Waxahachie: A Movie Capital of Texas
A Tour of Waxahachie in Movies
INTRODUCTION:
Waxahachie is the Movie Capital of Texas, with over thirty motion pictures and three Academy Award films.
Filmmaking began here with Bonnie and Clyde, scripted by Waxahachie native Robert Benton, which was filmed in 1967. It reached its pinnacle in the early 1980’s when Benton returned to his former hometown to write and direct the Oscar-winning feature Places in the Heart, starring Sally Field.
Two other Oscar-winners, Tender Mercies, starring Robert Duvall and Tess Harper, and The Trip to Bountiful, were also shot principally in Waxahachie at that time.
Waxahachie has remained a popular backdrop for numerous films, television shows, commercials and videos.
Waxahachie TX
A Map Tour of Movie Scenes
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1
Places in the Heart, 1984
100 N College St. The bank in “Places in the Heart” where Sally Fields tries to get a loan on her farm was the Rogers Hotel lobby
2
Bonnie & Clyde, 1967
1025 W Main St. Bonnies’ house in the 1967 movie "Bonnie and Clyde"
3
Bonnie & Clyde, 1967
200 W Main St. The bank robbed in the movie Bonnie and Clyde
4
The Trip to the Bountiful, 1985
211 Enniss St. Gas station on the left is the site for the bus stop scene where the people waited.
5
Places in the Heart, 1984
1101 E Marvin Ave. This home was the beauty shop and the home of Sally Field's sister. Several scenes were shot here including the devastating torando scene in the movie.
6
Square Dance, 1987
Church scene in the movie was shot in Chautauqua Auditorium.
7
I Takes Two, 1988
902 W Main St. Opening scene with the chess game was shot on the front porch of this house.
8
Love Hurts, 1991
Wedding scene in the movie was shot in Central Presbyterian Church
9
Peyton Place: The Next Generation, 1985
A movie scene shot in Waxahachie City Cemetery. The cemetery shaded by live oak trees is one of the most photographed cemeteries in the country. It was also used in On Valentine's Day, 1918 and The Trip to Bountiful.
10
200 Hawkins St
On Valentine's Day - Porch and yard where the family lived. Home of the man who committed suicide.
Breaking Home Ties - The teacher's home - Claire Trevor.
Tender Mercies - The yard and street the people were walking down.
Return to Peyton Place - street scene.
11
210 S Hawkins St
It Takes Two - This home was used in many of the scenes including the wedding and reception scene.
12
201 Oldham St
Love Hurts - The home scene where the young couple lived.
13
209 N Grand Ave
1918 ; On Valentines Day - Many outside shots were done in this home including the drunk scene. This home was used as the boarding house and the primary set location.
Places in the Heart - A scene was shot about bootleggers for this movie but was later cut.
14
607 W Jefferson St
1918 - This home was used as the family house. Horace Robideax visits the home of the cousin who had died of the flu. One of the rooms was used for the viewing of the body scene. The location Manager, Joe Dishner, played the dead man. In shooting the scene, Joe fell asleep and the corpse was snoring.
15
600 W Jefferson St
Traveling Man - Exterior shots were used to establish the time period.
16
601 W Jefferson St
Peyton Place - Outside scene.
17
407 Oldham St
1918 - The whole house was the mother's home but the upstairs was where they filmed dramatic scene of the woman screaming when she found out the son was killed in WWI.
Movies from 1960s
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1
Bonnie And Clyde, 1967
Bonnie and Clyde is a 1967 American biographical crime film directed by Arthur Penn.
This film won Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress (Estelle Parsons) and Best Cinematography (Burnett Guffey).
Starring: Faye Dunaway, Warren Beatty, Gene Hackman, Estelle Parsons
Movies from 1980s
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1
Deadly Blessing, 1980
Deadly Blessing is a 1981 American Slasher film directed by Wes Craven.
Starring: Ernest Borgine, Maren Jensen, Susan Buckner (both women making their last feature film screen appearances), and Sharon Stone in an early role.
2
Tender Mercies, 1983
Tender Mercies is a 1983 American drama film directed by Bruce Beresford.
This film was critically acclaimed and earned five Academy Award nominations including one for Best Picture. It won Academy Award for Best Actor ( Rovert Duvall) and Best Original Screenplay (Horton Foote).
Starring: Robert Duvall, Tess Harper, Betty Buckley, Wilford Brimley
3
Ellie, 1984
Ellie is a 1984 comedy film directed by Peter Wittman and distributed by Troma Entertainment.
Starring: Pat Paulsen, Shelley Winters, George Gobel
4
Places in the Heart, 1984
Places in the Heart is a 1984 American melodrama film written and directed by Robert Benton.
The film received seven Academy Award nominations including for the Best Picture and it won Academy Award for Best Actress (Sally Field) and Best Original Screenplay (Robert Benton).
Starring: Sally Field, Lindsay Crouse, Ed Harris, Ray Baker, Amy Madigan, John Malkovich, Danny Glover, Jerry Haynes and Terry O'Quinn.
5
1918, 1985
1918 (also known as Horton Foote's 1918) is a 1985 American drama film directed by Ken Harrison.
Starring: William Converse-Roberts, Hallie Foote and Matthew Broderick.
6
The Aurora Encounter, 1986
The Aurora Encounter is a 1986 American science fiction western film directed by Jim McCullough Sr., written by Melody Brooke and Jim McCullough, Jr.
Starrring: Jack Elam, Mickey Hays, Peter Brown, Carol Bagdasarian, and Dottie West.
7
Peyton Place: The Next Generation, 1985
Peyton Place: The Next Generation is a 1985 American made-for-television drama film directed by Larry Elikann.
Starring: Dorothy Malone, Ed Nelson, Christopher Connelly, James Douglas
8
The Trip to Bountiful, 1985
The Trip to Bountiful is a 1985 American drama film directed by Peter Masterson.
This film won Academy Award for Best Actress (Geraldine Page) and Horton Foote was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Starring: Geraldine Page, John Heard, Carlin Glynn, Richard Bradford and Rebecca De Mornay
9
On Valentine's Day, 1986
On Valentine's Day is a 1986 American drama film directed by Ken Harrison.
Starring: William Converse Roberts, Hallie Foote, Mathew Broderick
10
True Stories, 1986
True Stories is a 1986 American musical satirical comedy film directed by David Byrne.
Starring: David Byrne, John Goodman, Swoosie Kurtz, and Spalding Gray
11
Thompson's Last Run, 1995
Thompson's Last Run is a 1996 film directed by Jerrold Freedman.
Starring: Robert Mitchum, Wilford Brimley, Kathleen York
12
Square Dance
Square Dance (television broadcast title: Home Is Where the Heart Is) is a 1987 American coming-of-age drama film directed by Daniel Petrie from a screenplay by Alan Hines, based on his novel of the same name.
Starring: Jason Robards, Jane Alexander, Winona Ryder and Rob Lowe
13
The Fig Tree, 1987
The Fig Tree, 1987 is a movie directed by Calvin Skaggs.
Starring: Karron Graves, Teresa Wright, Doris Roberts, William Converse Roberts
14
Breaking Home Ties, 1987
Breaking HOme Ties is a 1987 coming of age drama film written and directed by John Wilder. This film is inspired by a Norman Rockwell's famous painting from 1954.
15
It Takes Two, 1988
It Takes Two is a 1988 American romantic comedy film directed by David Beaird.
Starring: Patrick Dempsey, leslie Hope, Barry Corbin, George Newbern
16
Riverbend, 1989
Riverbend is a 1989 film directed by Sam Firstenberg.
Starring: Steve James, Margaret Averytarring: Steve James, Margaret Avery
17
Ollie Hopnoodle's Have of Bliss, 1988
Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss is a 1988 American made-for-television comedy film written by Jean Shepherd and directed by Dick Barlett, based on the 1968 short story by Shepherd.
Starring: James Sikking, Jean Shepherd, Dorothy O'Connell
18
Born on the Fourth of July, 1989
Born on the Fourth of July is a 1989 American biographical anit-war drama film based on the eponymous 1976 autobiography by Ron Kovic. Directed by Oliver Stone, and written by Stone and Kovic.
Srarring: Tom Cruise, Kyra Sedgwick, Raymond J. Barry
Movies from 1990s
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1
Love Hurts, 1990
Love Hurts is a 1990 American comedy-drama film co-produced and directed by Bud Yorkin
Starring: Jeff Danniels, Cloris Leachman, Judith Ivey
2
Bonnie and Clyde: The True Story, 1992
Bonnie & Clyde: The True Story is a 1992 television film written and directed by Gary Hoffman.
Starring: Daba Ashbrook, Tracey Needham
3
Pure Country, 1992
Pure Country is a 1992 American dramatic musical western film directed by Christopher Cain.
Starring: George Strait, Lesley Ann Warren, Isabel Glasser
4
Curse of the Starving Class, 1994
Curse of the Starving Class is a 1994 American drama film directed by J. Michael McClary.
Starring: James Woods, Kathy Bates, Randy Quaid, Henry Thomas
5
Universal Soldier: The Return, 1999
Universal Soldier: The Return is a 1999 American scoemce fiction action film directed by Mic Rodgers in his directorial debut.
Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Michael Jai White, Heidi Schanz
Movies from 2000s
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1
Walker, Texas Ranger (TV Series), 1993-2000
Walker, Texas Ranger is an American action crime television series created by Leslie Greif and Paul Haggis.
Starring: Chuck Norris, Clarence Gilyard, Sheree J. Wilson
2
Slap Her... She's French, 2002
Slap Her... She's French is a 2002 teen comedy film directed by Melanie Mayron. In the United States, the film premiered on ABC Family on January 9, 2005, under the title She Gets What She Wants.
Starring: Piper Perabo, Jane McGregor, Trent Ford
3
Fat Girls, 2006
Fat Girls, is a 2006 comedy film directed by Ash Christian.
Starring: Ash Christian, Jonathan Caouette, Evan Miller
4
Walking Tall: The Playback, 2007
Walking Tall: The Payback is a 2007 American action-thriller film, released direct-to-video as a stand-alone sequel to the 2004 original Walking Tall (starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson), it was directed by Tripp Reed.
Starring: Kevin Sorbo, Haley Ramm
5
Missionary Man, 2007
Missionary Man is a 2007 American action film co-written, directed by and starring Dolph Lundgren.
Starring: Dolph Lundgren, Kateri Walker, Chelsea Ricketts
6
The Beacon, 2009
The Beacon is a 2009 American horror/thriller film directed and written by Michael Stokes.
The film was shot at The Rogers Hotel in Waxahachie, TX. It was shown at the 2009 Paranoia Film Festival, where it was awarded Best Picture and Best Actress (Teri Polo). It was also shown at the 2009 LA Femme Film Festival.
Starring: Teri Polo, David Rees Snell, Elaine Hendrix
7
Mangus, 2011
Mangus! is a 2011 comedy film written, produced, and directed by Ash Christian.
Starring: Ryan Boggus, Deborah Theaker, Charles Solomon Jr.
8
The Judge, 2010
The Judge is a 2010 film written and directed by Niko Red Star.
Starring: Bob Fanucchi, Stephanie Rhodes, Josh Heard
9
Chasing Shakespeare, 2013
Chasing Shakespeare is a 2013 film directed by Norry Niven and written by James Bird.
Starring: Danny Glover, Ashley Bell, Joshua Winch
10
Hoovey, 2015
Hoovey is a 2015 film based on the true story of Eric "Hoovey" Elliott (cody Linley), a high school basketball player in rural Northern Illinois.
Starring: Cody Linley, Patrick Warburton, Lauren Holly
11
Lawmen: Bass Reeves (TV Series), 2023
Lawmen: Bass Reeves is a 2023 TV mini-series based on the story of one of the first African American Deputy U.S. Marshals.
Starring: David Oyelowo, Lauren E. Banks, Demi Singleton