Introduction
On location this month with a 1978 episode of the TV series CHiPs, Our Gang / The Little Rascals in their 1925 comedy movie The Love Bug, a Charley Chase comedy On The Wrong Trek from 1936 and Buster Keaton on the streets of Venice Beach in Los Angeles from his 1921 movie The High Sign.
CHiPs - Return of the Turks (1978)
The Plot
An action-packed chase scene from the episode Return of the Turks from the TV series CHiPs! Ponch and Jon are in pursuit of a reckless motorist.
Cops Shows: A Great Source Of On Location Filming
Cop shows never disappoint when it comes to on location filming and this scene from CHiPs is no exception. Ponch and Jon's pursuit of the bad guys takes them right through the heart of Culver City, California, providing us with great views of the area as it was in 1978.
Documenting The Decline Of A Filming Location
While the views in this chase scene are great, what we see of downtown Culver City is not. When this scene was filmed, Culver City was in sharp decline. The sun-drenched, bustling streets and stores that we saw when Laurel and Hardy (and others) filmed here in the 1920s and 1930s are now dark and mostly deserted. Many of the buildings from Culver City's early days in the 1920s are still there, but by this time, they look worn and tired.
The Revival Of A Filming Location
It wouldn't be until the early 2010s when the renovation of the historic Culver Hotel and the massive Culver Steps development was completed that the area once again thrived.
Comparing This Filming Location: 1978 vs Now
In the filming location then and now photo above, we see the chase passing in front of The Culver Studios at 9336 Washington Blvd. As part of the redevelopment of the area, this section of Washington Blvd has been turned into a pedestrian mall that attracts hundreds of people each day.
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CHiPs - Return Of The Turks - Filming Locations - Quick Preview Video
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CHiPs - Return Of The Turks - Filming Locations Then and Now - Complete Documentary Video
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CHiPs - Return Of The Turks - Complete Filming Locations Photo Gallery
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Our Gang / The Little Rascals - The Love Bug (1925)
The Plot
Joe, Farina and Mickey get hit by the love bug and attempt to make themselves more presentable for the girls.
A Familiar Filming Location In The Our Gang / The Little Rascals Series
The Love Bug is another of the Our Gang / The Little Rascals movies that did quite a bit of on location filming. Many of the locations used in this movie are within the two blocks centered around the intersection of Woodbine Street and Motor Avenue in the Palms neighborhood of Los Angeles.
The series did so much filming in this particular area that the filmmakers have created a virtual time-capsule of this part of the city.
A Living Link Back To 1925
After watching these Our Gang / The Little Rascals films that shot scenes here in the 1920s and early 1930s, if you were to walk these same streets in Palms today, you would find it hard to believe that this neighborhood was once a sleepy residential area with plenty of open space. Today, it's an urban landscape where every inch of land has either been paved over or built up.
HOWEVER... in the closing scene of this movie, we see The Gang running down Woodbine Street just a block east of Motor Avenue and those trees visible at the left hand side of the frame are still standing today, 100+ years later! This is truly remarkable as another new, high density apartment building was built on the lot adjacent to these trees a few years ago and yet, the developer kept the trees standing.
Comparing This Filming Location: 1978 vs Now
In the filming location then and now photo above, we see the chase passing in front of The Culver Studios at 9336 Washington Blvd. As part of the redevelopment of the area, this section of Washington Blvd has been turned into a pedestrian mall that attracts hundreds of people each day.
In Case You Missed It
Quick Preview Video: Watch an excerpt from the complete filming locations video from this movie here:
Our Gang / The Little Rascals - The Love Bug - Filming Locations - Quick Preview Video
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The Little Rascals - The Love Bug - Complete Filming Locations Video
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The Little Rascals - The Love Bug - Complete Filming Locations Photo Gallery
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Charley Chase - On The Wrong Trek (1936)
The Plot
Charley and his wife are taking a driving vacation - and Charley's mother-in-law insists on accompanying them!
Charley Chase Movies: An Abundance Of On Location Filming
Charley Chase starred in his own series of short comedy movies in the 1920s up through the mid-1930s at the Hal Roach Studios. This movie, On The Wrong Trek, is one of the last in the series.
Many of the Charley Chase movies from the 1920s and early 1930s filmed outdoors in and around Culver City, California. By 1936, filming on location had become the exception at the Hal Roach Studios, however this movie has several scenes shot outside the confines of the studio.
Historic Los Angeles Infrastructure Caught On Film In 1936
In the then and now filming location photo comparison above, Charley, his wife (played by Rosina Lawrence) and his mother-in-law (Bonita Weber) have stopped at a gas station. The filming location is 9850 Exposition Blvd in the Palms neighborhood of Los Angeles.
At first glance, you would be hard-pressed to see that this is the same location 90 years later. The bridge in the background seen in the frame from the film was the Pacific Electric Railway's Santa Monica "Air Line" branch single-track crossing over National Blvd at Exposition Blvd. The bridge still stands today, though a second railway bridge has been built a bit closer to the camera to accommodate the second track of today's "Expo Line" light rail corridor.
Also in the frame from the movie, you can see wide open spaces on the other side of the bridge. Today, the massive 10 lane Interstate 10 highway bridge occupies the space.
In Case You Missed It
Quick Preview Video: Watch an excerpt from the complete filming locations video from this movie here:
Charley Chase - On The Wrong Trek - Filming Locations - Quick Preview Video
Member Exclusive - Full Then and Now Filming Locations Documentary Video and Photo Gallery
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Charley Chase - On The Wrong Trek - Filming Locations Then and Now - Complete Documentary Video
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Charley Chase - On The Wrong Trek - Complete Filming Locations Photo Gallery
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Buster Keaton - The High Sign (1921)
The Plot
Buster somehow gets mixed up in a job protecting someone and ALSO is hired by someone else to kill the person he is protecting!
Buster Keaton Filming On Location - A Common Practice In Silent Film
Buster Keaton, like his peers Harold Lloyd and Charlie Chaplin, filmed many scenes from his movies throughout the Los Angeles area. Watching these films today, they're still great comedies but also provide a fascinating look into the past.
The High Sign filmed on location in three of the Los Angeles area "beach towns" along Santa Monica Bay:
- Moonstone Beach at Redondo Beach
- The Pike Amusement Park at Long Beach
- The oceanfront beach walk at Venice Beach
Of the three, Venice Beach has been the most popular filming location over the years, with hundreds of movie and TV episode scenes filmed there. For a great look at Venice Beach in the early 1930s, log into the site and click here:
The Little Rascals - Fish Hooky - Complete Filming Locations Photo Gallery
">Our Gang / The Little Rascals - Fish Hooky - Filming Locations Then and Now Photo GalleryHistoric Venice Beach Filming Location Then And Now
In the scene above, Buster Keaton is standing in front of 1811 Ocean Front Walk in Venice Beach. In 1921, the area had not yet been completely built up, though it would be just a few years after this movie filmed there. 1811 Ocean Front Walk (built in 1916) still stands today, though it has been extensively remodeled.
In Case You Missed It
Quick Preview Video: Watch an excerpt from the complete filming locations video from this movie here:
Buster Keaton - The High Sign - Filming Locations - Quick Preview Video
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:
Buster Keaton - The High Sign - Filming Locations Then and Now - Complete Documentary Video
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Buster Keaton - The High Sign - Complete Filming Locations Photo Gallery
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In case you missed it: My October 2025 featured filming locations then and now photos blog entry.
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