In Twin Peaks Episode 2017, John Justice Wheeler and Audrey Horne have a picnic by a lake. This scene, like many others from Season 2, was shot in Franklin Canyon Park located just outside of Beverly Hills, California. So cue Mr. Wheeler’s cowboy song and let’s explore.
WHERE IS AUDREY AND JACK’S PICNIC LOCATED?
This location is found on Franklin Canyon Drive and overlooks the Upper Franklin Canyon Reservoir. It’s just down the street from the Walking After Maddy’s Death scene and across the pond from the Wooded Road where James says goodbye to Donna.
The approximate coordinates are 34°07’11.7″N 118°24’35.0″W.
You can actually see the area where James and Donna’s scene from Episode 2009 was shot (look at the far left side of this image taken during my visit on May 26, 2019).
AUDREY AND JACK’S PICNIC BEGINS
Like other recent scenes, I’m turning to the Episode 2.017 script to compare dialogue that was seen on screen and what dialogue was cut.
The scene opens with John Justice Wheeler singing a song to Audrey Horne. The trees located behind the close up shot of Audrey are still there!
The script describes the scene:
15. EXT. WOODS – DAY
OPEN ON a wooded vista, some hidden spot in the verdent [sic] forest. We HEAR a man’s voice, singing clear as a bell, 0 Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie. CAMERA MOVES between the pines to REVEAL Audrey and John Wheeler seated upon a blanket, a picnic lunch between them, Wheeler singing his cowboy song. Audrey watches, jawdropped, she couldn’t be more surprised … or taken with this handsome stranger. Wheeler finishes, peers at her. For once in her life Audrey Horne is speechless. Finally:
AUDREY
Wow.
The scene cuts to a close up of Wheeler finishing his song. The bushes behind him are still present today at the park (just a little more full these days).
O BURY ME NOT ON THE LONE PRARIE
The song what John Justice Wheeler sings is “Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie” which is also known as the “Cowboy’s Lament” or “The Dying Cowboy.” According to Wikipedia (take it for what it is):
“A version of the song was published in John Lomax’s “Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads” in 1910. The melody and lyrics were collected and published in Carl Sandburg’s 1927 American Songbag.
An article published in the Uvalde, TX Uvalde News-Leader in 1928 suggests that the origin of the song was the small town of Lohn, TX. The article states that the song was originally about the Lohn Prairie, and was later changed to “Lone Prairie.”
Originally collected with different music than that widely known today, Bury Me Not On the Lone Prairie first appeared in print with the present melody in 1932, with a likely origin of North Carolina, though the speaker at that time requested contrary to other renditions to “bury me out on the lone prairie.”
Several artists have recorded it throughout the years including Johnny Cash in March 1965. In the episode, Wheeler doesn’t sing the whole song. It appears he picks up on the third verse:
“O bury me not on the lone prairie.”
These words came low and mournfully
From the pallid lips of the youth who lay
On his dying bed at the close of day
He had wasted and pined ’til o’er his brow
Death’s shades were slowly gathering now
He thought of home and loved ones nigh
As the cowboys gathered to see him die
“O bury me not on the lone prairie
Where coyotes howl and the wind blows free
In a narrow grave just six by three—
O bury me not on the lone prairie”
NOBODY’S EVER SUNG A SONG
The script continues (items in bold white are not in the scene):
Wheeler says nothing, waits for her. Audrey, suddenly vulnerable, without the usual banter to protect her, finally continues:
AUDREY
Nobody’s ever sung a song to me before.
WHEELER
You must’ve been serenaded a time or two.
AUDREY (not coy)
I don’t inspire a lot of singing. Most boys are afraid.
Wolf whistles, maybe.
WHEELER
(appreciating the revelation)
They don’t know you then. Not really.
The script continues while lots of dialogue not found in the broadcasted episode:
He’s right. Audrey’s been waiting a long time for someone to discover her secrets. She’s delighted, though not sure what to say. Wheeler interprets her silence as rebuke.
WHEELER
Sorry for being forward. It’s not I like I know you that well. In fact I don’t know you at all.
(to self as well as Audrey)
Charm is a rocky road… (quiet humor)
Another cowboy song, I know, a shot…?
AUDREY
(with an affectionate smile)
I’m completely tone deaf.
Now it’s his turn to be discomfited. A beat. Both realizing that the other fills them with a sort of uncertain warmth, the awkwardness that accompanies sudden infatuation, or love. Wheeler reaches for a bottle of beer, changes the subject.
WHEELER
(quiet, contemplative)
Flying out here, I took a big northern swing. It’s
beautiful. The air and light up toward the pole is like
nothing you’ve ever seen. You sort of float while the earth
turns underneath. And the northern light gets trapped on
the horizon, in this bright blue band. Frozen light.
Frozen color.
The scene then picks up with Audrey speaking:
Wheeler looks at her. Audrey pauses, preoccupied; then returns to the heart of the matter.
AUDREY
I don’t think anyone really knows me.
WHEELER
That sounds like a warning.
AUDREY
(faint hesitation)
I know.
WHEELER
(considerate as always)
Audrey. If there’s some other guy, I’ll…
AUDREY
There used to be, but…
The scene finishes on screen pretty much according to Barry Pullman’s script:
A long beat. Audrey thinking about Cooper, first love, then, at last…
AUDREY (warm and certain)
No. There’s not. There’s nobody.
WHEELER
So what’ll we do now?
AUDREY (with humor)
Know any more cowboy tricks?
WHEELER (in kind)
If you’ve got a lariat in that picnic basket, I could lasso passing cattle.
AUDREY
The closest cow is miles from here.
WHEELER
Well. Stray dogs, raccoons, a bluebird … anything you want…
HOLD ON Jack and Audrey for a beat. Falling in love. FADE OUT.
JOHN JUSTICE WHEELER’S HAT
Before we get to the wide angle scene of their picnic, can we discuss Wheeler’s hat. I believe it’s most likely a Stetson (like other hats found in the series). I searched everywhere trying to find a match.
The closest match I found was the Tahoe Outdoor Hat on Stetson.com. If this hat is the actual style, it’s missing the braided brim but other details (color, rivets) are a close match (just in case you want to cosplay as the mighty Jack this Halloween).
WIDE SHOT OF AUDREY AND JACK’S PICNIC
The scene ends with a wide angle shot of Audrey and John enjoying their delightful afternoon picnic. This episode aired on March 28, 1991. I guess it’s possible that red leaves fell in that area but most likely they were fake and added by the crew to give a pop of color (why would red leaves be falling in March anyway)?
I first visited this location (thanks to InTwinPeaks.com) on April 21, 2012.
Audrey reaches for an apple from the picnic basket and presents it to Wheeler.
I returned to the film location on May 26, 2019. The bushes and trees in the area definitely had grown since my first visit.
Wheeler takes a bite of the apple as the scene fades to black.
The whole area around Franklin Canyon Park is peaceful. I loved seeing the same pine trees across the pond that also appear in the episode. I can easily see why this spot was used so extensively in the series.
INTWINPEAKS.COM
Here’s a collage of images from the former InTwinPeaks.com website from visits to the location in the latter part of the 2000s. It’s awesome to see how Charles captured the changing seasons and colors from this spot.
A big thank you again to InTwinPeaks for helping identify this location. Below is a tribute image from the original posting on the now defunct website:
