DISCOVER 5 OSCAR-WINNING BEST PICTURE LOCATIONS IN LOS ANGELES

French Street | Photo: Warner Bros. Studio

Los Angeles has been home to the Academy Awards ever since the very first ceremony was held on May 16, 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Eight Oscar trophies were handed out that night, including one to Wings for Outstanding Picture. In the 90-plus years since then, numerous Best Picture winners have filmed in LA. Read on for a list of ten memorable Oscar-winning movie locations that are found in the City of Angels.

NOTE: Hours and opening dates change frequently. Check individual websites for updated information.

"CASABLANCA" - WARNER BROS. STUDIOS

3400 Warner Blvd., Burbank 91505
+1-818-977-8687
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The famous line from Casablanca reads, "We’ll always have Paris," but if Humphrey Bogart had said, "We’ll always have Burbank," it would have been more accurate. The Paris flashback scenes from the 1943 Best Picture winner were not actually shot in the City of Light, but on the backlot of Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank. Filming took place on the studio’s appropriately named French Street, though due to the changing nature of backlot facades, the exact spot where Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) and Rick Blaine (Bogart) learned of the impending German occupation remains a bit of a mystery. Bogie fans who wish to see French Street in person can catch a glimpse of it and even stroll among the picturesque storefronts via the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood.
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"FORREST GUMP" - COLE'S

118 E. Sixth St., Los Angeles 90014-2006
213-622-4090
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Cole's French Dip | Photo: Yuri Hasegawa

In the 1994 Best Picture winner, Forrest Gump the exterior of Cole’s, LA’s oldest continuously operating bar and restaurant, served as the outside of Dick Cavett’s television studio, where Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) experiences a less than warm reunion with Lieutenant Dan (Gary Sinise). In a later scene, the duo rings in the New Year at Cole’s and Forrest informs Dan of his plans to become a shrimp boat captain.

The historic eatery was originally established in 1908 and touts itself as the originator of the French Dip sandwich (just don’t tell that to Philippe the Original). Cole’s has been featured in countless productions over the years, including Rumor Has It, Se7en, A Lot Like Love and Jumpin’ Jack Flash. Bonus fact: Forrest learned to play ping pong and recovered from his war injuries on the second floor of the Ebell of Los Angeles in Hancock Park.
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Scene from "The Artist" at the Bradbury Building
Photo: @filmtourismus

"THE ARTIST" - BRADBURY BUILDING

304 S. Broadway, Los Angeles 90013
213-626-1893
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The Artist is a 2011 French film made in the style of a black-and-white silent movie. The story takes place in Hollywood between 1927 and 1932 and focuses on the lives of silent film star George Valentin (played by Jean Dujardin), and the chorus girl he discovers, Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo). As “talkies” start to replace silent films, George’s career fades while Peppy becomes a leading lady. At the 84th Academy Awards, The Artist made history when it took home the Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director (Michel Hazanavicius) and Best Actor (Dujardin). The Artist also won for Costume Design and Original Score.

The Artist was filmed in numerous LA locations, including the landmark Bradbury Building in Downtown LA. In a symbolic scene, George and Peppy pass each other on a staircase - he is descending the stairs and she is walking up, much like the paths of their respective movie careers. The Bradbury Building has appeared in TV episodes, music videos and movies, including the 1982 sci-fi classic Blade Runner.
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“THE GODFATHER” - BEVERLY HOUSE

1011 N. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills 90210
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The Beverly House | Photo: Jade Mills

One of the most famous scenes from the 1972 Best Picture winner, The Godfather took place at a mansion in Beverly Hills known as the Beverly House. Designed by Gordon B. Kaufmann in 1927, the 72,000 square-foot estate was the setting when consigliere Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall) makes movie producer Jack Woltz (John Marley) "an offer he can’t refuse." Of course, that offer is declined and Woltz wakes up the following morning with the severed head of his beloved horse in his bed. Publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst spent his final years at the Beverly House, which also hosted John and Jacqueline Kennedy on their honeymoon. Only the exterior of the estate was used in the filming - interior scenes were filmed at the Guggenheim estate on Long Island.
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“THE STING” - SANTA MONICA LOOFF HIPPODROME

200 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica 90401
310-394-8042
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Though The Sting was set in 1930s-era Chicago, the 1974 Best Picture winner was lensed largely in the City of Angels. One of the most prominent locations featured in the flick was the Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome, where grifter Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman) works with his scrappy girlfriend, Billie (Eileen Brennan). To give the carousel the illusion of being located in the Windy City, artist Albert Whitlock superimposed a matte painting of the Chicago skyline behind the two-story Moorish structure.

Santa Monica Pier Carousel | Photo: Frank Fujimoto, Flickr

Located adjacent to the historic Santa Monica Pier, the Hippodrome was originally constructed in 1916 by Charles I.D. Looff and his son, Arthur, and looks much the same today as it did in The Sting. Three different merry-go-rounds have called the place home over the years. The current one, the Philadelphia Toboggan Company Carousel #62, was built in 1922 and transferred to Santa Monica in 1947.
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*by Lindsay Blake Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board
633 West 5th Street, Suite 1800, Los Angeles, CA 90071, USA