“Murder, She Wrote” actors Michael Horton and Debbie Zipp with tour guide Joann Mauro.
Another beautiful Mendocino spring is upon us, which means another Murder, She Wrote Festival is just around the corner. As the Kelley House Museum and Mendocino prepares to welcome 200 “Fangelas,” we wanted to take a moment to celebrate our volunteers who help make the festival happen. Joann Mauro leads Murder, She Wrote walking tours. She answered a few questions about her experience as a tour guide and superfan.
How did you become a fan of Murder She Wrote?
Before Angela Lansbury died in 2022, I had never seen more than fifteen minutes of MSW. I had enjoyed her movies, especially the ones I had seen as a kid, but for some reason I never thought of watching the show. After Angela’s death, I went online and watched some of her interviews. That’s how I learned how extensive her career was. I decided I was going to watch every movie she had made and I was going to start watching MSW. It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with the show and its characters. Because I was watching her movies and the show in the same time frame, I started noticing the many connections between MSW and Lansbury’s movies. I started spotting the “easter eggs,” the little hidden or not so hidden homages or nods that represented parts of Angela’s career, her family, and her heritage. These easter eggs could be a song, an object, a name, or a reference. An example of this is the caged little yellow bird in Jessica’s living room. It’s a nod to the song, “Goodbye Little Yellow Bird” Angela sang in the 1946 movie “The Picture of Dorian Gray.” Noticing these connections was the hook for me.
What are your most asked questions on the MSW walking tour?
One of the most frequently asked questions I get on tour is, “Did they only film the exteriors of the Mendocino buildings?” My answer is yes… mostly. Most of the filming in Mendocino involves the exteriors of the buildings. However, the Hill House Inn provided interior shots as well as exterior shots. The lobby of the inn was used frequently, as were some of the rooms. Recently I was watching the very popular episode “If It’s Thursday, It Must be Beverly” when I noticed that not only were the exteriors of Mendocino’s Trillium Cafe used, but the interior of the building seemed to be used as well. Of course, the majority of the show’s interiors, including Jessica’s house, were filmed at Universal Studios.
What is something that locals should know about MSW that they may not already know?
One of the things many of the newer Mendocino residents may not know is how big a role Mendocino played in the show aside from the use of the houses and buildings. Many locals were hired to meet the need for extra crew and cast. Barbara Reed, the former owner of the Hill House Inn, was one of the locals hired as an “extra” in a couple of episodes. Barbara reminded me that extra support staff were also hired to work in the inns and restaurants to accommodate the cast and crew while they were filming the show. The filming of MSW was and still is a boost to the Mendocino economy. Aside from the fans who come to participate in the annual MSW Festival and those who come throughout the year to join the walking tours, I meet many people who come from all over the world just to see Jessica’s House a.k.a. the Blair House Inn.
What is your favorite piece of Murder She Wrote trivia?
On the walking tour I love talking about how Mendocino was chosen as the setting for Cabot Cove. Since the fictional town of Cabot Cove is set in the state of Maine the producers had to find a suitable location. They could fly the cast and crew to Maine to shoot the Cabot Cove episodes, but this would take a lot of time and money and there would be union hassles. Instead, the producers chose a closer alternative. Mendocino was built by New Englanders, many of whom came from Maine. The town looks like a typical New England town. It was the perfect location, but there were some minor issues. Maine and California have different climates and different foliage. In order to give Cabot Cove a New England look, the dry grass of Mendocino was sprayed with a green vegetable dye, and the California Poppies had to be removed. I meet many people who still think Cabot Cove is somewhere in Maine.
Festival passes are sold out but check the Kelley House website for limited tickets to the Solve-A-Long screening. The Kelley House Museum is open Thursday-Monday, 11am to 3pm. The Murder, She Wrote Festival is an unofficial event and not associated with NBCUniversal.