Courthouse Square is a
backlotA backlot is an area behind or adjoining a movie studio with space to build or with permanent exterior sets for outdoor scenes in motion picture and/or television productions....
located at
Universal StudiosUniversal Studios , a subsidiary of NBC Universal, is one of the six major American movie studios. Its main motion picture production/distribution arm is called Universal Pictures. Its production studios are located at 100 Universal City Plaza Drive in Universal City, California...
. It has been severely damaged by fire several times, including in 1957, 1990 and 2008. It was reconstructed after each incident.
The set was composed of several
facadeA facade or façade is generally one side of the exterior of a building, especially the front, but also sometimes the sides and rear. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
s that form an archetypal
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
town squareA town square is an open area commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings. Other names for town square are civic center, city square, urban square, market square, public square, Platz , plaza , piazza , place , and "maydan" A town square is an open area commonly...
with a
courthouseA courthouse is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America...
as its centerpiece. The set was most famous for being featured as Hill Valley in the films of the
Back to the Future trilogyBack to the Future is a comedic science fiction film series written by Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis, directed by Zemeckis, and distributed by Universal Pictures. The plot follows the adventures of high school student Marty McFly and scientist Dr...
, though the third film only features archival footage of it from the first two films; a new location was used for the old-west scenes for that film.
Prior to the
Back to the Future series, the area was known as
Mockingbird Square due to its role in the film
To Kill a MockingbirdTo Kill a Mockingbird is a 1962 American drama film based on the novel of the same name by Harper Lee. It was directed by Robert Mulligan and stars Mary Badham in the role of Scout and Gregory Peck in the role of Atticus Finch....
.
A
three alarm fireOne-alarm, two-alarm, three-alarm fires, or higher are categories of fires indicating the level of response by local authorities, with an elevated number of alarms indicating increased commitment of resources. The term multiple-alarm is a quick way of indicating that a fire was severe and...
broke out at the Universal back lot in the early morning hours on June 1, 2008.
Discussion
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Courthouse Square is a
backlotA backlot is an area behind or adjoining a movie studio with space to build or with permanent exterior sets for outdoor scenes in motion picture and/or television productions....
located at
Universal StudiosUniversal Studios , a subsidiary of NBC Universal, is one of the six major American movie studios. Its main motion picture production/distribution arm is called Universal Pictures. Its production studios are located at 100 Universal City Plaza Drive in Universal City, California...
. It has been severely damaged by fire several times, including in 1957, 1990 and 2008. It was reconstructed after each incident.
The set was composed of several
facadeA facade or façade is generally one side of the exterior of a building, especially the front, but also sometimes the sides and rear. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
s that form an archetypal
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
town squareA town square is an open area commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings. Other names for town square are civic center, city square, urban square, market square, public square, Platz , plaza , piazza , place , and "maydan" A town square is an open area commonly...
with a
courthouseA courthouse is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America...
as its centerpiece. The set was most famous for being featured as Hill Valley in the films of the
Back to the Future trilogyBack to the Future is a comedic science fiction film series written by Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis, directed by Zemeckis, and distributed by Universal Pictures. The plot follows the adventures of high school student Marty McFly and scientist Dr...
, though the third film only features archival footage of it from the first two films; a new location was used for the old-west scenes for that film.
Prior to the
Back to the Future series, the area was known as
Mockingbird Square due to its role in the film
To Kill a MockingbirdTo Kill a Mockingbird is a 1962 American drama film based on the novel of the same name by Harper Lee. It was directed by Robert Mulligan and stars Mary Badham in the role of Scout and Gregory Peck in the role of Atticus Finch....
.
Fires
A
three alarm fireOne-alarm, two-alarm, three-alarm fires, or higher are categories of fires indicating the level of response by local authorities, with an elevated number of alarms indicating increased commitment of resources. The term multiple-alarm is a quick way of indicating that a fire was severe and...
broke out at the Universal back lot in the early morning hours on June 1, 2008. It was reported that Courthouse Square was completely destroyed, though the Courthouse facade and town facade to the north are still standing. The King Kong attraction and New York Street were destroyed. The set had previously been damaged by fire in 1990.
Productions
Following is a list of productions that used the Courthouse Square set:
- Ma and Pa Kettle
Ma and Pa Kettle were comic characters who first appeared in the novel The Egg and I by Betty MacDonald. She based them on farming neighbors in Washington state, U.S.A....
(1949 - 1954)
- It Came from Outer Space
It Came from Outer Space is a 1953 Science fiction 3-D film directed by Jack Arnold, and starring Richard Carlson, Barbara Rush, and Charles Drake.- Plot :...
(1953)
- Tarantula
Tarantula is a 1955 science fiction film directed by Jack Arnold, and starring Leo G. Carroll, John Agar, and Mara Corday. Among other things, the film is notable for the appearance of a 25-year-old Clint Eastwood in an uncredited role as a jet pilot at the end of the film.-Plot summary:The plot...
(1955)
- The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone is an American anthology television series created by Rod Serling, which ran for five seasons on CBS from 1959 to 1964 and remains syndicated to this day. The show consisted of unrelated vignettes depicting paranormal, futuristic, dystopian, or simply disturbing events, usually...
: "Where Is Everybody?"Where is Everybody?" is the first episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone.-Opening narration:-Plot summary:...
" (1959)
- Inherit the Wind
Inherit the Wind is a 1960 Hollywood film adaptation of the play of the same name, directed by Stanley Kramer and starring Spencer Tracy and Fredric March , and featuring Gene Kelly , Dick York , Harry Morgan , Donna Anderson , Claude Akins , Noah Beery, Jr. , Florence Eldridge Inherit the Wind ...
(1960)
- To Kill a Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird is a 1962 American drama film based on the novel of the same name by Harper Lee. It was directed by Robert Mulligan and stars Mary Badham in the role of Scout and Gregory Peck in the role of Atticus Finch....
(1962)
- The Music Man
The Music Man is a 1962 film musical starring Robert Preston as Harold Hill and Shirley Jones as Marian Paroo. The film is based on the 1957 Broadway musical of the same name by Meredith Willson...
(1962)
- Bye Bye Birdie
Bye Bye Birdie is a stage musical with a book by Michael Stewart, lyrics by Lee Adams, and music by Charles Strouse.Originally titled Let's Go Steady, the satire on American society is set in 1958. The story was inspired by the phenomenon of popular singer Elvis Presley and his draft notice into...
(1963)
- Village of the Giants
Village of the Giants is a 1965 science-fiction/comedy movie with many elements of the beach party film genre. It was produced, directed and written by Bert I. Gordon, and based loosely on H.G. Wells's book The Food of the Gods...
(1965)
- How To Frame A Figg (1971)
- The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo
The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo is an American action/adventure sitcom that ran on NBC from 1979 to 1981. For its second season the show was renamed Lobo. The program aired Tuesday nights, at 8 p.m. Eastern time. The lead character, Sheriff Elroy P. Lobo, played by Claude Akins, was a spin-off...
(1978)
- Psycho II (1983)
- Simon & Simon
Simon & Simon is a 1980s detective television series starring Gerald McRaney and Jameson Parker.-History:The original 1978 pilot called Pirate's Key was set in Florida...
(1981 - 1988)
- Knight Rider (1982 - 1986)
- The New Leave It to Beaver
The New Leave It to Beaver is a 1984 American sitcom sequel to the 1950s and '60s series, Leave It to Beaver. The New Leave It To Beaver began with the 1983 CBS TV movie Still the Beaver, and was picked up in 1984 as a Disney Channel series with the same name; however, it only lasted one season...
(1984 - 1988)
- Gremlins (1984)
- Back to the Future
Back to the Future is a 1985 science fiction adventure film directed by Robert Zemeckis, co-written by Bob Gale and produced by Steven Spielberg. The film stars Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly, as well as Christopher Lloyd, Crispin Glover, Lea Thompson and Thomas F. Wilson...
(1985)
- Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (1988)
- Back to the Future Part II
Back to the Future Part II is a 1989 film and a sequel to the 1985 film Back to the Future. Like the previous film, it was directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale...
(1989)
- Back to the Future Part III
Back to the Future Part III is a 1990 film and the third and final installment of the Back to the Future trilogy. The film is a science fiction western, using the time travel premise of the series to take Marty McFly and Dr. Emmett Brown back to the Old West of 1885.-Plot:The story continues from...
(1990) Note: Archival footage from the first two films were used instead.
- Sneakers
Sneakers is a 1992 caper film directed by Phil Alden Robinson and written by Robinson, Walter F. Parkes and Lawrence Lasker. It was filmed in late 1991 and released in 1992.-Cast:*Robert Redford as Martin Bishop/Martin Brice*Ben Kingsley as Cosmo...
(1992)
- Weird Science (1993)
- Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman is an American western/drama series created by Beth Sullivan. Dr. Michaela Quinn, Jane Seymour, forced out Boston by a closed-minded society. Dr...
(1994)
- Three Wishes (1995)
- The Nutty Professor
The Nutty Professor is a 1996 science fiction-romantic comedy film starring Eddie Murphy. It is a remake of the 1963 film of the same name starring Jerry Lewis. The original music score was composed by David Newman....
(1996)
- Jingle All the Way
Jingle All the Way is a 1996 family comedy film directed by Brian Levant and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad. The name is taken from a line in the Christmas song "Jingle Bells". This is the last comedy to date that Schwarzenegger starred in...
(1996)
- Escape from L.A.
Escape From L.A. is a 1996 film directed by John Carpenter. The sequel to the action film Escape from New York, the film follows war hero Snake Plissken, played by Kurt Russell...
(1996)
- Batman & Robin (1997)
- Amistad
Amistad is a 1997 Steven Spielberg film based on the true story of a slave mutiny that took place aboard a ship of the same name in 1839, and the legal battle that followed...
(1997)
- The Offspring
The Offspring is an American rock band formed in Huntington Beach, California in 1984. Since its formation, the band's line-up had included Dexter Holland , Noodles , Greg K. , and Ron Welty , who left in 2003...
: "Why Don't You Get a Job?"Why Don't You Get a Job?" is a ska/punk rock song by The Offspring. The song is featured as the 11th track on The Offspring's fifth studio album Americana and was released as the second single from the album. The song also appears as the seventh track on the band's Greatest Hits album...
" (1999)
- Bruce Almighty
Bruce Almighty is a American comedy film, directed by Tom Shadyac and written by Steve Koren, Mark O'Keefe and Steve Oedekerk. It stars Jim Carrey as Bruce Nolan, a down on his luck TV reporter who seeks a promotion and a better life overall. After a series of bad incidents, such as being beaten...
(2003)
- The Cat in the Hat
The Cat in the Hat is a 2003 American comedy film, itself a loose adaptation of the 1957 book of the same name by Dr. Seuss. It was produced by Brian Grazer and directed by Bo Welch, and stars Mike Myers in the title role of the Cat in the Hat, and Dakota Fanning as Sally...
(2003)
- Ghost Whisperer
Ghost Whisperer is an American television series, which premiered on CBS on September 23, 2005.The series follows the life of Melinda Gordon , who has the ability to see and communicate with the dead...
(2005 - present)
External links and references