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TOWN FAVORED FOR FILMING.


Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer

SIMI VALLEY Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969.  - Long after the last cowboy thundered down a jagged hillside in Corriganville, film cameras still roll regularly in Simi Valley.

As Ventura County's only city within Hollywood's 30-mile studio zone, beyond which union members are paid extra, Simi Valley offers filmmakers bargains as well as unique topography.

``In the last year, the city has approved 20 permits for 50 total filming days,'' said Jim Purte, deputy director of economic development for the city of Simi Valley. ``Broken down, it was for two feature films, 10 commercials, five TV shows or movies and three student films.''

Film permit fees for major production companies are $643 per day, with minor productions charged $295 daily. The difference is the time a production company spends in town.

``It's kind of a judgment call, but, out of the 20 days, only three of them were major,'' Purte said. He cited recent features that used Simi Valley locations: ``The Good Girl'' with Jennifer Aniston and ``Bad Boys II'' featuring Martin Lawrence Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence[1] (born April 16, 1965) is an American actor, comedian, director and producer. He came to fame during the 1990s, establishing a Hollywood career as a leading actor.  and Will Smith.

Tracking the fiscal effect of local filming is difficult for the city, because production companies don't give a breakdown of how the money is spent during their stay.

``I get a report of the total dollars spent, but it includes payroll, which makes for a huge figure,'' Purte said. ``It's tough for us to chart, but we know the people employed in the film industry that live in Simi Valley are doing well. The best spin is that residents and businesses that lease their properties to film companies bring in a good income.''

Purte said that the multimonth rental of an abandoned Rite Aid Rite Aid (NYSE: RAD) is a United States retailer and pharmacy chain, operating over 5,000 stores in 31 states and the District of Columbia. Rite Aid Corporation is one of the nation's leading drugstore chains.  store on Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850.  Avenue for ``The Good Girl'' netted six figures for the building owner.

To ensure a steady flow of film dollars into the city, the Simi Valley Film Council, under the auspices of the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce, acts as an advocate for the town.

A 17-site tour on Friday brought more than 40 decision makers to town, where they were courted by businesses and locations eager for more starring roles. The council also issues a quarterly newsletter on filming and publishes an annual Film and Locations Guide that includes local talent, businesses and locations.

Local historians have captured some of the more colorful film tales in publications such as ``Simi Valley: A Journey Through Time,'' published by the Simi Valley Historical Society.

During a recent walk through through Strathearn Park, film council member and filming coordinator Rick Johnson Rick Johnson may refer to:
  • Rick Johnson (Fictional character), a character in the A Nightmare on Elm Street series
  • Rick Johnson (Motocross), National champion motocross racer and former NASCAR driver
 of Rancho Simi Rancho San José de Nuestra Senora de Altagarcia y Simi is one of the land grants in California by the Spanish government. The name derives from Shimiji, the name of the Chumash village here before the Spanish.  Recreation and Park District pointed out a window in the historic Strathearn house that was used in a pivotal scene in ``Days of Wine and Roses'' by a seemingly drunken Jack Lemmon Noun 1. Jack Lemmon - United States film actor (1925-2001)
John Uhler, Lemmon
. And council members are eager to remind that the creepy tract home possessed in the horror movie ``Poltergeist'' can be found on Cherry Avenue.

But the largest chapter in Simi SIMI Sea Ice Mechanics Initiative
SIMI Search for Intelligent Monkeys on the Internet
SIMI Students Islamic Movement in India
SIMI Society of Irish Motor Industry
SIMI Smallholder Irrigation Markets Initiative
 Valley's film history would be the one that celebrated the Wild West once experienced, then imagined, among the rocks and meadows of Corriganville.

In 1936, actor/stuntman Ray ``Crash'' Corrigan founded his famous ranch just over the Santa Susana Pass Santa Susana Pass is a mountain pass connecting Simi Valley to the San Fernando Valley.

The road used to be an Indian trail, and later a wagon road (a famous part was called Devil's Slide) before the road was paved.
 from another western film location, Iverson Ranch, which had been in operation since 1912. He bought the 1,740-acre property for just over $11,000 and set about to make a town perfect for bringing his Westerns to the silver screen.

Corriganville was the site of more than 3,500 movies and TV programs, including ``Rin Tin Tin
This article is about the musical group. For the Belgian comics character, see The Adventures of Tintin.


Tin Tin was a pop/rock band formed in the UK in 1966 by expatriate Australian musicians.
,'' ``Robin Hood Robin Hood, legendary hero of 12th-century England who robbed the rich to help the poor. Chivalrous, manly, fair, and always ready for a joke, Robin Hood reflected many of the ideals of the English yeoman. ,'' ``Death Valley Days'' and ``Jungle Jim.'' There were 45 different sets, including castles and Indian villages.

Corrigan himself filmed serial Westerns at the ranch, and most of the notable Western screen legends worked there: John Wayne, Clark Gable and Hopalong Cassidy
For the American football player, see Howard "Hopalong" Cassady.


Hopalong Cassidy is a cowboy-hero, created in 1904 by Clarence E. Mulford and appearing in a series of popular stories and novels.
.

``Silvertown'' was the authentic frontier street built on the ranch, with false front buildings intended for interior and exterior filming. The permanent sets were open to the public for viewing. Thousands of people streamed in every weekend. But a fate common to so many movie ranches befell Corriganville, and a devastating dev·as·tate  
tr.v. dev·as·tat·ed, dev·as·tat·ing, dev·as·tates
1. To lay waste; destroy.

2. To overwhelm; confound; stun: was devastated by the rude remark.
 fire swept through the ranch in 1970, followed by an equally damaging blaze in 1979 that leveled it to its foundations. The land, now reduced to a 200-acre parcel, is now run as a park by the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District.

But Corriganville wasn't the only place that cameras rolled in the last century. At least one Tarzan is reported to have swung through Tapo Canyon. Many films were made at the Strathearn Home Ranch, and historians note that many Strathearn grandchildren were there when Paul Muni and Anita Louise filmed ``The Louis Pasteur Story'' at the home.

The military was well-represented, with much of ``Sergeant York'' filmed on Simi Valley ranches, with the real York serving as technical adviser.

``Little House on the Prairie,'' the popular Michael Landon Michael Landon (October 31, 1936 – July 1, 1991) was an American actor, writer, director, and producer, who starred in three popular NBC TV series that spanned three decades.  series, was based in the local mountains; sets built on area farmland fostered a working relationship between agriculture and filmmakers. When the series concluded in 1983, a plot line called for the sets' demolition by explosion and fire, which was carried out. But the site still garners its fair share of attention.

James Arness This biographical article or section needs additional references for verification.
Please help [ to improve this article] by adding additional sources.
Unverifiable material about living persons must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful.
, who filmed parts of the long-running show ``Gunsmoke'' at Corriganville, liked the area so much, he bought part of Eddie Maier's ranch against the southeastern hills. That land, which was shown off Friday to visiting location, is now part of the Brandeis-Bardin Institute Now the Bradeis-Bardin Campus of American Jewish University, this Jewish retreat in Simi Valley was formerly the Brandeis-Bardin Institute. It is known for its nondenominational summer programs for children, teens and young adults. . Like the heroes of the silver screen, Marshal Dillon found it only right to give back to his community.

Carol Rock, (805) 583-7604

carol.rock(at)dailynews.com

FILMED IN SIMI VALLEY

FEATURE FILMS

Duel in the Sun

The Song of Bernadette

Fort Apache

Streets of Laredo

Men In Black

Gross Pointe Blank

Forever Young

Three Ninjas

Sneakers sneakers
Noun, pl

US, Canad, Austral & NZ canvas shoes with rubber soles

sneakers npl (US) → zapatos mpl de lona; zapatillas fpl 
 

Honey, I Blew Up the Kids

Sgt. Bilko

Little Princess

Poetic Justice

Playing God

Perfect Game

The Craft

Viva Rock Vegas

The Good Girl

TV SERIES

Lone Ranger

Death Valley Days

Lassie Lassie

canine star of popular film and TV series. [TV: Terrace, II, 13–15; Radio: Buxton, 135]

See : Dogs
 

Have Gun, Will Travel

The Fugitive

Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman is multi-Emmy Award winning western/dramatic television series in the United States, created by Beth Sullivan. It ran on CBS for six seasons, from January 1st, 1993 to May 16th, 1998.  

Little House on the Prairie

Knots Landing

Pacific Blue

Martial Law martial law, temporary government and control by military authorities of a territory or state, when war or overwhelming public disturbance makes the civil authorities of the region unable to enforce its law.  

JAG judge advocate general (J.A.G.) n. a military officer who advises the government on courts-martial and administers the conduct of courts-martial. The officers who are judge advocates and counsel assigned to the accused come from the office of the judge advocate  

X-Files

Diagnosis Murder

Chicago Hope

Soldier of Fortune

Beverly Hills 90210

Hercules

Power Rangers

SOURCE: Simi Valley Film and Locations Guide 2002

How movie firms can stay friends

The California Film Commission recommends the following guidelines:

--When filming in a neighborhood or business district, notification should be provided to each merchant or resident who is directly affected. The notice should include the name of company and production, company contact, kind of production, type of activity and duration.

--Production vehicles should not enter residential areas before the time stipulated in the permit and should park one-by-one and turn off engines as soon as possible. Cast and crew should observe designated parking areas.

--Do not trespass on residents' neighbors' or merchants' property. Remain within the boundaries of the property for which a filming permit has been issued.

--Moving or towing of the public's vehicles is prohibited without the permission of the municipal jurisdiction or the owner.

--Cast and crew meals should be confined to the area designated in the permit. All catering, craft service, construction, strike and personal trash must be removed from location.

--Removing, trimming or cutting vegetation or trees is prohibited unless approved by the permit authority or property owner.

--All signs erected or removed for filming purposes will be removed or replaced upon completion of the use of that location unless otherwise stipulated in the permit.

--Keep noise to a minimum.

--Observe designated smoking areas and properly extinguish cigarettes.

--Cast and crew should not bring guests or pets to the location, unless expressly authorized in advance by the company.

--Sets and props should be removed upon completion of use.

--Production companies will refrain from using lewd or offensive language within earshot ear·shot  
n.
The range within which sound can be heard by the unaided ear; hearing distance: listened until the parade was out of earshot.
 of the general public.

Questions or complaints about filming can be addressed at (805) 583-6701. To reach the Simi Valley Film Council, call (805) 526-3900.

CAPTION(S):

photo, 2 boxes

Photo:

Movie personnel sit in a parking lot as designers turn a vacant storefront into a video store for a commercial shoot Thursday evening in Simi Valley.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer

Box:

(1) FILMED IN SIMI VALLEY (see text)

(2) How movie firms can stay friends (see text)
COPYRIGHT 2003 Daily News
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 2003, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

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Publication:Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
Date:Sep 7, 2003
Words:1379
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