I’ve been watching episodes of Murder, She Wrote for a while, since Angela Lansbury’s passing a couple months ago.  Tonight I watched an episode called “Coal Miner’s Slaughter” (a play-on-words, referring to Loretta Lynn’s famous song “Coal Miner’s Daughter”).

Anyway, it’s full of famous guest stars, including Denver Pyle...not only that, but he basically plays a version of ‘Uncle Jesse’, as the plot takes place in a small southern, mountain town! But, my real question is...is this the Dukes farm (link below)?

It’s shown a few times in the episode (as Denver’s character’s farm, no-less), and I swear it looks like the Dukes farm, but from a backside angle. I hope the link works...I can hardly ever get pics to work on this site. 

https://share.icloud.com/photos/028d6KcD-pgojBC979fMqVPyA

Here is the photo...I think I actually got this one to work!  The quality and focus is not great, as I took it with my cell phone directly off the TV screen.  But...is this the Duke’s farm? This was shown a few times in the MSW episode I mentioned above, in my original post. It was Denver Pyle’s character’s farm in it, and if it is the set used as the Duke farm, I just found it very ironic & kinda cool.

His guest star character was very much like Uncle Jesse...and this was only a little after 3 years since “Dukes” had gone off the air (fall of 1988). 

Edited December 14, 20223 yr by MonacoMan

Check out the screengrabs I posted in the Valencia Oaks Movie Ranch thread.

33 minutes ago, HossC said:

Check out the screengrabs I posted in the Valencia Oaks Movie Ranch thread.

Awesome...you basically posted my post, several years earlier, lol!  I was pretty sure it was the Duke’s farm. 

Now, I know names of studios...but Im not a total expert on the exact locations. MSW was primarily filmed at Universal Studios. “Dukes” was filmed at Warner Bros. Was the Valencia Oaks Ranch location on or near one of those studios...did both use the location for things? 

As for the MSW episode, and the interiors of Eben Connor’s (Denver Pyle) farm (aka the Duke farm), I don’t believe they are the same as in “Dukes”. I think they’re other sets created on a sound stage somewhere else. Only exterior, or outside, shots of the farm house & barn are from “Dukes”. 

Funny, we watched that same episode a few weeks ago as we were binge watching MSW.

15 hours ago, MonacoMan said:

Now, I know names of studios...but Im not a total expert on the exact locations. MSW was primarily filmed at Universal Studios. “Dukes” was filmed at Warner Bros. Was the Valencia Oaks Ranch location on or near one of those studios...did both use the location for things?

I think that some of the movie ranches belonged to individual studios, while others were rented out to various companies. The first couple of Californian seasons were filmed at Golden Oak Ranch which belonged to Disney. The Valencia Oaks location is about four miles south of Six Flags Magic Mountain near Santa Clarita. Golden Oak Ranch is on the other side of Santa Clarita. Both are roughly 20 miles north of the Warner backlot.

1 hour ago, HossC said:

I think that some of the movie ranches belonged to individual studios, while others were rented out to various companies. The first couple of Californian seasons were filmed at Golden Oak Ranch which belonged to Disney. The Valencia Oaks location is about four miles south of Six Flags Magic Mountain near Santa Clarita. Golden Oak Ranch is on the other side of Santa Clarita. Both are roughly 20 miles north of the Warner backlot.

You’re probably right...some locations were probably utilized by more than one studio, or filming company. It’s fun to recognize certain locations, from multiple shows or movies. I just found the ‘Duke farm’ very ironic for Denver Pyle...filming there again for something else, but in a sense playing almost the same character! 

Threads like these are one of many reasons I love the HazzardNet so much. Things always come around that make the DOH feel new again! 

9 hours ago, Meadowmufn said:

Funny, we watched that same episode a few weeks ago as we were binge watching MSW.

I’ve been binge watching MSW for several weeks now...haven’t seen it in several years, and recently acquired a complete series DVD set a while back, around the time of Angela Lansbury’s death. I’m in Season 5 now. Like “Dukes”, it brings back a lot of happy & fun childhood memories of family television viewing! 

One of the satellite channels over here is showing M*A*S*H all day today, but tomorrow they're having a day of Murder She Wrote. It doesn't look like 'Coal Miner's Slaughter' is among the episodes they're showing, but I may watch a couple if it continues to rain. Most of our stores don't reopen until Tuesday.

On 12/14/2022 at 3:03 PM, Meadowmufn said:

Funny, we watched that same episode a few weeks ago as we were binge watching MSW.

It was just on again yesterday. He sure plays an Uncle Jesse type character, only a protective grandpa in this case. He even drives a white pick up truck....a Dodge. And the sheriff is no stranger to Hazzard County....Hoyt Axton. 

On 12/14/2022 at 6:07 PM, MonacoMan said:

You’re probably right...some locations were probably utilized by more than one studio, or filming company. It’s fun to recognize certain locations, from multiple shows or movies. I just found the ‘Duke farm’ very ironic for Denver Pyle...filming there again for something else, but in a sense playing almost the same character! 

You've got a good eye for stuff MonacoMan!

3 minutes ago, Hobie Hartkins said:

You've got a good eye for stuff MonacoMan!

Thanks! I have & have watched so many TV shows & movies over the years, that it’s fun when I start recognizing locations & sets used in multiple things.