From "Always Sunny" to the "Anchorman" Zoo, here are a few of our favorite TV and film locations. Lights, camera, action!
LessIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Sorry "Sunny" fans, but the building used for the exterior shots of Paddy's Pub (meant to be in a "scary alley" in South Philly) is actually in L.A. Word is, though, that the bar may be inspired by an actual South Philly waterhole called the Shamrock Pub.
True Blood: The dank and sultry vampire bar of HBO's was set in Shreveport, Louisiana, but the filming location was in the seaside city of Long Beach. Alex's Bar is known as a local small venue for punk rock and other genres. You can buy tickets for different events on the website. While they don't serve Tru Blood, you can get your choice of 21 beers on tap.
Blade Runner: Legend has it that Architect George Wyman initially refused mining tycoon Lewis Bradbury’s offer to design this iconic building. That is, until the ghost of Wyman’s late brother Mark intervened by telling him to take the job. What the specter probably knew is that this Italian Renaissance Revival masterpiece would eventually be a prime shooting locale for dozens of films (Blade Runner, Chinatown, Lethal Weapon 4, etc.), TV shows, and music videos.
Pretty Woman: In real life, Vivian's apartment is the Las Palmas Hotel, a cheap place to stay if you're in the L.A. area. You might remember the scenes - Julia Roberts' character sneaks out the fire escape to avoid paying the rent. At the end of the movie, Edward climbs in for the big romantic finish - EVEN THOUGH HE'S AFRAID OF HEIGHTS. It's a far cry from where her beaux is staying - at the Regent in Beverly Hills.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy: The abandoned zoo is a popular place for Angelenos to stroll about and have a picnic. You might recognize the fake caves in a few scenes from the blockbuster "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" when Brian Fantana (played by Paul Rudd) delivers his famous "Panda Jerk" line and the final scene when the title character played by Will Farrell is saved from a savage bear by his fluffy terrier, Baxter.
Reservoir Dogs: Pat & Lorraine's Coffee Shop in Eagle Rock not only serves up a killer breakfast, it's where the opening scene (a.k.a. the Mr Pink tipping scene) from Reservoir Dogs was shot.
Superbad: McLovin illegally tries to buy alcohol in this liquor store and gets knocked out cold! It's located in real life on a main thoroughfare in the San Fernando Valley. Victory Blvd. is one of the most popular routes stretching from West Hills to Griffith Park, almost 25 miles.
Clueless: A giant clown either invites or scares off would-be patrons depending on one's view. Situated in North Hollywood both the liquor store and the clown have survived since the 1960s. Being so close to Tinseltown the liquor store and its clown have made a brief appearance in "Clueless." The liquor store has t-shirts with its cheerful/frightful mascot emblazoned on the front in case you want a souvenir to take with you.
Planet of the Apes: In the final scene of the 1968 film "Planet of the Apes" Charlton Heston devastatingly bemoans his fate that he is stuck on a ruined Earth, poignantly shown when the camera moves to the mutilated top-half of the Statue of Liberty rising out of the beach next to a rocky promontory. During filming the scale replica of the Statue of Liberty was planted in the sand for the entire summer.
Set in Korea, shot in Calabasas, the iconic TV series MAS*H lives on in the hearts of fans as well as this lovingly reconstructed set where the original once stood. Alas, the famed mobile army surgical compound set was destroyed by a fire during the filming of the final episode in 1982.