Locations

[johnmmil10]

I think Westfield Mall shows up quite a bit in the early seasons, but not again until season 9. I have this mall as one of the locations used as Jenna boutique in s09e16.

I have been looking for Matt Houston's house to no avail so far, but I thought I would share my research. It has so far lead me down a yet unsuccessful path, but it does look promising.

I wanted to see if any other locations shot in the same episode looked like they could have been shot at the same time as Mark's house hunting. There is a ranching scene that takes place that doesn't look like it was shot at the JMJ ranch, but maybe more like the land where Little House on the Prairie was shot. I thought I would look around the former Big Sky Movie Ranch in Simi Valley. I did find an article (https://scvhistory.com/scvhistory/gt8703.htm) about Mike Levison that lived in Sand Canyon (in Simi Valley). The article says, "Levison's home, sitting on a hill behind an electronic gate, includes a guest house, stable and tennis court. It has been used for exterior shots on the "Matt Houston" television series and in feature films." However, all addresses point to a home that does not match the one we are looking for. However, in this quest I did find a bunch of homes and roads that look A LOT like the homes fake-Pam shows Bobby and Cliff in S13E16. It hasn't panned out exactly, but I think it is closer than I have been on these two homes. Hopefully I will have something to post soon!

 

[Bill Dilks]

Yeah...I've been looking there also. For me what's key is that body of water across the street from the entrance. And the road by the lake to the entrance resembles a Z. I'm sure there've been changes over the last 35 years or so, making the search that much more difficult. But we'll keep hammering away...

 

[Bill Dilks]

I think Westfield Mall shows up quite a bit in the early seasons, but not again until season 9. I have this mall as one of the locations used as Jenna boutique in s09e16. I have been looking for Matt Houston's house to no avail so far, but I thought I would share my research. It has so far lead me down a yet unsuccessful path, but it does look promising. (https://scvhistory.com/scvhistory/gt8703.htm)

Been looking hard around Sand Canyon Rd, especially where it meets the river (dry in pic). There is a mining nearby, as mentioned. Still no luck. But, may have been sold off for development. Will keep lQQking...

 

[Bill Dilks]

Trying to close in on the home Mark wanted to buy for him and Pam. I'm zeroing in on an area ESE of Santa Clarita, CA, down Sand Canyon Rd.

From the article found by jm10:
"The Black Diamond project, planned across the road from Live Oak Campground..."

The campground is no longer there. But I found coordinates, shown with the red google marker below.




Also from the article:
"Mike Levison, a swimwear manufacturer who owns a baronial, 6,000-square-foot English Tudor home about 200 yards down the road from the Black Diamond site, agrees."

Ruth Ann Levison is involved in city gov't for the area, and resides at the '*' pointed to by the arrow. That could be "200 yards down the road". This could be the area, possibly torn down and rebuilt.

Still searching for the "baronial...English Tudor" in the area.

 

[johnmmil10]

Trying to close in on the home Mark wanted to buy for him and Pam. I'm zeroing in on an area ESE of Santa Clarita, CA, down Sand Canyon Rd.

From the article found by jm10:
"The Black Diamond project, planned across the road from Live Oak Campground..."

The campground is no longer there. But I found coordinates, shown with the red google marker below.

View attachment 19312


Also from the article:
"Mike Levison, a swimwear manufacturer who owns a baronial, 6,000-square-foot English Tudor home about 200 yards down the road from the Black Diamond site, agrees."

Ruth Ann Levison is involved in city gov't for the area, and resides at the '*' pointed to by the arrow. That could be "200 yards down the road". This could be the area, possibly torn down and rebuilt.

Still searching for the "baronial...English Tudor" in the area.

I just have not had any luck. I thought I was on to something at the time, but just hit dead ends.

Instead, I’ll post this...

Mark returns from the dead and takes Pam for a ride around White Rock Lake. One of the buildings they pass is the Big Thicket. It is still there today.

430 E Lawther Dr, Dallas, TX 75218
https://goo.gl/maps/Jan3zZBTpciP7nj59

 

[GillesDenver]

Been looking hard around Sand Canyon Rd, especially where it meets the river (dry in pic). There is a mining nearby, as mentioned. Still no luck. But, may have been sold off for development. Will keep lQQking...

The adress is 25800 SAND CANYON, SANTA CLARITA ( https://www.finduslocal.com/local-business/california/canyon-country/mike-levison/reviews/ ) but the actual house does not match Matt Houston's house. Maybe it was torned down and rebuilt.

 

[Bill Dilks]

The adress is 25800 SAND CANYON, SANTA CLARITA ( https://www.finduslocal.com/local-business/california/canyon-country/mike-levison/reviews/ ) but the actual house does not match Matt Houston's house. Maybe it was torned down and rebuilt.

Yeah...that's currently Ruth Ann & Myron (Mike?) Levison 's home. During a 2016 fire much of Sand Canyon was destroyed, possibly including the house we're looking for. Sable Ranch filming site was also destroyed. Yet based on the road 'Z' and water, I wasn't convinced that was the property. Still looking...

 

[Bill Dilks]

re: House Mark was going to purchase after wedding.

I think I found it...my hunch about Lake Sherwood/Thousand Oaks was correct. Just didn't make sense to me that they'd go to Santa Clarita for one scene.
Note JMJ ranch down the road from Lake Sherwood (left).


The roads line up, including the curved drive from the main road, with the lake across the main road on the other side of the house.
The top of the 'Z' on the road around the lake in the upper left is W Potrero Rd. Stafford Road comes down from W Potrero Rd along the lake to the driveway.

Below is from 1980. (The 1989 shot shows golf course with homes going up in the area.)
Below, the house is just to the left of center, among the stand of trees. You can see the bldg shown when they turn into the drive of the main house.
Note the 'Z' road around the lake, coming to the curved drive.
That yellow-filled 'U' at the top is on W Potrero Rd. Come down from W Potrero Rd along the lake on Stafford Rd.
Note the curved drive up to the house, from the straight road (Stafford Road) with lake on the other side.


Closer shot.


You can see below the drive up, with Stafford Rd on the other side of the fence in the back of the first pic, then the out building across from the pillared drive way up to the main house.

The way the area looks now. W Potrero Rd & Stafford Rd, Lake Sherwood, Thousand Oaks, CA. Dot is approximately where the house was.


And, I sure learned a lot about Santa Clarita...interesting area.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

One of the buildings they pass is the Big Thicket

Big Thicket? I didn't know that Mark's mustache had an official name.

Oh, never mind! My mistake

 

[johnmmil10]

re: House Mark was going to purchase after wedding.

I think I found it...my hunch about Lake Sherwood/Thousand Oaks was correct. Just didn't make sense to me that they'd go to Santa Clarita for one scene.
Note JMJ ranch down the road from Lake Sherwood (left).
View attachment 19326

The roads line up, including the curved drive from the main road, with the lake across the main road on the other side of the house.
The top of the 'Z' on the road around the lake in the upper left is W Potrero Rd. Stafford Road comes down from W Potrero Rd along the lake to the driveway.

Below is from 1980. (The 1989 shot shows golf course with homes going up in the area.)
Note the 'Z' road around the lake, coming to the curved drive.
That yellow-filled 'U' at the top is on W Potrero Rd. Come down from W Potrero Rd along the lake on Stafford Rd.
Note the curved drive up to the house, from the straight road (Stafford Road) with lake on the other side.
Below, the house is just to the left of center, among the stand of trees. You can see the bldg shown when they turn into the drive of the main house.
View attachment 19324

Closer shot.
View attachment 19325

You can see below the drive up, with Stafford Rd on the other side of the fence in the back of the first pic, then the out building across from the pillared drive way up to the main house.

The way the area looks now. W Potrero Rd & Stafford Rd, Lake Sherwood, Thousand Oaks, CA. Dot is approximately where the house was.
View attachment 19322

And, I sure learned a lot about Santa Clarita...interesting area.

Good think Mark didn’t buy it since the whole area was redeveloped just a few years later! Good work on the find, Bill! I think you are spot on with this discovery!

 

[Lastkidpicked]

Nice detective work, Bill!

One of your screen shots caught my eye, and may I put it into a Texas perspective for you?

I'm not surprised this was filmed in California. And maybe in California that Zimmer Golden Spirit is a status symbol.

But not in Texas.

In Dallas, the car is just too much "Look at me! I have money." And you seem to be compensating for some. . . shortcoming.

The writers got it just right when Ray finally had money and bought a new Suburban:

This is the car a wealthy Texan would drive back in the day. It says, "I have enough money to buy what I want and this is what I want. Four wheel drive, off road suspension, dual air conditioning and dual heat."

In Texas we call this the "Drive the Living Room Feeling"

Gas mileage? Well, if you have to ask then you can't afford it.

Here is the modern version:

To put a finer point on it, drive the Zimmer and the Suburban to the Cattleman's Club and see which one the valet parks out front.

 

[Taylor Bennett Jr.]

Big Thicket? I didn't know that Mark's mustache had an official name.

Oh, never mind! My mistake

they say everything's bigger in Texas... everything that is but this particular Big Thicket building

 

[Lastkidpicked]

They say everything's bigger in Texas... everything that is but this particular Big Thicket building

Read this in your best Punk Anderson voice:

"Well, if that's the Big Thicket building, then I'd hate to see the Little Thicket building!"

 

[Bill Dilks]

How I wound up in TX from Brigantine NJ toward the end of my musician days.

Sep '81 - to Chicago - Hammond Organ Co as Product Specialist. Spent a week in TX, Dallas and Houston. Loved Dallas...the show DALLAS helped I'm sure. Lived over-top of Dan Rostenkowski's (if anyone remembers him) office on Fullerton near Cicero. Laid off Feb '82.

Feb '82 - to 1909 Emerald Dr, Irving - house - worked in Oak Cliff at the beginning of its change-over, a block from the Texas Theatre, at organ/piano store.
...about the time of T Boone Pickens, having built Mesa Petroleum, began his M&A activity, around DALLAS season 6, Jock's will, and the battle for Ewing Oil.

Nov '82 - good offer to manage sales, to 116 E Edgebrook, Pasadena - apt - in Pasadena at organ/piano store.

May '83 - offer was less than presented, back to Brigantine NJ May '83. Back to school for computer programming, grew up and got a real job, out of music full time.

The Lone Star State has always meant something special to me, long before DALLAS. It's been an interesting ride.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

How I wound up in TX from Brigantine NJ toward the end of my musician days.

Thank you for posting that, Bill.

Knowing a little background makes your posts even more interesting.

 

[Bill Dilks]

Big Thicket? I didn't know that Mark's mustache had an official name.

Oh, never mind! My mistake

Mark had a little thicket. (sorry...the ill-timed musician side still kicks in once in a while)

 

[Bill Dilks]

Of secondary interest to me is Afton's apt where she calls Cliff a loser after JR's trial by the TX senate. S05E02.

After poking around a bit, I think this would be the Dallas area. There's too much open space shown for LA, even for 35 years ago. Can't tell whether the open area in the first shot is a golf course or road with green around it. Or is it a short brick wall announcing the name of the area or apartment complex?

 

[johnmmil10]

Of secondary interest to me is Afton's apt where she calls Cliff a loser after JR's trial by the TX senate. S05E02.

After poking around a bit, I think this would be the Dallas area. There's too much open space shown for LA, even for 35 years ago. Can't tell whether the open area in the first shot is a golf course or road with green around it. Or is it a short brick wall announcing the name of the area or apartment complex?

View attachment 19360

View attachment 19362

I can’t offer anything in regards to Afton’s apartment complex, but there is another location in the same episode I have looked for and have yet to come up with anything. Any leads on the Braddock Courthouse?

 

[Bill Dilks]

I can’t offer anything in regards to Afton’s apartment complex, but there is another location in the same episode I have looked for and have yet to come up with anything. Any leads on the Braddock Courthouse?

View attachment 19373

Yeah...that's gonna be a tough one. TX or LA? Before turning in front of the court house, down the road, are the cars on the other side of the street parked angled in? I'm not sure. Early episodes had Plano as Braddock. Season 5? Can't say.

 

[Garry]

Yeah...that's gonna be a tough one. TX or LA? Before turning in front of the court house, down the road, are the cars on the other side of the street parked angled in? I'm not sure. Early episodes had Plano as Braddock. Season 5? Can't say.

View attachment 19374

The Braddock Courthouse has to be LA as the extras used in the scene were all the people used during the LA filming. You could always get to know a few extras faces as the series went on.