The episode of AMC’s “Mad Men” that was filmed at Rod’s Grill on Huntington Drive last October was featured this past week on the network.
An extensive amount of footage at Rod’s is featured in this season’s episode called “Far Away Places,” in which star Jon Hamm’s Don Draper character is featured in a tense discussion with his TV wife Megan (Jessica Pare) at a Howard Johnson’s motor lodge — motel and restaurant.
Many minutes of the episode takes place inside Rod’s from the entry area to the counter to the booth in which Don and Megan sit and eat before Don leaves angrily. There are more scenes later in the entry and near the restrooms when Don returns to the restaurant looking for Megan.
In Hollywood fashion, several scenes that take place immediately outside the Howard Johnson’s in the parking lot were shot elsewhere by an actual orange-roofed Howard Johnson’s building.
Rod’s is frequently used for filming locations, including the recent HBO series “Luck,” for which a mild earthquake took place as stars of that series were eating at the diner.
Rod’s Grill was closed for three days last October when “Mad Men” was shooting there. Rod’s owner Manny Ramirez said that there are downsides to allowing such filming at his diner. His employees potentially lose pay and he can alienate and potentially lose his regular customers, some of whom eat two or three meals at Rod’s every day. To compensate Manny and allow him to pay his employees their regular salary without working, Manny says TV production companies pay him as much as $10,000.
— By Scott Hettrick