We are hiking in the footsteps of Hollywood legends. LA’s Little-known Backlot.

The Andy Griffith show filmed many episodes at Franklin Canyon Park (Meyer’s Lake) including the opening title theme song.

Many of you may remember the opening credits of The Andy Griffith Show where Opie is skipping a rock in the water or Sgt. Saunders leading his squad through a forest with lakes in the T.V. series Combat!, or even Captain Kirk falling in love with an Indian maiden on Star Trek. There is one thing all these scenes have in common: They were all filmed at Franklin Canyon Park in Beverly Hills.

In the 1930s the studios began the frequent use of the canyon for filming. The movie industry discovered Franklin Canyon’s unspoiled beauty and lack of palm trees, and made arrangements with the Department of Water and Power to use the area for filming. It was an ideal site, with its proximity to the studios, but far enough from urban development and at the time, off-limits to the public.

Private Lives (1931) was the first to film here followed by It Happened One Night in 1934. Other famous films were Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), The Manchurian Candidate (1962), On Golden Pond (1981) A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), Purple Rain (1984), Platoon (1986) and The Silence of the Lambs (1991) to name a few.

Nearly every Classic Television show filmed a scene or two here from The Rifleman, The Andy Griffith Show, Bonanza, The Brady Bunch, Wonder Woman, Combat, Green Acres, Dynasty, Lassie, Star Trek, and The Waltons. If you didn’t already know about this place, you will now be able to spot this location when it appears in a scene of your favorite show.

Unlike many of the studio backlots of the past, not much has changed here other than the receding waterline and the trees have grown. If you look closely, you can even find a shell casing in the dirt left from a battle long ago.

Today, about 25 films are still shot here annually. This park, which is open to the public, is located at 2600 Franklin Canyon Dr, in Beverly Hills and is a 605-acre backlot, nearly 3 miles long.

If you live in the area and haven’t visited this park, I recommend you spend a Saturday morning here exploring this famous backlot. And best of all, it’s a backlot you can visit without being chased out by security guards!

Written and lived by Donnie Norden

Star Trek even visited the park in the episode “The Paradise Syndrome”.

America’s favorite Hollywood TV family filmed an episode here in “Camping We Will Go”.

All five seasons of Combat filmed episodes here, including nearly every episode of Season 5.

Clark Gable was here, taking orders from Frank Capra for “It Happened One Night.” Seen here is Claudette Colbert’s famous hitch-hiking scene. I’d give her a ride…

Franklin Lake, in a scene from Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954). Why is that little red haired kid always fishing in my spot?

In the episode Andy and Helen Have their Day, Andy gets a ticket for no fishing license. Colin Male (right) who plays the Game Warden is also the announcer who opens every episode with “The Andy Grith Show, starring Andy Griffith”.

Instead of bringing money to pay Andy’s fine, Barney mistakenly thinks Andy and Helen are going to tie the knot at the Justice of the Peace.

The Justice of the Peace house today

The Rifleman episode “Old Tony” was filmed here in 1963

This episode was just on TV last week. Another scene from The Rifleman shot at FCP.

One of our followers, Kami Cotler is pictured on the right, from a scene from The Walton’s episode “The Collision”

Exploring this backlot is worth the trip to Beverly Hills, especially since no security guards are chasing you.

Another scene from Combat then and now. This backlot hasn’t changed at all other than the trees are larger.

A friend of mine clowning around, reenacting a scene from Combat.

In 1964, the park was used by photographer Guy Webster as a background for the following album covers: (Sounds of Silence), Simon & Garfunkel and Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass), The Rolling Stones.

The Beatles and The Rolling Stones both toured Los Angeles in 1965. The Beatles played to a sold out Dodger Stadium. They had hotel issues so Lew Wasserman, founder of MCA Universal put them up in the Universal lot. They visited The Munsters set and all became one big happy family. MCA stands for Music Corporation of America. The Stones played at The LA Sports Arena in their first LA show. The second US Tour began October 29 and ended up concluding 41 shows later, December 5th, 1965 in Los Angeles. That’s the time of this album cover photo. The British Invasion is underway…

Exact locations photographed, a bit blurry because Rock Stars never sleep, they just crash hard!

Little did they know when filming this opening scene, this show would go on to do so well for so many years.

Original B&W and later the Color opening credits filmed at FCP.

The Griffiths are not the only characters to fish here. Albert Einstein is seen here in an episode of The Rifleman.

Speaking of Rock Stars- Here’s Prince in a scene from Purple Rain filmed at Franklin Canyon Park.

Another scene from the Brady’s first family vacation.

Jodi Foster can be seen here in Silence of the Lambs.

This concrete barrier that aligns the road can be spotted in many famous television shows.

You can drive or walk down these roads at the park. Just don’t get out of line!

The concrete barrier can be seen spotted in the right hand corner during a fishing trip in TAGS.

Concrete barrier used in a scene from Combat.

Shell casings from prior battles which took place here can still be found buried in the dirt.

The original post is still there in another scene from Combat, showing Sgt. Saunders (Vic Morrow) on the move.

Another scene from Star Trek showing the lake in the episode “The Paradise Syndrome”.

Thanks for reading! For more backlot adventures, check out my book on Amazon. Phantom of the Backlots Presents: Hole in the Fence https://a.co/d/eYFJDQu