"Ransom!"

"Ransom!" with Glenn Ford and Donna Reed  (MGM, 1956) has a scene in front of the Fox Westwood Village. Here, director Alex Segal,  squatting down on the left, surveys the action prior to filming.

The photo is one of many rare views from the Arcadia Publishing book "Location Filming in Los Angeles" by Karie Bible, Marc Wanamaker and Michael Medved.  It's available on Amazon.  There's also a preview to browse on Google Books.

Thanks to Jonathan Raines for spotting this one. See the Los Angeles Theatres page on the Fox Westwood Village for more about the theatre, since 1931 a major first run house and now operated by Regency Theatres.

On IMDb: "Ransom!"

"Beauty and the Bus"

Lots of Westwood locations were used for the two reel short "Beauty and the Bus" (Hal Roach Studios, 1933).  The film, directed by Gus Meins, is about two girls who win a 1933 Chrysler Roadster as a prize in a raffle. Featured are Thelma Todd, Patsy Kelly and Don Barclay.

Here we're in front of the Fox Westwood Village. The photo appears in the terrific Arcadia Publishing book "Location Filming in Los Angeles" by Karie Bible, Marc Wanamaker and Michael Medved.  It's available on Amazon.

The authors note that the filmmakers were able to stage crashes and all sorts of other mayhem in the streets of Westwood Village as they were relatively empty at the time of the filming as development there was just beginning.

Thanks to Jonathan Raines for spotting this one. See the Los Angeles Theatres pages about the Fox Westwood Village for more about the theatre.

On IMDb: "Beauty and the Bus"  A pristine copy of the film is on YouTube. 

"Bowfinger"

Steve Martin goes to the Fox Westwood Village Theatre for the premiere of "Chubby Rain," his film-within-a-film in Frank Oz's "Bowfinger" (Universal, 1999). Martin plays Bobby Bowfinger, a broke and untalented director, trying to get a film made featuring star Kit Ramsey (Eddie Murphy) -- with out Kit knowing about it.  A bit of blackmail with some footage they've caught involving Lakers cheerleaders persuades Ramsey to finally participate.

Pulling back a bit to show us more of the theatre's entrance.

Bowfinger and his team at the entrance doors looking at the approach of Kit Ramsey. On the right is Carol (Christine Baranski), an actress in his film.  At the left is the accountant turned screenwriter for the film.

Action star Kit Ramsey (Eddie Murphy) walking down the aisle with Daisy (Heather Graham). She's slept her way up the chain of command in Bowfinger's team (and then snared Ramsey) as she learns the business and figures out who can expand her role in the film. They get to sit in the VIP section.

Sorry, no seating in the reserved section for Bowfinger and his gang -- an usher takes them down front.

Heading to the the last remaining seats -- in the front row.

A nice group of seats from which to admire the Skouras-style sidewall decor.

"These are pretty good seats, aren't they?" asks Bowfinger.

Checking out the program.

The film-within-a-film begins.

Carol in a scene filmed in a garage without Ramsey's knowledge.  She admires his skill -- "It looked like real fear."  They'd put high heels on Bowfinger's dog to produce sounds to convince Ramsey he was being stalked by an unseen assailant.

Everybody's happy -- like an ideal Christmas scene in a film where everybody got exactly what they wanted. Daisy gets the rich film star, Bowfinger gets his career launched again, the car wash guy becomes a cinematographer, the accountant sees his screenplay produced.

The house after the film concludes. See the Los Angeles Theatres page on the Fox Westwood Village, now known as the Regency Village Theatre, for a history of the 1931 venue along with many photos.

The website Silver Screens also has a page on "Bowfinger."

On IMDb: "Bowfinger"

"The Formula"

We're in lots of exotic places like Berlin, Switzerland and on Wilshire Blvd. in John G. Avildson's surprisingly good thriller about the oil business "The Formula" (MGM, 1980). After we get a prologue in Germany, police detective George C. Scott is seen leaving the Vagabond.

Outside the Vagabond.

Another shot from the scene at the Vagabond. The theatre, after a long run as a repertory venue, became a legit house, renamed the Hayworth. See our page on the Hayworth Theatre for more about the building.

The film also stars Marthe Keller, John Gielgud and, of all people, Marlon Brando as an oil tycoon. Here near the end of the film we get a look, at the right, of the tower of the Fox Westwood from Brando's office window. See our page on the Fox Westwood Theatre for many photos of the 1931 vintage building.

On IMDb:  "The Formula"

"American Gigolo"

Hustler Julian (Richard Gere) spends a lot of time wandering around Westwood in Paul Schrader's "American Gigolo" (Paramount, 1980). He's in the escort business and gets accused of a murder he didn't commit. The film also features Lauren Hutton, Hector Elizondo and Nina van Pallandt.

Here we get an establishing shot of Westwood with the tower of the Fox Westwood Village Theatre at the left. See the Los Angeles Theatres page on the Fox Westwood Village for many photos and a history of the building, still thriving as a major first run house.

Julian has a meeting with Detective Sunday (Hector Elizondo) at a restaurant at 10975 Weyburn and we get a view of the Fox Westwood Village Theatre out the window. Thanks to Yuri G. for spotting the location. This screenshot is from his page about the film on Movie Tourist.

Thanks again to Yuri for a screenshot of another Westwood theatre view. This time Julian is at the Bruin, 948 Broxton Ave.

See the Bruin Theatre page on the los Angeles Theatres site for more about this 1937 S. Charles Lee design.

A fine bit of detective work by Yuri G. on Movie Tourist. He spotted the bar Sorel, where Julian goes looking for Leon (Bill Duke) as at the time being on the corner of the building housing the Fox Wilshire, 8440 Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills. Thanks, Yuri!

Head to the Fox Wilshire/Saban Theatre pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site for many views of the theatre, now mostly a concert venue. 

Later in the film we get a brief look at the Egyptian's boxoffice as Julian cruises down Hollywood Blvd. See the many pages on the los Angeles Theatres site about the Egyptian Theatre, Sid Grauman's first Hollywood movie palace, for many photos of different areas of the building.

A bit farther down the street we get a look at the Music Box/Fonda Theatre.  

A closer view of the theatre's entrance during our drive-by. See the page about the Music Box/Fonda Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for many more photos of the building both vintage and recent.

On IMDb: "American Gigolo"

"Thundering Taxis"

A view north on Broxton Ave. toward the Fox Westwood Village Theatre in "Thundering Taxis" (Hal Roach/MGM, 1933).  The two-reeler, one in a series of "Taxi Boys" films directed by Del Lord, features Clyde Cook, Billy Bevan and Blackie Whiteford.

Another view from the film. Thanks to Chris Bungo Studios for the screenshots. 

 
For more about the theatre, see the Los Angeles Theatres pages on the Fox Westwood Village. It opened in 1931.

 
On IMDb: "Thundering Taxis"

"What Price Taxi"

A shot from "What Price Taxi" (Hal Roach/MGM, 1932), a two reel short directed by Del Lord. We're looking north on Broxton Ave. toward the Fox Westwood Village Theatre. The film was one of several in a series of "Taxi Boys" films made by Hal Roach.  This one features Franklin Pangborn, Clyde Cook and Billy Gilbert.

Another shot in a bit closer on Broxton. 

 

A look at the Weyburn side of the theatre from the film. Thanks to Chris Bungo Studios for the screenshots.  

 

For more about the theatre, see the Los Angeles Theatres pages on the Fox Westwood Village. It opened in 1931. 

On IMDb: "What Price Taxi"