Ever watch a movie or TV show and think, that looks familiar? Well, it is possible it was shot on location in historic downtown Orange, California. For decades, the Orange Circle has been used for its classic scenery in television shows and movies. Some are classics, while others you may have forgotten about.
Here is a list of movies you may or may not know had portions filmed on location around Downtown Orange Plaza.
TV/Movies Filmed in Downtown Orange
- Smiles (1919) – Documentary
- Fallen Angel (1945) – Movie
- Gumball Rally (1976) – Movie – Motorcycles crashed through Sir Wickets Men’s Shop. This movie inspired real Gumball rallies that are still held today.
- Monster in the Closet (1983) – Movie
- The Bridesmaids (1988) – Movie
- Samantha (1991) – Movie – Scenes filmed at Chapman University.
- Crimson Tide (1994) – Movie – Starring Denzel Washington, Gene Hackman and Viggo Mortenson and filmed at Chapman University.
- America’s Most Wanted (1994) – Television
- That Thing You Do (1995) – Movie – Scenes shot in Watson Drugs and Soda Fountain and Mr. C’s Records.
- A Letter to My Killer (1995) – Television – Filmed around the Orange Plaza.
- Snapple (1996) – Commercial
- Vital Signs (1997) – Television
- The George Wallace Story (1997) – Television
- Oscar Mayer (1998) – Commercial – The Wienermobile cruised around the Orange Circle.
- Small Soliders (1998) – Television
- Rocky and Bullwinkle – Movie – Filming at Chapman University.
- Forever Lulu (1999) – Movie – Starring Melanie Griffith and Patrick Swayze with filming at a craftsman style house on Shaffer.
- Fraility (2000) – Movie – Directed by Bill Paxton at the Orange Plaza.
- Big Mama’s House (2000) – Movie – Martin Lawrence cross-dressed at an an actual home on Shaffer Street.
- The Man Who Wasn’t There (2000) – Movie – A Coen Brother’s movie where Paul’s Cocktails’ façade was turned into an Italian restaurant.
- Clockstoppers (2001) – Movie – A car crashed into a magazine stand on the corner.
- Fazoli’s (2002) – Commercial
- Del Taco (2002) – Commercial – Dialogue at College Barber Shop on Glassell.
- Surviving Christmas (2003) – Movie – Starring Ben Affleck, Christina Applegate, James Gandolfini with scenes shot on Glassell and the Plaza.
- American Wedding (2003) – Movie – 3rd American Pie movie.
- Merge (2003) – Television – A lifetime movie at a private residence on Glassell.
- First Daughter (2003) – Movie – Katie Holmes ran through streets and alleys of Old Towne Orange.
- Prius (2003) – Commercial – Filmed at Old Towne Plaza and Hart Park.
- Pfizer (2003) – Commercial – Scene included a bus driving through Old Towne Plaza and surrounding residential area.
- Medical Investigation (2004) – Television – Filmed at Watson’s Drugstore.
- Kentucky Fried Chicken (2004) – Commercial
- The West Wing (2004) – Television – Filmed at the Plaza Square.
- The Ghost Whisperer (2005) – Television – TV show starring Jennifer Lover Hewitt and filmed at the Plaza Square.
- The Benchwarmers (2005) – Movie – Filmed at Watson’s Drug Store and the Army Navy Store and starring Rob Schneider, David Spade, Jon Lovitz and Molly Sims.
- Accepted (2005) – Movie – Starring Blake Lively and Justin Long and filmed at Chapman University.
- American Horror Story (2017) – Season 7 – The COBA Academy on Main was transformed into a store called “The Butchery on Main”.
- Castle Rock (2018) – An American psychological horror online series inspired by the works of horror writer Stephen King.