I’ve recently been exploring the film locations in Washington and California that were used for The Bookhouse in Season 1 and 2 of Twin Peaks. For this third article, I take a deep dive into the set created in Van Nuys, California for Episodes 2.006, 2.017, and 2.018.
WHERE IS THE BOOKHOUSE SET FROM TWIN PEAKS LOCATED?
City Studios (now Occidental Studios), located at 7700 Balboa Boulevard in Van Nuys, California, served as the soundstage for many of the interior sets from the series and film such as the Double R Diner, Red Room, and more.
Richard Hoover was the Production Designer for Seasons 1 and 2 of Twin Peaks. Thanks to his website, we get a brief look at part of the Bookhouse set he created.
A 30-year veteran of production design, Hoover shared some fantastic insight into his role during an interview with TheThings.com in November 2018.
According to that article, production designers “work hand-in-hand with directors, producers and writers to find the best way to execute any creative visions. They design any set with such detail it’ll surprise you what they go through. They need to embody a fictional character’s home. They need to create fictional places and are required to often redesign sets at only a moments notice to fit the scene and time continuity of a plot. They are also challenged to make real places from the past come alive again.”
While we catch glimpses of the Bookhouse set in only three episodes, Hoover does an exception job adding character to a place that has existed in the town of Twin Peaks for years.
THE BOOKHOUSE SET IN EPISODE 2.006
The Bookhouse set appears twice in Episode 2.006. It’s reminiscent of the Blue Pine Lodge or Great Northern Hotel with its wood walls, oversized logs, and warm, moody lighting. It’s matches a description that Laura Palmer wrote about in her secret diary on October 20, 1985:
“It is a coffee house, mostly for guys. Girls are allowed, but it’s more like a guys hangout. There are books everywhere on the back. It smells like cigarettes, after-shave and coffee. There’s always coffee brewing.”
As the door opens, we spot more books stacked on shelves along a back wall.
All the books remind me of the bookshelves added to the Old Place Restaurant location in Episode 1.003 which served as the interior film location of The Bookhouse. It’s difficult to tell if any of the books from that scene were recycled for the set (my gut says they were).
Cooper enters carrying Audrey Horne, freshly rescued from One Eyed Jack’s in Canada.
He climbs a handful of stairs and gently places Audrey on a single bed. Deputy Hawk, Cappy and Joey Paulsen closely follow behind.
Cooper attempts communicating with a drugged-up Audrey.
Audrey finally wakes to realize her “special agent” saved her from the brothel. Notice the red-jacketed books on the right side of the image above and the duvet pattern.
We later return to the Bookhouse in Episode 2006 as the camera pans up to find Audrey covered in a blue blanket.
She is greeted by her father Benjamin Horne who expresses concern and relief that she has been rescued.
Notice how the red-jacketed books appear above Audrey’s head in this later scene. It seems like the bed has shifted more toward the window and those books. We also get a better look at the ceiling in the Bookhouse which appears to be covered with tree branches.
Audrey, who has “seen so much,” has a sharp exchange with her father. Look carefully to spot Joey just out of focus behind Ben.
The scene ends with Audrey asking if Cooper can take her home. We get some additional looks at the ceiling details.
THE BOOKHOUSE SET IN EPISODE 2.017
Following the untimely passing of Josie Packard in Episode 2016, Sheriff Harry Truman retreats to the Bookhouse in Episode 2.017.
As the sultry saxophone plays “Josie and Truman,” a montage of images of the two star-crossed lovers appears over Harry’s face. These first two images aren’t from the set – I just love the closeness of Harry’s sad eyes lost in his reverie.
While the montage plays, Harry spins a shot glass which he has been using to down Jack Daniels.
Deputy Hawk arrives with breakfast from the Double R Diner. Just below his elbow and the window is the back of a vintage turntable. We’ll get a better look at it later in this episode.
Breakfast is served, complete with a bottle of Jack.
Harry, feeling the affects of his alcoholic binge, laughs and declines to eat breakfast.
We get a better look at the Jack Daniels whiskey bottle which has been slightly altered (probably to avoid having to pay royalties to use it in the series). The table looks to be the same as the table pictured in the Richard Hoover set photos at the top of this article.
While we don’t get a good look at the silver lid on Harry’s Bookhouse breakfast, I’m guessing it’s the same prop that was seen in episodes 2.004 and 2.013.
Cooper arrives to check on Harry. He is standing in front of the turntable.
Again, not a lot of set details here but I love the lighting on Truman’s face.
Later in episode 2.017, Hawk tells Cooper they have a problem at The Bookhouse. Deputy Andy Brennan is seen standing guard by the door. It looks like there is a giant photo or artwork of possibly a motorcycle on the wall.
The flagstone and wood wall seen outside The Bookhouse reminds me of the details seen through windows at The Great Northern Hotel in episodes 2.008 and 2.020.
Cooper enters and slowly proceeds toward a drunken Truman who has destroyed the interior of The Bookhouse.
Interestingly, Cooper enters from a side door, not the back door he used in Episode 2.006 when carrying Audrey. The door with the diamond window is actually covered up in the Richard Hoover production images by a silver coffee machine.
Cooper crosses to Harry.
The red circles above are things that appear to match the Richard Hoover set photo.
These next images confirm that the Richard Hoover set image was from this destroyed corner.
Notice the table, the silver coffee machine, and the bookshelves.
Poor Harry. He is now sitting on top of the giant log seen in the background from Episode 2006.
Ever calm, cool and collected, Deputy Dale tries to get Harry to hand over his gun. But wait a second … do you see the hook rug?
At first, I thought it was the same hook rug from Episode 2.008. But the one at the Bookhouse appears more brown versus the green rug which Louise Dombrowski dances on with her flashlight for the Horne brothers.
As Coop walks toward Harry we finally get a look at the turntable that is spinning some album. According to the script written between December 1990 and January 1991, Truman was listening to music during the opening scene of this episode:
OPEN ON TRUMAN sitting at a table in the bookshelved alcove. Playing from the bar area, we HEAR Muddy Waters, I Just Want to Make Love to You. Truman is sleepless and unshaven; his thoughts also appear to be growing a little wild. Before him is a half-empty bottle of Canadian whiskey and an overturned, unused shot glass, which Truman lazily twirls.
Perhaps this was the album he was listening too (highly doubtful and perhaps one day I will actually identify it).
Truman isn’t happy but Cooper eventually gets him to hand over his gun as they embrace.
As Hawk and Cooper put Truman to bed, we get another look at the Bookhouse set. The turntable is still spinning in the background!
At the end of the episode, Cappy the Bookhouse Boy (as identified in the script) is watching Truman. He’s knocked out with the butt of a gun.
The assailant places the gun on the nightstand next to Truman’s bed and reveals herself as Jones, the late Thomas Eckhardt’s assistant.
As Jones lays down with Truman and the credits roll, we get one last look at the Bookhouse set in this episode.
THE BOOKHOUSE SET IN EPISODE 2.018
Episode 2.018 opens with a shot of the mounted deer head on the Bookhouse wall. It’s followed with a slow pan down and over to Truman’s bed.
I combined all of those images to get an almost seamless picture of the Bookhouse set. As the camera tracks toward Truman’s bed, we see the aftermath of his binge drinking
Empty beer and whiskey bottles cover the floor.
Jones lays on a sleeping Truman who has visions that Josie is in his bed.
Truman is suddenly wakes up after he hears the sound of a garrote.
Jones attempts to kill Harry who fights back.
Harry knocks her onto a couch that has mysteriously appeared under the window. Or it could be a different window in the Bookhouse that we haven’t seen before. I’m guessing, however, it is the same window seen in previous scenes.
Truman grabbed a trophy from a shelf as an impromptu weapon but Jones doesn’t get up after being knocked out. And who is the gentleman in the photo? A Bookhouse Boy from days of yore? Life is full of mysteries.
Episode 2.018 is the last time we visit the Bookhouse in Season 2 and in the Twin Peaks series. The location doesn’t appear in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me or Twin Peaks: The Return on Showtime.
