4 Wisconsin Towns Where Famous Movies Were Filmed
The connection between Wisconsin and Hollywood is a strong one. It was here that filmmakers chose to recreate 1930s America for the epic gangster flick, Public Enemies. It was a sensible move not just because the state is rich in Great Depression-era architecture, but because much of the origin story took place in and around Wisconsin. Those gangster hideouts? All of them are authentic.
Mix in the state’s historic small towns and cities with their 1930s architecture and some remote old forest lodges, and film directors, cinema fans, and curious travelers alike find themselves excited about Wisconsin’s best movie backdrops. Check out these Wisconsin towns where classic American movies were filmed.
Milwaukee - Public Enemies, Transformers, and Mr. 3000
Milwaukee is a prolific film location. Wisconsin's largest city is particularly popular among film crews for its historic architecture, boasting a skyline and buildings that can convincingly stand in for cities across America for films set during the early 20th century. All of which made it an ideal location for 2009’s Public Enemies.
Starring superstar Johnny Depp as notorious gangster John Dillinger, the Milwaukee County Historical Center, originally a bank, became a key filming location. In the process, the building's grand old marble interior was tidied up for the film’s iconic bank robbery. Visit today, and it looks much the same in the flesh as it did on the big screen.
When Transformers: Dark of the Moon came to town in 2010, the spotlight shone on the Milwaukee Art Museum. Boasting a futuristic design, its Quadracci Pavilion was perfect as the HQ of the billionaire baddy played by Patrick Dempsey. The building’s space-age look also led to its having roles in TV shows, including American Idol and Shark Tank.
Sports movie fans will also likely recognize Milwaukee’s American Family Field from the baseball comedy, Mr. 3000. Filmed between innings of actual Brewers games in 2003, the record crowds of fans made for enthusiastic extras.
Manitowish Waters - Public Enemies
The small Wisconsin Northwoods community of Manitowish Waters is unique among American movie locations. Not only does it have a starring role in Public Enemies, but it was the actual location where the actions depicted in the movie took place. Built in 1929 on Little Star Lake, Little Bohemia Lodge became a popular retreat for folks from Chicago, including the notorious John Dillinger and his gang.
Alarmed that high-profile criminals had booked a stay here, the owners secretly informed the FBI, and a hastily organized raid took place on the night of April 22, 1934. It was a disaster. Agents mistakenly killed an innocent guest, wounded two others, and even lost a comrade in the shootout. Meanwhile, the gang escaped into the Wisconsin woods.
You can visit this remarkable site to this day. Now a bar and restaurant, it looks much as it did in 1934, with bullet holes from the shootout still visible. Some memorabilia from both the Dillinger era and Public Enemies are on display, too.
For an added dash of movie fun, the Manitowish Waters Historical Society runs Dillinger Pontoon Tours from the lodge during the summer. You’ll visit several sites connected to the gang's brief stay in the area and the movie.
Madison - Back To School
Wisconsin’s capital, Madison, has also had its moment on the silver screen. Here, the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison became the fictional Grand Lakes University for the 1986 comedy, Back to School. Starring the late Rodney Dangerfield as a wealthy businessman, the hilarity centers around his attempts to keep an eye on his underachieving son by enrolling at the same college.
Locations you can see to this day include Bascom Hill, where Dangerfield filmed a memorable scene in a bathrobe and slippers; Library Mall in front of the Memorial Library; the Memorial Union Terrace overlooking Lake Mendota; and Observatory Hill, to name but a few. Students also got in on the act. More than 400 turned up as extras in scenes shot in and around the university, including at the former Headliner's, a campus-area music venue popular at the time.
Madison also played a role in Depp’s Public Enemies. The Wisconsin State Capitol duped as Washington, D.C.’s FBI headquarters, with scenes shot both inside and out.
Elkhart Lake - Winning
Elkhart Lake has been a part of Wisconsin’s car racing scene since 1950. It was then that the Chicago Region of the Sports Car Club of America selected the public roads in and around the village for its increasingly popular open-road races. Though these thrilling street races ended soon after a tragic accident, the racing bug caught on, leading to the construction of Road America in 1955. This four-mile permanent circuit is now considered one of the best (and fastest) road courses in North America.
Hollywood got in on the action in 1968 when Road America was chosen as a primary filming location for Winning, a racing drama starring Paul Newman and Robert Wagner. Six days of shooting saw more than 800 extras participate as Newman and Wagner demonstrated their driving skills, doing their own stunts on camera.
Fiction spilled over to fact, however, as Newman, then 44, caught the racing bug. His preparation for Winning sparked a passion that lasted decades, returning to Road America many times to race professionally under the not-too-hard-to-figure-out pseudonym, P. L. Newman.
Film fans visiting Road America today can still capture a little of that excitement for themselves. The public is welcome on race days, of course, and behind-the-scenes tours are available on non-race days. In addition to hearing tales about the production of Winning, you’ll learn more about the track's long history. Track experiences are also available, and the course offers several performance car driving opportunities around the same track that Newman so enjoyed.
Several cabins and a larger cottage are available to rent on-site, and camping is also available, ensuring you’re never far from the racing action. Better still, follow in Newman’s footsteps and book a stay at Siebkens Resort. The star stayed here during the 1968 filming, and his favorite spot, Room 11, is available (book early, though).
Lights, Camera… Wisconsin!
Wisconsin's a fine example of how authentic film locations really can play a part in movie magic. Thanks to its well-preserved historic architecture, distinctive natural landmarks, and settings where real-life events took place, Hollywood has been enthralled with Wisconsin’s film industry-friendly character for decades. Now it’s your turn.
