This is my first post here and was hoping somebody might be able to answer my question.

In the 1971 Columbo episode titled Murder by the Book, does anyone know the exact location of the lake house that was used? All I know is that it was at Big Bear Lake.

I've tried to find this house (or approximate location) on Google Map, especially on "street view," but with no luck.

I love the old Columbo shows, and started watching them when they were first run, then later during re runs. When the DVDs came out I purchased all but the ones of the '90s, but which I still plan on purchasing.

I like watching the shows and seeing a street sign, landmark, etc., and then trying to find some of the filming locations on Google Map to see what they look like today. I recently did this with the old Highway Patrol TV show episodes.

Getting back to Murder by the book, I tried to scrutinize the outdoor scenes to see if maybe I could locate where the house was, as I saw what looked like a land point on the lake and also a road below the house. I believe the house is on the south side of the lake, but just where I don't know.

I've found many locations concerning other Columbo episodes, but I can't find the exact house location in this one. Can anyone help?

Hi Walt!

First off, I have no idea where that house is. Wish I could help on that.

Secondly, I've done the same thing as you, but with the TV show, "Adam 12".

"Adam 12" is absolutely filled with street signs and addresses spoken by dispatch. I pause the show then go on Google Streetview and see what the area looks like now compared to the 1970s.

Unfortunately, for some reason, there are times the dispatch voice gives a non-existent address, so this doesn't work. Also, now and then, it's obvious that the show is using the Universal backlot for scenes.

It's interesting how sometimes locations have changed so much with little reference points remaining, while other locations are absolutely exactly the same, the 40 years in between having made no impact.

Back to "Murder By the Book". Can we be certain that the location used was indeed Big Bear Lake? As I write this, I'm not having a recollection of it.

welcome to the site, walt.
you obviously have great taste in tv programs.
good luck with your search.

Thanks for the welcome, Cassavetes. I must peruse the old posts to see if I can glean information I don't yet know about.

Speaking of Cassavetes, my first cousin (back in her modeling days) knew Shera Danese and went to Peter's and Danese's wedding. I recall my cousin telling me John Cassavetes was there, but at the time I didn't realize John and Peter were good friends (as I have recently read, I believe in Peter's book).

how cool for your cousin! i'm envious.

i was just looking for a photo i had seen in one of my books of peter and john and ben gazzara at peter's wedding. it was a cool shot because the guys were all sitting around a table, i believe with their jackets off, and it was such a great picture. but i just can't seem to find the right book.

anyway...
http://www.corbisimages.com/stock-photo/rights-managed/42-21870475/wedding-of-peter-falk-and-shera-danese/?ext=1

Thanks for your reply, Headache.

My source for the filming location was the Internet Movie Data Base (a resource I use often):

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066932/locations

When I searched Google Map, the flora and topography of the area sure looked like that of what I saw in the episode (MBTB).

Somebody owned that house (I don't think it was a stage set), and I'm thinking it may well be one of the cast or production crew, etc.

In any event, I just thought it would be cool to see if I could find the house and possibly learn more about it, and that store that was also used. I like trivia stuff.

I sometimes watch Adam 12 on the Retro Channel and yes, there's lots of locations that interest me, although I haven't searched any yet. I prefer to search when I have a DVD in my computer (of the show) and I can switch quickly back and forth to Google Map and the DVDto really nail down the location.

Sometimes I will do a Google street scene/show screen capture, to post "then and now" photos on other websites I sometime frequent. Most folks like that kind of stuff.

I recall maybe 25-30 years ago Parade Magazine (Sunday paper insert) did a photo article on "then and now" Hollwood movie set locations. I don't remember all of the locations they showed, but some of the movies were Vertigo, Bad Day at Blackrock, High Sierra.

I do the same thing. I even visit California and go to these sights. I got a lot of good stuff from the tv show,Emergency. I’ve even been to the fire station, and I’ve sat in the squad and fire trucks they used. Very fun hobby!

Walt, I have also always been curious which cabin it was so I emailed Big Bear Vacations! Here is my email and their response:

Hi, I hope you may be able to help and apologies in advance here for being a nerd!

I am trying to locate the Big Bear cabin used in an episode of Columbo titled "Murder by the Book."

Here is a youtube snippet of the cabin and surrounding area:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OHiF2fU2eA

I will be wishing to rent a cabin next year on an intended visit but I just had to ask if anyone knows of which cabin this is and whether it is available for rent.

Again, apologies for the nerdiness factor of this email!

Sincerely,

Rob Thornsby

Response:

Hey Rob,

Youre e-mail was very intriguing to all of us over here at Big Bear Vacations. Weve been passing the youtube clip around the office all day but no one has been able to pinpoint the cabin. We will keep asking around, it has a pretty unique view and decking on the balcony. Definitely a beautiful cabin! If we hear any feedback we will definitely keep you posted. If you are unable to locate it, please think of us for choosing another cabin thats perfect for you! Dont worry, we dont think your e-mail was nerdy! Very different than our usual e-mails- we loved it!

I hope you have a great day and good luck in your search!

Kimberly Fares
Vacation Planner

Rob: I think that's great in you trying to nail down the location of the cabin.

I've been freeze framing and examining all the scenes with respect to the cabin nine ways from Sunday.

I did this on my computer so that I could also view Google Map (at Big Bear) and toogle back and forth from the DVD to Google. For the life of me I can't nail down the location of the cabin.

Further, note that when viewing the lake from the cabin balconey you can see a road (with dashed lane divider lines on it (also a car driving by now and then). This road is right down near the lake shore line. But on Google Map there is no roadway down by the shore line on the south side of the lake, where I think the cabin was located.

Note the finger (point) of land jutting out into the lake. If you check Google Map you can see (if memory recalls) about three points of land on the lake's south side (and the land points are on the proper angle with respect to them jutting out into the lake).

The lake runs east to west in length. I looked at Cassidy's shadow on the road/parking spot and it is consistant with the cabin being on the south side of the lake, but at elevation, maybe 500 feet south of the lake.

Some of the roads on Google Map don't have street scenes, so I couldn't check them. However, these roads don't jib with what I'm seeing on the DVD cabin scenes.

I find it hard to believe that no one in Big Bear Management knows where this cabin is, but hopefully somebody might stumble upon it and get back to you. If so, please apprise us of it.

Also, I looked for that little store on Google Map. I checked both sides of the lake, especially looking where the lake appears narrow (across the road from the store). I had no luck finding it. It may not even exist anymore. One thing I do know, Big Bear Lake area has definitely grown in the past 40 years.

Below are two screen grab photos (both photos are horizontally truncated, a function of this website. If you click on image you can see the full photo).

The first photo is from Google Map, showing Big Bear lake and the three major land points jutting into the lake.

In the second photo you can see one of these (presumably) land points behind Ken Franklin (Jack Cassidy). Also, you can see two cars passing one another on a road that runs along the lake shore. Red arrows point to these spots.

The problem is, the Google maps show no such road running along the lake shore. The land point behind Ken Franklin looks undeveloped then (1971). Today on Google map all three land points (pennisulas) appear developed.

Possible some of the area was reconfigured (roads changed) to accomodate more waterfront cabin homes -- and higher property values.

I've studied the Google maps as closely as possible and can't readily see where the Franklin cabin is.

One thing I'm sure of, though, is that the cabin is on the south side of the lake (the length of the lake runs basically east to west) because the shadows Ken casts at the cabin and at the little country store either run parallel with the lake (indicating sun is out of the east) or towards the lake (indicating sun is out of the south).


Lastly, It is my guess (with respect to the landpoint that can be seen behind Ken Franklin) that the cabin might be on the western most land point, and the view is looking across Metcalf Bay (see Google map) in a northeast direction.

I think the only way to ascertain where the cabin is (or was) and how the roads changed over the years is to review as-built drawings of the community as it existed in 1971 and now.

In any event, current Google mapping indicates there are no roads near the lakeside as shown in the MBTB episode.

The uncertainty of it all is bugging me!

Now I have a bee in my bonnet about finding this cabin. I was looking at google earth last night for more than an hour (it kept crashing on me). I couldn't find anything that looked like it might be THE cabin.

I've considered the possiblity that the cabin may no longer be standing. Perhaps Jack Cassidy left behind a discarded cigarette? I know, bad joke.

I've uploaded some screen shots below from the episode "Murder By The Book" for reference.

quoting john..

"it may also be the case that Franklin simply covers his furniture when he's not using the cabin."

that is really probably the reason. there were no other ulterior motives. hell, my grandparents used to do that all the time, and as far as i know, they weren't murderers.

Were they Italian, by chance? My mother is, and her parents and aunts were always covering everything in plastic, too. I vividly remember that my grandmother even had an entire wall-to-wall carpet covered by big, thick sheets of plastic!

yes! they were all italian! all my grandparents came 'over the boat' from italy.

i'm surprised that i didn't die from some plastic poisoning at an early age!

but i must say, i don't think my grandmas ever went so far as to cover the carpeting with plastic! i find that hysterical! and yet understandable!

I think I found it on the north shore, above Flicker Road. The brown roof cabin from the episode is 39760 Flicker Road.

Have a look at the roads around the cabin and compare them to these below. See what you think.

Now compare these.

I'm sure it's the correct spot. I even found Jack on google earth!

We've been to Big Bear many times, and comparing your photos to our holiday snaps this location has got to be in the area of Flicker Rd, Fawnskin - looking south west-ish towards the dam, on the north side. Your movie stills are great.

A friend of mine confirmed the house last summer when she vacationed at Big Bear. She took photos and video for me, which I can't post here as I don't have a photobucket account any longer.

Hello,

You are trying to locate "Big Bear's Cabin".
If this is the wooden house of Lilly La Sanka that we see among others at 07'36 '' and 59'44 '', know that this house was demolished (in 2015 it did not exist anymore). It was located at "41389 CA 38 Big Bear Lake", accurate coordinates on Google Earth 34 ° 15'43.55 "N - 116 ° 53'57.87" W.
cordially

Here you can see the brown cabin with the upper walk way.

Mitch/Walt, I am going to forward your superb threads to the contact at Big Bear to see what she thinks. I will be heading out to CA next year combining some marketing work with a short vacation and I'm gonna spend a day and head out there. I'm gonna keep this thread for my own detective work! Thanks for your efforts guys.

Here is the address of the chalet: 933 Deer Trail Ln Fawnskin

Hello All

The Ken Franklin cabin was posted a few years back. I posted the photos I took of the house. Look Ken Franklins cabin.2015

5-6 years ago I went on Zillo and found the names of the Franklin house owners and decided to send the owners a letter (actually, a large padded mailing envelope) inquiring if they knew about the Columbo filming there. I sent screen shot photos (taken from the Murder By The Book episode) and several pages of text.

However, the letter was returned to me by the USPS, saying the residence had a P.O. Box, and no street address delivery.

I then did a Google of the owners' names, and lo and behold it turned out that the husband was the head of a multi billion dollar investment firm in L.A., California, and both he and his wife were known socialites and philanthropists (which I found photos of them online). They lived in a mansion in L.A., and some magazine had done a photo op of the mansion, along with an interview and biography (available online).

Come to find out, the Franklin house was just one of about four or five residences they owned. I recall they had a residence in Hawaii, and one in Hilton Head, South Carolina.

As I recall the owners were in their late '70s or early '80s back in 2011.

Considering their prominent business and social status, I decided not to contact them once I got their actual physical address in L.A., and didn't want to invade their privacy, possibly them thinking I was using the Franklin house inquiry as a pretext for some other more threatening purpose.

When I saw the name of the owner, I was surprised because my friend Brian worked for him back in the 90s in Pasadena. The companies have since been sold off but he still owns all those properties.

What pics did you post of the house in 2015? I know from what I can tell from Google aerial photos that the house had an extensive modification, plus maybe a garage or combination garage and guest house. Unfortunately, Google doesn't have street view of the house.

I didn't want to disclose the owner's name, but you know the name and much of the personal information. I just know he wasn't the original owner based on the Zillow property history (where I got the owner's name from). So, I have no idea if he owner is aware the Columbo episode was shot in his house -- or if he even cares.

big bear lake thx for house