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# 047 <3.07> The Last Laugh
 
 
(revised 11/13/2023)
 
 


 
 
Shortcuts to this episode's
 
Script | Credits | Filming Locations
 
 

 
 
BARRY STEINBERG having left the staff in the previous episode, JOHN F. PERRY takes over producing duties. He had also been instrumental as uncredited Wine Country Production Manager for "The Vintage Years" and the early stage of the series. Aside from VICTORIA LaFORTUNE, who serves as associate and coordinating producer for the series' entire run, JOHN F. PERRY will outnumber any other producer — overseeing 137 episodes up to the season 7 finale. In 1982, JOHN had worked as the unit production manager for LORIMAR's "Flamingo Road".
 
The establishing shots of the Women's Maximum Security State Penitentiary at Fairlawn in this and the following episodes are from what used to be the County of Los Angeles Central Jail. The shots are stock footage from a film library and from approximately the 1960's.
The jail was built in 1963, but renovated and annexed several times. It is nowadays the Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles. The concrete structure seen in the establishing shots is still the core building on the site, but the distinct tower, which used to be on northeastern part of the lot on Bauchet Street, was removed when the jail was extended.
 
Different footage: In this episode, the moment when Corene Powers "welcomes" Julia to the Women's Maximum Security State Penitentiary at Fairlawn is a wide angle shot. In the sneak preview before the main title, however, the same moment was shown in a close-up of Corene. The footage comes from various takes of the scene.
 
The shots of Market Street in Tuscany in this episode are from 1st Street West in Sonoma, CA.
When Maggie and Chase pass by the stores, Auberlin Realty (a real company in Sonoma at that time) and Champagne Taste (also a real store) can be seen.
In the later establishing shot of that street, Ruggles Variety Store can be seen. It was also a real store at that time; nowadays, the building houses Sign of the Bear Kitchenware.
 
Maggie and Chase refer to Maggie's father as Charles Hartford. Inconsistency: In season 4 (# 071), he will be introduced as Paul Hartford.
One of the early script drafts, by the way, spoke of Pete Hartford rather than Charles Hartford.
 

Post-production mistake: The establishing clip of the State Capitol, which was bought from a film library, is not the California State Capitol in Sacramento, CA, but actually the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg, PA.

 
The interior set of Addison Worth's office (assistant to the governor) including the hallway is the same as the usual bedroom set in the upper floors of the Falcon Crest Victorian Mansion; compare # 023 for example. It was just redressed and refurnished.
LORIMAR's original blueprints of this set and many others are available for DFCF members in the Show — Production Office — Filming Locations — Movie Studios — Interior Sets section.
 
Product placement: Dr. Hooks wears a Nike sports outfit; Dr. Ranson wears a polo shirt by Polo Ralph Lauren.
 
The Tuscany Valley tennis courts in this episode (Michael and Arthur) and in # 050 (Michael and Dan) are actually the tennis courts at the John Burroughs High School in Burbank, CA.
 
The amphitheatre in downtown Tuscany (scene with Cole and Linda) is actually the Grinstead Amphitheatre at The Plaza in Sonoma, CA.
 

Julia's cell block at the prison in Fairlawn, CA is a permanent set at GMT STUDIOS in Culver City, CA. It is an exact replica of Alcatraz cell block C.

 
Melissa's favorite dessert: pecan rolls.
 

Product placement: An oven by Chubco can be seen in Caproni's Italian Bakery.
 
The interiors of the bakery are portrayed by the Paris Bakery in Westwood in Greater L.A. in this episode and in # 048, 049, 052 and 053.

 
Post-production mistake: Old stock footage of the (New) Globe executive building is reused. The sign still reads San Francisco Globe. A sign saying The New San Francisco Globe is usually used for that purpose. The same mistake happened in # 031.
 
Uncredited stand-in GORDON HODGINS appears as an extra again — this time as a New Globe staff member passing by in the background of the editors' offices.
Compare # 182 for a list of appearances throughout the series.
For details about GORDON HODGINS, compare # 001.
 

The old Globe logo is on the wall in the New Globe editors' offices. Intentionally (reminiscent of the company's history) or prop master's inaccuracy?

 
An early script draft contained a scene with Richard and Melissa getting into the limo in front of the L'Horloge restaurant in San Francisco. Since the scene only showed that they had dinner together and basically did not contain any news, it was dropped in the final version.
 
Mistake: During the reading of Jacqueline's will at the Gioberti House, Phillip's head is in different positions in subsequent frames (first looking straight, then towards Angela) while Osborne is reading the part of Jacqueline having made friends and enemies during her lifetime.
In the usual process of making a movie or a TV show, scenes are shot at least twice — as a wide angle shot and in close-up, which bears the risk of inconsistencies. Compare # 001 (Chase and Maggie at the Gioberti Family Cemetery) for the advantages and disadvantages of this shooting procedure.
 
The reading of Jacqueline's last will and testament is the only scene to reveal her company name: Whitewood Industries — the leading company in the cartel.
 
After the reading of Jacqueline's will, the family heads back to the Falcon Crest Victorian Mansion. On the Falcon Crest main driveway, nobody seems to sit in the back of the black Mercedes-Benz 600 though (screen captures 1 and 2) while Phillip, Angela and Melissa get off the back seats when the car arrives in front of the Mansion. Also, the front license plate visible in the segment on the driveway is missing when the car arrives at the Mansion. Post-production used an establishing shot of the car on the driveway, which was filmed during season 2 and first presented in # 038; the car was not adequately propped with a front license plate for the current episode.
 
Stags' Leap outside Napa, CA is the filming location for the scene with Richard and Melissa in the McKay Vineyards.
 
In original script drafts, this vineyard scene with Richard being furious about Jacqueline's bequeathing the McKay Vineyards to Michael included Pamela instead of Melissa.
 
In real life, the vineyards in the scene with Cole and Linda are situated southwest of the privately owned mansion in the Napa Valley, which will be introduced as Richard's new residence in the following episode.
 
Angela is given the key for suite 1825 at the Tate Hotel in San Francisco as a bequest in Jacqueline's last will and testament.
 
The Tate Hotel interiors are actually a hallway and a suite of the former Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, a big and famous hotel torn down in 2005 and meanwhile replaced with the Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools. Opened in 2010, the new school building was designed to match the outer shell of the historic Ambassador Hotel's main wing, including the hip roof, and named in memory of the presidential candidate who was assassinated at the hotel in 1968.
 
In the sitting room of suite 1825 at the Tate Hotel, a replica of the 1742 — 1744 painting "The Square of St. Mark's, Venice" ("Piazza San Marco"; oil on canvas) by CANALETTO a.k.a. GIOVANNI ANTONIO CANAL (1697 – 1768) is hanging on the wall.
It is not a prop, but a replica that was actually in that suite at the Ambassador Hotel location. The original of the aforementioned artwork is located at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
 
Mistake: When Angela discovers Jacqueline's letter at the Tate Hotel, the long shot features the envelope's bottom resting on the pillow and the top corners resting against the headboard of the bed. In the subsequent close-up, however, the letter is propped all by itself on the pillow, away from the headboard, and with the pillow skirt visible in the background.
In the usual process of making a movie or a TV show, scenes are shot at least twice — as a wide angle shot and in close-up, which bears the risk of inconsistencies. Compare # 001 (Chase and Maggie at the Gioberti Family Cemetery) for the advantages and disadvantages of this shooting procedure.
 
The producers felt the big tattoos on LORENZO LAMAS' right shoulder and upper right part of his back were not adequate for his character, Lance (also see # 035). Therefore, they were covered with beige shoe polish because regular make-up would not work. The skin on these parts, however, appears darker than the rest of his body.
Whereas the tattoos will be covered in the following years, too, they will eventually be seen in # 220 in a weird storyline.
 
Fictional entity: Maggie writes a New Globe feature article about Bayside Downs, a horse race track in Bayside, a fictional place in the San Francisco Bay area.
 
The stalls at Bayside Downs are portrayed by the stalls of the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank, CA in this and the following episode.
 
Original script drafts included a Chinese butler named Lee in the scene with Michael and Chase at the McKay House; Lee tells them Richard moved out the night before. The rôle was deleted in the final revision of the script.
 
The establishing shot of Lake Tahoe introducing Linda and Cole's wedding is stock footage. Inside joke: It originated on PARAMOUNT's 1952 movie "Just for You" starring JANE WYMAN (compare screen grab 1 from that production). The filming location is actually Lake Arrowhead, CA, filmed from South Shore Trail near Peninsula Park in Cedar Clen, CA, with the camera angle in approximately southwestern direction.
 

Cole and Linda get married on the grounds of the Lake Shore Hotel in Tahoe, NV. The filming location, however, is near a little lake on the grounds of Wild Horse Valley Ranch outside Napa, CA. It is the same lake that was used for the flashback scene with Julia watching Carlo and his lover in # 043 (compare there).

 
 

 
 
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