Introduction
For December, 2025, we're looking at three comedy short movies from the 1920s.
To kick things off, it's the 1923 Our Gang / The Little Rascals movie Dogs Of War with a fascinating look at a Culver City, California neighborhood as it was just starting to be built up. The new houses captured on film in 1923 are still there today, as you'll see!
The holiday season is once again here and Laurel and Hardy are once again going door-to-door selling Christmas trees in their classic 1929 movie Big Business. This year, we'll show you the BIG CHANGES to one of the locations used in the movie.
And finally, we do a deep dive on the 1928 Max Davidson comedy short The Boy Friend. There's plenty of filming on location in downtown Culver City and, miraculously, all the shops and storefronts seen in the film are still with us today.
Our Gang / The Little Rascals - Dogs Of War (1923)
The Plot
War Declared!
In this Hal Roach Studios comedy short, the Gang are involved in trench warfare in the neighborhood and the fighting is intense, consisting of an assortment of rotten vegetable projectiles. Fortunately, Mary is on-site serving as a nurse to tend to any injuries.
The Birth Of A Culver City Neighborhood As Filming Location Then And Now
The battle scenes for this movie were filmed on location in the neighborhood just south of the Hal Roach Studios main lot. You can see the shooting stages in the background with a "West Coast Studios" sign on one of the stages. "West Coast Studios" is the phony name given to the lot - it plays a key role in the second half of the movie.
As a time capsule, Dogs Of War is fascinating as we see this Culver City neighborhood on the 8800 block of Carson Street under construction, with a few homes already built but still many vacant lots. The then and now contrasts in this filming locations video are stunning.
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Our Gang / The Little Rascals - Dogs Of War - Filming Locations - Quick Preview Video
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Laurel and Hardy - Big Business (1929)
The Plot
The holiday season is once again upon us and if you're looking for a Christmas tree, Mr. Laurel and Mr. Hardy may be able to assist!
An Iconic Filming Location Forever Changed
Both homes visited by Laurel and Hardy in this film have become "must visit" movie locations for Laurel and Hardy fans over the years. Unfortunately, the first home we see in the movie - at the corner of Caroline Avenue and Jacob Street in Culver City - was torn town and in 2025 a new home is being built. The second home, at 10281 Dunleer Drive in the Cheviot Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, is still standing and easily recognizable today.
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Click the link below to watch some quick excerpts from the full Filming Locations Then and Now documentary video:
Laurel and Hardy - Big Business - Filming Locations - Quick Preview Video
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Laurel and Hardy - Big Business - Complete Filming Locations Video
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Laurel and Hardy - Big Business - Complete Filming Locations Photo Gallery
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Max Davidson - The Boy Friend (1928) - Part 1 of 2
The Plot
A bit of a complex plot in this one: Max Davidson takes his pretty daughter out shopping, she catches the eye of a potential young suitor. Max and his wife do not approve of him and believe that if they act crazy, it will scare him away. BUT... the young man happens to be the son of Max's boss and Max needs to reverse course and convince the young suitor that he and his wife are NOT crazy!
Amazing Views Of Culver City, California In 1928
Made in 1928 by the Hal Roach Studios, The Boy Friend filmed on location on the streets of downtown Culver City, California. At this time, the stores lining the streets were less than ten years old, the streets were bustling with shoppers and the overall vibe is one of a prosperous town, with no hint of the onset of the Great Depression just one year away.
Walking those same streets today, it's easy to pick out all of the storefronts and, of course, the landmark Culver Hotel, all of which still stand today.
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Click the link below to watch some quick excerpts from the full Filming Locations Then and Now documentary video:
Max Davidson - The Boy Friend - Filming Locations - Quick Preview Video #1
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Max Davidson - The Boy Friend - Filming Locations Then and Now - Complete Documentary Video
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Max Davidson - The Boy Friend - Complete Filming Locations Photo Gallery
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Max Davidson - The Boy Friend (1928) - Part 2 of 2
The Plot
This second half of the movie focuses on Max Davidson and his wife trying to convince their daughter's boy friend that they are NOT crazy!
The Filming Locations Tour Continues
Several landmarks are covered in this section of the filming locations tour from The Boy Friend including:
- Main Street in front of the historic Culver Hotel. Today, this entire segment of Main Street has been replaced with an entrance to a large, underground parking garage for the Culver Steps development.
- The north side of the 9400 block of Culver Blvd.
- The original Culver City telephone exchange building.
Watch The Quick Preview Filming Location Video Now
Click the link below to watch some quick excerpts from the full Filming Locations Then and Now documentary video:
Max Davidson - The Boy Friend - Filming Locations - Quick Preview Video #2
Member Exclusive - Full Then and Now Filming Locations Documentary Video and Photo Gallery
If you have made a small donation and are a current member, you can view the ENTIRE filming locations video by clicking here to Login and then clicking here:
Max Davidson - The Boy Friend - Filming Locations Then and Now - Complete Documentary Video
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Max Davidson - The Boy Friend - Complete Filming Locations Photo Gallery
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In case you missed it: My November 2025 featured filming locations then and now videos blog entry.
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