Where was The Killers filmed?
1964
City Locations
California: Los Angeles, Moreno Valley, Calabasas
Location Types
House, NatureScapes, Hotels/Motels, Rustic
Location Styles
Luxury Hotel, Factory/Manufacturing, Industrial, Dated/50's-60's-70's Building
About The Killers
In the opening The Killers film scene (spoiler alert!), Charlie and Lee, two hitmen, shoot Johnny North, killing him with their shots. North offers no resistance to the murder, a fact that greatly troubles Charlie since he and Lee were paid a large sum of money for the hit. The two men review their intel on North and discover he was a prominent race car driver whose career was cut short after a tragic accident. Four years before the murder, North played a role in a lucrative robbery. With the money unaccounted for, Charlie and Lee decide to search for it and begin with a visit to North’s mechanic Earl Sylvester.
Earl relates to Charlie and Lee that North was still racing when he made the acquaintance of Sheila Farr. The two began a romance, and North soon was planning to ask Farr to marry him. Sadly, North was involved in a devastating car crash. When in the hospital, Earl shared with North that Sheila was involved with the mobster Jack Browning. Angry and upset, North ended the relationship with Farr.
Charlie and Lee speak with a former Browning hitman who shares that Farr discovered North when he was employed as a mechanic following the crash. It was she who informed him of Browning’s robbery plans. Farr recommended North drive the getaway car.
Browning and North set up a detour to reroute the mail truck onto a deserted road. The men hold up the truck driver, stealing $1 million from him. North then pushed Browning out of the speeding car, taking the money with him.
Charlie and Lee stop by to see Browning. Browning informs them he is unaware of the money’s location. He tells the men Farr is in a hotel and makes plans for them to meet her. Charlie and Lee arrive earlier than expected, but the clerk notes their presence and makes a phone call to Browning. Farr denies knowing anything about North or the stolen funds. The two men physically assault her. Fearing for her life, she reveals everything she knows.
The night previous to the robbery, Farr informed North of Browning’s plans to murder him and steal his portion of the money. North wanted to murder Browning immediately, but Farr convinced him of a better plan. Her idea was to throw Browning from the moving vehicle and then bring the money to her. She in turn double-crosses North. When North attempted to enter the hotel room, Browning shot him. He suffered severe injuries but still managed to escape. Worried North would try to exact his revenge, Browning hired Charlie and Lee to finish the job.
Browning remains outside the hotel, armed with a rifle. He murders Lee and shoots Charlie, leaving him injured. Browning and Farr reunite and make plans to leave with the money. Charlie finds them and kills Browning. He takes aim at Farr before leaving with the money and passes away during his getaway.
The Killers Locations
The Killers is a popular crime movie filmed in the United States in 1964. Released as Ernest Hemingway’s The Killers in Great Britain, this classic action film was adapted from Hemingway’s short story published in 1927 and is a remake of the 1946 movie of the same name. The Killers’ all-star cast included Lee Marvin, John Cassavetes, Angie Dickinson, and Ronald Reagan.
Originally intended to be a made-for-TV movie, this 1964 remake of The Killers was intended to be named Johnny North and to be the first film of its kind produced in color. At that time, made-for-TV movies had an abbreviated filming schedule, but production on The Killers was scheduled to run a full four weeks, an unheard-of amount of time for such an endeavor.
The filming locations for The Killers are primarily located in sunny California. Among the cities where several of The Killers film sets are found are Los Angeles, Calabasas, and Moreno Valley. Are you a lover of classic crime films? If so, the chance to visit the filming locations for The Killers is not to be missed!
Fun Fact:
The Killers was the final movie in which Ronald Reagan appeared before his retirement from acting in 1966.
Charlie and Lee are suspicious about the hit on North scene in The Killers
Stage 32, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California
Charlie and Lee are having a meal on a train after murdering North at the school for the blind. The two men are suspicious as they were paid an extraordinary amount of money for the hit, more than they have ever been paid before. They noted that North offered no resistance when he realized they were there to kill him. In one of the best scenes in The Killers, Charlie relates to Lee.
“But he just stood there. That’s one. $25,000 for a simple hit. I never got more than ten in my life. That’s two. Now I happen to know that Johnny North was in on a big mail robbery in California. Suppose he’d gotten away with over a million bucks. What if the other guy’s holding the bag?”
One of the few The Killers action scenes that was filmed on a soundstage at a major film studio, you can visit this film set by taking bus lines 222, 224/690, or 240 or by following the subway’s B Line (Red.)
Charlie and Lee meet Earl at his garage in The Killers
11537 Ventura Blvd., Los Angeles, California
Charlie and Lee discover that North was once a professional race car driver who gave up the sport after a violent crash. They decide to go and visit his former mechanic, Earl Sylvester, at this garage to find out further information. When the two men arrive, Earl is at first reluctant to talk with them. The following conversation takes place between the three men.
Earl: I don’t know where Johnny is, what trouble he got into…
Lee {interrupting}: He’s dead!
Earl {as Lee smiles at him in amusement}: He’s dead?
Charlie {laconically}: ALL the way.
Earl: How’d he die?
Lee: Johnny North choked to death on one question…too many.
You can easily reach The Killers film location where all of the scenes featuring the garage where Earl works are shot by taking bus line 240.
North meets Farr for the first time at the racetrack scene in The Killers
Riverside International Raceway, 22255 Eucalyptus Avenue, Moreno Valley, California
A scene displayed as a flashback sequence; North is talking to his pit crew when he first notices Farr. He is immediately smitten by her beauty. This conversation ensues.
Pit crew: One minute, 38 flat.
North: Hey! That’s not bad, you know. That’s not ba-{catches sight of Farr}…that’s not bad at all. Though public transit won’t get you right to the site of this former iconic The Killers film set, it will get you quite close, and you can travel the remaining distance on foot. Bus lines 20 and 31 provide the best options for you.
Farr and North become romantically involved scene in The Killers
Universal Studios – Gate 4, Universal City, California
Farr and North are at a nightclub, dancing closely with Farr wrapped in North’s embrace. They talk about their plans for the remainder of the evening, and North asks Farr, “Do you have a better idea?” She seductively responds, “Unconditional surrender,” signifying her intentions and revealing the smoldering heat between the couple.
This romantic interlude was filmed at Gate 4 of Universal Studios. Though the set is no longer in place as it was in the film, you can certainly meander the grounds envisioning this seductive scene between Farr and North. Public transit is available to Universal Studios via bus or subway.
Farr attacks Charlie scene in The Killers
9956 Toluca Lake Avenue, Los Angeles, California
After being violently but ineffectively assaulted by Farr, Charlie watches TV calmly. He notices loud noises coming from the kitchen and goes to investigate. He discovers several appliances have been turned on high, creating a racket. Once Charlie turns off all of the appliances, he notices Farr has turned on some loud music. She begins to dance. He searches for the source of the music and turns it off. Walker heads out to the pool and hears Farr speaking to him over a loudspeaker.
“You’re a pathetic sight, Walker, from where I’m standing, chasing shadows. You’re played out. It’s over. Finished. What would you do with the money if you got it? It wasn’t yours in the first place. Why don’t you just lie down and die?”
Charlie opens the door to discover Farr playing billiards, she attacks him with a pool cue, injuring him badly. He collapses on the floor in her arms.
To reach this The Killers production location, you have several public transit options. Hop the bus, taking lines 155, 22, or 224/690, or take the subway’s B line (Red).
Browning slaps Farr scene in The Killers
American Cement Building, 2404 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California
In this The Killers scene, Browning tells Farr to return to the hotel, and she refuses, telling him, “I like it here.” He tells her to get moving to which she responds, “I said I like it here.” He tells her, “Well, I can change that in a hurry.” He rises quickly and slaps her across the face, enraging North who punches him in the face and threatens to kill him if he ever hits her again.
The American Cement Building found at 2404 Wilshire Boulevard is quite easily accessed by bus, taking lines 4 or 720.
Conclusion
If a single quotation can be attributed to this classic neo-noir crime film, it is this, “{But} I gotta find out what makes a man decide not to run. Why all of a sudden he’d rather die?” This iconic 1964 remake of a well-known Hemingway short story meanders through some of the most interesting scenery found in Los Angeles, Moreno Valley, and Calabasas. With such a diverse landscape serving as this film’s backdrop, the viewer is treated to some of the most picturesque views in the region to enhance the plotline of this beloved criminal saga.
Do you consider yourself a crime film buff? A trip to visit The Killers filming locations might be the perfect vacation for you! Our comprehensive guide will be an invaluable help in planning your itinerary.