| Are you a movie fan that likes to take interesting | | | | pictures and compare them with movies you see |
| vacations? Wouldn't it be fun to take a trip to | | | | later.While you are in the area, you must visit The |
| southern California to see movie filming | | | | Shambala Preserve for movie and other animals |
| locations?California is rich with movie history with | | | | not far away at 6867 Soledad Canyon in Acton. |
| many interesting filming spots you can visit. If you | | | | It was started by actress and conservationist |
| have never been to Universal City then this is a | | | | Tippi Hedren who is the beautiful blonde in Alfred |
| good place to start. Here you can go behind the | | | | Hitchcock's The Birds (And 67 other movies). Mr. |
| scenes and see sets used repeatedly in the | | | | Hitchcock said once "Tippi Hedren is really |
| movies. After your tour, visit Universal city walk | | | | remarkable". He did not know how right he was |
| with dining and shopping if you wish but it's kinda | | | | even if it was for different reasons. Tippi has |
| expensive.Nevertheless, everyone visits these | | | | devoted much time and effort to charitable |
| major attractions and you and I are serious | | | | causes. Trust me, you will have a great time and |
| movie buffs and want something more | | | | be sure to leave Tippi a little donation to help feed |
| interesting.The very best place in the world for | | | | those big kitties.If you plan a trip in October and |
| movie and western history fans is Gene Autry's | | | | you do not mind a drive through the desert, you |
| Museum of the American West witch is part of | | | | may want to visit The Lone Pine Film Festival. It is |
| The Autry National Center at 4700 Western | | | | held every year in October. This year the dates |
| Heritage Way off interstate 5 near Griffith Park. | | | | are October 6th. 7th. & 8th. Taking place in and |
| Let me tell you folks this Museum has the most | | | | around the town of Lone Pine California, where |
| amazing things you have ever seen. Some | | | | filming has continued every year since 1920. |
| exhibits are from movie history and many of the | | | | Actors and stunt men show up unannounced |
| exhibits are real life. Annie Oakley's true history | | | | every year. The area is for sure Hollywood's |
| and the actual gun she used to make it for | | | | favorite movie location for 85 years. Nearly 400 |
| example will have you saying, "Hey, this girl was | | | | feature films have shot scenes here. It is a huge |
| the real deal".After the museum since you are | | | | wilderness area in the foothills of the Sierra |
| already in Griffith Park take the drive up to | | | | Mountains. During the festival, they put up |
| Griffith Planetarium and see the spot where | | | | hundreds of little stands with movie photographs |
| James Dean made Rebel Without a Cause. | | | | on them in the exact spot where they filmed the |
| Remember the school trip and the climactic | | | | scene. One of my favorites is the big rocks |
| shoot-out. The studios filmed many movies here | | | | where Richard Boone held Randolph Scott prisoner |
| in this huge city park. Remember the scene in | | | | in The Tall T. This is where John Wayne made |
| The Rocketeer in front of the planetarium when | | | | many westerns and in fact, his last public |
| he fights the hoods and flies up to the blimp. | | | | appearance was here in the Great Western |
| Other films featuring the Observatory include the | | | | Savings commercials.You never know who may |
| Steve Martin's Hollywood satire Bowfinger, | | | | show up at this event. Sometimes actors are |
| Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, the spoofy 1987 film | | | | filming in the area and just show up. I turned to |
| Dragnet with Tom Hanks and Dan Aykroyd.If you | | | | see why my wife was taking pictures and saw |
| are adventurous and do not mind lot's of driving, | | | | Fred Dryer and Hugh O'Bryan standing beside me. |
| there are many famous filming locations scattered | | | | You should see the photo she took of Robert |
| all over southern California. These are houses, | | | | Blake. Because it is not overcrowded, it is easy to |
| stores and malls like the Puente Hills Mall 1600 | | | | talk to someone famous. I have stood on a |
| Azusa Ave. City of Industry, California where in | | | | street corner and talked with Gregory Peck and |
| 1985, Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly is accidentally | | | | John Mitchum without anyone bothering us. I |
| sent back to 1955 in a plutonium-powered | | | | talked to Robert Blake and saw him and Dale |
| DeLorean "time machine" invented by slightly mad | | | | Evans (Yes Dale Evans) sitting at the same table. |
| scientist Christopher Lloyd.Some locations can be | | | | I don't think she cared for his language but she |
| found on the internet. Some are no longer there | | | | didn't say so. She told us stories about her and |
| but are born again, like the ruins of a demolished | | | | Roy making movies in Lone Pine. Blake complained |
| steel plant at Fontana, on the outskirts of San | | | | about how awful it was being a child star but he |
| Bernardino Route 10 east of Los Angeles where | | | | also told some funny stories.East of Los Angeles |
| scenes from the Terminator, and future | | | | near Palm Springs is an old historic western town |
| resistance hero John Connor were filmed, is now | | | | called Pioneertown. Gene Autry and Roy Rogers |
| the California Speedway. Here you can see where | | | | built the place to make western movies. The old |
| Lindsay Lohan made the movie Herbie Fully | | | | western-style saloons and storefronts that once |
| Loaded and raced the Volkswagen bug with a | | | | were props for movie cowboys were in danger |
| mind of its own on this racetrack. Not far away in | | | | with the brush fires this year but the firefighters |
| the Lake Arrowhead area is where Lindsay made | | | | saved them. They still use the town for movies |
| her first Movie The Parent Trap. You can drive | | | | and the last time I checked it was open to the |
| around the lake ( Lake Gregory not Arrowhead ) | | | | public. It's in the high desert near Palm |
| and discover many scenes from the movie.North | | | | Springs.Since we are near Palm Springs guess |
| of Los Angeles on highway 14 is an area called | | | | what? Even the streets here are named after |
| Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park. Hundreds of | | | | movie stars. My son and I once sat on a golf |
| films and commercials are made in this area since | | | | course out here asking silly questions to stars as |
| they started making movies, including Star Trek | | | | they played golf. I thought it was funny when my |
| IV. The Voyage Home, the Vulcan planet. | | | | son Mark asked Don Knots "Who's Don Knots"? |
| Vasquez Rocks has been used in hundreds of | | | | Don didn't say anything, he just smiled.P.S. Don't |
| Westerns and sci-fi movies. The Flintstones, Bill | | | | forget to research places and events. In the case |
| and Ted's Bogus Journey, Mel Brooks Blazing | | | | of most Film Festivals, it's difficult to get a hotel |
| Saddles, and too many others to name. It is off | | | | unless booked months in advance. We used to |
| the beaten path in the middle of the desert but | | | | stay a few miles away in the town of Big Pine. |
| well worth seeing. The entire village of the | | | | Don't forget to take pictures and get ready for |
| Flintstones was built here and was open to the | | | | the best Vacation Ever!Screenwriter Walter |
| public for a while. Just remember that it is a park | | | | Minton has a new one-stop travel center with city |
| and after filming is done, the sets are taken away | | | | research and 200 articles on destinations. |
| but those crazy rocks are interesting. Take | | | | |