Flamingo Road Filming Locations

[TJP]

# 2.17 "No Dice":

The hotel lobby is the lobby of the former Ambassador Hotel (3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90010) again:


The other hotel interiors are sets — borrowed from "Falcon Crest" and redressed.
Michael's suite is actually Angie's study in the Falcon Crest Victorian Mansion. For more information about this redress, see our "Beyond the Show - Interior Sets" section: http://falconcrest.org/english/master.php?path=show/productionoffice/beyond/intsets — it will be updated again January 10, 2022 with even more details. This is a particularly funny cross-reference because David got to work in the "Falcon Crest" key set even before he joined the cast of "Falcon Crest".


Both Sam & Lane's and Field & Constance's (the latter pictured below) suites are the redressed standard bedroom set (pattern A) of the Falcon Crest Victorian Mansion. Floor plans with all the redresses that occurred on "Falcon Crest" are available for our members here: http://falconcrest.org/english/master.php?path=show/productionoffice/locations/studios/int


The Senate in Tallahassee is the Pasadena City Hall again. This time, its beautiful courtyard and the archways were photographed:

 

[TJP]

# 2.17 "No Dice" (cont'd):

Sandy's apartment is actually Villa Toluca at 10707 Moorpark Street, North Hollywood, CA 91602. It still looks the same nowadays.


When the ambulance drives off, you can see St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church (10800 Moorpark Street) in the background.

​

In the later segment of the ambulance drive-by, the ambulance was actually driving back to Sandy's apartment building. The junction in the background is Moorpark Street at Lankershim Boulevard in NoHo.

 

[TJP]

Going back to # 2.16 today:

I found the downtown Truro streets from the establishing shots in the intro of "Sins of the Fathers": They were filmed in Seal Beach, CA.

The first view after the main titles was shot from the southeastern part of Eisenhower Park along Ocean Avenue towards the corner of Ocean Avenue and Main Street. The distinct corner buildings with the many dormer windows are still there, but slightly remodeled and updated.


The corner of Main Street and Central Avenue is real, including these street signs from that era. If you look closely, you will see that Lorimar propped the Main Street sign with the additional "Truro" lettering, but otherwise, the signs were real. They have been updated since, but it's the corner by the same street names in Seal Beach, CA 90740. The brick building on the right in the first screen capture (which is actually the same structure on the second screen grab although the walls are out of the camera angle) is nowadays a branch of the Bank of America at 208 Main Street, Seal Beach. The building is pretty much like in the old days. The building across from it, which stands out as the tallest structure in the scene (street no. 207), is also still there and looks pretty much the same; it was repainted gray though.


The next shot features Main Street from the intersection at Ocean Avenue again:

 

[TJP]

Now I'm going back to # 2.09:

The downtown scenes from post no. 29 that I was previously unable to identify are also from Seal Beach, CA!
Following the typical industry standards, they most likely filmed stock shots during location filming of # 2.09 for the establishing shots that ended up being used in # 2.16.

I can confirm now that, in # 2.09, the building where Titus is doing his "meet and greet" campaign in front of is 212 Main Street, Seal Beach. The porch of the neighboring building is still there (albeit with less elaborate pillars). The 212 building itself has apparently been remodeled.



Across the street, what used to be Rattanland looks basically the same nowadays. It was probably just repainted, but looks quite outdated (as it even seemed to be back then). It's the structure at 217 Main Street, Seal Beach.



I'm still not sure about the episode opener of # 2.09 though. I strongly suspect Seal Beach after my latest discoveries, but the nightly establishing shot is too dark to make out something that would allow me to match it with today's architecture. Or has anyone else any ideas on this one?

 

[TJP]

Going back to # 2.15:

I think we saw the Senate Office Building where Field's office is housed for the first time in this episode. It is the rear of the historic City of Seal Administration Building (211 8th Street Seal Beach, CA 90740), annexed to the City Hall. The point of view as depicted on the show is from the parking lot in the alley between 8th and 7th Streets.

 

[GillesDenver]

Fantastic job TJP !!

 

[TJP]

My latest discovery is a location from "Knots" that originated on "Flamingo". It's always interesting to see how interwoven these Lorimar shows are! I'll post it in the KL filming locations thread in a couple of minutes.

 

[TJP]

# 2.18 "The High and the Mighty":

The establishing shot of the pier in Truro shows the Seal Beach Municipal Pier in Seal Beach, CA from Ocean Avenue:


I have no idea about the establishing shots of what is supposed to be Nassau / Bahamas. They are definitely stock footage, but I'm not even sure they really feature anything from Nassau at all — at least nothing touristy recognizable.

Julia's home in Nassau is is actually the Adamson House (nowadays a museum) at 23200 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA. Just as a side not: It was later used as Abby's beach house on "Knots Landing". While "Knots" created interior sets for it at MGM / Lorimar Studios in Culver City, this episode of "Flamingo Road" used both the real exteriors and interiors of the Adamson House:



I'm not sure about the airport scenes. Strong candidates are the old San Fernando Airport (which no longer exists) and Whiteman Airport, but the scenes are filmed so closely that I can't tell.

Some of the shots of the plane in the air were apparently specifically filmed for this episode of "Flamingo Road", which seems like an incredible waste of budget. No idea why they did this, but you can clearly see that it's the same model (a 1979 Piper PA-28-161) with the same registration (N2934C) like the one on the ground Field and Sam boarded.
The intercuts with views from the cockpit, however, are apparently stock footage from elsewhere.

I'm still looking for the crash site, but it's very difficult. However, it's definitely not on the studio backlot. There's more open land around it, and the vegetation is clearly different from what usually grew on the TBS (WB) backlot. The size of the trees is also too big for mobile prop trees and bushes. I'll keep searching.

What is on the studio backlot, in contrast, is Ranger Station 16 from where the search for Sam and Field is coordinated. It's the old FBI Cabin at the lagoon in the jungle area at The Burbank Studios (Warner Bros. Studios), redressed again:

 

[TJP]

# 2.19 "The Bad and the Beautiful":

The phone booth for Sandy's call with Lane was a prop on the backlot of The Burbank Studios (Warner Bros). The structure behind Sandy used to be on French Street across from the well-known store façades that are still standing there nowadays. This structure might be best remembered as "Apex Rent-a-Truck" from the original "The Dukes of Hazzard" series. It was demolished in the 1990's, i think. Nowadays, a much bigger brick structure sits in its place, which might be best known as "Mia's Studio Coffee Shop" from the movie "La La Land".


The scene with Sandy driving, shortly before her car goes over the cliff, was filmed in the jungle area at The Burbank Studios (WB).



By the way, the car going over the cliff was probably not filmed specifically for this show. I think it's stock footage with a similar, but not exactly matching car; it appears to be much darker than the red sedan in the scene on the studio lot. If I had to guess where the crash segment was filmed (on whichever production this might have originated), I'd say the North Trail rock formation in Griffith Park, but I'm not entirely sure.


Lute-Mae's accident was filmed on Lima Street on the studio lot at TBS (WB), quite near the entrance to the backlot jungle.

 

[TJP]

# 2.20 "An Eye for an Eye":

Julio following Constance: The first part was apparently filmed right in front of Arden Villa (Michael's mansion) on Arden Road in Pasadena, but when Juilo gets closer to Constances's convertible, the segment is from the TBS (WB) backlot.
In the first screen grab, they are on French Street , the camera facing north, at the corner of Midwest Street. What we see in the background behind Constance is that corner building that later became famous as "Luke's Diner" on "Gilmore Girls".
The second screen grab shows how Constance makes a right from French Street into the Embassy Courtyard / New York Street area. We see the Embassy Courthouse, one of WB's oldest façades, briefly through her convertible's windshield.
The next moment (screen grab 3), they come to a stop in front of the stores on French Street (driving in the opposite direction in comparison to picture 1). This doesn't make any sense in terms of the topography of the studio lot because French Street is actually behind the Embassy Courthouse that Constance was heading to in the preceding scene. But it's creative editing, and nobody will notice except experts in the studio lot...



The hotel is the former Ambassador in L.A. again:
Screen grab 1 shows the exterior walkway on the grounds in the background.
Screen capture 2 shows the Spanish Patio, which later became the Dolphin Court and was used several times before on "Flamingo".

 

[TJP]

# 2.20 "An Eye for an Eye" (cont'd):

Not a location, but an interesting set again:
The hotel hallway to Michael's suite (screen capture 1) is the borrowed upstairs hall set of the Falcon Crest Victorian Mansion from "Falcon Crest" at TBS (WB) Stage 1.
Michael's suite is (screen grab 2) is Angela's study from "Falcon Crest".
Learn more about the reuse of these sets in our "Beyond the Show" section: http://falconcrest.org/english/master.php?path=show/productionoffice/beyond/intsets



The hotel lobby is the real Ambassador lobby:


I don't know where the establishing shot for the psychiatric institution (Lute-Mae) comes from. Any ideas anyone? It's apparently stock footage.


The scene with Lute-Mae and Claude at the psychiatric institution itself was filmed in the courtyard of the Warner Bros. Executive Building complex on the studio's front lot. What is visible here is the rear of Building 2 (Main Administration); it still looks pretty much the same with only slight alterations.

 

[TJP]

# 2.21 "The Harder They Fall":

The scenes in downtown Truro were filmed on Honolulu Avenue in Montrose, CA — at least most parts (screen captures 1, 2 and 4).


While the close-ups of Constance driving in her Mercedes-Benz SL Convertible were also shot in Montrose, post-production intercut one segment that shows the Embassy Courthouse at The Burbank Studios (Warner Bros.) in her rear view mirror. This segment obviously originated while shooting # 2.19 (also a segment when Julio followed Constance). They obviously edited that previously unused segment into the drive in the current episode.


Back in Montrose:


The close-up of Julio shot from across, in contrast, was filmed on Midwestern Street at The Burbank Studios (nowadays Midwest Street at Warner Bros.). It's the corner building that is usually dressed as a bank in many TV shows; it might be remembered as the Bank of Hazzard in "The Dukes of Hazzard" or the Stars Hollow Library in "Gilmore Girls".

 

[TJP]

# 2.21 "The Harder They Fall" (cont'd - 1):

Where Titus later hallucinates and believes to see Tom Edwards in downtown Truro was also filmed on Honolulu Avenue. The scene with David as Tom in Titus' imagination was shot in front of street number 2315 (as legible), the structure across from it (in the reverse angle favoring Titus) is the ugly concrete building at street number 2320, which is still basically unchanged.


I don't know where the airport scenes were filmed (Sam, Michael,...), but I suspect Van Nuys Airport since this one looks much bigger than the previous airports features in this series.

Both exteriors and interiors of the coffee shop (scene with Elmo, Skipper, Titus, etc.) were filmed at 2327 Honolulu Avenue in Montrose, CA. The eatery is under different ownership, but the place still looks exactly the same, even the street number on the wall is the same!


The scene in which Titus attacks Michael's chauffeur was filmed in the jungle area of The Burbank Studios (Warner Bros.).


Julia's place — although difficult to make out in the darkness and the dust they created for the scene — is the redressed Spring House from "Falcon Crest", which was an exterior set in the jungle area at TBS (WB).


Constance and Julia: The TBS (WB) lagoon again.

 

[TJP]

# 2.22 "Murder, They Said":

The construction site (scene with Julio and Constance and later with Julio and Sam) is the structure on French Street on the backlot of The Burbank Studios (now Warner Bros. Studios) that was used in the background of Sande's* phone call in # 2.19 (see my post no. 49). This structure might be best remembered as "Apex Rent-a-Truck" from the original "The Dukes of Hazzard" series. It was demolished in the 1990's. Nowadays, a much bigger brick structure sits in its place, which might be best known as "Mia's Studio Coffee Shop" from the movie "La La Land".
The shot of Constance in the reverse angle features some of the façades on French Street.


The establishing shot for Lute-Mae's psychiatric institution (different from the unknown stock shot used in # 2.20 and 2.21; see my post no. 51) features Shorecrest Clinic again, the same place where Eudora had been treated in # 2.07, is a stock shot from said episode (same cars parked out front, by the way); it's the historic Tod Ford House, a private residence, at 257 South Grand Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105. In recent years, it was repainted in pinkish color, which takes away much of its historic appearance. Fortunately, the exteriors have not been changed much otherwise.


The actual scenes with Lute-Mae at the psychiatric institution were filmed in the courtyard of the Warner Bros. Executive Building complex on the studio's front lot again. This time, the building formerly known as 4 A (Wardrobe Department) is visible. Wardrobe has moved on the Warners' lot since filming, and what was known as Building 4 A was renamed Building 3 and is nowadays part of the studio administration. The part of the building right behind Lane on the first of the following two screen grabs has been rebuilt. Other than that, the building is still pretty much like in the old days.


* I only realized now that Sande Swanson (Cynthia Sikes' character) seems to have been spelled "Sande" (not "Sandy"), but I can't edit my older posts. Sorry.

 

[TJP]

# 2.22 "Murder, They Said" (cont'd - 1):

The assassination attempt on Michael was filmed on Midwestern Street at The Burbank Studios (nowadays Midwest Street at Warner Bros. Studios).

Except the bank building, which was propped with the lettering "Bank of Truro" (the corner of the building is visible on the left in the last screen capture from this series of pictures), as already seen in Julio's close-up in # 2.21 (see my post no. 52), the other structures / façades basically didn't undergo any redress. They look like Hazzard Square on "The Dukes of Hazzard", which was primarily filmed there at the time; especially Seth M. Barley (a store in Hazzard) is legible. The Picture Palace (the movie theater in the corner building on screen grabs 1, 2 and 5) was usually slightly redressed by adding the respective name of the town in the upper part of the signage atop the marquee. While it was "Hazzard Picture Palace" on "The Dukes" and "Tuscany Picture Palace" on "Falcon Crest", Lorimar apparently didn't care to add "Truro", but simply took the other lettering off. Anyway, you can read more about this key part of the WB backlot and its use as Town Square, Tuscany on "Falcon Crest" with cross-references about "The Dukes" in our "Behind the Scenes" section in the episode featuring Founders Day: http://www.falconcrest.org/english/master.php?path=show/episodes/ai/bts/2/030
These exterior sets at WB later also became famous as the town of Stars Hollow on "Gilmore Girls".



The editing of the scene with Michael driving along that street in downtown Truro is weird: He is basically circling around. The truck carrying the fruit drives by first, and so does Michael...


At the corner of Midwestern and French, Michael makes a left into French Street... (note the corner building in the background, which would later become Luke's Diner on "Gilmore Girls"). So far, still correct...


But then, all of a sudden, Michael is back on the Town Square (Midwestern Street again), driving along the same section of the street as before...


...and when he drives by the Picture Palace and the gunshots are fired, the very same truck carrying all the fruit is driving by again, now crashing into the corner building (which, by the way, would later become Doose's Market on "Gilmore Girls").

 

[TJP]

# 2.22 "Murder, They Said" (cont'd - 2):

Unfortunately, I've been unable to identify the street where Lute-Mae arrives. The "Flamingo Road" sign and the lamp post are props, of course. Any ideas anyone? My guess is somewhere in Pasadena since some scenes were filmed at Arden Villa (Michael's mansion) for this episode again.



Michael's barn is the slightly redressed Walton Barn from "The Waltons", which used to be next to the Walton House in the Doonevan Flats area of The Burbank Studios / WB (north of the lagoon). The Walton House and Barn (at least their replicas after the original structures were destroyed in a fire) were dismantled and rebuilt at the WB Ranch (411 North Hollywood Way, Burbank) when that part of the studio lot was needed for a new parking structure in the mid-1990's.


The final scene:
The exteriors of the Christian monastery far away from Truro are stock footage from a film library. It's actually Burg Hohenwerfen (Hohenwerfen Castle) at Burgstraße 2, A-5450 Werfen / Austria.



I'm not sure about the interiors. We can't see much since it's not a long shot and only dimly lit. I think it's to elaborate for a set though. If I had to guess, some part of Mission San Fernando Rey de España (15152 San Fernando Mission Boulevard, Mission Hills; CA) would be a strong candidate.


This was kind of a bizarre, but great season finale. As much as I wished that the show would have continued and we would have learnt what Jeff had in stock for season 3 (he had actually written a bible draft, which he unfortunately didn't have any more when I spoke to him), I'm glad the show ended because otherwise David wouldn't have become available for "Falcon Crest".

 

[GillesDenver]

Thank you very much for your very interesting posts !

I also would be interested to find out what was planned for season 3.

 

[TJP]

I also would be interested to find out what was planned for season 3.

I hope that maybe one day I will have the opportunity to be admitted to the Warner Bros. Corporate Archives again and — if we are lucky — the "Flamingo Road" season 3 bible draft might be located. I have a few things that are on top of my list I want to research there, including the remainder of the season 6 bible for "Falcon Crest" (we only have the first part of it) and the original season 4 bible of "Falcon Crest", which is still missing completely in our own archives. It's complicated to be admitted, but it was very exciting when I was there the first time even though it was limited to the slide / negative section since it was my privilege to single out suitable publicity materials for the "Falcon Crest" DVD artwork. With the documents, it will be even more complicated because not everything from the original draft to the final draft was kept, and when Lorimar's archives were moved from their lot (the previous MGM lot) to WB in Burbank, it wasn't all very well organized, so some materials were apparently misfiled or got lost completely. But there's still hope... I'll keep digging...

 

[TJP]

Additional information on # 2.11 "To Catch a Thief":

I realized I missed to mention the Sheriff Department. That establishing shot comes from the former Malibu Courthouse at 23525 Civic Center Way, Malibu, CA 90265.
It was remodeled a few years ago and is now the Malibu Library building, but the structure is still pretty much intact and well recognizable.

 

[TJP]

I identified a few more locations from season 2 in the meantime.


# 2.02 "The Victim":

The opening segment with a view over Truro is stock footage of Capitola, CA — with Capitola Wharf in the foreground and Soquel Creek visible in the closer shots:




The establishing shot of the supermarket is Vicente Foods at 12027 San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049. Not sure if this was taken specifically for the show. My guess is that it's older stock footage.