Movies Filmed in San Diego

Movies Filmed in San Diego

Street Scene, San Diego

February 1898 San Diego Directed by: The Edison Manufacturing Company This is perhaps the first film shot in San Diego. It portrays a trolley car packed with passengers, carriages, pedestrians, and other visual representations of turn of the century city life in San Diego.

Dogs Playing in the Surf

February 1898 Coronado, Hotel Del Coronado
Directed by: The Edison Manufacturing Company
This is the first film shot in Coronado, and it features a group of dogs running into the water at the beach, chasing a stick.

Fatty and Mabel at the San Diego Exposition

January 23, 1915 San Diego Staring: Fatty Arbuckle, Mabel Normand Directed by: Fatty Arbuckle Fatty and Mabel visit the San Diego Exposition, afterwards, the couple takes in San Diego.

The Virginian

September 7, 1914 San Diego Staring: Dustin Farnum Directed by: Cecil B. DeMille A cowboy wishes to bring down the gang of cattle rustlers, which includes his best friend.

Tell it to the Marines

January 29, 1927 Staring: Lon Chaney, William Haines Directed by: George W. Hill A U.S. Marine Drill Sergeant and his most tenacious recruit have a crush on the same nurse.

Beggars of Life

September 22, 1928 San Diego Staring: Wallace Beery, Louise Brooks Directed by: William A. Wellman After killing her step-father, a young girl tries to escape the country.

Hell Divers

January 16, 1932 San Diego Staring: Wallace Beery, Clark Gable Directed by: George W. Hill A tale of the rivalry between two navy pilots, both on and off duty.

It's a Wonderful World

May 19, 1939 San Diego Staring: James Stewart, Claudette Colbert Directed by: W.S. Van Dyke On his way to prison, a private detective discovers a clue leading to the person who framed his client. He must escape and prove the client's innocence before his death-row sentence comes to pass.

The Fighting 69th

January 27, 1940 San Diego Staring: James Cagney, Pat O'Brien Directed by: William Keighley Cocky cadet Jerry Plunkett only looks out for himself, until he ends up costing the lives of fellow soldiers, when he discovers the need to redeem himself.

Citizen Kane

May 1, 1941 Balboa Park Staring: Joseph cotton Directed by: Orson Welles The world's most wealthy man dies, uttering the words “rose bud,” now the journalists need to know what that means and why it is important.

In the Navy

May 30, 1941 Naval Training Center Staring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello Directed by: Arthur Lubin An Abbott and Costello classic, this film includes the pair in the navy, protecting the identity of their famous friend who ran away to serve.

Dive Bomber

August 30, 1941 Cabrillo National Monument, U.S. Naval Base, North Island Naval Station Staring: Errol Flynn, Fred MacMurray Directed by: Michael Curtiz A surgeon pairs with a pilot to develop a high-altitude suit to protect pilots from blacking out when in step dives.

Sailor Beware

February 9, 1952 Naval Training Center Staring: Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis Directed by: Hal Walker Although allergic to kissing girls, a sailor develops a reputation for being a great kisser nicknamed “Mr. Temptation,” and is followed by adoring women.

The Spirit of St. Louis

April 20, 1957 San Diego Staring: James Stewart, Murray Hamilton Directed by: Billy Wilder Charles Lindbergh struggles to find funding to get the design for an airplane to take him on his famous trans-Atlantic flight.

Some Like it Hot

March 29, 1959 Hotel Del Coronado, Coronado Staring: Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis Directed by: Billy Wilder To escape the mob, two men dress as ladies in a traveling all-girl band; trouble ensues when they both start falling for a beautiful fellow band mate.

The Gallant Hours

June 13, 1960 San Diego Staring: James Cagney, Dennis Weaver Directed by: Robert Montgomery A dramatization of five weeks in the life of Rear Admiral William F. “Bull” Hasley, Jr.

The Outsider

December 1961 Camp Pendleton, San Diego Staring: Tony Curtis Directed by: Delbert Mann A Native American fights in World War II and helps raise the flag at Iwo Jima.

It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World

November 7, 1963 Pacific Beach, San Diego Staring: Spencer Tracy, Milton Berle Directed by: Stanley Kramer A thief's dying words spawn a crazy cross-country rush to discover treasure.

In Harm's Way

April 6, 1965 San Diego Staring: John Wayne, Kirk Douglas Directed by: Otto Preminger A naval officer reprimanded after Pearl Harbor gets a second chance to prove himself against the Japanese.

Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N.

July 29, 1966 San Diego, USS Kitty Hawk Staring: Dick Van Dyke, Nancy Kwan Directed by: Byron Paul A navy pilot bails from a crashing plane and begins life on a desert island, where a lovely native girl falls in love with him.

Diamonds Are Forever

December 17, 1971 Oceanside Staring: Sean Connery Directed by: Guy Hamilton A diamond smuggling plot brings James Bond to Las Vegas, where he discovers one of his arch-enemies is involved.

Grey Lady Down

April 1978 San Diego Staring: Charlton Heston, David Carradine Directed by: David Greene A navy captain uses an experimental piece of machinery to get to a nuclear submarine stuck on an ocean ledge.

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!

October 1978 San Diego Staring: David Miller, George Wilson Directed and Written by: John De Bello Mutated tomatoes begin destroying the world until a band of scientists unite to destroy them.

Scavenger Hunt

December 21, 1979 Balboa Park, Hillcrest, La Mesa, North Park, San Diego Staring: Richard Benjamin, James Coco Directed by: Michael Schultz To inherit a fortune, potential heirs must find odd, un-buyable objects in a scavenger hunt.

Firefox

June 18, 1982 San Diego Staring: Clint Eastwood Directed by: Clint Eastwood A pilot is sent into the Soviet Union to steal plans for a jet prototype that can be controlled by the mind.

Top Gun

May 16, 1986 Naval Training Center, Kansas City Barbecue, Miramar Naval Air Station, Mission Beach Plunge, Oceanside, Red Fox Room, San Diego, USS Ranger, Windsock Bar and Grill Staring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer Directed by: Tony Scott In an elite flying school for US fighter pilots, students compete for manliness and the affection of the attractive teacher.

Heartbreak Ridge

December 5, 1986 Camp Pendleton, San Diego Staring: Clint Eastwood Directed by: Clint Eastwood A hard-nosed Marine gunnery Sergeant takes control of a spoiled platoon of soldiers with bad attitudes.

Spaceballs

June 24, 1987 San Diego Staring: Mel Brooks, Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, John Candy Directed and written by: Mel Brooks A typical Mel Brooks spoof movie, this one takes on Star Wars, where Lone Star must seek out Yogurt to gain the Schwartz.

The Naked Gun: From The Files of Police Squad!

December 2, 1988 University of San Diego Staring: Leslie Nielson, Priscilla Presley, O.J. Simpson Directed by: David Zucker An idiotic cop must foil a plot to kill Queen Elizabeth II.

Little Nakita

March 18, 1988 San Diego Staring: River Phoenix, Sidney Poitier Directed by: Richard Benjamin An FBI agent seeks revenge on the rogue soviet spy that killed his partner; a teenage boy and his spy parents are caught in the mix.

K-9

April 29, 1989 Coronado, Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego Staring: James Belushi Directed by: Rod Daniel A maverick cop is forced to partner with a police dog to stop an elusive and dangerous criminal.

Honey I Shrunk the Kids

June 23, 1989 San Diego Staring: Rick Moranis Directed by: Joe Johnston An inventor leaves his newest creation out in the open; his kids get a hand on it and accidentally shrink to about an inch tall.

Born on the Forth of July

December 20, 1989 La Mesa Staring: Tom Cruise Directed by: Oliver Stone A Vietnam vet is paralyzed and become an anti-war activist after feeling betrayed by his country.

The Hunt for Red October

March 2, 1990 San Diego Staring: Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, James Earl Jones Directed by: John McTiernan The USSR's top submarine captain violates orders and heads for America, both sides seek to discover if he is trying to defect or start a war.

My Blue Heaven

August 17, 1990 Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego Staring: Steve Martin, Rick Moranis, Joan Cusack Directed by: Herbert Ross An uptight FBI agent must protect a gangster with a heart of gold living in the witness protection program.

The Grifters

January 4, 1991 San Diego, San Diego Convention Center Staring: Anjelica Huston, John Cusack, Annette Benning Directed by: Stephen Frears A small time con artist has to play sides between his mother and girlfriend, both of whom are grifters themselves.

Hot Shots!

July 31, 1991 San Diego Staring: Charlie Sheen Directed and written by: Jim Abrahams A comedic spoof of war movies, including Top Gun, Rambo and more.

Demolition Man

October 8, 1993 San Diego, San Diego Convention Center, American Plaza Transfer Station Staring: Silvester Stallone, Westley Snipes Directed by: Marco Brambilla A police officer is released from suspended animation to stop his ultra-violent arch enemy in the now present future.

Wayne's World 2

December 10, 1993 San Diego Staring: Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Christopher Walken Directed by: Stephen Surjik Wayne and Garth team up to put on a huge music festival and to stop a smooth record producer from stealing Wayne's girlfriend.

8 Seconds

February 25, 1994 San Diego Sports Arena, San Diego Staring: James Rebhorn, Luke Perry Directed by: John G. Avildsen A chronicle of a famous bull rider, his marriage and his friendships.

True Lies

July 15, 1994 San Diego Staring: Arnold Schwartzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold Directed by: James Cameron A secret agent learns his wife is being unfaithful and uses his job's resources to track her.

Apollo 13

June 30, 1995 San Diego Staring: Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon Directed by: Ron Howard The true-story of an ill-fated moon mission that called on the heroism of all involved to get it home safely.

The Lost World: Jurassic Park

May 23, 1997 San Diego Staring: Jeff Goldblum, Julianne Moore Directed by: Steven Speilberg Dinosaurs living on an alternate setting are discovered to have been sold off by a rogue team of Jurassic Park researchers.

Bring It On

August 25, 2000 Oceanside, SDSU, Academy of Our Lady Peace, East Lake High School, San Diego, Torrey Pines High School A champion cheerleading squad must create an all new routine to compete at this year's championships.

Almost Famous

September 13, 2000 San Diego, Balboa Park, Sports Arena, University of San Diego High School Staring: Kate Hudson, Patrick Fugit and Billy Crudup Directed and written by: Cameron Crowe Almost Famous is the story of a teenage rock journalist touring with a famous group for an article to be published in Rolling Stone.

Traffic

January 5, 2001 Balboa Park, Chula Vista, La Jolla, Mission Bay, San Diego Staring: Benicio Del Toro, Michael Douglas Directed by: Steven Soderbergh An explorative film that details the lives of dealers, addicts, politicians, police, and those affected by the drug trade.

The Scorpion King

April 19, 2002 Anza Borego Desert Park, San Diego Staring: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Steven Brand Directed by: Chuck Russell A warrior fights against the evil destroying his home; he captures the enemy sorcerer and prepares for a showdown.

The Sum of All Fears

May 31, 2002 San Diego Staring: Ben Affleck, Morgan Freeman Directed by: Phil Alden Robinson A CIA agent must thwart the plans of a terrorist organization seeking to detonate a nuclear blast at a football game in Baltimore.

Antwone Fisher

January 10, 2003 Cabrillo National Monument, San Diego Staring: Denzel Washington, Derek Luke Directed by: Denzel Washington A young Navy man is forced to seek counseling after a violent outbreak; a painful past is revealed, as well as a new chance for hope.

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy

July 9, 2004 San Diego, Balboa Park Staring: Will Ferrell and Christina Applegate Directed and written by: Adam McKay Anchorman is a comedic tale of a news anchorman that falls in love with the first national anchorwoman.

The Aviator

December 25, 2004 San Diego Staring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett Directed by: Martin Scorsese The Aviator follows the life of famed director and aviator Howard Hughes from the 20's to the 40's.

Babel

November 10, 2006 San Diego Staring: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett Directed by: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu A married couple traveling the Moroccan desert is hit with a tragedy, setting off an interlocking tale of four families.

TV Shows Filmed in San Diego

Manhunt

April 15, 1959 San Diego Staring: Victor Jory Manhunt follows the career of a hard-nosed San Diego police officer.

Hennessey

September 28, 1959 Balboa Naval Hospital, San Diego Staring: Jackie Cooper, Abby Dalton Hennessey was a naval doctor who tried to maintain a professional relationship with his nurse/secretary that had feelings for him.

Gomer Pyle, USMC

September 25, 1964 Marine Corps Recruiting Depot Staring: Frank Sutton, Jim Nabors Created by: Aaron Ruben This show spotlights a bumbling, but sweet, marine recruit and his relationship with his Sergeant, friends and girlfriend.

Harry O

September 12, 1974 Midway High School, Sports Arena, San Diego Staring: David Janssen A police officer becomes a Private Investigator after being shot in the spine during a gun fight.

Simon & Simon

November 24, 1981 San Diego Staring: Jameson Parker, Gerald McRaney Created by: Philip DeGuere Two very different brothers, one refined and one country, run a detective agency.

Silk Stalkings

November 7, 1991 Stu Segall Studios, San Diego Staring: Rob Estes Created by: Stephen J. Cannell Two police officers, a man and a woman, solve the crimes of Palm Beach and hold the criminals accountable.

Renegade

September 19, 1992 Alpine, Mission Beach, San Diego Staring: Lorenzo Lamas Created by: Stephen J. Cannell A man framed for murder is released from prison and becomes a bounty hunter on the search for the man that framed him.

Pensacola: Wings of Gold

December 22, 1997 Miramar Naval Air Station Staring: James Brolin, Michael Trucco Created by: William Blinn The story of an elite group of four Marines and their leader.

The Invisible Man

June 9, 2000 San Diego Staring: Paul Ben-Victor, Vincent Ventresca A thief/con man is part of an experiment that enables him to become invisible; he then begins working for a secret government agency.

Hunter

April 19, 2003 San Diego Staring: Fred Dryer Created by: Frank Lupo A tough homicide detective and his attractive female partner search for clues on the San Diego beat.

MTV Real World: San Diego

2004 San Diego Seven strangers are moved into one house in this hit reality TV show created by MTV.

Veronica Mars

September 22, 2004 Oceanside, SDSU, San Diego, UCSD Staring: Kristen Bell Created by: Rob Thomas Veronica Mars is a young girl trying to crack mysteries in her home town.

Watch Over Me

December 6, 2006 San Diego Staring: Dan Wells Watch Over Me is the story of a young man working as a bodyguard who becomes entangled with people working with his boss in unethical matters of biological viruses.

Cavemen