I am a producer, filmmaker, and production manager. I enjoy assisting film companies that want to make a film in the incredible Mendocino area. 530-518-9097

Mendocino Movie and TV History

2022: River of Ghosts (Filmed mostly in Mendocino.) A psychological thriller about betrayal and memory loss.

2021: CRABS! (Filmed entirely in Mendocino and Ft. Bragg.) A campy and funny horror film about mutant crabs that invade a coastal city.

2020: Timecrafters: The Treasure of Pirate’s Cove (Filmed mostly in Mendocino and Ft. Bragg.) A good family film about kids, pirates, treasure and time travel!

2014: Need For Speed – (Mostly filmed in Mendocino County.) Based on a popular Electronic Arts video game about car races, it showcased the spectacular Mendocino coastline, Anderson Valley Wine Country, Point Arena Lighthouse, and some thrilling curvy roads!

Need For Speed – Mendocino Beacon

2008 : Shark Swarm — a Hallmark TV movie with Darryl Hannah, John Schneider, and Armand Assante.

2001 : The Majestic – Dream Works – Jim Carrey

1994 : The Haunting of Sea Cliff Inn – TV – Ally Sheedy and Louise Fletcher

1993 : Pontiac Moon – Paramount – Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen

1992 : Forever Young – Warner Brothers – Mel Gibson

1990 : Dying Young – 20th Century Fox – Julia Roberts, Campbell Scott

1989 : Karate Kid III – Columbia Pictures – Pat Morita

1988 : Wired – (The John Belushi Story) Michael Chiklis, Ray Sharkey

1987 : Overboard – MGM – Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell

1986 : The Killing Time – Levy/Abrams Productions – Kiefer Sutherland

1986: Destination America – TV

1985: Dark Mansions – TV – Michael York

*1984-89 : Murder She Wrote – TV Series (9 episodes in Mendocino)

1983: Sutter’s Bay – TV – Granville Van Dusen, Linda Carlson

1983 : Racing with the Moon – Paramount – Sean Penn, Nicholas Cage

1982: Treasure – Videodisc – Dory Dean

1980 : Cujo – Sunn classic Films – Dee Wallace

1980 : Dead and Buried – Aspen Productions – James Farrentino

1979 : Humanoids from the Deep – Doug McClure

1978 : Strangers – TV – Universal – Bette Davis, Gena Rowlands – Emmy

1978 : Same Time, Next Year – Mirisch Brothers – Alan Alda, Ellen Burstyn – Oscar

1977: The Boy Who Talks To Whales – TV – Byrd Baker, Andy Gordon

1976: Jeremiah of Jacob’s Neck – TV – Keenan Wynn

1973: The Runaway on the Rogue River – Educational – Slim Pickens

1973: God Bless Grandma & Grandpa – TV – Robert Walker

1973: Haunts – May Britt, Cameron Mitchell

1972: Slither – James Caan, Peter Boyle, Sally Kelleman, Louise Lasser

1972: The New Healers – TV – Robert Foxworth, Kate Jackson, Burgess Meredith

1971: The FBI-Bitter Harbor – TV – Stephen Brooks, Lynn Loring, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.

1971: Young Goodman Brown – Educational.

1971: Glen & Randa – Steven Curry, Shelly Plimpton

1970: Is there a Doctor in the House? – TV – Rosemary Forsyth, William Windom

1970 : The Summer of ’42 – Warner Brothers – Jennifer O’Neil – Oscar

1969 : The Dunwich Horror – Sandra Dee, Dean Stockwell, and Ralph Bellamy

1965 : The Russians Are Coming… – Mirisch Brothers – Alan Arkin – Oscar

1963 : Island of the Blue Dolphins – Universal Pictures

1954: The Strange Case of Dr. Mesmer – no details

1954 : East of Eden – Warner Brothers – James Dean – Oscar

Mendocino Locations
(Thanks to Herve Attia)

Good article about the personalities of James Dean and other players

1947 : Johnny Belinda – Warner Brothers – Jane Wyman – Oscar

1943 : The Uninvited – Ray Milland (background shots only)

1943 : Frenchman’s Creek – Paramount – Joan Fontaine – Oscar

1925 : In Search of a Hero – Richard Holt

1923 : The Signal Tower – Wallace Beery and Rockcliff Fellows

1922 : Timberland Tales – Roy Stewart

1922 : Soul of the Beast – Noah Beery

1921 : Kindred of the Dust – Miriam Cooper

1920 : The Man Who Dared – William Russell

1919 : King Spruce – Mitchell Lewis

1916 : The Promise – Harold Lockwood

1904 : The Sequoia Sempervirens – filmed at Caspar Lumber Co.

*Note: Murder She Wrote, 9 episodes in Mendocino, 1984 – 1996.

“The Murder of Sherlock Holmes” (Pilot – Season 1, Episode 1)
“Deadly Lady” (Season 1, Episode 2)
“Hit, Run and Homicide” (Season 1, Episode 8)
“Sticks and Stones” (Season 2, Episode 10)
“Keep the Home Fries Burning” (Season 2, Episode 14)
“If a Body Meet a Body” (Season 2, Episode 18)
“If It’s Thursday, It Must Be Beverly” (Season 4, Episode 7)
“Who Threw the Barbitals in Mrs. Fletcher’s Chowder?” (Season 4, Episode 12)
“Mirror, Mirror on the Wall” (Season 5, Episodes 21 & 22)

Angela Lansbury had a tremendous fondness for the village of Mendocino and its residents. Her mother, actress Moyna Macgill, had filmed the movie, Frenchman’s Creek, along the Mendocino coast in 1944 (Albion River and Big River ). Cast and crew lodged at the Little River Inn, headquarters for the entire production. This made the Mendocino area feel doubly special. Unlike other Hollywood stars who kept to themselves while filming on the coast, Lansbury strolled the streets between takes and shopped in local businesses. She embraced the town’s community spirit, inviting local residents who worked as background extras into her trailer to chat and donating money to local high school clubs. The 9 Murder She Wrote episodes were filmed in Mendocino and nearby Ft. Bragg. The Blair House in Mendocino was Jessica Fletcher’s home, and Mendocino’s Hill House Inn was the Hill House of Cabot Cove. In fact, Mendocino itself was the small town of Cabot Cove!

Shots of Mendocino were used in every episode to establish location.

Filming Murder She Wrote in Mendocino brought over 2 million dollars to the local economy. The volunteer fire departments, the school district, and the local recreation area received substantial donations. Because the Mendocino High School band appeared in one of the episodes, it earned enough money to take a field trip! A few actors from the Mendocino episodes still reside in the community.