Part 1

The Actual Southern California Locations where
2004's "First Daughter" was filmed.

"First Daughter" is a perfect example of how Hollywood locations are often not what they seem.

The movie appears to have been filmed in Washington D.C. and at the University of Redmond.
It wasn't. In fact, there is no Redmond, California. "First Daughter" was filmed exclusively
in Southern California, at two key locales: in the Old Town section of Orange, California
(just east of Disneyland) and on the UCLA campus in Westwood Village.
Those two spots are a good 45 miles apart, but the film merges the two locales
seamlessly, to make it appear as if all of the scenes are in the same town.

But the film opens in another spot altogether. We see the President's daughter,
'Samantha Mackenzie' (Katie Holmes) making an entrance down a grand stairway.
That scene was composed of two very different locations, quite far apart.

The exterior was actually the former mansion of tycoon Henry Huntington, at the
Huntington Library, Art Collection &  Gardens, located at 1151 Oxford Road,
in San Marino (near Pasadena, CA)

.

But the interior (with the grand staircase) was actually shot in downtown L.A.,
inside the lavish lobby of the old "Los Angeles Theatre" located at 615 S. Broadway.
Unfortunately, the theatre is closed most of the year. It's open only for the annual
"Last Remaining Seats" festival and for filming of movies like this.

(Now here's an extra twist. This same theatre was used for another shot in the film... but more about that later.)





When we see the First Family drive into the college town (what is supposed to be the
University of Redmond), that scene of the Presidential motorcade being greeted by
flag-waving people lining the streets was actually shot in Old Town Orange, CA, on
W. Chapman Ave.

The motorcade was heading east on Chapman Ave,
then it curved left (north) into the Orange traffic circle.

The very next scene jumps 45 miles away, to a shot of Powell Library on the
UCLA campus in Westwood. This is supposed to be Redmond University.

(The irony is that there really is a college campus, Chapman College, just a block north
of the Orange traffic circle, on Glassell. Yet they chose to go 45 miles away to
film the college scenes. That's Hollywood for you...)

When 'Samantha' arrives at her dorm, "Woody House", they are actually walking into
Kerckhoff Hall at UCLA, which is next door to the popular Ackerman Union center.
In reality, Kerckhoff Hall houses the student newspaper ("The Daily Bruin"), the student
employment office, a coffee house, arcade and assorted student lounges.

(The interesting architecture of Kerckhoff Hall was
inspired by that of a chapel built by King Henry VII.)

More First Daughter Locations!
(Just click the arrow)