A Star is Born is one of the most iconic screenplays ever written, and subsequently has been made into four separate movies over the course of two centuries. Because of its Hollywood vibe, these films have been mostly filmed in Los Angeles, the home of the stars.
So what are some cool LA film locations you can visit from every version of A Star is Born? Cinema fans can visit the following places where the films were shot:
- The Virgil
- The Short Stop
- Chateau Marmont
- Shrine Auditorium
- Greek Theater
- Warner Brothers Burbank Studio Lot
- Coconut Grove, Ambassador Hotel
- Grauman’s Chinese Theater
- Santa Anita Park and Racetrack
- Hollywood Bowl
- Janss Estate (Playboy Mansion)
Aside from their roles in the A Star is Born movies, these LA hot spots feature some of the city’s most exciting attractions. Read on to find out more about these famous film locales.
The Virgil
4519 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles, California
The Virgil, drag club where songstress Ally performed in the 2018 version of A Star Is Born, was known in reality as a gay bar called The Garage up until a few years ago, when it became a venue for alternative stand-up comedy.
Every Monday this club hosts a comedian showcase called Hot Tub that features some of the most brilliant and upcoming stand-up comedians in Los Angeles.
The Short Stop
The Short Stop, 1455 West Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, California
The Short Stop is a Dodgers fan dive bar in Los Angeles that stood in as Jack’s favorite cop bar hangout in the 2018 version of A Star is Born. This bar is also famous as being one of the most notorious cop bars catering to the Rampart Division.
Every Monday, The Short Stop has a Motown extravaganza called Motown On Mondays.
Chateau Marmont
8221 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, California
In the 2018 version of A Star is Born, Lady Gaga as Ally, first realizes that she has become a superstar when she sees her face on a billboard across from this famous hotel, which features suites and bungalows with old school Hollywood flair.
Rooms at the Chateau Marmont start at $705 a night. Visitors to the hotel can enjoy a number of amenities, including an on-site luxury restaurant, a heated outdoor swimming pool, unpacking services, and massage therapy on demand.
Shrine Auditorium
665 West Jefferson Boulevard, Los Angeles, California
The Shrine Auditorium was built in 1906 by the Al Makailah Shriners and soon became one of the largest theaters in Southern California. It’s where the Grammys scene of the 1908 version of A Star is Born was shot, but the Shrine Auditorium is the home of many other famous televised events, and has hosted the Academy Awards and the Emmys.
The Shrine hosts many events that are open to the public and have an online events calendar.
Greek Theatre
2700 North Vermont, Los Angeles, California
Arguably the place where Ally’s stardom was discovered when she was brought on stage to sing with Jack at his concert. The historic Greek Theatre is located in Griffith Park and has been graced by some of the most famous singers in recorded history—Sir Elton John, Aretha Franklin, Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen, and more.
Since it is an outdoor theater, the Greek Theatre is most popular in the summer months, where visitors can see upcoming events starting in May 2020, including groups such as Dead Can Dance, Adam Ant, and NF.
Warner Brothers Burbank Studio Lot
4000 Warner Boulevard, Building 34. Burbank, California
The 1976 version of A Star is Born starring Barbara Streisand, and Kris Kristofferson was filmed almost exclusively in Tucson, Arizona, and the only LA-based filming location for this version of the movie is the Warner Brothers Burbank Studio Lot.
For those visitors wanting to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of how movie magic is made, Warner Brothers offers daily tours where sightseers can visit the television sets of The Big Bang Theory, see all of the Batmobiles on display, or see some of the most iconic superhero props and costumes in the world at DC Universe: The Exhibit.
Studio tours of the Warner Brothers lot start at $69 a ticket.
Cocoanut Grove, Ambassador Hotel
3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California
The Cocoanut Grove in the Ambassador Hotel was featured in the 1954 version of A Star is Born starring Judy Garland, but unfortunately, LA tourists can’t visit this iconic hotel. After attempts to preserve the historic site in the early 2000s, the Ambassador Hotel was unfortunately demolished in 2006.
Due to its retro environment, the Ambassador Hotel was used for a number of famous film shoots, including movies such as Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, and Catch Me if You Can.
Because of its infamy as a club for the rich and famous, the Cocoanut Grove has been recreated in several movies, including The Aviator and The Thirteenth Floor.
The famous filming site is now the location of the Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools.
Grauman’s Chinese Theatre
6925 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, California
It has been stated that to visit Los Angeles and not see Grauman’s Chinese Theatre is similar to visiting China without seeing The Great Wall.
Grauman’s Chinese Theatre (also known more recently as the TCL Chinese Theatre) is one of the most iconic landmarks in all of Hollywood. This movie palace is known for its Exotic Revival architecture and has been used as the premiere sight for dozens of famous films.
The Chinese Theatre features footprints and handprints encased in concrete on its forefront from some of the world’s most famous actors and actresses. Visitors to the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre should also check out the nearby Hollywood & Highland entertainment complex.
Santa Anita Park and Racetrack
285 Huntington Drive, Arcadia, California
While technically not in Los Angeles proper, Arcadia is only forty-five minutes from downtown Hollywood, and the Santa Anita Park and Racetrack is a filming location used in the 1937 version of A Star is Born with Janet Gaylor and Frederic March, so it’s worth the detour.
This racetrack is famous as the home of the Breeders Cup World Championship races, but visitors can enjoy watching thoroughbred racehorses rocket down the tracks at Santa Anita year-round. Those who come to see the races can enjoy a fine dining experience at the Turf Terrace restaurant, or grab a couple of craft brews at the Golden Road Pub.
Hollywood Bowl
2301 North Highland Avenue, Hollywood, California
The Hollywood Bowl is a massive, sparkling amphitheater located in the Hollywood Hills that also featured in the 1937 version of A Star is Born. This venue is where the concert scenes in the movie
were shot.
Opened in 1922, the Hollywood Bowl has hosted celebrities from all over the world from Billie Holliday to the Beatles and is coming up on its 100th year anniversary in 2022.
The Hollywood Bowl features free tours for sightseers and is also the winter home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. It has hosted such world-class performers as Elton John, Paul McCartney and Ella Fitzgerald.
Janss Estate
10236 Charing Cross Road, Los Angeles, California
The Janss Estate, more commonly known as the Playboy Mansion owned by the late Hugh Hefner and originally built for the Letts dynasty of department store tycoons, has been a Hollywood landmark for decades and is famous for the dalliances of its secretive high-society invitees. This sprawling mansion was a shooting locale for the 1937 version of A Star is Born.
Initially scheduled for demolition in the late 2010s after the death of Hugh Hefner, the Gothic-Tudor mansion was eventually purchased by Hugh Hefner’s next-door neighbor Daren Metropoulis, who has declared his intentions to restore and refurbish the pop culture icon.
Visitors to Los Angeles can tour the posh Hollywood neighborhood, but unfortunately, this private mansion is not visible from the road.