In Twin Peaks, One Eyed Jacks is a casino and brothel located in Canada just over the Washington state line. It was first owned by the Horne brothers before Jean Renault ousted Ben later in the series. The location appears in nine episodes between the first two seasons. In reality, there were two California locations used for filming – at a private residence in Agoura Hills and on a set in Van Nuys, California.
WHERE IS ONE-EYED JACKS LOCATED?
Scenes at One-Eyed Jacks for episodes 1.002, 1.006 and 1.007 were shot at a private home in Malibou Lake Mountain Club in Agoura Hills, California. The home is located near where Deputy Hawk’s surveillance van from episodes 1.006 and 1.007 was located. They shot the establishing shot of the van from the boat dock outside the home.
Below are the various scenes from One-Eyed Jacks and corresponding location photos.
BOAT DOCK OUTSIDE ONE-EYED JACKS
One Eyed Jacks is first seen in episode 1.002 when Ben and Jerry take a boat ride north to their establishment. You can read more about the arrival scene and exterior shots in this article. They are greeted by Swabbie who is played by Charlie Spradling South (she’s also the “Take a bite out of peach” girl in David Lynch’s Wild at Heart).
Here is a distant shot of the boat dock as seen from the back of the home.
BAR INSIDE ONE-EYED JACKS
The Brothers Horne enter One-Eyed Jacks and head to the bar where Kim (Kim Lentz) the bartender waits.
A bartender receives a phone call in episode 1.002 informing her the Horne brothers have arrived.
While researching this article, I found a public photo album containing images of the Agoura Hills home from March 2015. I was shocked seeing many interiors remained the same as when the series was first shot in fall 1989. For example, the image above is of the bar where Jerry Horne orders his double Scotch on the rocks. The chairs, however, are different than what was used in the series.
ENTERING ONE-EYED JACKS
Before Jerry and Ben get to the bar, they walk up a flight of stairs.
The image above is from the home, and the curved railing plus stone work are the same. Incredible!
Jerry and Ben approach the bar by passing a pool table illuminated by an antler chandelier in the center of the room.
The same pool table and chandelier were still in the home around March 2015! At this point, I (and probably you) am geeking out. But wait, there is more.
BLACKIE AND THE NEW GIRL
Blackie arrives flanked by girls from One Eyed Jacks. Notice they are standing next to the stairs where Ben and Jerry first entered.
The area in the back of this location photo is where Blackie and the 52 Pick-Up girls are standing. The crew added a variety of red drapes to cover all the doorways and windows.
You can see those red drapes when Ben Horne meets the “new girl.” Together, they disappear behind a tiny doorway which actually has a set of stairs (see the previous location photo of the stairs the Horne brothers use).
Ben recites Shakespeare to Blackie as he greets her under the antler chandelier.
Here’s that pool table and chandelier again. As mentioned the “new girl” doorway is seen to the far right of the image.
ORAL SURGEONS VISITING ONE-EYED JACKS
We return to One Eyed Jacks and the Agoura Hills home during episode 1.006. Special Agent Dale Cooper and Big Ed Hurley go undercover as oral surgeons named Barney and Fred.
Blackie crosses the room to greet the Cooper and Big Ed.
You can see the pool table and bar in the background in this location photo. The crew covered the windows for the shot.
Cooper and Ed watch as Blackie slowly approaches them.
Notice the same archway and stone wall in this image. It’s next to the stairs the Ben and Jerry used when they first entered the scene in episode 1.002. Difficult to see in the location image, but that archway is the aquarium where Jacque and Cooper have a drink in episode 1.007. More on that in a minute.
During the scene, the camera passes two girls dressed in their One Eyed Jacks outfits. They are leaning against a railing which is the same stairwell that the Horne brothers used. Check out the painting and the arched window behind them. It appears they may have shot some of these scenes during the day, not nighttime. The covered windows gives the illusion it was night.
The same railing and painting are seen in this location photo! By this point when I first viewed these location images, I was screaming. It’s probably the closest I will ever get to seeing the interior of this private residence.
GAMES OF CHANCE ROOM AT ONE-EYED JACKS
After speaking with Blackie, Cooper and Big Ed move to a different part of the house. As they look down at a casino room “filled with the usual games of chance,” Cooper reports his findings to Deputy Hawk waiting in a surveillance van outside.
Agent Cooper sits down at the Blackjack table as Lawrence the dealer finishes his shift and Jacque Renault takes over.
The location photo shows the small bar (a home with two bars must be a dream) and the stairs seen in the background.
Big Ed alerts Cooper about Jacque using the Bookhouse Boy greeting (swiping temple).
The action continues in episode 1.007 as Cooper plays a few rounds of Blackjack with “Jacques” as the dealer. After giving him the poker chip that Laura Palmer bit at the cabin as a tip, Cooper asks to buy Jacques a drink.
This location shot shows the reverse angle of the casino room from the stairs. In the distance is the kitchen which you can see details, such as the columns, from that area in the episode.
COOPER BUYS JACQUES A DRINK
Cooper and Jacque share a drink and recount details of the night with Laura Palmer, Ronette Pulaski and Leo Johnson. They are seated in front of what appears to be an aquarium or enclosed water feature in the wall.
The location photo shows the enclosed water feature is actually located next to the stairs where Ben and Jerry Horne first enter One Eyed Jacks in episode 1.002. It’s also used to frame Big Ed and Cooper in episode 1.006 as noted above. Wow!
Look closely and you’ll spot the western painting hanging behind Cooper. The red drapes behind Jacque covered windows.
Episode 1.007 was the last time the crew used the Agoura Hills home as a location. Some scenes from the first and second season would be shot at City Studios ( (now Occidental Studios) in Van Nuys, California.
ONE EYED JACK’S SET FROM TWIN PEAKS SEASON TWO
There were several scenes at One Eyed Jacks that were shot on a set, such as Blackie’s office.
A clue was the mauve carpet that also appears in the Hurley, Palmer and Hayward houses.
Other scenes, such as Cooper and Truman’s mission to rescue Audrey Horne in episode 2.005, were also on a set.
SIMILAR SETS FROM GREAT NORTHERN HOTEL TO ONE-EYED JACKS
I believe the crew may have used some of the Great Northern Hotel set for One-Eyed Jacks. They could have build around it as the flooring, walls and stone features appear similar to episode 2.005.
Compare the walls outside One-Eyed Jacks in episode 2.005 with the walls inside the episode 2.020 image above.
THANK YOU TO CHARLES AND BRAD
Credit once again must be given to Charles from InTwinPeaks and Brad Dukes, author of “Reflections: An Oral History of Twin Peaks” (find it on Amazon.com). Brad visited the Agoura Hills home in summer 2010. I used the Wayback Machine to find an old blog article he wrote but only the text remains (see below). As previously mentioned, the home is a private residence so please no trespassing.
WOW!! Nice job…an actual ‘thrill’!!!