Griffith Observatory - Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

Perched above Los Angeles at 2800 East Observatory Road, Griffith Observatory became part of movie history through 1955’s Rebel Without a Cause.

James Dean, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo starred in the teenage drama, which used both the Observatory’s interior and exterior for pivotal scenes, including the planetarium sequence involving their characters Jim, Judy and Plato.

The association is so strong that a monument featuring a bust of Dean now stands on the grounds.

Damien Chazelle later paid homage to that cinematic history in 2016’s La La Land, with Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone sharing their magical planetarium sequence there.