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Urban Cowboy Film Locations


Willsatx

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Wilstax, I can honestly say that THAT scene may have been shot in California. Some of the scenes were done there, like the Trailer Park scenes and stuff. You can clearly see some Mountains in the background of a longshot showing Bud driving into the trailer park, coming home from work.

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Wilstax, I can honestly say that THAT scene may have been shot in California. Some of the scenes were done there, like the Trailer Park scenes and stuff. You can clearly see some Mountains in the background of a longshot showing Bud driving into the trailer park, coming home from work.

I haven't seen the movie in a long time but i think i recall that diner was in Pasadena not california.

was it a restaurant with lots of glass and a dirt parking lot???

Seems like it was just east of the Montgomery Wards on Spencer.

I don't think it's still there.

I think only the exterior scenes at the trailer park were in california.

but i am no expert on either the urban cowboy or pasadena but we did go to that wards a lot when i was a kid. :closedeyes:

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I remember in the scene where they are driving down the street and you see a handy dan in the background so I was think it might have been in Pasadena. But I could be wrong.

i think the handy dan was on the northeast corner of shaver and spencer or maybe one block east.

but in the same general location that i thought it was -near wards. if i remember right the diner was sort of behind the weingartens that shared the parking lot with wards.

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i think the handy dan was on the northeast corner of shaver and spencer or maybe one block east.

but in the same general location that i thought it was -near wards. if i remember right the diner was sort of behind the weingartens that shared the parking lot with wards.

It was either called Mom's or Ma's Diner. As I remember, the sign was green w/ white text. According to Pasadena legend, it was the only place still open at that time of night when they filmed it. The building was torn down a long, long time ago, but the sign was there as little as ten years ago. It was just East of Montgomery Wards, which was on the Southeast corner of Spencer and Shaver (it's now a flea market). The Handy Dan was on the Northeast corner of the street (it's been a thrift store for a few years now).

Edited by lunchbox
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I think 2016 Main while it may not be the right address would have been the scene they filmed in the high rise apartments downtown next to the Pierce Elevated. It was supposedly where Travolta's rich substitue girlfriend lived.

BINGO, It was the Houston House Apts. I think. Across form the Tenneco building.

I always wondered why they didn't give The Roxy building a credit for location, that is the spot where Bud, and his new gal go to the Upscale Honkytonk, and dance.

Edited by TJones
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Wasn't that the Baytown Mountains?

actually when you drive on 225, on the north side, there is a mountain of some sort of refinery byproduct that they stockpile there. It is pretty large, too. Maybe 15-20 stories? just a guess.

Probably wasnt there in 1980 though :P

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I think 2016 Main while it may not be the right address would have been the scene they filmed in the high rise apartments downtown next to the Pierce Elevated. It was supposedly where Travolta's rich substitue girlfriend lived.

One of the first people I met in Houston when I moved here in 1981 lived at 2016 Main; he told me that the floor above his (the penthouse) had been used as a location for the luxury highrise in Urban Cowboy.

Since he was a native Houstonian and a real estate broker, I tend to believe him.

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It's been there a long time.

That "mountain" in north Pasadena is actually a huge above ground chemical waste sludge pit contained by an earthen dam built around it. It's been there since WWII. I grew up in Pasadena in the 50s and I climbed to the top of that thing at least several times. I can also tell you it's a lot bigger now than it was when I was a kid. At least twice as big and a lot higher.

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The high rise scenes were filmed at 2016 Main, you can see the Houston House in the background. As for the uptown nightclub, it was Elan back then, on St. James near Yorktown. It is now a restaurant called The Courtyard. My family used to be in the dry cleaning business here in town, during the filming some of the crew rented a house in Tanglewood and brought some clothes in to be done, I'm not sure if any wardrobe items were done, but the crew was driving around in the beat-up Mustang Debra Winger used in the film.

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BINGO, It was the Houston House Apts. I think. Across form the Tenneco building.

I always wondered why they didn't give The Roxy building a credit for location, that is the spot where Bud, and his new gal go to the Upscale Honkytonk, and dance.

A cool little bit of info on my end regarding the shot in Houston House.

My best friend actually used to rent the apartment that was used in that scene (in 86 and 87), which was quite the bragging right at the time. Believe it or not his rent was only $800.00.

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The high rise scenes were filmed at 2016 Main, you can see the Houston House in the background. As for the uptown nightclub, it was Elan back then, on St. James near Yorktown. It is now a restaurant called The Courtyard.

Yes! It was later The Ocean Club. I remember people talking about that!

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Trivia

The scene where Wes chews up and swallows the worm after drinking the bottle of tequila was not scripted, but a joke done for the dailies.

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Patrick Swayze's wife and mother (Lisa Niemi and Patsy Swayze) choreographed the dance sequences.

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John Travolta had a mechanical bull installed in his home two months before production began. He became so good that he was allowed to dismiss the stunt double and do the takes himself.

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At the time the film was shot, Gilley's, used as the film's main nightclub location was the largest nightclub in the world in terms of available space for the patrons, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

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Michelle Pfeiffer auditioned for the role of Sissy and was producer Robert Evans' preferred choice.

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Patrick Swayze taught John Travolta how to do the two-step for the movie.

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Studio executives were against casting Debra Winger in the lead role at first. Director James Bridges threatened to quit the film unless she was cast. They eventually approved the casting.

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The script was originally written for Dennis Quaid.

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Robert Evans sent Debra Winger back from location because he did not think she was attractive enough for the lead; it was only at the insistence of director James Bridges that she did the role.

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The soundtrack album was a major hit. It sold several million copies and featured the hit tunes "Looking for Love", "Can I Have This Dance?" and "All Night Long".

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The 1967 Ford Mustang that Sissy drove in this movie now resides in Evans City, PA (near Pittsburgh). It is owned by two brothers and is often seen in local car shows.

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Wilstax, I can honestly say that THAT scene may have been shot in California. Some of the scenes were done there, like the Trailer Park scenes and stuff. You can clearly see some Mountains in the background of a longshot showing Bud driving into the trailer park, coming home from work.

I havent read further down to see if this was answered already but I know for a fact that the coffee shop/restaurant scene was filmed in Pasadena on Spencer Hwy just east of the Shaver intersection. If your familiar with the area there was a Mongomery Wards (its a flea market now), at the southeast corner there, just east of that is where the restaurant was. Its been torn down since, theres nothing there now. Its a vacant lot between the flea market and a Ryans family restaurant (closed also). If you notice in the scene where Sissy is trying to hitchhike, The MW is in the background... well you see the sign anyway. I was about 9-10 years old when this movie was filmed. Around that time I had an uncle who lived in an apartment complex just passed it. I remember seeing it on the way there. Had no idea it was one of the filming locations, however I did know John Travolta was in town filming a movie, I though that was so cool. (Big fan of Kotter and Saturday night fever) The trailer park was located in California.

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Hey guys, I found this site looking for info on Sonny Looks Depot and saw this thread.

I dated a girl in Pasadena during the filming and spent most of my spare time driving her around trying to get a glimps of John Travolta, the trailer scene where the bouncer lived was actually behind Gilleys. The trailer park were Bud and Sissy lived was on Garner between a nursing home and a 7/11. The trailer park and 7/11 are gone now. The restaurant was where described earlier next to a muffler shop the slab is still there.

joe

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The high rise scenes were filmed at 2016 Main, you can see the Houston House in the background. As for the uptown nightclub, it was Elan back then, on St. James near Yorktown. It is now a restaurant called The Courtyard. My family used to be in the dry cleaning business here in town, during the filming some of the crew rented a house in Tanglewood and brought some clothes in to be done, I'm not sure if any wardrobe items were done, but the crew was driving around in the beat-up Mustang Debra Winger used in the film.<<Bmil128

You are exactly right. You can see the Houston House in the Background so it was definitely 2016 Main. I remember Elan on St. James, it was one of the hot places to go in the late 70's. The movie was previewed at the GayLynn Theater at Sharpstown and I heard that they resurfaced the entry with some kind of glitter infused concrete to make it sparkle for the local premier. Most of the movie was filmed in Pasadena and that trailer Wes lived in was out in Gilly's parking lot for quite a while. I recall seeing it at least a few years after the movie had been released.

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So, any guesses as to what 2200 Main was back then? Anyone know what is there now?

2200 Main is a strip center built in 1920 according to HCAD. There used to be a religious store named Mary Regina there, but it closed a few months ago. The building is faced in brick, and has four units facing Main, with their windows running slightly diagonal from the street. The two center units meet at a point. I go by there most days on the way to the museum district.

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Hey guys, I found this site looking for info on Sonny Looks Depot and saw this thread.

I dated a girl in Pasadena during the filming and spent most of my spare time driving her around trying to get a glimps of John Travolta, the trailer scene where the bouncer lived was actually behind Gilleys. The trailer park were Bud and Sissy lived was on Garner between a nursing home and a 7/11. The trailer park and 7/11 are gone now. The restaurant was where described earlier next to a muffler shop the slab is still there.

joe

Sorry Joe, the trailer park is definately in California my friend. There is even a location credit for it. Watch the movie again, you can see the mountains in the background as Bud pulls in after work.

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Sorry Joe, the trailer park is definately in California my friend. There is even a location credit for it. Watch the movie again, you can see the mountains in the background as Bud pulls in after work.

They may have filmed some of the shots, or substituted some shots, but I saw them filming at the trailer park and at an empty lot a little farther down the street where they had placed another trailer.

I double checked with my wife. She remembers the trailer park scene was in Deer Park, I got that one wrong. Some of the other trailer scenes were on Garner near Lafferty. She even sneaked onto the set and looked into the trailer as John Travolta was changing clothes setting up for a scene. They may have reshot some the ones they didn't like and tried to sneak them in on us.

joe

Edited by texianjoe
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  • 5 months later...
They may have filmed some of the shots, or substituted some shots, but I saw them filming at the trailer park and at an empty lot a little farther down the street where they had placed another trailer.

I double checked with my wife. She remembers the trailer park scene was in Deer Park, I got that one wrong. Some of the other trailer scenes were on Garner near Lafferty. She even sneaked onto the set and looked into the trailer as John Travolta was changing clothes setting up for a scene. They may have reshot some the ones they didn't like and tried to sneak them in on us.

joe

I actually knew and went to high school with the guy who played Buds brother in the film...the same year he was in the film.

Disastro

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I still can't believe that this film was made. I am only glad as the years pass that this film starts to fade away from my memory at least. Maybe it was the timing it was made?

I was in high school and every guy I knew simply hated John Revolta. Even some of the smarter girls thought he was just tooo fruity. He was so type cast as Vinny Barbarino as a hip NYC high school Sweathog, I mean come on. Not to mention Saturday Night Fever. Yuk! So now he is put in a macho image tough-cowboy in Paserdener? They may as well had Richard Simmons play the part. :wacko:

His Texas swagger has to have been one of the worse ever. In some of the scenes he even forgets he is from Texas and the Brookyn dialects is clearly heard.LOL :lol: We used to check out Gilley's only out of pure curiousity and this was BEFORE the movie was made. It was just a ramshackle tin roofed beer joint and had numerous additions to the main bldg. Basically it was just a oversized beer dive. Rarely did you ever see any minorities in there. The Klan was still running most of Pasadena at the time. Texas proud huh?

Any how, this film has to be one of the main one that stereotyped Houston for ages, and the TV show Dallas. Ok, Iv'e vented. Much better now. Talk amongst yourselves. Any old subject will do. :)

Oh by the way, the only thing that was cool about Gilleys was the big sign out front. I think Mickey G saved it somewhere. Yeahahhh! Time for a Lone Star!

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