Dashboards and Saddlebags the Destination Magazine™ Issue 019 October 2012 | Page 26

Film Junkies Guide to North Carolina
Gastonia
Gastonia is 22 miles west of Charlotte The
Carolina Speedway is on us 274 (Union
Road). Piedmont Community Charter
School is located at 119 East Second Street.

G

astonia, the second-largest city
in the Charlotte area, has a nice
history of hosting the filming of
classy television, indie, and feature
projects. “Saint Maybe,” a Hallmark
Hall of Fame adaptation of Raleigh
native Anne Tyler’s novel, filmed
in the downtown area; South and
Main streets are all made up for
the holidays in the early scenes.
A few of the set dressings remain
on the buildings across from the
Gaston County Courthouse. The
CBS miniseries “Shake, Rattle and
Roll: An American Love Story”
used the historic Gastonia Central
Elementary School for classroom
scenes and the offices and studios of
Sun Records. “The Last Brickmaker
in America,” starring Sidney Poitier
in the title role, also filmed at the
school, which is now Piedmont
Community Charter School.

“Major Dad” star Gerald McRaney
must really like the Gastonia area. Besides appearing in “Shake, Rattle and
Roll: An American Love Story,” the
Mississippi-born actor starred (with
Tyne Daly and Alicia Silverstone) in
“Shattered Dreams,” as well as in
“Vestige of Honor.” Randy Travis, a
native of nearby Marshville, appears
in “Steel Chariots,” which filmed at
the Carolina Speedway, where there’s
racing every Friday night. “Steel
Chariots” features real-life NASCAR
drivers Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin,
Rusty Wallace, and Benny Parsons.

Credits
Shallow Hal (2001); “The Last Brickmaker
in America” (CBS, 2001); The Rage: Carrie
II (1999); “Shake, Rattle and Roll: An
American Love Story” (CBS, 1999); Body
Count (Showtime, 1998); “Saint Maybe”
(Hallmark/CBS, 1998); “Steel Chariots”
(Fox, 1997); “Shattered Dreams” (CBS,
1990); “Vestige of Honor” (CBS, 1990)

“The most comprehensive way to learn
where movies were made in North Carolina.”

--Lawrence Toppman, Charlotte Observer

The 160-plus entries in this travel
guide are arranged geographically
and include information about what
movies and television series were
filmed at each site.
Available through
Amazon
barnes & noble
Google Books

www.FilmJunkiesGuide.com

26 Dashboards and Saddlebags •The Destination Magazine