popturf

pop culture locations from movies, music, tv & more...

downton abbey

from downton abbey posted in television by pete_nice

The main filming exterior (and many interiors) for the period drama Downton Abbey is Highclere Castle. Set on a 1,000 acre estate in the county of Hampshire, Highclere Castle is an example of Jacobethan architecture and was largely rebuilt in this style by Sir Charles Barry from 1839 to 1842 (after he completed the Houses of Parliament).

To distinguish, Highclere Castle is the historical county seat of the Earl of Carnovan. Downton Abbey is the fictional home of the Earl and Countess of Grantham in the North Riding of Yorkshire.

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briar street theater

from tom waits posted in music by nevereatshreddedwheat

Tom Waits collaborated with his wife Kathleen Brennan on the play Franks Wild Years based on the song "Frank's Wild Years" off of his 1983 album Swordfishtrombones. It premiered at the Briar Street Theater in Chicago on June 22, 1986 and played through July, performed by the Steppenwolf Theatre Company.

Waits played the title role of down-on-his-luck Frank O'Brien. Gary Sinise (Steppenwolf co-founder / Lt. Dan) directed and the cast also included Gary Cole (a.k.a. Office Space's Lumbergh) and featured some magic tricks devised by Teller (½ of Penn & Teller). The album Franks Wild Years, containing songs from the play, was released in 1987, completing the trilogy started by Swordfishtrombones and Rain Dogs.

Briar Street Theater was formerly a horse stable for Marshall Field and Company and is presently home to the Blue Man Group.

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the crossroads

from robert johnson posted in music by nevereatshreddedwheat

The legend: As a young man, Robert Johnson wanted to be a great blues musician, so he sold his soul to the devil at the intersection of Highway 49 and 61 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. It worked. He became a master of the blues.

One story of his death: In 1938, at age 27, he drank from a bottle of whiskey that had been offered to him that was possibly laced with strychnine. He died a several days later in severe pain.

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the fun house

from the stooges posted in music by ratsnamgod

Home of the band and their manager in the late 1960's. Nico stayed here with Iggy Pop in his attic bedroom during their brief relationship. The farmhouse has since been demolished.

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jay reatard’s house

from jay reatard posted in music by corporate_sunshine

This house at the corner of Nelson and S. McLean Blvd is where Jay Reatard (Jimmy Lee Lindsey, Jr.) used to live and record. The interior of the house and Reatard's recording setup can be seen extensively in the bio-doc Better Than Something. Some interesting moments of conversation from that film come as Reatard is swinging on the front porch of this location.

On January 13, 2010, Reatard passed away at this same location from a combination of cocaine toxicity and alcohol. He was 29 years old.

Watch a short version of the documentary, called Waiting for Something.

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