Almost Nobody Knows That Parts Of The Iconic Movie Wayne's World Were Filmed In This Tiny Illinois Town
By Linze Rice|Updated on April 15, 2024(Originally published March 29, 2023)
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Linze Rice
Author
Ope! From the rural cornfields of DeKalb County, Linze is an Illinois native and true Midwestern gal who can make a mean bonfire and whip up a perfect marshmallow salad. Since 2014, her bylines and photography have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine, Chicago Sun-Times, and Block Club Chicago/DNAinfo Chicago, Only in Your State, and more. She has interviewed Dolly Parton, written about beloved diners along historic Route 66, visited the last Rainforest Cafe in the Illinois, and reviewed luxurious English manor-inspired hotels. Whether it's writing about a local gem or world-renowned establishment, Linze brings a heartwarming and historical perspective to each story, using facts, wit, and personal experience to impress upon readers the importance of culture, food, travel, and all things local. Her favorite destinations in Illinois include Starved Rock State Park, Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood, the charming small town of Sycamore, and historic Rosehill Cemetery. When she's not writing or photographing, Linze enjoys gardening, spending time with her husband and pets, cooking, baking, and grilling, and relaxing with trashy TV.
What is more exciting than having a movie filmed in your town — especially when your small town is relatively unknown? While everyone knows Chicago, most people aren’t super familiar with the many small suburbs that surround it to the north, west, and south. Yet, many of the films that supposedly take place in Chicago are actually shot in the suburbs, which means plenty of these smaller areas have had their 15 minutes of local fame. That includes the iconic scene from this movie filmed in Berwyn, Illinois. We bet you didn’t know one of the best-known Wayne’s World filming locations was in such a small town!
Have you ever wondered, "Where was Wayne's World filmed?" In 1989, artist Dustin Schuler created a massive, 50-foot art piece in Berwyn known as the "Spindle."
It consisted of eight cars — a red 1967 Volkswagon Beetle, a silver 1976 BMW 2002, a blue 1981 Ford Escort, a green mid-1970s Mercury Capri, a white 1978 Ford Mustang II, a maroon 1981 Pontiac Grand Prix, a yellow Ford LTD, and a black Mercury Grand Marquis.
In the opening credits of the 1992 classic Wayne's World, main characters Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar (played by Mike Myers and Dana Carvey, respectively) drive around what is supposed to be the Chicago suburbs while listening to a tape of Queen's hit "Bohemian Rhapsody." Peep the Cermak Plaza sign in the background!
While many of the other businesses the car passes by get only a second or two of screen time, the camera lingers on the Spindle for about 13 seconds — the duration of "Bohemian Rhapsody's" epic guitar solo before Freddy Mercury returns with the line, "Nothing really matters..."
Though Chicago and other suburbs like Aurora are mentioned in the movie, the scenes filmed in Berwyn (and nearby Cicero) are usually only spotted by those in the know. For example, an exterior shot of Scatchell's Beef & Pizza, also Cermak Road, in Cicero is also featured.
The statue was a fixture in Berwyn for decades, though sometimes controversial. It was almost removed at least once, and in 2008 was disassembled and removed permanently, leaving its artistic and cultural history somewhat forgotten and unknown today.
In August 2022, local restaurant Paisans Pizzeria and Bar, 6226 Ogden Ave. on historic Route 66, unveiled a small replica of the Spindle erected in their parking lot, made to pay homage to the (mostly) beloved original.
Parts of the original suffered various fates. The top two cars were taken off the spike mostly intact and put away for possible future use, however, the remaining cars were knocked over with a crane.
Did you know that one of the best-known Wayne’s World filming locations was in Berwyn, Illinois? Watch it below for a head-banging memory refresher. What’s your favorite shot filmed in the Chicago area? Tell us in the comments! And while you’re in Berwyn, you can check out mouthwatering brisket at Babygold Barbecue and FitzGerald’s Nightclub — a long-time music venue that has also been the site of several films, including another 1992 classic, “A League of Their Own.”
If you want to visit Berwyn, Illinois, to see where this iconic movie scene was filmed, make it a getaway and check out the available vacation rentals on Vrbo.
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