I am pretty sure Penny Marshall had some sort of direct line of sight into my soul. The late director was behind several of my most beloved films. And not just movies I enjoy, but ones I find incredibly poignant, moving and enduring – productions that left a mark on my heart and invariably bring me to tears no matter how many times I watch. Renaissance Man, Big, A League of Their Own, and Jumpin’ Jack Flash all fit that bill. Unfortunately, most of Marshall’s films were lensed outside of the L.A. area, the latter notwithstanding (you can read about a few of JJF’s SoCal locales here, here and here). Consequently, I haven’t put much time into researching spots from them. So I was absolutely shocked to recently come across a mention on The Movie District website that the house where C Dottie Hinson (Geena Davis) lived in A League of Their Own is in Studio City! Up until that point, I had been convinced that the 1992 dramady was shot entirely in the Midwest, namely Indiana and Illinois. One look at Google Street View showed me that The Movie District was right, though – Dottie’s home can be found at 4222 Agnes Avenue in Studio City. Armed with the newfound information, I could hardly wait to head out to L.A. to stalk the place, which I did just a few weeks later.
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The property only actually shows up once in A League of Their Own, in the opening scene in which present day Dottie packs for her trip to the grand opening of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League exhibit at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York.
As you can see, not much of the residence has been changed in the 27 years since filming took place. It’s really quite incredible!
The actual interior of the home also appeared in the film, which I was able to glean thanks to the MLS photos available online from when it was last sold in 2014. Areas used include the master bedroom;
the living room;
and the stairs.
In real life, Dottie’s picturesque 2-story Cape Cod home boasts 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2,764 square feet of living space, multiple fireplaces, a chef’s kitchen with Miele and Viking appliances, a playroom, hardwood flooring and French doors throughout, a master bath with a standalone tub, a detached 2-car garage, a 0.34-acre lot, a large pool, a pebble garden, and a koi pond.
Chock full of curb appeal, the residence possesses an insanely idyllic Anywhere, U.S.A. aesthetic.
It’s like a perfect little slice of Americana.
I mean, throw on some bunting and you’ve got the quintessential spot to celebrate the 4th of July!
Considering that halcyon atmosphere, it is no surprise that location scouts have pegged it for numerous roles besides Dottie’s house in A League of Their Own.
In the 1988 comedy My Stepmother Is an Alien, the property serves as the Mills residence.
In 1992, it popped up as the supposed Moses Lake, Indiana pad where Clara (Marianna Elliott) babysat – and got killed – in the horror film Candyman.
The residence appeared as Debbie Jellinsky’s (Joan Cusack) childhood home – which she burnt down – in a slideshow shown at the end of 1993’s Addams Family Values.
Andy (Justin Kirk) and Silas Botwin (Hunter Parrish) stop by the dwelling to get some fake IDs in the Season 6 episode of Weeds titled “Felling and Swamping,” which aired in 2010.
And it masked as the Moody family residence in the 2011 film Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer. Only the exterior of the house appeared in the movie, though. Per a commenter named Mari, interiors were filmed on a set built at Sunset Bronson Studios and backyard scenes were lensed at a property in Pasadena.
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Big THANK YOU to The Movie District website for finding this location!
Until next time, Happy Stalking!
Stalk It: Dottie Hinson’s house from A League of Their Own is located at 4222 Agnes Avenue in Studio City.