'Big Sky Ranch' is a

movie ranch A movie ranch is a ranch that is at least partially dedicated for use as a set in the creation and production of motion pictures and television shows. These were developed in the United States in southern California, because of the climate. The ...

in Simi Valley,

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

, that is used for the filming of Western television series and motion pictures, among other projects. The Ventura County Cultural Heritage Board designated several of these buildings County Landmark #71 in July 1981. The ranch is within the Los Angeles Studio Zone.

History

The site is part of the (19.5 sq.mi.) ranch purchased by the Patterson Ranch Co. in 1903 to raise grain, cattle, hogs and sheep. J. Paul Getty bought the ranch in the 1930s. After purchasing the ranch in 1981, Watt Enterprises named it Big Sky Ranch. Many of the sets were destroyed by a wildfire in 2003.

Productions

Television episodes and productions filmed there include: '' Rawhide'', ''

Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central chara ...

'', '' Little House on the Prairie'', ''

Highway to Heaven ''Highway to Heaven'' is an American fantasy drama television series that ran on NBC from September 19, 1984, to August 4, 1989. The series starred Michael Landon as Jonathan Smith, an angel sent to Earth in order to help people in need. Vi ...

'', ''

Father Murphy ''Father Murphy'' is an American western drama television series that aired on the NBC network from November 3, 1981, to September 18, 1983. Michael Landon created the series, was the executive producer, and directed the show in partnership wit ...

'', ''

Carnivàle ''Carnivàle'' () is an American television series set in the United States Dust Bowl during the Great Depression of the 1930s. The series, created by Daniel Knauf, ran for two seasons between 2003 and 2005. In tracing the lives of disparate g ...

'', '' The Thorn Birds'', ''

The Yellow Rose ''The Yellow Rose'' is an American soap opera television series that was broadcast on NBC from October 2, 1983 until May 12, 1984. It was produced by Paul Freeman. The series was at least partly inspired by the more coltish elements of the soap ...

'', ''

Tales from the Crypt Tales from the Crypt may refer to: * ''Tales from the Crypt'' (album), by American rapper C-Bo * ''Tales from the Crypt'' (comics), published by EC Comics during the 1950s ** ''Tales from the Crypt'' (film), a 1972 Amicus film starring Ralph Ric ...

'' and ''

Westworld ''Westworld'' is an American science fiction-thriller media franchise that began with the 1973 film ''Westworld'', written and directed by Michael Crichton. The film depicts a technologically advanced Wild-West-themed amusement park populate ...

''. Other films shot here include '' Coming to America'' (1988) starring

Eddie Murphy Edward Regan Murphy (born April 3, 1961) is an American actor, comedian, writer, producer, and singer. He rose to fame on the sketch comedy show ''Saturday Night Live'', for which he was a regular cast member from 1980 to 1984. Murphy has als ...

, '' Sidekicks'' (1974), '' The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw'' (1991), '' Siringo'' (1996), and Annabelle: Creation'' (2017).Schneider, Jerry L. (2015). ''Western Filming Locations Book 1''. CP Entertainment Books. Pages 100-105. .

References

External links

Big Sky Ranch at The Internet Movie Database
Movie ranches Economy of Simi Valley, California Buildings and structures in Simi Valley, California Companies based in Ventura County, California {{film-org-stub