On The Set: Fillmore, CA, 93015

By Michael Hawk on March 2nd, 2010

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So far “On The Set” we’ve visited the beauty of Vasquez Rocks, the iconic Griffith Observatory, and the legendary Hollywood Sign.  All of these locations offer very strong features unique to their little patch of Earth.  But now I want to take you up Interstate 5 a ways to Ventura County, to a small town with a big TV resume.  Let me introduce you to Fillmore, California.

You’ve seen Fillmore, trust me.  You’ve seen it more than you could possibly believe.  While without the obvious hallmarks of our previous sets, Fillmore has lent it’s quaint small town streets and businesses to television productions for decades as an “Anytown, USA.”  Whether you’re shooting a commercial for Chili’s, a reality game show like Fear Factor, or you need a crime scene for the obsessive compulsion of Monk to scour for clues, there’s an excellent chance you can find it in Fillmore.

Ever wonder where our favorite polygamists from Big Love call home?  Well, it sure isn’t Utah!  It is the Traditions Neighborhood of Fillmore where Bill holds the deeds to his three homes and one big lawn.

 The location is so idyllic, even the Utah Transit Authority shot a commercial in town!   The area offers a wide range of architecture and landscapes as well as being out of the way of the glaring eyes of the over populated neighborhoods closer to Los Angeles.  In other words, Fillmore has yet to become jaded and is in fact quite welcoming to the entertainment industry as well as Bill Henrickson’s three wives.

Other notable shows featuring Fillmore include:

• Numbers
• Criminal Minds
• Madmen
• Jericho
• Gilmore Girls
• Heroes
• Ghost Whisperer
• The West Wing and
• Days of Our Lives

A big draw for the town is the Fillmore & Western Movie Train.  A 30 mile stretch of closed track that allows film and television productions to not only film on a train, but to lend realism by having the train actually move!    Crazy right?  Recent shows that have taken advantage of this special location include Bones, The Big Bang Theory, Human Target, The Office, and many many more.  The trains are available to ride, offering numerous theme events, murder mysteries, wine trains, and weekend excursions.  For TV buffs, this is another great opportunity to get closer to a piece of Hollywood.

Like their slogan says, you can “film more in Fillmore.”  It’s a beautiful little town if you want to visit, with plenty of neat shops and good places to eat.  Along Highway 126, blink and you might miss it (I kid), but the city’s film commission website offers up a great listing of what has filmed there and a general idea of where so you can easily take a cruise around town and spot some familiar places from your favorite TV shows.  It’s as easy as starting with a walk downtown where City Hall will more than likely jog memories of scenes from Medium or one of my favorites, Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  From the cafes to the police station, you’ll find the town like a living, breathing TV history museum and the locals friendly docents.

Fillmore is very proud of their filming tradition and they should be.  They offer something highly valuable to an overpopulated Los Angeles area, a glimpse of small town America.  Fillmore has served as locations from Alabama to Siberia and as such has proven itself to be an all star on the television roster.