History of the Star Theater

The Star Theater with its towering marquee captures the feel of the 1950s with its bright neon colors and flashing stars, embodying an era of fun and optimism. The year it opened Elvis Presley had five hit singles, The Platters crooned to young lovers while Fats Domino and Chuck Berry reigned at the sock hops.

In January of 1956 plans for the new theater on the northeast corner of Fourth and Hill Streets (Civic Center Drive and Coast Highway) were announced. It was reported that a hard top theater would be built at a cost of $200,000 (or $193 a seat) by Fred Siegel, owner of the Margo and Palomar Theaters. Fred William Siegel was described by the Oceanside Blade Tribune as a “builder, exploiter, exhibitor and financier” and that his life resembled a Horatio Alger tale, (a rags-to-riches story).

Fred W. Siegel, circa 1956 (Oceanside Blade-Tribune)

Born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1886, Siegel came to Los Angeles at the age of six with his mother and two sisters, Amelia and Anna. To help his family he sold newspapers for five cents at the corner of Second and Springs Streets in downtown LA. By 1910 Fred was working as a bookkeeper for a building and loan company.

The following year Siegel went to work as a general contractor building homes and apartments. In 1914 he married Jeannette Solomon; their engagement made the Los Angeles Times. The couple welcomed their first of three sons, Fred W. Siegel, Jr. born in 1918, followed by John M. in 1920 and Robert C. in 1924.

In late 1923 Fred was the owner and manager of the Hotel Ritz at Flower and Eighth Streets, a 250-room hotel he had built. If the hotel name sounds familiar, as in Ritz-Carlton, it was because Siegel thought nothing of “borrowing” names of popular establishments and attaching them to his projects.

Ad for Siegel’s Hotel Ritz in The Los Angeles Times Tue, Jan 1, 1924, Page 225

Siegel ventured into the movie business when in 1929 he leased San Diego’s Spreckles Theater, converting it to a movie house. The following year he turned the Majestic Theatre in Los Angeles to a “talkie palace” shortly after establishing American Theaters, Ltd., of which he was the president. Months later Siegel leased the Dufwin Theatre in Oakland, California, also converting it and renaming it “The Roxie” after New York’s famous Roxy Theatre.

Siegel then made his way to Oceanside, leasing the Palomar Theater in downtown Oceanside in 1934, which he later purchased in 1952. He also operated the Margo Theater for several years, which was built in 1936 (later known as the Towne and now known as Sunshine Brooks). In 1937 Siegel announced that he had a ten year lease on a new theater under construction in Escondido, the Ritz, on the corner of Juniper and Grand.

The Margo Theater on North Hill Street in 1955. It later became the Towne Theater and is now the Sunshine Brooks, home of the Oceanside Theater Company.

By the mid 1940’s Fred and Jeannette purchased a modest home at 140 South Pacific Street, which was later enlarged with a small apartment and garage.

In 1945 the Siegel’s purchased an empty lot vacated by the First Baptist Church of Oceanside. The small church building was moved one block to the east, its original location, because traffic on the Highway 101 was so noisy that the preacher could not be heard.

The First Baptist Church of Oceanside before it moved in 1945. It would be the site of Siegel’s new theater years later.

In 1952 Siegel acquired the adjacent lot, which contained the Sunshine Hotel, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Martin. The small hotel was later moved to Short Street (Oceanside Boulevard) near Cleveland Street. Siegel announced his intention to build a new large theater on the site.

The Sunshine Hotel property on the 400 block of North Hill Street (Coast Highway) was purchased by Siegel in 1952 to make room for the Star Theater.

Fred petitioned the city to waive parking restrictions on a proposed new theater. The city required one parking space for every 10 theater seats. This was a newer requirement placed on new construction and Siegel balked at the idea of having to obtain land for a parking lot for over 100 cars. The process took over a year to resolve and a compromise was offered of one parking space for every five seats but Siegel still insisted the cost was prohibitive. Finally, the city agreed to allow the theater to be built with just 10 off-site parking spaces allocated to the theater that would seat nearly 1,000 people!

Siegel reported that his new theater was “destined to be the finest theater between Los Angeles and San Diego for years to come.” Designed by Los Angeles Architects William Glen Balch, Louis L, Bryan, John Loring Perkins and W. K. Hutchason, the stadium-type theater was built of reinforced concrete block. The contract was awarded to local contractors Richardson Brothers.

Lobby of the Star Theater, *Box Office Magazine October 20, 1956*

Details of the theaters progress were shared: “No expense has been spared to insure you’re having the most modern equipment, superb acoustics, comfortable seating, and the little conveniences that add to your pleasure. These will be backed by the best pictures that Hollywood produces. So have a little patience; you soon can make the Star Theater headquarters for your entertainment hours.” Siegel’s connections to movie studios facilitated his theaters to show movies the same day they opened in Los Angeles, when smaller markets would have to otherwise wait 2 to 4 weeks.

The Star, called “the theater of tomorrow” by projectionist Ray Dickson opened as one of the largest theaters in San Diego County at a reported total cost of $325,000. When the Star Theater was opened it boasted of the most modern design of its time, featuring “Stereophonic sound” with the system built “in the ceiling, permitting the sound to flow over and around you.” The first movie shown on August 18, 1956 was Moby Dick starring Gregory Peck.

The Blade-Tribune described the theater’s interior: “Audiences will move from the lobby into the theater over two semi-circular ramps leading to the cross-over aisle, which will separate the 440 loge seats in the rear from the rest of the house. The loges will have a rise as high as 15 feet, and will be equipped with the latest design reclining seats.”

The Star Theater seating. *Box Office Magazine, October 20, 1956*

Jeannette Siegel pointed out, “These aren’t just another section of chairs with higher prices. These are real loges. The manufacturer calls them ‘relax recliners’ because of their comfort, and the fact that the backs recline in response to pressure against them. And you don’t have to draw up in a knot when another patron passes in front of you,” she added. “There’s lots of room between rows. You can smoke there, too.”

In back of the loge seating was “a crying room for youngsters fitted with electric outlets for bottle warmers. Ladies’ powder room and men’s room are off the lobby. A decorative theme based on the star motif adopted from the theater’s name is used throughout. Star patterns in five-colors are depicted in the terrazzo floor of the foyer, while overhead will be installed the largest marquee in the area. Lobby and foyer walls are in natural stone, except the interior walls of the lobby, where wood paneling is used for greater warmth. Auditorium walls and ceiling are of acoustic plaster. Special carpeting was designed by the architects to harmonize with the over-all color motif. An ornate, fully-equipped, refrigerated snack-bar will be installed in the foyer.”

Star Theater, an ad in the 1966 Oceanside High School Yearbook

The Star’s Googie-style marquee, at the time the largest in San Diego County was 65-foot wide, broken into three sections, with 35 feet across the front, 20 feet toward the north and 10 feet looking east. In addition, the marquee was said to have been unusual in that it was “one of very few over the nation with a yellow background, recently discovered by color experts to be superior to conventional white backgrounds since lettering thereon can be read much farther.” The stunning feature of the marquee was its theme, “a field of flashing and twinkling stars” and “an electrical waterfall cascading from 48 feet in the air.”

The Palomar Theater in the forefront, with the Star in the background, 1970

Fred Siegel died just two years later on July 23, 1958 and was buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale. Fred Jr. died suddenly on January 12, 1959 and then Jeannette died May 22, 1959. They too are buried in Forest Lawn. Sons John and Robert Siegel took over the theater businesses, which would also came to include the Valley Drive-in.

As multiplexes became popular, older theaters struggled to find an audience. Mann’s Theater built an 8-screen multiplex on Vista Way in 1980. Eventually Oceanside’s downtown movie houses were regulated to playing “B” movies or “reruns” of older popular films.

The Star showing “B” movies in about 1986

The Star was purchased by Walnut Properties in 1982, along with other theaters in downtown Oceanside. Things changed abruptly when in 1987 Walnut changed the movie selection from popular films to adult films all accompanied by the triple X rating. The Palomar followed, then the Crest and for a brief time, the Towne Theater also went in the adult only genre. It did not help Oceanside’s already eroded image, which was once a family-friendly beach town.

The Star showing a double feature in 1979 with the raunchy comedy, “Can I Do Til I Need Glass (1977) and “Happy Hooker (1975)

In 1988 Deputy Mayor Sam Williamson suggested that Star Theater be turned in the city’s first cultural arts center. A new pier, Oceanside’s 6^th had been recently completed, and construction for a new Civic Center was about to begin. The city council and residents alike wanted to improve downtown and its reputation.

That year, however, Terry Wiggins purchased the theater business and began needed renovations on the Star. At the time it was considered one of the last big screen movie houses still an operation in Southern California. He had re-carpeted, reupholstered and repainted the theater. Wiggins worked “to erase the negative image” of the once celebrated theater.

“We’re getting the families and couples back to see our movies. This theater is completely safe, there’s no violence of any kind and the on-street parking areas all around the theater are well lighted so people can feel safe coming and going,” Wiggins said. “Most of the movies I run are so-called sub run films, newly released movies that have run at the large chain theaters for nearly 3 or four weeks. I get them after they leave the major chain theaters.” Wiggins added, “We’ve got everything the big guys have got, only it’s better here because you can watch a movie the way it was meant to be watched, in a big theater on a big screen.”

In 1994 the IRS closed the Star because Wiggins owned back taxes of $56,000. While Wiggins owned the theater operation, the building was still owned by Walnut Properties.

The Star sat vacant for two years when Jim Heiser, owner of the Hill Street Blues clothing store at 205 N. Coast Highway, bought the theater building, which included three retail units in 1996 for $225,000 At that time, Heiser said he was considering converting the theater into an upscale billiards club which would include a restaurant and a venue for live entertainment.

The theater had been damaged because of a neglected roof leak. Heiser spent two years renovating and applied for a received $330,000 for exterior improvements from Oceanside’s Redevelopment Agency to restore the iconic marquee which had not been in use for several years. In November 1998 the historic Star Theater received two Orchid Awards, one for historic preservation and one for interior design from the San Diego Architects Association.

In 1999 the Star welcomed its biggest audience in decades when Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace was featured on one of the biggest screens in San Diego County, something the newer multiplexes couldn’t offer. The blockbuster hit was sold out for the first showing which began at 12:01 AM.

The renewed interest was short-lived, and the Star once again found itself competing with a multiplex when the Regal was built at 401 Mission Avenue in 2000.

Fred Siegel, who started off by converting stage theatres to movie theaters, might be amused that his beloved movie theater has been converted a popular and successful performing arts theater in 2001.

The Beauty of the Sea Will Always Be with Me mural by Skye Walker on the Star’s east elevation.

The Star’s large south facing wall was the perfect blank canvas for public art and in 2017 a mural entitled “The Beauty of the Sea Will Always Be With Me” was completed by Skye Walker. This mural design was selected by the Oceanside community with over 1,500 votes. “Art That Excites” helped to raise funds for the mural, with MainStreet Oceanside matching funds for the project. Also in 2017, Oceanside Cultural District became one of the first 14 inaugural districts designated by the California Arts Council for the State of California, within which the Star Theater, in all its neon glory, is situated.

The Star still shines brightly in downtown Oceanside …

Hollywood in Oceanside

The popular drama “Animal Kingdom” will soon finish filming its sixth and final season in Oceanside. But did you know that Oceanside has been a popular site for film and television studios for over 100 years? For almost as long as Hollywood has been making movies, Oceanside has been a film locale and our hotels used to house cast, director and crew.

Filming Animal Kingdom in Oceanside; Photo courtesy Zach Cordner/The Osider

For decades our locals have played extras while Hollywood has used our beaches, Mission San Luis Rey and other landmarks as backdrops. Oceanside has also been a getaway for movie stars and entertainers.

Many of the earliest movies filmed in and around Oceanside have not survived, but some still exist to this day. The following is a list of some (not all) of early as well as contemporary movies and television episodes that have been filmed in our City.

Beginning in 1914, the Laskey Feature Film Company stopped in town with film director Cecile B. De Mille. Noted as the “founding father of the American cinema” De Mille made 70 films between 1914 and 1958, and it is noteworthy that one of his first was filmed partly in Oceanside. De Mille, a registered guest at the Oceanside Beach Hotel, was here to film David Belasco’s drama, “The Rose of the Rancho” featuring scenes from the Mission San Luis Rey and Pala.

The Beach Hotel (aka El San Luis Rey) along North Pacific Street

The Beach Hotel where De Mille frequented several times, was located at Third (Pier View Way) and Pacific Streets. This three-story hotel opened in 1904 and was originally named the “El San Luis Rey Hotel” after the Mission San Luis Rey. (It was reported that the fireplace mantle in the lobby was made from “one of the original timbers from the ruins of San Luis Rey bought from Father O’Keefe for ten dollars.”) The Beach Hotel was often used for a variety of film crews and actors over the years.

Another view of the Hotel where many crews and stars stayed while filming.

In 1917 the Signal Film Company used the San Luis Rey River Bridge for the scene of a “thrilling wreck”. Directed by J. P. McGowan, “The Lost Express,” took advantage of the old cement bridge over the San Luis Rey River which had washed away in the Flood of 1916. The film company ran a 1913 Studebaker off the north approach. The Oceanside Blade described the scene in which the two stars put themselves in danger: “When the car started it was occupied by Miss Helen Holmes and Eddie Hearn, and driven by a dummie chauffeur. In leaving the car, Eddie Hearn had a narrow squeak from taking a tumble himself. The auto jumped in the air then made two complete somersaults and landed on the wheels right side up, without puncturing a single tire.” After filming the film company donated the wrecked car to local resident Brownie Dodge of the Oceanside Garage.

The San Luis Rey Bridge was destroyed in the Flood of 1916. Filmmakers took advantage of the wreckage for a thrilling scene.

In November of 1918 the Blanche Sweet Film Company shot scenes of a war film entitled, “The Unpardonable Sin”. One scene included an automobile wreck at South Oceanside, but most of the action involved chasing after “German spies” on the coast highway south of Carlsbad.

In 1922 Warner Bros. Studio filmed stunts from the “tops of moving trains and bridges”. While filming these daring scenes the movie cast and crew stayed at Oceanside’s Beach Hotel.

In July of 1922 the Cosmopolitan Picture Company established headquarters at Oceanside for the filming of Peter B. Kyne’s story, “The Pride of Palomar.” Scenes from the Santa Margarita rancho, San Luis Rey Mission, Rancho Guajome and Oceanside were used. The film company registered at the Beach Hotel.

Rancho Guajome where the “Pride of Palomar” was filmed.

Universal Pictures filmed scenes for a western, “The Love Brand” on the Rancho Santa Margarita in 1923 and it was noted that it featured a cattle roundup and “real buckaroo work”. The film starred Roy Stewart who played “Don Jose O’Neil”.

Cattle roundup on the Rancho Santa Margarita

The local newspaper noted that Stewart, a San Diego native and an expert horseman. “spent much of his time on the famous Santa Marguerite (sic) rancho, one of the biggest and most famous in the West. After the style of vaqueros of the Southwestern cattle country, Stewart acquired a taste for beautiful saddles and bridles and eventually procured one of the finest looking outfits in the country. He utilized this equipment for the first time before the camera in “The Love Brand” his latest starring vehicle for Universal. The saddle is silver mounted, carved in a beautiful Spanish design, and the bridle is also extravagantly, though beautifully, decorated with silver. The outfit is very valuable, but Stewart never figures its value in dollars and cents. He wouldn’t part with it at any price. Stewart rides his own horse, a beautiful thoroughbred, in the play and other principals in the cast also ride horses from his famous stables, although dozens of horses were available for “atmospheric players” at the Santa Margarita rancho.”

When the film was released, it played at Oceanside’s Elysium Theater in November of that year and the theater owner noted in his weekly newspaper ad that the movie was locally filmed. It was a crowd favorite and Oceanside residents never tired of seeing the local landscape and notable landmarks on the screen.

Hollywood’s most famous silent movie stars and notable couple, Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford, were frequent guests to Oceanside. In June of 1923 Fairbanks and Pickford established a beach camp used by other film notables throughout that summer as well. Fairbanks reported that it was his “sixth season here and that Oceanside has undoubtedly the finest beach in California.” The June 21, 1923 Blade reported: “Among the guests of the tent colony of Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford on the beach during the past week has been Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jr. of New York.

The Tiffany Company of the Bud Borsky Productions filmed a 1927 production on the ship “George Billings”. The boat was owned by local Harry Brodie. It was used to take groups out to sea to fish but for its Hollywood debut the boat was fitted with a new “suit of sails”. The cast included Montagu Love, Dorothy Sebastian, and Ray Haller and they along with the film crew stayed in Oceanside. The film was released as “The Haunted Ship” based on a story White and Yellow written by Jack London.

The “fishing boat” that was used for the movie “The Haunted Ship”

Many Oceanside residents became movie extras in the spring of 1936 while shooting for the picture, “Vigilantes,” by the Republic Production company, with the Mission San Luis Rey used as a background. The plot “centered on early California history … when the Fathers were having a struggle to keep the missions free from corruption, and invasion by the Indians”. Many local residents appeared in the picture, including well known resident Bill Lawrence. The film was released with a new title “The Vigilantes Are Coming” and was a serial with 12 parts, many of which feature the Mission San Luis Rey, its bell tower and interior. The film’s star was Robert Livingston who played a masked vigilante “The Eagle” and was a precursor to the more widely known “Lone Ranger” with his mask and white horse.

In 1942 comedian Bob Hope and members of his comedy troupe visited the 101 Cafe: “Herb Evers, of the 101 Cafe, at Hill and Wisconsin, says that he can’t get ahead of Comedian Bob Hope in wise cracks, but that Bob admitted Evers could prepare a better steak than he could. Hope and other members of the radio troupe stopped in the 101 this week for dinner and all ordered steaks. For a while the 101 was a regular radio show, while the troupe enjoyed their steak dinner.”

In 1949 “Sands of Iwo Jima” starring John Wayne was filmed at Camp Pendleton, and for which Wayne received his first Academy Award nomination. Other war films including “Flying Leathernecks”, “The Outsider”, “Battle Cry” and “Retreat, Hell!” were filmed at Camp Pendleton.

John Wayne, Cast and crew of Sands of Iwo Jima with Camp Pendleton Marines

In 1951 Oceanside children were the “stars” in the “Kidnapper’s Foil”. This short film was just one of hundreds made by Melton Barker between the 1930s and 1970s. Barker traveled across the country hawking his vanity film projects in small towns. Each film would include hometown children as actors. Barker was paid by parents in exchange for the privilege of their child to appear.

The plot of each short film was repeated in each film: “A young girl is kidnapped from her birthday party and rescued by a search party of local kids. The relieved neighbors celebrated with a party where youngsters would display their musical talents.” The finished film would be shown on hometown theater screens to the delight of the children and their families.

Actual ad that ran in the Oceanside Blade Tribune

In July of 1951, Melton Barker ran in an advertisement in the Oceanside Blade Tribune in which the headline read: “OCEANSIDE CHILDREN WILL STAR IN MOVIES”. The ad text provided the details: “Melton Barker will arrive in Oceanside to produce a two-reel comedy, according to an announcement by the manager of the Crest theater. The picture will be made In Oceanside using local children as well as children from surrounding territory in the cast After the cast has been selected, there will be two or three days of rehearsals, teaching them to act before the sound camera. There will be a small charge for this training. However, there will be no charge for registering or tryouts. Children between the ages of three to 14, wishing to try for parts, must register at the Crest Theater at once. When the casting director arrives in town, he will get In touch with those who have registered and arrange for tryouts.”

This ad (with the word kidnapper misspelled each time) ran in the Oceanside Blade Tribune for the film’s screening.

The film featuring the Oceanside children was shown at the Crest Theater after the movie “Angels in the Outfield” in October of 1951.

The Mission San Luis Rey was used for a backdrop in the popular “Zorro” television series starring Guy Williams . An episode entitled “Zorro Rides to the Mission” aired on October 24, 1957 and featured the cemetery gate of the Mission with the skull and crossbones. Some have attributed this to Walt Disney Productions, but this element of the cemetery gate predates the Zorro series.

Cemetery gate of the Mission San Luis Rey with skull and cross bones circa 1938

Again in 1962 the Mission was the location for another television series: “Have Gun – Will Travel”. In Season 6, episode 10 “A Miracle for St. Francis” aired with the lead character Paladin, played by Richard Boone in search of a rare brandy and the Padre in search of a rare statue.

In 1972 “Baby Blue Marine” starring Jan Michael Vincent was filmed at the barracks in the 13 Area of Camp Pendleton. The Aaron Spelling/Leonard Goldberg production for Columbia Pictures told the little known story of the Marine Corps’ “washouts and misfits” and the title refers to the blue suits they were issued to go home in.

“Attack of the Killer Tomatoes” a movie that is just as bad as it sounds, was filmed in Oceanside and San Diego in 1978. Although a very broad and silly “horror” film, a very serious and near-deadly helicopter crash occurred during filming. While filming at the Wackerman ranch off North River Road, a helicopter piloted by Thomas Watts with two actors, George Wilson and Jack Riley, crash landed and burst into flames. All three men escaped without serious injury but the crash captured on cameras was incorporated into the film.

In 1984 filming began on Camp Pendleton’s beach for a television miniseries based on James A. Michner’s fictional account of the American space program, which covered the years after World War II to the Apollo moon landings. Despite the crowds enjoying a summer day, the film crew captured footage of vintage planes in flight simulating air combat.

Filming of the television miniseries “Space” at Camp Pendleton

In 1985 filming began of what would become a box office blockbuster and when it was released on May 12, 1986 the film launched Tom Cruise to super stardom. “Top Gun” was shot on location at Miramar, San Diego and Oceanside. The “Top Gun” house at the corner of Seagaze and Pacific streets was featured as the home of Cruise’s love interest, played by Kelly McGillis.

Kelly McGillis and Tom Cruise in Oceanside filming in 1985.

Scenes in this popular movie featured Cruise on his motorcycle racing Oceanside’s beautiful palm-lined Pacific Street, overlooking the ocean. Today, the newly restored house has been moved just one block north and sits between two new resort hotels.

Newly restored “Top Gun” House. Historically it is the Graves house, built in 1887. Photo courtesy John Daley

Beginning in the summer of 1986, Heartbreak Ridge was filmed at Camp Talega, Chappo Flats and Mainside at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton starring Clint Eastwood. Camp Pendleton Marines were used as extras. A barroom brawl scene was filmed at Carl’s Tavern in Vista. While the film was initially supported by the Marine Corps, it was not without controversy with its loose story line and the way Marines were portrayed as “undisciplined.” Still when it was released in December of 1986, it drew crowds of local moviegoers to Oceanside’s Mann’s theater.

Oceanside’s Mann Theater. “Heartbreak Ridge” opening day with local Marines and residents in line to view.

In January of 1995 “The Women of Spring Break”, a television movie starring Shelly Long and Mel Harris aired on CBS. Much of the movie was filmed at Oceanside’s beach and pier with the characters staying at Oceanside’s Mira Mar Motor Inn, which had long seen better days. The made-for-TV movie was later renamed “Welcome to Paradise”.

In 2004 “Veronica Mars” starring Kristen Bell aired on the UPN television network. Many of the series’ scenes were filmed at Stu Segall Productions in San Diego, California and most of the scenes featuring “Neptune High” were filmed in Oceanside. The director liked that it was “a seaside town that still feels like middle-class people live there.” The setting of Neptune High, which was featured in the first two seasons, was also located at Oceanside High School, which was paid $7,750 for the use of the campus and extras.

Kristen Bell played Veronica Mars. Oceanside High School was featured as “Neptune High”

“To Save a Life” was filmed in 2009 and released the following year. Featuring a large cast of locals, it was filmed at various North County locations including Oceanside High School, MiraCosta College and Eternal Hills Memorial Park.

Scenes of the popular 2010 cheerleading movie, “Bring It On” starring Kirsten Dunst and Gabrielle Union were filmed at the Oceanside Amphitheater. It was so popular it became a franchise with a series of sequels.

Screen shot of the movie “Bring It On!” at the Oceanside Bandshell

Pop star Katy Perry filmed her music video “Part of Me” at Camp Pendleton. The video was shot over three days in February of 2012 and scenes were filmed at Red Beach and Camp Horno. The video depicted Perry as a Marine training with male Marines. Today this is now reality with female Marines training alongside Marines at the School of Infantry starting in 2018, for decades only training men.

TNT’s Animal Kingdom followed the fictional Cody family and their exploits while living in Oceanside. Viewers around the world see some of Oceanside’s best assets, the Pier, Harbor and Strand. Filming has been done in over 70 locations in our City including the Real Surf Shop and Surf Bowl on Coast Highway. Character Daren Cody’s fictional bar has been a popular location at 314 Wisconsin, as well as a beach cottage on the South Strand where character “Baz” lived with his girlfriend.

314 Wisconsin Ave was a popular locale for the Animal Kingdom series. Photo courtesy Zach Cordner/The Osider

While Oceanside has been the backdrop for Hollywood for years, the Oceanside International Film Festival was established in 2009 to provide an opportunity for independent filmmakers to have their work screened and considered for wider distribution. Many local filmmakers, along with those from around the world, converge on Oceanside to show their films each year.

No doubt our City will “star” in another cinematic feature soon. It’s still as thrilling to see Oceanside through the lens of a camera as it was in the early days of film.