Capturing iconic moments
Beverly Hills landmarks, restaurants and hotels have been featured in countless blockbuster movies and TV shows throughout the years. From hit television shows including 'Entourage' to iconic films such as 'Beverly Hills Cop', the city is home to many spots that have been showcased on film.
Pretty Woman: In this beloved 1990s hit movie, the Beverly Wilshire is showcased as the hotel where Julia Roberts' Vivian Ward all but moves in with Edward Lewis played by Richard Gere. Beverly Wilshire's signature striped awnings can be when she first enters the hotel, located at the base of Rodeo Drive.
The hotel remains a perfect choice for a romantic getaway, however, while the exterior and the lobby are the real Beverly Wilshire, the rooms shots were filmed on a set at the Disney Studio in Burbank. The hotel is fond of its appearance on the silver screen: it plays 'Pretty Woman' on a constant loop in The Nail Bar, the hotel's nail salon.
Argo: Although most of 'Argo', the winner of Best Picture at the 2013 Academy Awards, takes place in Tehran, Iran, not a single minute of film was shot there. Other than location shoots in Istanbul, Turkey and Washington, DC, most of the movie was filmed in Los Angeles. To give a phony film project – a cover for a CIA mission – legitimacy before embarking on the mission, characters played by Ben Affleck, John Goodman and Alan Arkin hold an intentionally high-profile press event for their fake film 'Argo' at The Beverly Hilton in the hotel's glamorous Stardust rooftop on the exclusive Penthouse level.
It's a Wonderful Life: Beverly Hills High School has been featured in many films and TV shows, either as part of the plot or a filming location. Many movies, including 'Clueless', 'Real Women Have Curves', 'Whatever It Takes' and 'The Bachelor' and the 'Bobby-Soxer' featured a scene in the school's unique 'Swim Gym', one of the only gymnasiums that has a basketball court that can split open to reveal a recreational-sized, 25-yard swimming pool.
This unique architectural feature comes alive in the 1946 Christmas classic, 'It's a Wonderful Life'. Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed dance the Charleston at the 'Bedford Falls High School' prom then suddenly the gym floor slides open, plunging the dancers into a swimming pool.
Beverly Hills Cop: When Eddie Murphy's character, Detroit detective Axel Foley first arrives at Los Angeles in this 1984 comedy, viewers are treated to a montage Beverly Hills' most notable sites. He drives his convertible along Sunset Boulevard, passes one of the Beverly Hills shield signs on the city border, cruises past the Beverly Hills Hotel then heads down Rodeo Drive.