In the spring and summer of 1943, the Mendocino Coast was transformed into a lively movie set when Paramount Pictures chose Albion River and nearby locations for the Technicolor film “Frenchman’s Creek.” What began as a tentative scouting trip, reported in the Beacon as a Hollywood representative seeking lodging for a troupe of around 100, quickly grew into a full-scale production. Little River Inn served as headquarters for cast and crew, with additional accommodations arranged throughout Fort Bragg and neighboring communities.
Mendocino Locals in Frenchman’s Creek, 1943. Left to right: Clifford Chapman, Gerald Cummings, Frank Brown, Hollywood Man, Joe Quaill, Mr. Sneider, Louis Larsen, Charley Hee, Tommy Porteous, Bill Larkin, Eddie Silva.
Albion soon filled with activity. Construction crews built docks, roads, cookhouses, and a large dining hall to serve meals to the company. Elaborate sets appeared almost overnight, including a castle facade, an old-world church, a bridge, and other period structures. Although many buildings were constructed only on the sides facing the camera, those visible surfaces were richly detailed with plaster walls, brick stairways, heavy shake roofs, ivy, and authentic period furnishings.
A full-sized pirate ship floated in the Albion River, hauled north by barge from Hollywood and outfitted to resemble a 17th-century galleon. Curious visitors came from across the county to tour the sets, watch the filming, and see for themselves how familiar redwoods, rivers, and coastline had been transformed into the England of a romantic adventure story.
Most memorable of all was the participation of local residents. Men from Mendocino and Fort Bragg were hired as boatmen, swimmers, and pirates for key scenes, and seventeen Mendocino men donned long coats, wigs, jabots, and knee breeches for the harbor battle sequences. The work paid well for the time: $35 (about $656 today) per day for swimmers, $16.50 (about $309 today) for pirate ship crew members, and $10.50 (about $197 today) for Cornishmen with muskets. Transportation and free meals were also provided, along with the less glamorous side effects of sunburned faces and blistered hands. Friends and neighbors gathered to watch the filming, snapping photos and cheering on familiar faces.
When “Frenchman’s Creek” premiered in late 1944, it drew packed movie houses along the coast. Audiences delighted in recognizing Albion and Big River scenes, even if local extras appeared only briefly. At a time when the community was still feeling the strain of mill closures, the Depression, and wartime uncertainty, the production brought much-needed income, excitement, and a lasting sense of pride in being part of Hollywood history.
“Mendocino and the Movies: Hollywood and TV Motion Pictures Filmed on the Mendocino Coast” by Bruce Levene. More than 50 films from 1904 to 2001 used local scenery and local actors. $20.