Goodfellas is a 1990 biographical crime drama that follows the rise and fall of mobster Henry Hill and his associates. Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film is based on Pileggi’s 1985 non-fiction book Wiseguy.
The film’s story, which begins around 1985, follows Hill from his early days as a fresh-faced criminal through his meteoric rise and chaotic later years. The film is widely regarded as one of the greatest depictions of mob life, and its complex narrative is brought to life with almost surprising ferocity. The smooth background of the film significantly complements the story. Now, know about Goodfellas movie filming locations.
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Goodfellas Movie Filming Locations
Goodfellas was shot mostly in New York, using many of the city’s iconic locations. The film took much of its character from the Big Apple, and the crew spent considerable time filming in a staggering number of locations throughout the city. Some scenes were also ostensibly shot in Chicago, as well as in nearby New Jersey.
Filming reportedly began on 3 May 1989 and ended on 9 August. Now let’s take a look at the specific locations where the Goodfellas film was brought to life.
Queens
Goodfellas was shot almost entirely in many of New York’s iconic neighborhoods and neighborhoods. The production crew spent a long time filming in Queens, which is evident in the many different locations of the borough seen in the film. Young Henry Hill’s home, seen at the beginning of the film, was depicted using the residence at 2409 Thirty-second Street in Astoria. Also, the restaurant near which Henry and Tommy steal the truck in the movie is located nearby at 6935 Astoria Boulevard, Jackson Heights.
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Other filming locations in Queens include Babbage Street in Richmond Hill and nearby Salerno’s Restaurant at 11711 Hillside Avenue. The production also used the Spartan Diner at 7320 Grand Avenue in Maspeth and Neir’s Tavern at 87-48 78th Street in Woodhaven. Several scenes also appear to have been filmed at nearby JFK International Airport.
Some studio filming also apparently took place near Kaufman Astoria Studios at 3412 36th Street in Astoria. Another diner at 56-26 Maspeth Avenue was also briefly used for the filming of several scenes.
Brooklyn
Several unmistakable Brooklyn spots can also be seen throughout the film, and rightly so! The crew filmed Henry and Karen’s wedding scene at The Oriental Manor at 1818 86th Street in Brooklyn. Collaros Italiano Restaurant at 2758 Coney Island Avenue & Avenue Y represented the exterior of the Bamboo Lounge. The crew also filmed at some other locations in Coney Island and at the iconic Brooklyn Lookout.
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Scenes depicting Jimmy Conway’s meeting were filmed on Smith Street in the Red Hook neighborhood of northwest Brooklyn. The Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn and the area around the Gowanus Canal were also used in several shots.
Interestingly, scenes depicting the Tampa Zoo in Florida where Henry and Jimmy attempt to collect a debt were also filmed in Brooklyn. The Prospect Park Zoo at 450 Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn represents Zoo Tampa in the Goodfellas movie.
Manhattan
How can a movie set in the Big Apple, even one about famous mobsters, not feature at least a few scenes in Manhattan? The ‘Goodfellas’ crew spent time filming at the famous Copacabana nightclub at 10 East 60th Street on Manhattan’s East Side. Other famous landmarks in the neighborhood that were used as filming locations include the George Washington Bridge, Foley Square, and Fifth Avenue.
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Several scenes were reportedly filmed at the Hawaii Kai restaurant on Broadway at 49th Street. The New York State Supreme Court building (originally called the New York County Courthouse) at 60 Center Street in Manhattan’s Civic Center district also appears in the film.
Staten Island
Scenes were shot around Richmond Avenue in Staten Island. Specifically, the mall scene depicting a paranoid Harry was filmed in the borough. The crew also filmed around 2995 Richmond Avenue.
New Rochelle
This Westchester County town also hosted a film crew for a short time when they filmed scenes depicting Karen’s parents’ home at 19 Alfred Lane. Bruce’s home was depicted using a nearby residence at 14 Alfred Lane. Filming on Alfred Lane took place mostly near the junction with Sussex Road.
Long Island
Filming continued on nearby Long Island with scenes shot in Atlantic Beach and Oyster Bay. The Catalina Beach Club at 2041 Park Street is the luxury beach club featured in the film. The Richmond Hill Station (closed since 1998) of the Long Island Railroad was also used as a backdrop for several scenes.
Chicago
Although there are several reports of the crew filming in Chicago, others claim that the cult gangster film was shot entirely in New York and New Jersey. So it remains unconfirmed whether the scenes were actually shot in Chicago or not. “Goodfellas.”
New Jersey
Some crucial scenes were filmed in the neighboring state of New Jersey. Henry and Karen’s home after the former was incarcerated was shown using the property at 1080 Inwood Terrace in Fort Lee, Bergen County.
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The Goodfellas film’s final scene, in which Henry comes out to the newspaper, was reportedly filmed in Marlboro Township, Monmouth County. Several scenes were also shot on the Palisades Interstate Parkway, which straddles New York and New Jersey.
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