Life and work
Bill Paxton was an American actor and filmmaker. Born: 17 May 1955. Died: 25 February 2017. Citizenship recorded in the biographical source: United States.
Actor · 1955–2017
Bill Paxton
Bill Paxton was an American actor and filmmaker. Born on 17 May 1955, this profile follows Bill Paxton through existing screen stories and their real settings. The connected credits include The Terminator (1984), Predator 2 (1990), True Lies (1994) and Nightcrawler (2014). The location trail reaches Second Street Tunnel, Griffith Observatory and Eastern Columbia Building. Each stop belongs to a particular work and moment, keeping the creative credit beside the place that gives the story its geography. Explore the films and programmes below to move between performances, collaborators and settings, and use each location’s own story for the documented connection. These are work locations; a credit alone does not establish a personal visit to every mapped stop. The credit and location sources remain alongside each story for further reading.
← All peopleFollow the geography ↓Resized without enlargement and converted to WebP. The existing square desktop frame may crop; mobile retains the full photograph. Source colours retained. Adapted image remains under CC BY-SA 3.0.
The Terminator · Second Street Tunnel
Bill Paxton is credited as cast member on The Terminator. The work’s existing location story leads to Second Street Tunnel. The Second Street Tunnel is part of the film’s downtown pursuit geography. Its curved, tiled surfaces are recognisable beneath the screen lighting.
The Terminator — credits ↗︎2nd Street Tunnel ↗︎The Terminator · Griffith Observatory ↗︎
Predator 2 · Eastern Columbia Building
Bill Paxton is credited as cast member on Predator 2. The work’s existing location story leads to Eastern Columbia Building. The Art Deco tower appears in the film’s downtown Los Angeles setting.
True Lies · The Biltmore Los Angeles
Bill Paxton is credited as cast member on True Lies. The work’s existing location story leads to The Biltmore Los Angeles. The Biltmore Los Angeles is documented as a location associated with True Lies (1994). The pin identifies the site; individual shots and interior sets can differ.
Nightcrawler · Ocean Front Walk
Bill Paxton is credited as cast member on Nightcrawler. The work’s existing location story leads to Ocean Front Walk. Lou steals a bicycle along Ocean Front Walk. The production filmed north of Windward Avenue; the image is a wider boardwalk view rather than an exact shot match.
THE PLACES BEHIND THE STORY
A life on the map.
Explore 8 connections. Each connection links to its evidence; outlined circles mark approximate areas, not exact buildings or camera positions.
Griffith Observatory ↗︎
Filming location · the Terminator arrives
The Terminator appears at Griffith Observatory and confronts the punks outside. The city view establishes the size of the place he has entered.
2800 E Observatory Road
Open street map ↗︎The Biltmore Los Angeles ↗︎
A screen location
The Biltmore Los Angeles is documented as a location associated with True Lies (1994). The pin identifies the site; individual shots and interior sets can differ.
506 S Grand Avenue
Open street map ↗︎Westin Bonaventure Hotel ↗︎
A screen location
Westin Bonaventure Hotel is documented as a location associated with True Lies (1994). The pin identifies the site; individual shots and interior sets can differ.
404 S Figueroa Street
Open street map ↗︎Second Street Tunnel ↗︎
Filming location · the pursuit
The Second Street Tunnel is part of the film’s downtown pursuit geography. Its curved, tiled surfaces are recognisable beneath the screen lighting.
2nd Street Tunnel ↗︎The Terminator · Griffith Observatory ↗︎
2nd Street between Hill and Figueroa streets
Open street map ↗︎Eastern Columbia Building ↗︎
Predator 2
The Art Deco tower appears in the film’s downtown Los Angeles setting.
849 S Broadway
Open street map ↗︎El Compadre ↗︎
Filming location · the dinner negotiation
The Hollywood El Compadre becomes Cabanita, where Lou meets Nina for dinner. The restaurant’s warm interior holds one of the film’s most uncomfortable negotiations.
7408 W Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles
Open street map ↗︎KTLA at Sunset Bronson Studios ↗︎
Filming location · KWLA exterior
KTLA’s Sunset Boulevard frontage supplies the fictional station’s exterior. The newsroom interiors were filmed at the former KCET facility, a different site.
5800 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles
Open street map ↗︎Ocean Front Walk ↗︎
Filming location · the bicycle theft
Lou steals a bicycle along Ocean Front Walk. The production filmed north of Windward Avenue; the image is a wider boardwalk view rather than an exact shot match.
Ocean Front Walk, Venice, Los Angeles
Open street map ↗︎IN THE STORY1955-05-17 2017-02-25
Born 17 May 1955
Died 25 February 2017
Explore a shared connection.
WORKS
Culture, connected.
Follow the work through its real places.
The Terminator ↗︎
James Cameron
Predator 2
Stephen Hopkins
True Lies
James Cameron
Nightcrawler ↗︎
Dan Gilroy
KEEP EXPLORING
Cities and Worlds.
Los Angeles ↗︎
Follow a scene into the hills. A song onto the Strip. A story all the way to the ocean.
Nightcrawler ↗︎
Venice daylight, a television frontage and a Hollywood restaurant reveal the working geography behind Lou Bloom’s night.
The Terminator ↗︎
Scan: a red machine eye reads real Los Angeles and returns the real address behind each story address.
PEOPLE IN THE STORY
Creative connections.
Follow collaborators through their work and the real places tied to it.
James Cameron ↗︎
James Cameron is a Canadian filmmaker and explorer. Born on 16 August 1954, this profile follows James Cameron through existing screen stories and their real settings. The connected credits include The Terminator (1984), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) and True Lies (1994). The location trail reaches Second Street Tunnel, Griffith Observatory and Sixth Street Viaduct — original bridge site. Each stop belongs to a particular work and moment, keeping the creative credit beside the place that gives the story its geography. Explore the films and programmes below to move between performances, collaborators and settings, and use each location’s own story for the documented connection. These are work locations; a credit alone does not establish a personal visit to every mapped stop. The credit and location sources remain alongside each story for further reading.
Charlton Heston ↗︎
Charlton Heston was an American actor. Born on 4 October 1923, this profile follows Charlton Heston through existing screen stories and their real settings. The connected credits include Planet of the Apes (1968), Earthquake (1974) and True Lies (1994). The location trail reaches Point Dume, Malibu Creek State Park and Hollywood Reservoir · Mulholland Dam. Each stop belongs to a particular work and moment, keeping the creative credit beside the place that gives the story its geography. Explore the films and programmes below to move between performances, collaborators and settings, and use each location’s own story for the documented connection. These are work locations; a credit alone does not establish a personal visit to every mapped stop. The credit and location sources remain alongside each story for further reading.
Jake Gyllenhaal ↗︎
Jake Gyllenhaal is an American actor. Born on 19 December 1980, this profile follows Jake Gyllenhaal through existing screen stories and their real settings. The connected credits include The Day After Tomorrow (2004), Zodiac (2007) and Nightcrawler (2014). The location trail reaches Capitol Records Building, Transamerica Pyramid and Union Square, with existing stories in San Francisco. Each stop belongs to a particular work and moment, keeping the creative credit beside the place that gives the story its geography. Explore the films and programmes below to move between performances, collaborators and settings, and use each location’s own story for the documented connection. These are work locations; a credit alone does not establish a personal visit to every mapped stop. The credit and location sources remain alongside each story for further reading.
Jamie Lee Curtis ↗︎
Jamie Lee Curtis is an American actress and author. Born on 22 November 1958, this profile follows Jamie Lee Curtis through existing screen stories and their real settings. The connected credits include Halloween (1978), True Lies (1994) and A Fish Called Wanda. The location trail reaches Hollywood Reservoir · Mulholland Dam, The Biltmore Los Angeles and Westin Bonaventure Hotel, with existing stories in London. Each stop belongs to a particular work and moment, keeping the creative credit beside the place that gives the story its geography. Explore the films and programmes below to move between performances, collaborators and settings, and use each location’s own story for the documented connection. These are work locations; a credit alone does not establish a personal visit to every mapped stop. The credit and location sources remain alongside each story for further reading.
James Newton Howard ↗︎
James Newton Howard is an American composer and music producer. Born on 9 June 1951, this profile follows James Newton Howard through existing screen stories and their real settings. The connected credits include Pretty Woman (1990), Falling Down (1993), The Fugitive (1993) and ER (1994). The location trail reaches Beverly Wilshire, Ambassador Hotel — former site and Oviatt Building · Cicada, with existing stories in Chicago. Each stop belongs to a particular work and moment, keeping the creative credit beside the place that gives the story its geography. Explore the films and programmes below to move between performances, collaborators and settings, and use each location’s own story for the documented connection. These are work locations; a credit alone does not establish a personal visit to every mapped stop. The credit and location sources remain alongside each story for further reading.
Linda Hamilton ↗︎
Linda Hamilton is an American actress. Born on 26 September 1956, this profile follows Linda Hamilton through existing screen stories and their real settings. The connected credits include The Terminator (1984) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991). The location trail reaches Second Street Tunnel, Griffith Observatory and Sixth Street Viaduct — original bridge site. Each stop belongs to a particular work and moment, keeping the creative credit beside the place that gives the story its geography. Explore the films and programmes below to move between performances, collaborators and settings, and use each location’s own story for the documented connection. These are work locations; a credit alone does not establish a personal visit to every mapped stop. The credit and location sources remain alongside each story for further reading.