Presenting...


BBOvenGuy's Guide to
Shooting Locations








There have been many times when I've received emails from people coming to visit Los Angeles and wanting to know where some of their favorite TV scenes were filmed. Well, I don't know them all, but I thought I'd share the ones I do know, and that's what you'll find here on this page.

These locations are scattered throughout the greater Los Angeles area, although many of them fall along the route between Pasadena and Santa Monica. Some - especially the last two - are much longer drives and are recommended only for die-hard location enthusiasts.

Torrance High School Where it is: 2200 W. Carson Street, Torrance CA - Find it on MapQuest here. When you've seen it: For the first three seasons of Buffy, Torrance High was used to represent Sunnydale High. Unlike Sunnydale High, though, Torrance High was not blown up. It's still there. For more information: Click here for the official Torrance High School website. What it looks like: Click on the thumbnails below to see the full-size images. The front of the school. The Quad inside the school.

Stoner Recreation Center Where it is: At the corner of Westgate Avenue and Missouri Avenue in Los Angeles, CA - Find it on MapQuest here. When you've seen it: The Buffy crew used Stoner Park and the surrounding neighborhood on a regular basis. Parts of Westgate Avenue were used in "Shadow," "All the Way" and "Grave." The playground was used in "I Was Made To Love You." Parts of Stoner Avenue, on the opposite side of the park from Westgate, were used in "I Was Made To Love You" and "Gone." There are probably many other instances that I don't know about. For more information: Click here for the Stoner Recreation Center's listing on WGuides.com. What it looks like: Click on the thumbnails below to see the full-size images. A light crane waits for nightfall along Westgate Avenue. An equipment truck and cones along Westgate Avenue before a shoot. Setting up and shooting the chase scene from "Shadow." Amber Benson and Emma Caulfield shooting "I Was Made To Love You." Amber, Emma and Shonda Farr (in the big blue coat) talk with a member of the crew. Filming a scene from "Grave." Click on the image for a video clip in .MOV format. Michelle Trachtenberg, Tom Lenk and Danny Strong talk with a crew member during a break from shooting "Grave."

Rosedale Cemetery Where it is: 1831 W. Washington Boulevard in Los Angeles, CA - Find it on MapQuest here. When you've seen it: The Buffy crew used the Rosedale Cemetery on a regular basis since the beginning of the series. Charmed used it for the episode "Centennial Charmed," and possibly at other times. I think it's been used on Angel as well, but I'm not sure. For more information: Click here for a website giving you more information on the cemetery. What it looks like: Click on the picture below to see a full-size image.

Griffith Park Where it is: 4730 Crystal Springs Drive in Los Angeles CA - Find it on MapQuest here. When you've seen it: Dawn and Riley visited the merry-go-round in the Buffy episode "Shadow." The woods of Griffith Park were used in "Shadow," "Bargaining," and many other Buffy episodes. The famous Griffith Park Observatory appeared in the Angel episode "Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been." I've seen a number of scenes in Charmed that look like they might have been filmed in Griffith Park, but I've never been able to find any specific locations. For more information: Click here for the official Griffith Park website. What it looks like: Click on the thumbnails below to see the full-size images. The Merry-Go-Round, including the bench where Riley and Dawn sat in "Shadow." The Griffith Park Observatory. The gate leading up the mountain road where "Bargaining" and other episodes have been filmed. Looking down on the mountain road and the surrounding area, with Los Angeles in the distance.

Willow Street, Palmetto Street, the 6th Street Bridge Where it is: Downtown near the LA River in Los Angeles CA - Find them on MapQuest here. When you've seen it: The factory where Buffy met Glory in "No Place Like Home" is at 1335 Willow Street. The same back lot of that building was also where the Buffybot was destroyed by the biker demons in "Bargaining." Spike and Dawn rode Spike's motorcycle down Palmetto Street in "Bargaining." The Angel crew has used Willow Street a couple of times as well. The 6th Street Bridge was featured in the Angel episodes "That Vision Thing" and "Sleep Tight." For more information: Click here to see a listing for the 6th Street Bridge at the LA Department of Public Words website. What it looks like: Click on the thumbnails below to see the full-size images. Willow Street The building used for the factory in "No Place Like Home."

Milano's Italian Kitchen Where it is: 21550 Oxnard Street in Woodland Hills CA - Find it on MapQuest here. When you've seen it: Gunn and his friends were picking up food for the needy at Milano's in the Angel episode "To Shanshu In LA." In the Angel episode "Carpe Noctem," the scene where the old man possessing Angel's body tried to kill the woman from the bar was filmed in the courtyard of the office building where Milano's is located. For more information: Click here to see the listing for Milano's on LA.com. What it looks like: Click on the thumbnails below to see the full-size images. The Milano's sign and dock. The courtyard behind and above Milano's, used in "Carpe Noctem." Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area Where it is: 4100 South La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles CA - Find it on MapQuest here. When you've seen it: Tara's love song, "Under Your Spell," was filmed near the park's lake. For more information: Click here for the official California State Park information page. What it looks like: Click on the thumbnails below to see the full-size images. The Buffy crew filming Willow and Tara on the bridge. A closer view of the bridge. Shooting a take. Alyson Hannigan and Amber Benson walk back up the hill after the shoot. Woodley Avenue Park/ Sepulveda Dam Recreation Area Where it is: Woodley Avenue between Victory Boulevard and Burbank Boulevard in Van Nuys CA. Find it on MapQuest here. When you've seen it: In the Buffy episode "Two To Go," when Dark Magic Willow hijacked a semi-trailer and used it to chase the police car driven by Xander with Buffy, Jonathan and Andrew. For more information: Click here to see the Sepulveda Dam entry on "Bike Paths of Los Angeles." What it looks like: Click on the thumbnails below to see the full-size images. The semi-trailer sits in the middle of Woodley Avenue. To the left is the police car, mounted on a trailer with cameras and other equipment. Crew members set up a ladder so that the Willow stuntwoman (next to the front wheels, wearing the bright yellow jacket) can climb up onto the cab. Danny Strong and Tom Lenk talk with other crew members on the far left. Culver Boulevard at Washington Boulevard Where it is: Culver City CA, near the Sony Pictures building used to represent Wolfram & Hart on Angel, which is at 10202 Washington Boulevard - Find it on MapQuest here. When you've seen it: Xander, Anya and Giles walked down a one-block length of Culver Boulevard in the Buffy episode "Once More With Feeling." Along the way, they passed Marti Noxon singing to a traffic cop, among other things. What it looks like: Click on the thumbnails below to see the full-size images. A traveling shot as the cast walks down the street. Anthony Stewart Head, Nicholas Brendon and Emma Caulfield wait between takes. The Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden Where it is: 301 N. Baldwin Avenue in Arcadia CA - Find it on MapQuest here. When you've seen it: Buffy's and Dawn's final scenes in "Grave" were shot here. Also, the scene where Jonathan and Andrew escape to Mexico with a trucker was filmed in the Arboretum's parking lot. For more information: Click here to see the official Arboretum website. The Church of the Angels Where it is: 1100 Avenue 64 in Pasadena CA - Find it on MapQuest here. When you've seen it: Vampires took over the church in the Buffy episode "Who Are You," before Faith and Buffy reversed their body-switch. Charmed has used it twice. Phoebe was going to marry Cole there in "Marry Go Round," before The Seer disrupted it. Paige's friend Glen was planning to get married there in the episode "House Call." The church has also appeared on The X-Files, David Greenwalt's short-lived series Miracles, and various TV commercials. For more information: Click here for the church's official website. What it looks like: Click on the thumbnails below to see the full-size images. The Church of the Angels A look inside the church. Pasadena City Hall All Saints Church Where they are: Pasadena City Hall is located at 100 N. Garfield Avenue in Pasadena. Find it on MapQuest here. All Saints Church is one block east, at 132 N. Euclid Avenue. Find it on MapQuest here. When you've seen them: Pasadena City Hall appeared in the Charmed episode "Nymphs Just Wanna Have Fun." All Saints Church appeared in the Charmed episode "I've Got You Under My Skin." Both have also appeared in many TV shows, movies and commercials. Fans of Sarah Michelle Gellar may remember All Saints Church from the funeral scene at the end of her movie, Cruel Intentions. For more information: Click here for the official City of Pasadena website, and here for the official All Saints Church website. What they look like: Click on the thumbnails below to see the full-size images. Pasadena City Hall, from Garfield Avenue. The courtyard on the Euclid Avenue side of City Hall, with the fountain where the nymphs frolicked. Looking across the courtyard toward Euclid Avenue. All Saints Church is in the background on the left. The Euclid Avenue side of City Hall, where Alyssa Milano filmed a scene of Phoebe talking on her cell phone. The All Saints Church tower, where Piper discovered that she could still enter a church without being struck by lightning. The Quad at All Saints Church. A look at the inside of All Saints Church. South Pasadena Public Library Where it is: 1100 Oxley Street in South Pasadena CA - Find it on MapQuest here. When you've seen it: In the Angel episode "Couplet," Gunn and Fred went here on a stakeout, which turned into a make-out before they were swallowed by a killer magnolia tree. For more information: Click here for the library's official web page. What it looks like: Click on the thumbnails below to see the full-size images. The killer magnolia tree. Preparing Gunn's truck for the shoot. J. August Richards and Amy Acker talk over the shot with Tim Minear. Gunn and Fred look for clues, unaware that the tree is about to swallow them. Castle Green Apartments Where it is: 99 South Raymond Avenue in Pasadena CA - Find it on MapQuest here. When you've seen it: The two round towers on the southern end of the building were used to represent Glory's hideout during Buffy Season 5. For more information: Click here for the official Castle Green website. What it looks like: Click on the thumbnails below to see the full-size images. The main entrance on Raymond Avenue, with one of the towers in the background. The view looking north up Raymond Avenue, with both towers in the foreground. The two towers. Looking up at "Glory's hideout." Angel's Gate Recreation Center Where it is: Gaffey and 37th Street in San Pedro CA - find it on MapQuest here. When you've seen it: Xander's confrontation with Dark Magic Willow at the end of the Buffy episode "Grave" took place on the hilltop near the Korean Friendship Bell. For more information: Click here for the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce official site. What it looks like: Click on the thumbnails below to see the full-size images. A panoramic view looking out across the site where Buffy was filmed. The Buffy crew on location. The "demonic spire" is just right of center. Looking up from the bottom of the hill. The "demonic spire" is on the left. The roof of the Friendship Bell Pavilion can be seen on the right. The familiar "V" sign guides crew (and knowledgeable spectators) to the shoot. Looking back up the hill toward the Korean Friendship Bell. The stunt crew gets ready to make Xander fly when Dark Magic Willow zaps him. Click on the image to see a video clip in .MOV format. Ron's Barbecue and Grill Where it is: 501 Santa Clara Street in the town of Fillmore CA, in Ventura County. Find it on MapQuest here. When you've seen it: In the Charmed episode, "How to Make a Quilt Out of Americans" - except that back when the episode was made, the building was a gas station. Some other scenes were shot along Central Avenue in Fillmore. What it looks like: Click on the thumbnails below to see the full-size images. Ron's Barbecue and Grill today - you can still tell that it used to be a gas station. Looking back toward Fillmore City Hall, across Central Avenue. Central Avenue in Fillmore CA. The 4-Aces Desert Film Location Where it is: The vicinity of 145th Street and Avenue Q, east of Palmdale CA. Find it on MapQuest here. When you've seen it: The Winnebago chase in the Buffy episode "Spiral" was shot on the roads running through the 4-Aces location. The siege at the gas station was filmed inside the large standing convertible set located at 145th and Avenue Q. In the Buffy episode "Villians," Dark Magic Willow tracked down the Warren-bot riding down 145th Street on a bus. Various scenes from Firefly may have been shot in the area as well, but I don't know for sure. For more information: Click here for the official 4-Aces website. What it looks like: Click on the thumbnails below to see the full-size images. 140th Street, in the desert east of Palmdale. The Buffy trailers on location in the desert near 4-Aces. Related Links Alyson Hannigan & Amber Benson Photos It's Not Homophobia, But That Doesn't Make It Right - Creative Freedom, Responsibility and the Death of Tara Ten Ways That Charmed is Better Than Buffy Last update: April 24 2004 Webmaster (such as I am): Robert A. Black - bbovenguy@yahoo.com