• THE DECKARDS' HOUSE

[Replicant 13]

HOME SWEET HOME?

Perhaps this subject does not qualify directly as a prop, but it relates to one that has been in question for decades. It may have been addressed elsewhere on PS, or perhaps there are those here or online who can shed light on this topic with the correct location.

Nonetheless, I offer this as a possible discovery and a plausible answer.

BACKGROUND
Residing on the Warner Bros. backlot, it has been suggested that the Waltons' house was the set used for the photo of Rick and Iran Deckard that is glimpsed briefly in Deckard's apartment.

But although there are basic similarities, I found the Walton house lacking. It differed significantly in its basic structure and details. However, in a recent online search, prompted by a clue from Tom Southwell, I might have stumbled across the location that did serve as the Deckard home -



THE TRASK HOUSE
Also on the Warner backlot, the Trask House on King's Row appears in many ways to match the house shown in the image framed on Deckard's piano, hidden amongst the clutter of "family" photos and miscellaneous props.

There are subtle differences, but after three decades, I've little doubt that upkeep, renovations and the requirements of various productions could well have resulted in disguising it from being easily recognized. There are noticeable similarities in the basic structure - the location and design of the windows and front door, the walkway and steps leading up to the porch, even the position of the posts.

Still, there are those obvious differences. But the lattice work trimming the roofline above the porch could be an addition, as well as the hand rails and the two inner posts added, altering the access at the top of the steps. The landscaping may have changed as well.

And to this point, this location has been used in other films, most notably "East of Eden". An online video shows a comparison of the locations used at the time and the significant changes since the release of that 1955 film -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjSGiKu79IM

To be true, this is not yet an answer. It is pure conjecture on my part - but if it WAS shot on the backlot - an 'educated guess', perhaps someone here or elsewhere knows the answer and can resolve this question. Or even has access to Warner's backlot . . .

Any thoughts?

Good night, John-Boy. - R13
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Gosh, you've really got some nice toys here . . .

[joberg]

Very interesting indeed. I think you're onto something Dave.
It would've been easy to shoot those pics on the Warner lot since, it looks like the house being used for that particular scene/prop.

True that those have been transformed over the years (for various reasons), but all in all, the clues are there!

Thanks to Tom and you Dave

[Replicant 13]

Only wish we had some confirmation. Unfortunately some of those involved are gone and their contributing studio changed hands, merged and then was closed.

Where and if the image still exists, is still the question.

- R13


More fodder for consideration and comparison - note the 4 steps, their color and the
boxed risers on either side, as well as the enlarged bases at the bottom of the posts.
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Gosh, you've really got some nice toys here . . .

[Bwood]

To me it would make sense that all Warner Brothers had to do was use something on their lot for this photo. It was right there at their disposal and wouldn't cost them anything. Also, what other house in existence would come this close to resembling this one?

[Replicant 13]

Bwood -

I agree, but still I could be wrong. It's a guess.

As to another house matching this well? No doubt, at any given time house plans are repeated - the basic layout, the placement of the external doors and windows, etc. You can see this in many of suburbia's neighborhoods, past and present, where every third house is obviously similar, only the trim and the colors differ.



ANOTHER POV on King's Row, looking a bit worse for wear . . .

However, I agree with your points. A house on the backlot is more accessible at any given time, and it is doubtful that there would be houses on the backlot that were too similar in appearance. Their use dictates diversity.

I can only hope that perhaps someone here might have the knowledge, or have the access to investigate this in person, either by researching the past records at Warner Bros., or visiting the house itself and taking photos of any significant details that might reveal changes reflecting back to the house as it looked in the in 1979-80 when it might have been used.

That's probably our best chance at this point, if at all. As usual, Tom was very helpful with his suggestions, but admittedly was not involved in that effort. Unfortunately, over time, we have lost many of those who labored behind the scenes on this troubled shoot and might know and many of those chose to forget the experience anyway.



And then there's the house where Sarah, Eldon Tyrell's niece lived. It might be somewhere on the backlot as well . . . - R13
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Gosh, you've really got some nice toys here . . .

[Replicant 13]

It seems this particular plot of land has seen varied uses. Investigating a bit further online, I found two more references to the Trask House. Aside from it's known use in "East of Eden", as Tom Southwell had suggested, it was in fact used on "The Waltons", but not as the home of the Waltons but of the Baldwin Sisters(?) More recently it was seen on television as a home used in "The Gilmore Girls"*, neither within my realm of viewing. No doubt there are others as it seems to be given fresh paint on occasion.

HAB1! - R13

Two more recent photos of the Trask House -

OF NOTE: It seems the front porch railings might have been changed as well, perhaps when
the handrails were added to the steps.
Those on the Deckard version feature an "H" configuration.



And it is a regular on the Warner Backlot Tour . . .

*To clarify, through the typical trickery of backlot construction, apparently the back side of the Trask House is the front side of the house as it appeared in the Gilmore Girls.
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Gosh, you've really got some nice toys here . . .

[joberg]

You're right Dave, the railing is in the H design (no longer there as per the "new" version of the house).

I think that it's the closest house (and as Bwood said, no need to go elsewhere but the back lot to take a pic).

[Bwood]

It would appear the place has been re-roofed and has had a tree added to the front lawn in the latest picture..

[Replicant 13]

As said, no doubt there have been several changes since "Blade Runner" was filmed.

The photo of the Deckards seems to show the hint of a large tree in the foreground/front yard, its leaves barely peeking in from above right and casting a small shadow at the roofline. If so this must have been removed years ago, for whatever reason - perhaps it just grew to be in the way.



And if you look closely at a couple of the photos posted here, you will see a depression in the front yard where that tree could have been removed -



Another educated guess. - R13
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Gosh, you've really got some nice toys here . . .

[Bwood]

Replicant 13, the depression is on the opposite side of the entrance from where the tree is shown, however I have since discovered that at one time this house, in addition to being Sookie's house in Gilmore Girls, also served as Boss Hogg's house in Dukes of Hazzard,
http://propsummit.com/upload/696/sdc10681.jpg
also Dr. Hart's office in Hart of Dixie,
http://propsummit.com/upload/696/3574522636_12805b0f0d_z.jpg
and possibly a long time ago, Deckard's front porch...

[Mr Webber]

Great thread, it would be cool to add another BR location to the existing list.

Recently I met up with a group of Mad Max fans from Japan who came down to tour all the location spots from the first movie in four days.
It was put together by the guy who makes the special MFP glasses They had a blast.

Im hoping someone organises something similar for LA circa 2019.
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Formerly offworld66

[Replicant 13]

I always thought such a trek would be amazing! Were it to happen, I only wish I could attend.



And there's only 5 years left. Hard to believe. - R13
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Gosh, you've really got some nice toys here . . .

[Replicant 13]

Bwood -

If it was used back in 1954 for "Eden", no doubt it has been used in numerous films and TV series. I'm sure with time we could discover several more.

As to the tree, you might be correct, assuming the tree in question was closer, in the foreground of the Deckards' pic. But judging from the apparent distance of the leaves (by their size), the angle of the shadows (Rick's shadow falls slightly to our left onto the post) and the rather shallow front lawn, I took it to be to the right of the steps, if you're facing the house. So it would be casting its shadow across to the left.

? - R13
_________________
Gosh, you've really got some nice toys here . . .

[Replicant 13]

Going to the Warner website, the backlot can be viewed, divided into a number of "Main Lot Locations" from the New York Street set where the bulk of "Blade Runner" was shot to the Waltons' house, shown in more detail under "Ranch Facility Locations".

I think it becomes obvious that the house used as the Waltons' home was not used for either of the two "Blade Runner" images, and with a quick overview of the website, I discovered no entry immediately similar to the simple porch seen the Rachel/Sarah image.


The Walton House - No Match

The Trask House is shown as a still under the heading of "Midwest Business & Residential Street" and is featured at the beginning of one of its virtual tour segments, but I found no other information on the site.

http://studiofacilities.warnerbros.com/stages-sets/exterior-sets/

- R13
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Gosh, you've really got some nice toys here . . .

[Replicant 13]

Without any real confirmation or proof, perhaps this question remains unresolved.


FROM THE "IT'S FILMED THERE" WEBSITE

Hopefully at some point, someone here may eventually stumble upon this thread and be able to confirm my suspicions.

THE OTHER HOUSE
As to the house pictured in the snapshot of Rachel (Sarah) Rosen as a child with her mom, there is less to go on. It is obviously a smaller house.



The steps and front door are smaller, simpler and the porch appears shallower. There seems to be a window to the right of the door. The thought occurs that this could have been taken on a side or even back porch, although many of these buildings lack a complete 360º view. There are few, if any photos on line that reveal such angles and detail. Comparing the current photos of the Trask House, it seems that a side extension - an enclosed room or porch has been added to the right end of the house. It does not appear to be in the photo of the Deckards at the angle that picture was taken(?)

And having searched a few of the other websites featuring shots of most of the other houses currently standing on Warner's backlot, I've seen nothing that appears a match. There's always a chance it was shot elsewhere or that this particular structure has changed significantly, or been demolished to make room for other needs (In 2003 the Warner's Laramie Street western sets were demolished to be replaced by a new suburban street*). While I will continue to search from a distance, again it falls to others here to contribute as this may be the more difficult location to determine after 30+ years.

Then perhaps, this would be best left to another thread.

------------

Aside from the official website, here is another site that has numerous shots from Warner Bros. backlot, including the New York set used as L.A., as well as the Trask House. Many photos are larger and of a better quality than those on the other sites:

http://www.itsfilmedthere.com

HAB1! - R13[/i]

* http://articles.latimes.com/2003/aug/13/entertainment/et-walstad13
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Gosh, you've really got some nice toys here . . .

[joberg]

I appreciate the thoughts and efforts you've put into that quest Dave.
As you said, all of your theories are valid ones as far as the other photo is concerned.
Who knows how these were taken in the first place.
"Yeah, we need two photos, one of the character named Deckard and one of the character of Rachael, albeit as a little girl. That'll be up to casting and Ridley...he'll see if we have something suitable in the back lot to do the shoot, then wardrobe, make-up, etc"

As you said, hopefully, someday somebody will talk (the sooner the better )

[Replicant 13]

As has been said, often the journey can be far more rewarding than the destination.

It was fun tackling this little corner of the BR Universe. If I am correct in my thinking, great. It addresses one facet that perhaps has not been investigated.

I offer it only as one possible path that might inspire further investigation beyond what I can accomplish from here. Like my efforts to determine the appearance and sources for Tom Southwell's magazine covers, it eventually resulted in more answers than I could have dreamed to discover this late in this game.

Thanks to any and all who contribute their thoughts and knowledge to Propsummit.

HAB1! - R13
_________________
Gosh, you've really got some nice toys here . . .

[Replicant 13]

Sometimes persistence can prove rewarding. I would think this answers the question, finally.

Following another path online, looking for images of the old, demolished Laramie set, lead to locations used for the town of "Hazzard" and back to the Trask House, and a photo from a Season 5 episode, "The New Dukes", showing Boss Hogg's house. This season began in the Fall of 1982.

Look familiar?



Aside from "newly painted" shutters, all the details missing in the more current photos of the Trask House are there - the trim and Y supports atop the porch posts as well as the H-forming crossbars within the railings, and the then still white front door.

Here there is no tree out front as I had proposed, but the overhanging foreground branches might suggest that the Deckards may well have been photographed from across the street.



Viewed from down the street, this earlier angle reveals the open area to the right, now occupied by large trees and other structures. Judging from the darker color of the blocks at either side of the steps and the absence of the shutters, this second image could well be the house at about the time the photo of the Deckards was actually taken.



And finally, another earlier photo, circa 1971, when the house was used for the short-lived "Jimmy Stewart Show" as his character's family residence. Again the trim and details match, although the color is significantly different. Note the missing dormer at the roof's center.

Landscaping differed at this time as well. A small tree grows at the curb, which perhaps grew too large by the early 80's and was removed.

IN CONCLUSION
Those details may never be answered, but by whatever production it may be currently labeled, here on Propsummit it will remain "The Deckard House". - R13

Now about that other photo of the young Rachael Rosen . . .
_________________
Gosh, you've really got some nice toys here . . .

[Bwood]

[joberg]

You nailed Dave This is the house for sure! As for the Rachael's pic, maybe they didn't bother to look further than the back porch of the same house