SWLAW Blog | Entertainment & Media Law
September 17, 2018
And the Oscar goes to: Bullocks Wilshire
By Matthew J. Downen '20
Entertainment Beat
The Hollywood Reporter has ranked Southwestern in the top ten of "America's Top Entertainment Law Schools" seven years in a row.
However, the true Hollywood celebrity on campus, is the infamous Bullocks Wilshire Building.
The Bullocks Wilshire upon its creation in 1929, catered to the rich and famous of Los Angeles housing a luxurious specialty store. Given its extravagant design and aesthetics, it was only a matter of time before Bullocks Wilshire was cast on the big screen.
The Bullocks Wilshire made its debut in Norman McLeod's 1937 film "Topper." From there on, the Bullocks Wilshire was a hot commodity in Los Angeles and has been featured in productions as recent as 2011, boasting an impressive and consistent career in Hollywood.
Any "Family Vacation" fans on campus? You will be delighted to know the Bullocks Wilshire was the setting of Clark Griswald's cringe-worthy department store scene in "Christmas Vacation."
Leonardo DiCaprio's captivating presence can still be felt as the building's lobby was used as an elegant entrance to a nightclub in Martin Scorsese's 2004 film "The Aviator."
And if you find yourself in the elevators humming the tune "Love in an Elevator," that鈥檚 probably because Aerosmith's voice is still lingering in the air. Yes, the elevator that Aerosmith refers to happens to be that of the Bullocks Wilshire. The music video opens with Steven Tyler strolling gracefully through the lobby until he locks eyes with his lustful counterpart in the elevator. Don鈥檛 worry, there was no actual "shagging in the elevator"鈥..as far as we know.
Finally, any die-hard Conan O'Brien fan should have recognized that in 2009 the Bullocks entrance ceiling mural was apart of the opening night-sky background of the show.
Today the Bullocks Wilshire has shifted its interest to providing a sound setting for students to cultivate their legal minds. However, a star can only stay away from the limelight so long, we have heard rumblings in the walls of a return to the big screen.
Can't get enough of the Bullocks Wilshire? Here is the complete list of appearances - stalk away:
Movies
鈥淭he Aviator鈥 - 鈥淏ugsy鈥 - 鈥淣ational Lampoon鈥檚 Christmas Vacation鈥 - 鈥淒unston Checks In鈥 - 鈥淔amily Plot鈥 - 鈥淔ist of the North Star鈥 - 鈥淣ight of the Comet鈥 - 鈥淣obody Lives Forever鈥 - 鈥淥n Deadly Ground鈥 - 鈥淩ough Magic鈥 - 鈥淪mell of Success鈥 - 鈥淪unset Boulevard鈥 - 鈥淭arzan鈥檚 New York Adventure鈥 - 鈥淭opper鈥 - 鈥淭he Bigamist鈥 - 鈥淭he Informant鈥 - 鈥淲ild in the Streets鈥 - 鈥淭he Red Coat鈥 Short - 鈥淟ive from Baghdad鈥 TV Movie - 鈥淲hite Mile鈥 TV Movie - 鈥淏arbarians at the Gate鈥 TV Movie - 鈥淟os Angeles: Wonder City of the West鈥 Documentary - 鈥淭hings That Aren鈥檛 Here Anymore鈥
Television Series
鈥淭he Incredible Hulk鈥 - 鈥淢urder She Wrote鈥 2 episodes - 鈥淭he Agency鈥 - 鈥淛udging Amy鈥 - 鈥淢oonlighting鈥 - 鈥3 lbs.鈥 - 鈥淭he Ties That Bind鈥 Pilot - 鈥淪trong Medicine鈥 - 鈥淒irty, Sexy Money鈥 - 鈥淢y So Called Life鈥 - 鈥淰isiting鈥ith Huell Howser鈥 - 鈥淏ullocks Tea Room鈥 Episode
Music Videos
Aerosmith 鈥淟ove in an Elevator鈥 - 鈥淵ou鈥檒l Be Back for More鈥 Japanese Music Video
Commercials
Cover Girl with Queen Latifah - Fifth Third Bank Commercial - TJ Maxx Holiday Commercial - Rexona Commercial - Cap'n Crunch Commercial - Chase Commercial - JC Penney Commercial - Verizon Commercial - Sims Commercial -Taco Bell Commercial