San Francisco Film Locations Then & Now

  Charlie Chaplin loved shooting outdoors, and he scouted his film locations himself. While shooting in Niles Calif. in 1915, he traveled up to Oakland to film scenes for ‘A Night Out’. In a once ritzy apartment area near Lake Merritt, the two buildings he filmed in front of still exist. The plot is simple, Chaplin, and Ben Turpin go out for a night on the town, get drunk, and fall down a lot. That’s all you really have to know. (Thumbnail image)

 
Chaplin was beginning to hit his stride during this period, and was on his way to becoming the world’s first “Superstar,” and areas like these forgotten locations are where it all began. (Thumbnail image)

Next year will be the 100th anniversary of the films made by Charlie Chaplin in Niles California.. This scene is from the 1915 comedy short ‘A Jitney Elopement’ filmed mostly in Golden Gate Park and along the Great Highway. Here, Charlie and his leading lady, Edna Purviance, are being chased south along the Great Highway while eloping, by Edna’s father and suitor, Count Chloride de Lime. Automobiles were, relatively new then, and Charlie, probably, wasn’t a very good driver anyway, so, naturally, he backs into their car!

An empty Golden Gate Bridge is shown as Gregory Peck’s submarine enters San Francisco Bay under it to determine if there’s any life left in the city. (There isn’t) This scene would be easier to make this year as the Golden Gate Bridge will be shut down entirely within the next few weeks of this post, for the first time since it opened to install a barrier to prevent accidents between north and south bound traffic. (Thumbnail image)

Now this one really involves death in the City, every single person! In fact, every single person in the world eventually dies in the 1959 movie’ On the Beach’ from nuclear radiation fallout. In this scene, Gregory Peck views a deserted Hyde Street on Russian Hill from the periscope of his submarine safely under the Bay. (Thumbnail image)

Ross Martin plays a real creepy villain in ‘Experiment in Terror’ and ends up being shot to death by Glenn Ford on the pitcher’s mound at Candlestick Park after a Giants Dodgers game. Sometime, shortly after this post Candlestick Park will be demolished. I know it has to go, but I’ll always miss it. (Thumbnail image)

  Bad guy Vic Morrow being chased toward the Chinatown gate by Michael Douglas, loses his balance after hitting a Chronicle paper box, and falls into oncoming traffic. (Thumbnail image)

  Sadly, Vic Morrow would lose his life from a real accident eight years after this ‘The Streets of San Francisco’ episode was made. (Thumbnail image)

Steve McQueen tailing the bad guys on Filbert Street approaches Mason in ‘Bullitt’. Just after this scene…… watch out! Here are the links to part one, and part two of the best car chase scene ever filmed. (Thumbnail image)

One of my favorite San Francisco pictures. Whoever coined the phrase “A picture is worth a thousand words.” was spot on here! That’s Russian Hill seen from Telegraph Hill after the 1906 Earthquake. The two steep streets climbing Russian Hill are Lombard Street on the left and Chestnut Street on the right followed by Francisco Street and Bay Street. Columbus Ave. cuts away diagonally from Mason Street at the bottom of Russian Hill.