The latest ad campaign for Gatorade, inspired by some major sports stars' frustration at being cooped up at home for too long, has roots in Chatsworth, Calif. You can get a taste of it by watching the above 30-second spot.
Todd Gurley, dressed for lacrosse at his Chatsworth home
Among the top athletes who were filmed at their homes for the spot is former L.A. Rams running back Todd Gurley, who turns up in a series of uniforms suggesting he's up for any sport — not just football.
In this shot Gurley is outfitted in a T-shirt from his new NFL team, the Atlanta Falcons, but that baseball mitt on his right hand indicates he's ready for some good old-fashioned backyard catch.
Gurley lets us know he's a quadruple threat
Ramping up his multitasking skills, Gurley fields a soccer ball (with his hands — the horror!) while carrying a football on his basketball court. I'm not sure about that red thing — lacrosse goalie padding maybe?
In the payoff shot at the end of the spot we see Gurley, his left hand hidden behind the Gatorade logo, fencing with a pro football pop-up dummy — hardly a fair fight.
WNBA star Elena Delle Donne blends hockey, soccer and b-ball
Other athletes taking part in the fun spot include WNBA champion Elena Delle Donne, Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper and NBA wunderkind Zion Williamson. But none of them live in Chatsworth, so let's bring it back home.
Todd Gurley's neighborhood on the former Brandeis Ranch (Google Maps)
It's easy to see why the mansions that now occupy the former Upper Iverson and Brandeis Movie Ranch might appeal to folks who can afford them — the Santa Susana Mountains form a spectacular backdrop to the west.
Boat Hill appears alongside Jane Darwell in "The Grapes of Wrath" (1940)
Boat Hill has been showing up in movies for more than 100 years. You can find it in the long index on the right side of the page, or click here to see more of its film appearances.
"Gunslingers" (Monogram, 1950): Pyramid Peak at center
Pyramid Peak is in so many productions it's hard to pick just one. But the above screen shot from the Whip Wilson B-Western "Gunslingers" is a prime example — with the added bonus of Wrench Rock peeking in from the left.
The Hialeah neighborhood on the former Brandeis Ranch (Google satellite photo)
Here's another look at the neighborhood where Todd Gurley has been living. He's with the Falcons now, so I assume he has moved to Atlanta and won't mind our checking out his old house.
The same background rocks in the Gatorade commercial
It can be tricky matching up rocks when the angles are this different, but the color-coded outlines mark areas where I think the similarities between the Gatorade spot and the Google satellite photo can be seen.
The swimming pool area, as seen in a property listing from 2017
The Rams star's 2017 purchase of this prime Chatsworth property was widely reported at the time, and real estate photos that circulated around the time of the sale show off the home's fancy pool area and other amenities.
The view from the back yard — including Pyramid Peak at top right
The Hialeah neighborhood is situated almost exactly where the Western movie town of Hickeyville, part of the Brandeis Movie Ranch, once stood. The town was located a short distance west of the Todd Gurley property.
"The Singing Cowboy" (Republic, 1936): Hickeyville (Jerry England collection)
Hickeyville, at the far west end of the Brandeis Movie Ranch, was an active filming location from about 1936-1942. Here's a shot of the town in the early Gene Autry B-Western "The Singing Cowboy."
The old Todd Gurley place in Chatsworth (2017 real estate photo)
In movie location research, the rule is usually "older is better." But once in a while even a current commercial for a sports drink can be worth a look — especially when it's shot in a historic filming location.
2 comments:
As always, an interesting and informative blog. But seriously.... moving to a "new" email and going with AOL???? Come into the 21st century swami. :)
Funny, I haven't heard the old aol-bashing in about 10 years, since I was among the chorus myself and moved on to gmail. But the old aol account I stopped using back then still works, while the newer, "preferred," more hip and supposedly more 21st century-friendly gmail account took a very large and sudden dump. It's pretty much a no-brainer. I was forced to shed the outdated, decade-old misperception about which is supposedly "better" and go with the only one of the two that actually works. No it's not a new account for me, it's an old reliable one. But "new" is the best way to introduce it, as in "different from the old one."
I believe aol email is like the cockroach, and when the 22nd century arrives, whether or not human beings are still around to see it, the aol accounts will probably still be working.
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