LEBOWSKI LOCATIONS
Tumblin’ Tumbleweeds
The very first shot in the film, the tumbleweed climbing up the hill, was filmed in Pear Blossom, California, and was actually the very last shot filmed. It was then (presumably) merged with the shot of the L.A. cityscape. The other locales featured in the opening include the Benito’s taco stand that used to be on 3rd and Edinburgh (the first of several uniquely Southern California businesses featured), a freeway overpass, an empty Hollywood street (Sunset Boulevard, of course), and a deserted beach at night.
The following list of locations used in the filming of The Big Lebowski was assembled by L.A. native Pat Evans, also known as Location Freak (a name he self-applied). Pat is a true Achiever and quite a brother shamus: He spent countless hours scouring the streets of Los Angeles to track down these locations (but, no, he does not drive a blue Volkswagen Beetle). Thanks, Pat. You went out and achieved anyway. Proud we are of all of you!
Ralphs
Our first visual of Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski is in the second-largest of our SoCal chains, Ralphs grocery store. You can’t throw a rock in L.A. without hitting a Ralphs, which has made it difficult so far to determine exactly which Ralphs was used for filming, but as we know from speaking with Robin Jones (who played the Checkout Girl), it’s somewhere on the streets of Pasadena.
The Dude’s Bungalow
Venezia Avenue, Venice
After procuring his half and half, the Dude heads back to his ramshackle Venice bungalow. The exteriors of the bungalow and street were actually filmed in Venice, on Venezia Avenue. I shouldn’t even have to say this, but I will: This is a private residence, man. If you go and have a look, do not disturb the residents! Stay on the sidewalk. Don’t ring any doorbells or peek in any windows.
For the completist, the interior of the bungalow was filmed at a studio in West Hollywood, located at 1011 North Fuller Avenue.
Bowling Alley
Hollywood Star Lanes, 5227 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles
Tragically, the main Lebowski location (and prime example of Googie architecture), the great Hollywood Star Lanes, has closed for good. The L.A. school board, in its infinite wisdom, purchased the plot and demolished the building to make way for an elementary school. Knowing the neighborhood pretty well (I live right down the street from Hollywood Star Lanes), I have to say this is a patently ridiculous idea. Or maybe I’m underestimating the average parents’ desire to have their child exposed to strip clubs, seedy bars, and violent lunatics (who make up a large percentage of my neighbors).
Lebowski Mansion
Greystone Mansion, 905 Loma Vista, Beverly Hills
The Dude confronts the “other” Jeffrey Lebowski in his elegant Pasadena mansion. This was actually two different locations. The interiors were shot at the historic Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills, which has been featured in numerous other films including the catastrophic Batman & Robin, where it served as Wayne Manor. The interior of the house is not generally open to the public, but you can see the fountain where Bunny crashes her sports car in front of the mansion. The other exterior scene, where the Dude first encounters Bunny, was filmed at a residence on Charing Cross Road, also in Beverly Hills.
The Wooden Bridge
Torrey Road at Santa Clara River, Piru
Just outside of the tiny hamlet of Piru, California, in the Santa Clara River Valley (not Simi, as implied in the film; the Simi Valley road sign is a prop), lies the wooden bridge where the Dude and Walter hopelessly mangle the ransom drop. This also marks the spot where the Dude’s car suffers the first of several incidents of damage, crashing into a telephone pole as stray bullets from Walter’s Uzi pelt the back end and blow out a tire. This location is not the middle of nowhere, but it is close. Incidentally, the bridge is not actually wooden. Planks were laid over the top for the shoot.
Sobchak Security
6757 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles
The Dude picks up Walter (replete with brown-paper-wrapped Uzi and undie-filled ringer) outside the storefront for Sobchak Security, Walter’s business. Located in a strip mall, this is also a stone’s throw from the late Hollywood Star Lanes. And like the bowling alley, this is a very seedy section of Santa Monica Boulevard. Use extreme caution.
The Jesus Walk of Shame
North Kenmore Avenue, Los Angeles
In this flashback sequence we see John Turturro’s pederast bowler Jesus Quintana making the rounds to explain his “checkered past” to his new neighbors, presumably as a result of Megan’s Law.
This residential street in the shadow of Griffith Park is not too far from the former Hollywood Star Lanes. Once again, if you are going to have a look, go no farther than the sidewalk. Have a quick gander, then move it along. Don’t be un-Dude, man.
Maude’s Loft
Palace Theater, 630 South Broadway, Downtown Los Angeles
The Dude finally meets up with the mysterious fluxus artist Maude Lebowski in her spacious downtown loft, where she literally swoops down upon him, brushes flailing, wearing a leather harness and nothing else. Interesting to note is the abundance of Bang and Olufsen products Maude possesses, from the TV (on which she displays Logjammin’) to the nifty horizontal CD changer in the background and the sleek telephone used by Knox Harrington in a later scene. Her couch and chairs look to be of Danish origin as well. Apparently fluxus artists have a penchant for Scandinavian design.
The loft resides above the Palace Theater in downtown L.A., I believe on the second floor. Obviously you can only view the exterior, but if you want to see it, there it is. It’s not the greatest neighborhood, so if you go there make it on a weekday afternoon. Preferably in a group.
Family Restaurant
Johnie’s Coffee Shop, Fairfax & Wilshire, Los Angeles
Another example of Googie architecture, Johnie’s has long since closed and is used only as a filming location. It is here that Walter attempts to dispel the notion that the severed toe received by the Big Lebowski and subsequently passed along to the Dude belongs to Bunny. He then proceeds to loudly vocalize his right to free speech, peppering it with Vietnam jargon. All of this to the chagrin of the waitress, the other diners, and the Dude, who leaves in frustration.
Auto Circus
Location Unknown
The Dude reclaims his vehicle at this auto yard in the North Hollywood area (as depicted in the film). Where exactly? I am not sure. But I did check with the boys in the crime lab, and apparently they have four more detectives working on the case. In shifts.
Creedence Crash
La Mirada Avenue, Hollywood
In the post-medical-examination, blue-Volkswagon-Bug-pursuit, roach-in-lap, beer-spilling Dumpster crash scene, the Dude is driving up Cahuenga Boulevard in Hollywood and makes a left onto La Mirada Avenue, heading toward Vine Street when he crashes. The houses on the south side of the street are fenced off. Apparently this is the second Lebowski location that is to become (partially anyway) affected by the building of a new school. In this case it appears to be some sort of private Christian school. Anyway, there it is. The neighborhood is a little scummy, so be advised.
Fountain Street Theater
Palace Theater, 630 South Broadway, Downtown Los Angeles
This scene features Marty the landlord performing his dance quintet (“You know, my cycle …”), which the Dude promised to attend earlier in the film. To me, this is one of the shining moments of the film, with Jack Kehler in an inspired turn as a man driven to dance despite the dual handicap of 1) being sadly out of shape; and 2) having no talent. This was filmed in the same building as Maude’s apartment, but on a different floor. Marty refers to it as Crane Jackson’s Fountain Street Theatre, which may or may not be a reference to the old Theatre Rapport at 1277 North Wilton, near Fountain. The late actor-producer Crane Jackson was apparently active in productions there in the early nineties, the time period of the film. Interestingly, when Jackson first arrived in L.A. in the late sixties, he converted a bowling alley into a stage theater. Coincidence?
Little Larry’s House
Stearns Avenue, Fairfax District, Los Angeles
Next the Dude, Walter, and Donny arrive at the home of Little Larry Sellers. Situated in a nice, quiet residential neighborhood in the Fairfax area (not on Radford in North Hollywood), it’s no wonder John Goodman was reticent about shouting obscenities full-volume at three in the morning in the middle of the street while smashing a new Corvette with a crowbar.
Here the Dude’s car suffers another round of abuse, this time at the hands of the enraged Corvette owner. Other than being the historic site of this extraordinary display of howling bombast, the house and street are rather unremarkable.
Afterward, Walter and Donny can be seen munching In-N-Out Burgers (another SoCal chain) in the Dude’s car as the Dude stares morosely through the spot where his windshield used to be.
Once again, be respectful if you visit this or any of the neighborhoods on this list. Stay out of the yards. And for God’s sake, do not yell anything! No one will think you are clever.
Treehorn’s Pad
Sheats/Goldstien Residence, Benedict Canyon
The Dude takes another turn for the worse after a mickey is slipped into his White Russian while he’s at the porn magnate’s swank Malibu beach house.
The funky, angular glass-and-concrete interior was actually filmed in the Benedict Canyon of Beverly Hills at the Sheats/Goldstien house. Designed by the renowned architect (and, wouldn’t you know it, the father of Googie) John Lautner, it has been featured in a few movies, including the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever.
The exterior beach-party scene was on Zuma Beach.
Gutterballs
Santa Monica Airport, Santa Monica
After being drugged by Jackie Treehorn, the Dude has a Busby Berkeley–inspired dream featuring chorine dancers wearing bowling-pin headdresses and Maude Lebowski in a Valkyrie outfit. As a bonus, Kenny Rogers provides the music. The forced-perspective set was built in a disused hangar at Santa Monica Airport.
Peaceful Cab
Duquesne and Jefferson, Culver City
After a run-in with Malibu’s psychotic chief of police (I believe the police station was probably a set), the Dude catches a cab back home. The only trouble is, the cabbie is listening to the Eagles, a band the Dude hates. The Dude voices this opinion, and the cabbie abruptly pulls over and throws the Dude out. This scene takes place at the intersection of Duquesne and Jefferson Streets, across from Culver City Park.
Nihilist Breakfast
Dinah’s, 6521 South Sepulveda, Culver City
Just down the road from the stranded Dude, the nihilists order breakfast at Dinah’s, another Googie building. Here we discover that the severed toe belongs not to Bunny, but to one of the nihilists’ girlfriends (played by musician Aimee Mann).
And, yes, Dinah’s actually does serve both lingonberry pancakes and pigs in a blanket.
The Mortuary
Location Unknown
Poor Donny. He suffers Walter’s abuse throughout the whole film only to have a heart attack and die at the end. Walter and the Dude have him cremated and then argue with the funeral director to negotiate a better rate for the “receptacle” to “transmit” his remains. I have no idea where this was filmed. Jeff Bridges says it may also have been a set.
Donny’s Eulogy
Somewhere along the coast of Palos Verdes
I am still trying to pinpoint the exact spot where Walter delivers his farewell to Donny before accidentally scattering most of the ashes onto the Dude. I know it to be somewhere in the ritzy Palos Verdes area somewhere. However, there is a strong possibility that the actual spot has either fallen into the sea or is privately owned. Until we know for sure, you can visit several similar spots up and down Palos Verdes Drive. The views are quite impressive from any of them.
IMAGE CREDITS
Images identified by page number are reproduced with the kind permission of the following:
Photo montage, page 3, from left to right: (row 1) Universal Studios (all); (row 2) Oliver Benjamin, Jeff Bridges, Jeff Bridges, Universal Studios; (row 3) Universal Studios, The Cartoon Network, Universal Studios, Bill Green; (row 4) Ralphs, Bill Green, Universal Studios; (row 5) Jerry Duvall, Bill Green, Jerry Duvall, Universal Studios; (row 6) Universal Studios, Jeff Bridges, Bill Green; (row 7) Jeff Bridges, Universal Studios, Jeff Bridges, Universal Studios; (row 8) Mike Walsh, Jeff Bridges, Jeff Bridges
Lew Abernathy: 80
Jeff Bridges: 8, 28, 32, 36, 38, 40, 43, 45, 48, 51, 53, 55, 57, 65, 69, 77, 90
Asia Carrera’s Personal Appearance Archives/AsiaCarrera.com: 58
Cartoon Network: 113 (all). ©2007 The Cartoon Network, Inc. THE POWERPUFF GIRLS and all related characters and elements are used with the permission of and are trademarks of Cartoon Network ©2007. FOSTER’S HOME FOR IMAGINARY FRIENDS and all related characters and elements are used with the permission of and are trademarks of Cartoon Network ©2007.
Jason Clark: 134
Lindsey Dobson: 133 (bottom)
Brian Durkin: 133 (top)
Jerry Duvall: 130 (all), 131 (all), 131 (bottom)
Pat Evans: 153, 154 (all), 155 (all), 156 (all)
Lauren Faust: 112
Kristin Fiedler: 129 (top)
Jaik Freeman: 86
Bill Green: 7, 12 (bottom), 17, 18, 19, 20 (all), 21, 22, 58, 61, 64, 129 (bottom), 131 (top), 131, 132, 134, 134, 134, 134, 134 (all), 137
Hillary Harrison: 21 (car photo)
Hubble Heritage Team (AURA/STScI/NASA), NASA, and the NSSDC: 95 (note: NASA does not endorse this book or its contents)
LebowskiFest.com: 14, 16 (right)
Sam Matzek: 65, 71, 131, 133 (all)
John Milius: 90
Mordac.org: 15 (left), 131 (all)
Jody Morris: 110
Alysha Naples: 121
Ben Peskoe: 128 (bottom)
Soraya Rozkuszka: 118
Ryan Russell: 104
Ross Shannon: 114
Universal Studios: 10, 12, 12 (top), 16, 17, 23, 24, 25, 29, 31, 33, 37, 39, 41, 44, 46, 48, 51, 53, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 65–123 (flipbook), 71, 74, 81, 90, 91, 103, 109, 110, 122, 146, 152, 152, 152, 153, 154, 155, 155, 155, 156, 156, 157, 157, 158 (all), 158, 158, 158, 159
USC School of Cinematic Arts: 72
White House Photo Collection: 21
Michal Zacharzewski: 18