Classic Rock: Devil's Doorway — a "ride-through arch" located on the former Iverson Movie Ranch, featured in countless old Western movies and early TV series

This blog post is part of a series on "Classic Rocks" — rocks located on the former site of the Iverson Movie Ranch in Chatsworth, Calif., that were featured in old movies, cliffhanger serials and early TV shows. Other entries in the series can be seen by clicking here.

"Oh Susanna" (1936): Devil's Doorway

Devil's Doorway is what might be called a "ride-through arch" — a group of rocks forming an arch that a rider on horseback can fit through. It's one of a number of such structures on the site of the former Iverson Movie Ranch, but it was by far the most often filmed. It could often be seen in B-Westerns and early TV Western series as an entrance to an outlaws' hideout. The above shot from the Gene Autry movie "Oh Susanna" provides the view of Devil's Doorway as seen from the north.

 

Devil's Doorway in recent years

This is what it looks like today from the north. Devil's Doorway is now surrounded by condos.

Here's Devil's Doorway from the south, again from "Oh Susanna." The rocky hilltop in the distance is Cactus Hill, which remains in place today.

This is the view of Devil's Doorway as it looks today from the south.