FILM · 1991
L.A. Story
34 archived facts 5 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
All facts (34)
- #001
Steve Martin and Victoria Tennant were married at the time.
- #002
The freeway sign was programmed to deliver its messages in more than one language, so that foreign-language releases would not need subtitles.
- #003
Sarah Jessica Parker said this film changed her career. Until then she had always played crabby girls or the best friend. She said nobody in Hollywood thought of her as "sexy." After she was cast in this role, many new doors opened for her.
- #004
There are numerous references to William Shakespeare: the gravedigger scene is from "Hamlet," Harris K. Telemacher (Steve Martin) quotes Shakespeare twice, and the story contains elements from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (with the lovers' exchange between the two confused couples) and "The Tempest" (a magical storm that strands the lovers, gods in the form of stone lions who bless the couple, and a character named Ariel). The electronic sign also quotes Shakespeare: "There are more things in Heaven and Earth…".
- #005
Steve Martin spent 7 years fine-tuning the script.
- #006
The plate 2GAT123 also appears in Beverly Hills Cop II (1987), Go (1999), Pay It Forward (2000), Traffic (2000), Crazy/Beautiful (2001), Mulholland Drive (2001), S.W.A.T. (2003) and Two and a Half Men (2003). It is the standard fictional California plate, similar to the "555" telephone number.
- #007
EASTER EGG: On the DVD, click left on the main menu. When the car's taillights light up, press ENTER. A short interview with director Mick Jackson about his views on the film is shown. Also, in the Special Features menu, press left to make the traffic sign light up (it reads "KISS HER") and you will see a similar interview with Steve Martin.
- #008
The film was presented as a response to New York Stories (1989).
- #009
It is the second of two films made together by former partners Steve Martin and Victoria Tennant; the first was All of Me (1984).
- #010
The unfinished poem Harris tries to read to Sara is one of Steve Martin's own poems: "Oh pointy birds, oh pointy, pointy, Anoint my head, anointy-nointy." The poem also appears in an earlier Steve Martin film, The Man with Two Brains (1983).
- #011
Harris K. Telemacher (Steve Martin) quotes from poems Martin had previously quoted in The Man with Two Brains (1983).
- #012
The film was nominated for the American Film Institute's list of the 100 funniest films in American cinema, "AFI's 100 Years… 100 Laughs."
- #013
While Harris (Steve Martin) and Sara (Victoria Tennant) visit the cemetery, Harris shows Sara Shakespeare's gravestone. This foreshadows their encounter with the gravedigger played by Rick Moranis and the conversation that follows, a parody of Act 5, Scene 1 of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet."
- #014
The face in the thought bubbles showing whom Sandy and Roland each think of while having sex with Harris and Sara, respectively, is Mel Gibson's.
- #015
This was the last film legendary critic Pauline Kael reviewed before her retirement. (The New Yorker, February 11, 1991 issue.)
- #016
In the roller-skating scene at the art museum, Harry Telemacher wore modified Air Jordan 5s.
- #017
The film was among the 500 films nominated on the American Film Institute's 2000 list of the 100 Funniest American Movies.
- #018
Somewhere between the 15th Anniversary DVD release and a later digital version of the film, several lines of dialogue were re-dubbed.
- #019
The making of this film is described in detail in Richard E. Grant's book 'With Nails'.
- #020
Although the film has many great songs, its soundtrack was never released.
- #021
Mick Jackson used sound editor Larry Kemp's raw, monotone voice for Telemacher's talking telephone.
- #022
Rapper M. C. Shan was the waiter who raps at L'Idiot.
- #023
At lunch, everyone except Iman orders a drink. She orders a slice of lemon.
- #024
Rick Moranis and Steve Martin appeared together in Little Shop of Horrors (1986), Parenthood (1989) and My Blue Heaven (1990).
- #025
The types of coffee ordered at the restaurant were decaf coffee, decaf espresso, double decaf cappuccino and decaf coffee ice cream. Another type Steve Martin's character orders at the cafe is a half-caf with a double decaf and a little lemon.
- #026
Patrick Stewart and Richard E. Grant appeared together in A Christmas Carol (1999). Stewart played Scrooge and Grant played Bob Cratchit.
- #027
Sir Patrick Stewart (Mr. Perdue) and Scott Bakula (Harris's neighbor) both played captains of the starship Enterprise in the Star Trek series. Stewart played Captain Jean-Luc Picard (U. S. S. Enterprise D and E) in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), Star Trek: Generations (1994), Star Trek: First Contact (1996), Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002). Bakula played Captain Jonathan Archer (U. S. S. Enterprise NX-01) in Star Trek: Enterprise (2001).
- #028
The film's opening title card reads: "Los Angeles - Temperature 72°".
- #029
Steve Martin's first draft of the screenplay trashed Los Angeles, so he was asked to soften the script.
- #030
Thanks to the character played by Jon Pertwee, the freeway sign was supposed to be of alien origin. However, the idea was abandoned because the English actor could not take the role due to health problems.
- #031
This reunited Steve Martin with producer Daniel Melnick. The two had worked together four years earlier on Roxanne (1987).
- #032
In his book "With Nails", Richard E. Grant said that on the day Chevy Chase came in to shoot his scene, the cast was warned not to mention Chase's new wig. However, Grant said Chase showed the wig to everyone himself.
- #033
Susan Forristal appears in this film as Steve Martin's character's friend, and they are friends in real life as well. Forristal was also once married to Lorne Michaels, the creator of Saturday Night Live (1975), a show Steve Martin has hosted many times.
- #034
It was shot over a period of 57 days.
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