There is a playful exchange with Mike Nelson and Bobby Briggs as Laura Palmer and Donna Hayward pass by Bobby’s car in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. The brief scene has additional footage included in The Missing Pieces. The entire exchange takes place just down the street from where the Hayward House was shot for the Pilot episode and the 1992 feature film.
WHERE IS THE MIKE IS THE MAN SCENE FROM TWIN PEAKS LOCATED?
The Hayward House is located at 3316 Grand Avenue in Everett, Washington. The “Mike is the man” scene takes place around 3400 Grand Avenue, which is half a block down the street. The coordinates are 47°58’21.0″N 122°12’45.5″W.
THE MISSING PIECES FOR MIKE IS THE MAN
According to the script from August 8, 1991, this entire exchange never happened on the street. Bobby was absent from the scene. Instead, the action took place at Twin Peaks High School.
INT. TWIN PEAKS HIGH SCHOOL – DAY
On Laura and Donna as they walk in. FIVE of their ADMIRERS watch Laura and Donna with love and worship. They sing a kind of pining but cool CHANT with knees bent and arms outstretched.
ADMIRERS
“Laura… Donna… Laura… Donna…”
On Donna as they continue down the hall. A cool MIKE NELSON snaps his fingers ala Bobby for Donna to come to him. Without missing a beat Donna changes directions. Mike has to hustle to catch up with her.
MIKE
(putting his arm around Donna)
That’s why you need a real man, Babe, you’re tough to handle.
DONNA
And you’re the real man?
THE FOOTBALL IS HALF EMPTY
In the on-screen version of this scene, the unscripted dialogue references the half empty football that Leo Johnson will question Mike and Bobby about in the David Lynch-directed episode 1.002.
MIKE
Bobby, the football.
BOBBY
Yeah, the football.
MIKE
The football is half empty. Where’s the other half of the coke?
BOBBY
What are you talking about?
MIKE
Don’t play games with me, man. We either got to have half that coke or half the money. We owe Leo $5,000.
BOBBY
Relax, Mike.
MIKE
It’s not funny, Sonny [smack Bobby on the arm].
BOBBY
Look, Snake. I have the coke, alright.
MIKE
Yeah, you better have it.
It’s understandable why this scene may have been cut. Similar dialogue appears in episode 1.001 when Bobby and Mike are in jail. I guess Mike was very concerned about this football.
DONNA HAYWARD AND LAURA PALMER ENTER THE SCENE
Unscripted dialog appears on screen as Donna and Laura enter. Bobby coyly references the 1969 Plymouth Barracuda he is driving.
BOBBY
[Whistles} Wanna ride? We’re all gonna ‘bear our cudas’
LAURA
No thanks, Bobby. We want to walk.
BOBBY
We weren’t going to school right away anyway.
In the scene, Laura and Donna are seen walking beside Bobby’s car. In reality, they should have been walking in front of his car as Donna’s house is to the right of this location.
The area where Bobby’s car was parked is now fenced off. I first visited this location on October 12, 2019 just as the sun was setting.
I returned to the area years later on August 27, 2023. The fence was still installed and the entire area was overgrown.
I’LL WALK WITH YOU
Dialogue from the script appears in this next exchange.
MIKE
Hey Donna, I’ll walk with you.
DONNA
I’m walking with Laura.
MIKE
That’s what I like about you. You’re tough to handle. That’s why you need a real man like me.
With the fence in the way, you can’t get an exact shot as it appears in the film. This one was close enough.
YOU’RE THE REAL MAN
In the theatrical cut, the scene fades from the side walk near Donna’s house to a close-up of Donna and Laura walking after passing Bobby’s car.
DONNA
Yeah Mike, you’re the real man.
MIKE
That’s right; I am the man.
In The Missing Pieces, we see Donna say her line.
Here’s a better look at the location from October 12, 2019. Notice the maple trees along the side walk. The first one just past the yellow sign has a familiar “Y” shape that still exists today.
MIKE IS THE MAN
The theatrical version cuts to Mike standing in the car proclaiming he is the man.
Another look at the location where Bobby’s car was parked from my visit on October 12, 2019.
This is the shot of the location from August 2023. The concrete brick retaining wall is still present at the location.
The theatrical cut uses part of the scene where Donna says, “Yeah Mike, you’re the real man.” It’s probably why is sounds and looks so odd. Donna’s voice appears to be dubbed.
Bobby ends the scene by saying, “Laura Palmer, see you later.”
