Twin Peaks Prop – Carl Rodd’s Boomtown Ashtray

In Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, Carl Rodd, manager of the original Fat Trout Trailer Park, delivered his famous line to Special Agents Desmond and Stanley: “I’ve already gone places. I just want to stay where I am.” At the New Fat Trout Trailer in season 3, we catch a glimpse at one of those places Carl may have visited – Boomtown Reno, 7 miles west of Reno, Nevada. Thanks to fellow Bookhouse Boy @Depth_Punch on Twitter, we have another prop identified on Twin Peaks Blog.

IDENTIFYING CARL RODD’S BOOMTOWN ASHTRAY

On July 11, 2019, fellow Bookhouse Boy, The Woodsman, tagged both Ivan Bukta and me on Twitter with an image.

Tweet from Depth_Punch
Twitter – July 11, 2019

I love when folks help identify the props used in Twin Peaks. This one – Carl Rodd’s Boomtown ashtray – was a particular treat as it’s from the New Fat Trout Trailer Park in Season 3 on Showtime.

Carl Rodd's Boomtown Ashtray on a red cooler
Harry Dean Stanton in a still from Twin Peaks. Photo: Suzanne Tenner/SHOWTIME

The prop appears in two episodes (more on that in a moment), but the easiest way to see the writing on the ashtray is by looking at the publicity photo from Part 10. I cropped the image above which clearly shows the name Boomtown.

BOOMTOWN IN RENO, NEVADA

Boomtown Casino exterior decorated for the holidays
Wikipedia.com

Located at 2100 Garson Road in Verdi, Nevada, the Boomtown Casino and Hotel opened in 1964.

Boomtown Nevada postcard with four images
Postcard from the 1980s from Route40.net

Boomtown is “the first building tourists see when coming through Donner Pass and over Interstate 80 is the faux-rustic decor of Boomtown Casino and Hotel” according to an article from the Reno Gazette Journal.

Boomtown began as a small truck stop owned by Bill & Effie’s Engle. The Casino was added in 1964, and the entire property was later purchased in 1968 by Texas businessman Bob Cashell (who became mayor of Reno). He rebranded the area Boomtown and began adding many new features – a bar and blackjack table in 1971 and a hotel in 1978. He later sold Boomtown in 1988. Other owners included Boomtown, Inc. (1988-1997) and Pinnacle Entertainment (1997-2012).

Website for Boomtown Casino and Hotel
BoomtownReno.com

St. John Property and M1 Gaming purchased Boomtown in 2012 from Pinnacle for $12.9 million. M1 Game left the partnership in 2014 and today, Boomtown Reno continues to be a thriving casino and hotel destination on the outskirts of the biggest little city.

Sheriff Truman, Big Ed and Cooper
1.006

Before Season 3, Twin Peaks had a very small connection to Reno, Nevada. Big Ed Hurley mentions he “went to Reno once” in Episode 1.006 as the team prepares to go undercover at One-Eyed Jack’s.

A quick search on eBay and about $12 later, I had my own replica prop from Boomtown Reno.

Boomtown Reno Ashtray
Boomtown Reno Ashtray
Boomtown Reno Ashtray
Boomtown Reno Ashtray
Boomtown Reno Ashtray
Boomtown Reno Ashtray

APPEARANCES IN TWIN PEAKS

Carl Rodd playing guitar
Part 10

The first time we see the prop is in Part 10 when Carl Rodd is playing “Red River Valley” on his guitar outside his Manager’s trailer in the New Fat Trout Trailer Park.

Carl with a guitar
Part 10

We see the top of the ashtray when the camera cuts to a closer reaction shot in the episode.

Guy walking with a cane in a trailer park
Part 12
Carl Rodd walking back to his trailer
Part 12

The prop is seen from afar in Part 12 when Rodd speaks to Kriscol about selling plasma for food.

Harry Dean Stanton and David Lynch
Photo from The Mauve Zone

I loved seeing Harry Dean Stanton in Twin Peaks again. Difficult to see in this Behind the Scenes image from The Mauve Zone, but the ashtray is just behind David Lynch’s leg.

Author

  • Steven Miller at Twede's Cafe enjoying cherry pie and coffee

    A "Twin Peaks" fan since October 1993, Steven Miller launched Twin Peaks Blog in February 2018 to document his decades-long fascination with David Lynch and Mark Frost's wonderful and strange show. With his Canon camera in hand, he's visited numerous film locations, attended Twin Peaks events and conducted extensive historical research about this groundbreaking series. Along with fellow Bookhouse Boys, he dreams of creating a complete Twin Peaks Archive of the series and feature film. Steven currently resides in Central Florida.

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One thought on “Twin Peaks Prop – Carl Rodd’s Boomtown Ashtray

  1. What a fun surprise to come across your blog today. I’m a lifelong resident of the Reno area and it’s always really cool to see my hometown mentioned in movies and TV. Other notable name-drops for Reno are on The Last Ship, a character says he is from here, and Terminator: Salvation, a check-in is received over radio from the human resistance in Reno.
    I was Googling around for details about Boomtown’s Motion Picture Ride when I found your blog. I had been reminiscing about numerous birthdays celebrated out there and hoped to find other people’s memories online somewhere. The motion ride is (was?) a prominent feature of their Fun Center, which also includes mini golf, a huge carousel, and an arcade. Such a fun place! Thanks for showing this fun link from a place I love to such a popular and unique show.

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