Truckee: Hollywood of the North

From Truckee Magazine, Connections Quarterly, Winter 2025/26

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When you think of films shot in Truckee-Tahoe, most people think of ski films by Warren Miller or MatchStick Productions, or the cult classic Hot Dog... The Movie, released in 1984. But Truckee-Tahoe has a history of film production dating back to the early 1900s. The show “Bartell’s Backroads” on ABC Sacramento recently called Truckee “The Hollywood of the North” in a feature about the history of films in our town. According to Greg Zirbel, President of the Truckee-Donner Historical Society and Museum of Truckee History, more than 219 films have been made in Truckee. Convenient access to the mountains first via railroad and I-80 as well as established accommodations, have made Truckee a prime spot for filmmaking.

Early Filmmaking in Truckee

The earliest known filming in Truckee took place in 1910 when the Selig Polyscope Company arrived to capture winter scenes resembling the Alaskan wilderness. The Truckee Republican reported that a film crew arrived with sleds, skis, and Alaskan dogs to shoot scenes of heroic rescues by Icelandic frontiersmen and depictions of Perry's North Pole expedition.

By the 1920s, Truckee had already gained a reputation as a winter recreation hub, making it even more attractive to filmmakers. The ability to transport film crews and equipment by train to remote locations, particularly in winter, allowed for breathtaking outdoor cinematography.

Hollywood Expands in Truckee

In 1925, a replica of Dawson City, Yukon, was built along the Truckee River for Winds of Chance. The production hired 300 extras to portray Gold Rush-era miners, or "sourdoughs." Around the same time, Charlie Chaplin’s The Gold Rush (1925) was filmed primarily around Donner Summit, bringing Hollywood’s biggest silent film star to the area.

Another notable film, The Call of the Wild (1935), starring Clark Gable, was shot on a specially constructed set near Prosser Creek. Filmmaking in Truckee required extensive set construction, including entire streets, saloons, and cabins, providing employment to many locals. Hotels and boarding houses filled up as film crews descended on the town, boosting the economy.

Recognizing this economic opportunity, local businessmen—including Tim O’Hanrahan, Dave Cabona, Wally Gellatt, Dan Smith, William Englehart, and Wilbur Maynard—launched efforts to attract more film productions. Their advocacy led to the formation of the Truckee Motion Picture Association, which promoted the town as an ideal filming destination. The organization, led by Cecil Edmunds as president, Karl L. Kielhofer as general manager, Charles B. White as bank manager, and Sierra Sun publisher Elizabeth C. Bavier as secretary, successfully drew more Hollywood studios to the area.

Famous Film Productions and Stars in Truckee

As more films were shot in Truckee, local residents became accustomed to rubbing shoulders with Hollywood's biggest stars. Tom Mix, Mary Pickford, George Bancroft, Buster Keaton, Greta Garbo, Wallace Beery, John Barrymore, and Will Rogers were frequent visitors, walking the town’s sidewalks, dining in its restaurants, and staying in local hotels. Later, Henry Fonda and John Wayne also spent time in Truckee while filming.

One of the most ambitious productions filmed in Truckee was The Iron Horse (1924), directed by John Ford. The film depicted the construction of the first transcontinental railroad, and Ford insisted on authenticity, hauling an old locomotive over Donner Summit on skids, just as the Central Pacific had done in 1867. Chinese laborers and 50 horses assisted in the transport, making for an impressive and historically accurate production. Film historian William Everson later described The Iron Horse as "one of the biggest westerns from any period . . . splendidly staged and edited."

In 1928, Universal Studios used Truckee to film The Michigan Kid, utilizing the local grammar school as a studio for child actors, with local children appearing as extras.

Truckee in Mid-Century Cinema

The 1950s saw continued interest in Truckee as a filming location. In 1953, John Wayne starred in Island in the Sky, a film about an Air Force transport plane that crashes in the Arctic wilderness, leaving the crew struggling for survival. Most of the filming took place at Truckee’s old airstrip, located south of present-day Interstate 80. Co-stars Lloyd Nolan and Ward Bond arrived with a 57-member film crew, all of whom stayed at Donner Lake Lodge. More than 100 actors and technicians spent time in town during production, creating a buzz of excitement among locals.

Nelson Stone, a longtime Truckee resident who worked as a technician on the film, recalled that the title Island in the Sky may have been inspired by a unique local phenomenon: the thick morning fog that settles at the base of Boca Hill, creating the illusion of a floating island.

Hollywood Returns to Truckee

In the 1980s and 1990s,Truckee once again became a sought-after location for Hollywood filmmakers. In 1984, Columbia Pictures rented a home on Prosser Dam Road for three days to shoot scenes for St. Elmo’s Fire. In 1994, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis filmed scenes from the action blockbuster True Lies near town, bringing yet another generation of Hollywood stars to Truckee. Jack Frost starring Michael Keaton and Kelly Preston was filmed in 1998 in Truckee, Sugar Bowl, Old 40, and Tahoe City. The snow ball fight scene had 200 local 2nd and 3rd graders as extras. More recently, part of Top Gun Maverick was filmed in Tahoe in 2020. Local producers Stephen Siig of Tahoe Art Haus and Ryan Cronin filmed their award-winning Buried: The 1982 Alpine Meadows Avalanche here, released in 2022. The film topped Netflix’s Top 10 movies list for more than a month in 2024. 

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A Lasting Legacy

From early silent films to modern blockbusters, Truckee has long provided a stunning and versatile setting for Hollywood productions. Today, Truckee continues to attract filmmakers, not just for its scenic landscapes but also for its rich history as a movie-making destination. Celebrities still visit Truckee-Tahoe, whether or not they are filming here, because of the photo opps that come with our area’s natural beauty and the year-round recreational opportunities.

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Thank you to the Truckee-Donner Historical Society for the historic film shots.

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