can be found on the Internet. Some are no longer there but have been reborn, like the ruins of a demolished steel plant in Fontana, outside San Bernardino. Route 10 east of Los Angeles, where scenes from The Terminator and future resistance hero John Connor were filmed, is now the California Speedway. Here you can see where Lindsay Lohan made the movie Herbie Fully Loaded and raced the Volkswagen beetle of its own volition on this race track. Not far away, in the Lake Arrowhead area, Lindsay made her first film, The Parent Trap. She can drive around the lake (Lake Gregory, not Arrowhead) and discover many scenes from the movie.

North of Los Angeles on Highway 14 is an area called Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park. Hundreds of movies and commercials have been made in this area since movies began, including Star Trek IV. The journey home, the planet Vulcan. Vasquez Rocks have been used in hundreds of westerns and science fiction movies. The Flintstones, Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey, Mel Brooks Blazing Saddles, and too many others to name. It’s off the beaten path in the middle of the desert, but well worth seeing. The entire Flintstones’ town was built here and was open to the public for a while. Just remember that it’s a park and after filming is over, the sets are removed, but those crazy rocks are interesting. Take photos and compare them to movies you watch later.

While in the area, you must visit The Shambala Preserve for movies and other wildlife not far away at 6867 Soledad Canyon in Acton. It was started by actress and conservationist Tippi Hedren, who is the beautiful blonde in Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds (and 67 other films). Mr. Hitchcock once said, “Tippi Hedren is truly remarkable.” He didn’t know how right she was though she was for different reasons. Tippi has devoted a lot of time and effort to charitable causes. Trust me you will have a lot of fun and be sure to leave Tippi a small donation to help feed those big kitties.

If you’re planning a trip in October and don’t mind driving through the desert, you might want to check out the Lone Pine Film Festival. It is celebrated every year in October. This year the dates are October 6. 7th. and 8th. It takes place in and around the town of Lone Pine, California, where filming has continued every year since 1920. Actors and stuntmen appear unannounced every year. The area is without a doubt Hollywood’s favorite filming location for 85 years. Nearly 400 feature films have shot scenes here. It is a large wilderness area in the foothills of the Sierra mountains. During the festival, they set up hundreds of small stands with movie stills at the exact spot where the scene was shot. One of my favorites is the big rocks where Richard Boone held Randolph Scott prisoner in The Tall T. This is where John Wayne did many westerns and in fact his last public appearance was here in the Great Western Savings commercials.

You never know who might show up at this event. Sometimes the actors are filming in the area and they just show up. I turned to see why my wife was taking photos and saw Fred Dryer and Hugh O’Bryan standing next to me. You should see the photo she took of Robert Blake. Because it’s not crowded, it’s easy to talk to someone famous. I stood on a street corner and talked to Gregory Peck and John Mitchum without anyone bothering us. I talked to Robert Blake and saw him and Dale Evans (Yes, Dale Evans) sitting at the same table. I don’t think she cared about her language, but he didn’t say it. He told us stories about her and Roy of her making movies in Lone Pine. Blake complained about how horrible it was to be a child star, but he also had some funny stories.

East of Los Angeles, near Palm Springs, is a historic old western town called Pioneertown. Gene Autry and Roy Rogers built the place to make westerns. Old western-style saloons and storefronts that were once props for movie cowboys were in danger from this year’s wildfires, but firefighters saved them. They still use the town for movies and last I checked it was open to the public. It’s in the high desert near Palm Springs.

Since we’re close to Palm Springs, guess what? Even the streets here are named after movie stars. My son and I once sat on a golf course and asked the stars silly questions while they played golf. I thought it was funny when my son Mark asked Don Knots “Who is Don Knots?”. Don’t say anything, he just smiled.

PS Don’t forget to research places and events. For most film festivals, it’s hard to get a hotel unless you book months in advance. We used to stay a few miles away in the town of Big Pine. Don’t forget to take pictures and get ready for the best vacation of your life!