Beachwood Market
Tess and Alexis shop here for dinner supplies in “The Party” (Season 1).
2701 Belden Drive
Los Angeles, CA

Canyon Beachwear
Tess and Alexis shop here in “Mommie Dearest” (Season 1).
13035 Ventura Boulevard
Studio City, CA 91604

Casa Dorada
Tess and Alexis stay here in “What Happens in Cabo, Stays in Cabo” (Season 1).
Av. Pescador S/N
Col. El Médano
Cabo San Lucas, BCS 23410

Groundwork Coffee Company
Tess meets Max here to talk about their relationship in “Vanity Unfair” (Season 1).
1501 Cahuenga Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028
 groundworkcoffee.com

The Hudson
Alexis and Tess go here with Vernon Davis and friends in “The Move” (Season 1).
1114 North Crescent Heights Blvd.
West Hollywood, Ca. 90046
 thehudsonla.com

Hyde Lounge
Tess and Alexis go dancing there in “Mommie Dearest” (Season 1).
8029 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90046

La Fonda Restaurant & Lounge
Gabby and her parents go here in “What Happens in Cabo, Stays in Cabo” (Season 1).
2501 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90057
 lafondala.com

Lucky Strike Lanes
Tess goes bowling with Ryan Cabrera here in “The Hearing” (Season 1).
6801 Hollywood Blvd, Ste 143
Hollywood, CA 90028
 bowlluckystrike.com

Miceli’s
Gabby takes her family out to dinner with her first paycheck in “Vanity Unfair” (Season 1).
1646 N Las Palmas Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90028

MILK
Gabby and her stepdad go here to talk in “The Move” (Season 1).
7290 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Petersen Automotive Museum
Tess walks in the Biatta Intimates runway show here in “The Arrest” (Season 1).
6060 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036
 petersen.org

Pink Kitty Nightclub
Alexis and Tess hosted an event for Haiti here in “What Happens in Cabo, Stays in Cabo” (Season 1).
 pinkkittycabo.com

Planet Blue
Alexis, Tess, and Gabby shop for Gabby’s birthday outfit here in “The Party” (Season 1). Gabby applies for a job there in “Vanity Unfair” (Season 1).
409 N Beverly Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210

The Roxy Theatre
Tess and Alexis go see Wicker here in “The Party” (Season 1).
9009 W Sunset Blvd
West Hollywood, CA
 http://theroxyonsunset.com/

Skin Haven
Tess and Alexis get pedicures there in “Vanity Unfair” (Season 1).
300 N. Crescent Heights Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90048
 skinhaven.com

Tailwaggers
Gabby applies for a job here in “Vanity Unfair” (Season 1).
1929 N Bronson Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90068
 tailwaggerspets.com

The Wine House
Andrea and her husband go here in “Mommie Dearest” (Season 1).
2311 Cotner Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90064

(Psst… if you’re an “Arrested Development” fan, check out our “AD” filming location guide!)

CHRISTINA LEBLANC: Thank you very much for taking the time to talk to me! I really appreciate it.

TONY HALE: Oh, sure, it’s my pleasure.

CL: I’m writing kind of a series of articles about my favorite TV characters and Buster Bluth is my favorite of all time.

TH: [Laughs] Sweet!

CL: What was the best part about playing Buster? He’s such an original and awesome character; what were your favorite parts about playing him?

TH: Um, what were my favorite parts about playing Buster… you know, I remember having a discussion with Mitch, who’s the creator, and we discussed that the only thing in life that Buster ever wanted was safety. And anything that threatened that safety was… he would just, you know, lose his mind. And it was fun to constantly be that hypersensitive. To be constantly that on-edge, all the time. Somebody could give him the wrong pencil and he’d, you know, lose his mind. It was just kind of funny to always react to everything. And also, just, I think my favorite part was the surprises that were thrown at me. You know, constantly… that was what was so great about the show was that every week, it was just a surprise. We had no idea what was coming at us and, you know, sometimes in shows you kind of get into a typical formula or a typical routine, but we just had no clue what was coming at us and that was a blast to do.

CL: Yeah! How did you react when they told you a seal was going to bite your hand off? Because, I mean, that’s kind of out of the ordinary.

TH: Oh, I know! I was super excited, because again it was something I never thought was coming at me, and initially I had a “hmm, I like to use my hands when I act”. But then it was just, the multiple comic possibilities with it was really fun. And I love that he never really stuck to one prosthetic, whether a real hand or a hook or whatever. He had his choice daily, whatever he was in the mood for.

CL: So funny. Kind of along those lines, do you have any favorite episodes or favorite Buster moments that happened?

TH: I have so many scenes with Jessica Walter, who played my mom.

CL: I loved you guys together.

TH: Yeah, we had this co-dependent, disastrous relationship and that was really fun to play off of. Along those same lines, I had Liza Minnelli as my girlfriend. And I had such a blast doing the character… I haven’t seen the actual episodes in a long time but if I do watch something on the DVD, I like to watch the gag reel. I just had so much fun laughing at everybody else. I mean, Will Arnett, who played Gob, just made me cry, and David Cross, just like Jeffrey Tambor and Jessica… it was just constant, you know, eye candy. It was so fun.

CL: You can’t lose with that group! There’s always someone to make you laugh.

TH: Oh, I know.

CL: The fans, obviously, are extremely intense about loving the show. What do you think it is about the show that people are so attached to?

TH: It’s interesting. I have some friends of mine that live in Virginia and they were saying that, actually, they watch it a lot and they said that it’s comforting to them. I was thinking, that’s so interesting. And I wonder if it’s that the height of dysfunction is just, um, it’s kind of an escape because it’s so crazy and so heightened that I think people can just laugh and forget, just laugh at the absolute destruction of the family.

CL: It’s definitely fun to watch. I’ve watched them all a thousand times, so I get that. Now we have a question from a fan, which is are there any aspects of your character or experience on the show that you carry with you into other roles or other aspects of your life?

TH: Not now… I will say, I probably – when I was doing the show – my wife will probably tell you that I was a little more hypersensitive than I need to be. Like, I would always come home a little bit on-edge. When you’re in that character so much, every now and then you bring it home. But carried over? [Laughs] Hopefully nothing, he was such a colorful guy. But doing it, it was interesting, cause you are just this emasculated man-child constantly, so… it’s an interesting place to be.

CL: [Laughs] And in terms of the movie – I’m sure you get bugged with movie questions – but is there anything you’d love to see happen? Like in terms of plot, or anything you want Buster to get into?

TH: You know, I kind of go back to the surprise aspect, because I remember I was telling someone – I had an interview a while back – and they were kind of asking me kind of the same question and I said, I remember giving Mitch the idea of “what if Buster is on American Idol or something?” and he was like, “yeah… I’m gonna have a seal bite off your hand”. And I kind of gave up on having ideas. Now I just love the surprise aspect. Because, you know, if we were to do the movie it would be, timeline-wise, five or six (or however many years it takes if we ever do the movie) after that and I just want to be completely surprised as to what happens to Buster. I mean, I can’t imagine what that guy is getting into. So I’m just really excited about the surprise aspect.

CL: Definitely. I imagine that would be fun.

TH: I know. I just have no clue, and that’s what’s fun about it.

CL: I also loved you as Emmett on “Chuck”.

TH: Oh, thanks!

CL: You’ve also done some guest-starring roles on a couple of more dramatic shows as well [like “Justified”, “Law & Order”, and “Numbers”]. A fan wanted to know, when you take a role that’s not like the comedy we’re used to seeing on “Arrested Development” or some of your other projects and do a more dramatic role, how do you get in the zone? Is it a challenge or do you enjoy doing something different?

TH: It’s definitely a challenge. Like I’m doing a movie right now in Waco, TX and it’s a dramatic role, and I did a “Law and Order” and I played a dad whose daughter gets kidnapped to Brazil by my ex-wife and to get to that zone, you kind of have to imagine – cause I have a 4-year-old daughter – if somebody were to take my daughter. It’s a total challenge. It was based on a true story, and you kind of feel like you’re representing somebody out there who has been through that. And it was fun… well, I don’t know if fun is the right word because it wasn’t necessarily fun to be in that zone. It was a challenge.

CL: Satisfying, maybe?

TH: Yeah. It was very, very, very, very, very satisfying. But it wasn’t like… I have a lot of friends in New York and we shot for two weeks in New York, but I wasn’t, like, going out with my friends at night because the next day I’d have to bawl my eyes out in the courtroom about my daughter being gone.

CL: Right, right.

TH: You know? [Laughs] But it was definitely very, very challenging and very satisfying but I don’t know if “fun” is the right word.

CL: Is there any role you haven’t been able to do yet that you kind of dream of playing?

TH: Um… god, I don’t know. That’s a good question. I’m trying to think… I’ve had the opportunity to do a wide range of stuff, a lot of different characters and they’ve all had their own kind of thing. I don’t know if there’s one crazy thing I haven’t done. [Laughs] Buster’s about as extreme as it gets. So… I don’t know what the dramatic version of Buster is… some hypersensitive psycho killer or something. But, that’s a good question. I just like to keep working. If the gigs can keep coming, then I’m satisfied.

CL: Well, yeah, as you said you’ve already gotten to play a lot of different characters, so that’s pretty cool.

TH: It is. It’s fun. It’s really, really, really fun. I’m very thankful.

CL: Another fan wanted to know about “Awkward Situations for Men”. Is there anything you can tell us about that? And how was it working with Danny Wallace?

TH: He. Is. The. Best. He is the coolest guy. Before the show, I didn’t really know his work and so, from getting the show, I’ve kind of become his internet stalker – reading all of his stuff and watching all of his videos. Not only is he so funny, but he’s just an incredibly kind man and we had such a blast working on the pilot. The whole story of the show is – he has a book coming out in June called Awkward Situations for Men – and the pilot is based on his experience as a Brit coming to the states and dealing with the American culture. And I play his American best friend who gets into trouble a lot of the time. It was just so much fun. And Laura Prepon was on the show as well, and Matt Letscher, and we had a great, great time and we’re still waiting to hear what happens with it. But it was just such a blast to do and I’m really thankful for that gig.

CL: That sounds really exciting so I hope we get to see it!

TH: I know, me too! [Laughs]

CL: Any other upcoming projects you want to tell us about? Where can we see you in the future? I know you said you’re in Texas right now working on a movie.

TH: Yeah, I’m in Waco, TX. [Laughs] I know, which is exciting. I went to a Wal-Mart in Waco the other day.

CL: Wow!

TH: I know, it was awesome. The film I’m doing now is called Sironia, and it’s directed by a guy named Brandon Dickerson. And it’s just a really great story about this guy who was in LA trying to make it as a musician and kept on hitting walls and decided to move back with his wife to Sironia, Texas. There’s music throughout; people kind of compare it to Once.

CL: Oh, yeah.

TH: I mean, it’s different, but there’s a lot of music involved in the movie. I play his Southern brother-in-law. And it’s just a really, really sweet, powerful story. And then in August, there’s a movie called Happythankyoumoreplease that I did.

CL: Oh, is that Josh Radnor’s movie?

TH: Yeah. And that’s coming out in August. I was able to see it at Sundance and Josh has done such a fantastic job. It’s just this story of six New Yorkers and of their lives and I play kind of loveable – or, I don’t know if I’m loveable – but this kind of awkward office worker who’s in love with Malin Ackerman. It’s just a really sweet, good movie, and it’s coming out in August, and then we’ll see what happens after that! It’s always a surprise! This business is always an adventure.

CL: Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me, I really appreciate it.

TH: Oh, thanks!

CL: And best of luck with everything, I look forward to seeing your upcoming projects!

TH: Thanks so much Christina, I really appreciate you taking the time.

The Bradbury Building has been seen in Chinatown, Blade Runner, and Pay it Forward, among other productions. The building’s architecture is interesting and beautiful; if you are in downtown LA it’s a must-see! It’s located at 304 S Broadway at 3rd Street.

- Story and photos by Christina LeBlanc, Executive Editor

You may recognize the mansion from films like Ghostbusters (it was Gracie Mansion), The Big Lebowski, Batman and Robin, Indecent Proposal, X-Men, The Holiday (it stood in for a restaurant interior) and Death Becomes Her. It also stood in for Rory’s school, Chilton, on “Gilmore Girls”.

Aside from its location factor, the park & mansion are worth a visit for the scenery alone. The mansion is gorgeous, the grounds are pretty and serene, and from the front of the property is a gorgeous view of all of Los Angeles.

- Story and photos by Christina LeBlanc, Executive Editor

Not only does the side of the school boast a mural of famous faces like Marilyn Monroe, the school itself boasts some famous alumni: Anthony Anderson, Brandy, Carol Burnett, Keith Carradine, Frank Darabont, Laurence Fishburne, Judy Garland, James Garner, Sarah Jessica Parker, John Ritter, Ione Skye, Leighton Meester, Sharon Tate, Lana Turner, Rita Wilson, and Fay Wray, to name a few.

The school has also been seen on screen, in productions such as the “Jackass” movie, the John Cusack 80s flick Better Off Dead and the 2007 Nancy Drew film.

- Story and photos by Christina LeBlanc, Executive Editor

The fountain/water feature at Hollywood & Highland.

A wider view.

The Hollywood & Highland complex is a cool place to check out if you’re on Hollywood Boulevard. It’s right across the street from El Capitan Theatre and next to the Hard Rock Cafe and Madame Toussaud’s Wax Museum. The complex has stores, restaurants, and a great view of the Hollywood sign.

The Hollywood & Highland complex has also been seen in The Italian Job, Hollywood Homicide, Stuck on You, and Collateral.

- Story and photos by Christina LeBlanc, Executive Editor

If you’re a fan of the HSM films you’ll get a definite thrill of being at the actual East High. Located at 840 S 1300 E, East High is an impressive but still down-to-earth establishment; it’s easy to see why producers chose to film here.

This location was ranked #2 on our Top 10 Teen Movies list. Check out my blog about visiting East High!

Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

The Bueller home is located at 4160 Country Club Drive in Long Beach, CA. (The house is private property – it’s cool to look and take pictures from the street, but don’t trespass or bother the residents!)

This location placed #8 on our list of the Top 10 Teen Movie Locations.

Much of the on-location action took place at Fisherman’s Village in Marina del Rey. (Unfortunately the above sign has since been moved/removed.) They called it Oceanside Wharf on the show, but everything else is practically the same. Oh yeah, except there’s not really a banana stand there. But the lighthouse you see behind the banana stand on the show is really there, and you can get a burger or hot dog for lunch there. The round blue tables that George Michael and gang routinely sat at are there. You can close your eyes and imagine the banana stand is there, right?

Just across the walkway is Sapori’s, the side of which stood in for a candy apple stand – remember when Gob chipped his tooth and started whistling when he spoke? (”You’d better let me do the talking.”)

Sapori's doubled as a candy apple stand.

And, finally, docked at Fisherman’s Village is the Marina Hornblower — also known as the boat George Sr. was arrested on. It’s usually there, and easy to snap a photo with.

Nearby in Marina del Rey is the Shell Station (4770 Lincoln Boulevard) where Michael and Maeby stop in “Afternoon Delight”…

…as well as Panini Coffee & Cafe, where Michael and Oscar met in “Whistler’s Mother”:

The cafe is located at 4325 Glencoe Avenue in Marina del Rey. Interiors were used in the episode.

On Venice Boulevard in Mar Vista, you’ll find a few more locations.

At 12320 is Robinson’s Beautilities, a costume shop that Tobias walks by in the first-season finale.

A few feet down the street at 12310 is Sam Johnson’s Book Shop, where Tobias notices his book The Man Inside Me, and later does a book reading.

Around the corner at the Vineyard Christian Fellowship Coffee House (3838 S Centinela) is where Kitty met with the Bluth boys to try to take control of the Bluth Company.

(The interiors were used for the filming of the episode.)

In Los Angeles, University High School at 11800 Texas Avenue was used for George Michael and Maeby’s high school.

A bit further north in Culver City is where a lot of the show was filmed, mainly because its home was Culver Studios. Alandale’s, where Marta buys Michael a suit, is at 9715 Washington Boulevard:

Culver City Hall at 9770 Culver Boulevard is where all of the exterior scenes at court took place.

The Culver Hotel at 9400 Culver Boulevard stood in for Deliberations, the bar where Michael picked up Maggie Lizer. Inside the hotel is Munchkin’s, the hotel restaurant where Kitty once claimed Michael was threatening her.

(The Culver Hotel actually has a rich history; it’s where many of the Wizard of Oz bit players stayed while filming the movie at the nearby studio.)

Though the show wasn’t actually filmed in Orange County, it was set there and inspired by creator Mitch Hurwitz’s Orange County upbringing (he went to high school in Costa Mesa).

You might see a similar shot on the show.

In fact, Hurwitz has mentioned that the Bluth banana stand was inspired by two dueling banana shacks on Balboa Island: Dad’s Donut and Bakery Shop at 318 Marine Ave in Newport Beach and Sugar & Spice Original Frozen Banana just a few shops down the street. Though these eateries weren’t featured on the show, they definitely inspired it and the treats they offer are definitely delicious.

For more on “Arrested Development”, check out Christina’s interview with Buster himself, Tony Hale!

- Story and photos by Christina LeBlanc, Executive Editor

Where is it? The Warner Brothers studio is at 3400 Riverside Drive in Burbank, CA.

What time is the tour? Tours depart at regular intervals all day from 8:20am – 4:00pm. (The ticket office opens by 7:30am.)

How much do tickets cost? The VIP Tour costs $48.00 per person. (You can get a discount if you’re a AAA member!) In a peak season (spring or summer) I’d advise buying tickets in advance online here. Otherwise, you can buy them at the ticket office on a first-come first-served basis. You also get a coupon for $1 off gelato at the gelateria in the gift shop, in case you need to kill time with a snack while you wait.

Where do I park? The studio offers tour parking for $7, right across the street from the tour office. If you don’t want to spend that much, you might be able to find street parking nearby — but make sure you account for a short walk to the studio and make sure you’ll be okay to park for about three hours. Personally I’d say just bite the bullet and park in the convenient and safe studio lot.

How long is the tour? The tour lasts approximately two and  half hours. Don’t worry — you won’t have to hoof it. For the majority of the tour you’ll be driven around the lot on a comfortable tram.

What should I bring? Bring your camera — while videotaping is a no-no, you can take still photographs during most parts of the tour. The guides are great about helping you get the shots you want. You can bring a bottle of water or soda along, since the tour lasts over two hours; just make sure it closes. No cans or open cups! You can also have your cell phone with you, as long as you silence it during the tour.

What’s the tour like? The tour begins with a short video to fill you in on some of Warner Brother’s past and current productions. It lasts maybe 10 minutes and is fun to watch. Next, you meet your tour guide and get on the tram for your tour. If you bring a purse, they’ll lock it up for the tour but don’t worry — you’ll be able to grab your camera when picture-taking is okayed! The tour brings you past the soundstages, some of which have hosted famous sets (do “Friends”, “ER”, or “The West Wing” ring a bell?) and some of which are currently home to hit shows such as “Two and a Half Men”, “The Big Bang Theory”, and “Lopez Tonight”. Your tour guide will take you through commonly used backlots, including an oft-used jungle and pond, as well as the town square. But it’s not all just looking — on most tours you’ll also visit the WB museum, including a whole floor dedicated solely to the Harry Potter movies; a collection of famously filmed cars; the prop house; and often times a walk through an active film or TV set. (On my first tour, we walked through the offices of “The Mentalist” and on my second tour through the Buy More back room and apartment complex from “Chuck.”)

What will I see? The Warner Brothers lot has been home to many famous productions, and there are sure to be sights on the tour to excite every tour-goer. Here’s a sampling of what you might see:

The alley from the famous Spiderman upside-down kiss.

Recognize this? It's the exterior of Merlotte's from True Blood.

Some tours might visit the Central Perk set from Friends.

Luke's Diner from Gilmore Girls.

My thoughts: I LOVE this tour! I’ve been twice, and my most recent tour (March 2010) was even better than the first. Our tour guide, Freddy, was amazing. He was very funny and extremely knowledgeable. He had nuggets of wisdom for everyone on the tour, no matter what movies or shows they loved. He even took my friend to a location that isn’t normally on the tour because she loved a canceled show that filmed there. It’s an extremely in-depth tour, with past and present projects to see. It’s long but definitely not boring. And it’s a little expensive but, in my opinion, definitely worth it!

- Story and photos by Christina LeBlanc, Executive Editor