Naman Shrestha
Based on the 2007 book ‘Integrity: Good People, Bad Choices, and Life Lessons from the White House’ by Egil “Bud” Krogh and Matthew Krogh, HBO’s ‘White House Plumbers’ is a biographical political drama series created by Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck. Giving us a detailed account of the Watergate scandal, the narrative follows President Nixon’s saboteurs and Watergate masterminds — E. Howard Hunt and G. Gordon Liddy — who end up toppling the presidency they were trying their best to protect.
Formerly of the CIA and FBI, respectively, Hunt and Liddy are hired by the White House to look into the Pentagon Papers leak. Upon failing, the duo ends up on the committee to reelect the President as they plot various covert ops. Set in the 1970s, the historical drama series unfolds in many locations, especially Washington, D.C., as Hunt and Liddy work in and around the White House and several other government sites. So, if you are interested in knowing where the Woody Harrelson starrer is filmed, we have you covered!
White House Plumbers Filming Locations
‘White House Plumbers’ is filmed in New York, Washington, D.C., California, and the Virgin Islands, especially in New York City, Hudson Valley, Los Angeles County, and Charlotte Amalie. As per reports, the principal photography for the inaugural iteration of the drama series commenced in early May 2021 and wrapped up in October 2021.
The shooting was halted on August 5, 2021, when an audio recording capturing director David Mandel allegedly threatening the head of props was heard, after which the props department walked off the set. A week later, on August 12, the production got back on track but with additional protocols in place. Now, without further ado, let us walk you through all the specific locations where the political landscape of the 1970s is explored in the HBO series!
New York City, New York
Various important scenes for ‘White House Plumbers’ are lensed in New York City as the production team sets up camp in different neighborhoods and streets against suitable backdrops. The skyscraper-filled cityscape of the Big Apple likely features in a few scenes as you might spot some iconic landmarks and sites, such as the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, the Empire State Building, and the World Trade Center.
Hudson Valley, New York
The valley of the Hudson River and the adjacent communities in New York State make up the Hudson Valley, which serves as one of the primary production locations for ‘White House Plumbers.’ The locales of the city of Albany, specifically the Legislative Office Building at 198 State Street and the New York State Education Department at 89 Washington Avenue, feature heavily in the drama series.
Moreover, the airplane scene in season 1 was shot in one of the sound stages of UMBRA of Newburgh at 9 Scobie Drive in Newburgh. The film studio has four different sound stages, 8,000 square feet of office space, ample private parking space, numerous wardrobe rooms, make-up areas, and more. All these amenities make UMBRA of Newburgh a suitable filming site for different productions.
During the shooting process of season 1, the cast and crew members were spotted taping several substantial portions on location in Wykagyl Country Club at 1195 North Avenue in the city of New Rochelle and State University of New York at 735 Anderson Hill Road in the hamlet of Purchase. Apart from that, the filming unit utilized numerous other locations across the Hudson Valley. They include Zack’s Way in Poughkeepsie, Kingston, White Plains, Beacon, Dover Plains, Hurley, and Sleepy Hollow.
Washington, D.C.
For shooting purposes, the production team of ‘White House Plumbers’ also travels to Washington and utilizes several important buildings. For instance, they transform a portion of the capital city around the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at 1650 17th Street Northwest to recreate the sites of 1972. Moreover, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport at 2401 Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Access Road in Arlington, just a few miles west of Washington, serves as yet another key production location for the show.
Los Angeles County, California
A significant portion of ‘White House Plumbers’ is taped across Los Angeles County, including the city of Los Angeles. The coastal city of Redondo Beach is another prominent shooting spot of the political show, with the filming unit setting up camp in and around Riviera Village at Elena Avenue and Via El Prado, Via Valencia and Catalina, and Seaside Lagoon at 200 Portofino Way. In the later stages of production of the debut season, many locals spotted Woody Harrelson and the rest of the crew members recording key scenes in Beverly Hills.
Charlotte Amalie, Virgin Islands
Additional portions of ‘White House Plumbers’ are recorded in the capital of the US Virgin Islands, that is, Charlotte Amalie. Situated on Saint Thomas, the city has many popular attractions and destinations. Some notable ones you might spot in the backdrop of some sequences in the show are Blackbeard’s Castle, Fort Christian, Emancipation Garden, Market Square, Seven Arches Museum, and the Weibel Museum.
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