Maps of Movies
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
Where Midnight Cowboy says it takes place, and where it was really shot.
A Texas dishwasher, a Times Square sign and a Miami Beach dream: where Midnight Cowboy was actually shot
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Scenes and places
Joe Buck's Texas dishwashing job (1969)
Joe Buck washes dishes in a small Texas town and dreams of a different life. He decides to head for New York City to make a living as a hustler.
Set in Joe Buck's Texas hometown — The Texas town and diner where Joe Buck works as a dishwasher before he leaves.
Big Spring is the West Texas city where the opening scenes were shot in 1968.
Filmed at Big Spring, Texas (Texas, Big Spring, United States) — The opening scenes were filmed in Big Spring in 1968; the exact street or building is not named in the cited sources. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The bus road out of Texas (1969)
Joe Buck rides the bus north and east, leaving Texas behind. The road and the signs along it show how far he is from home.
Set in Texas road on the bus to New York — The road the long-distance bus follows on its way out of Texas, passing an oil company sign.
The exact stretch of road is not named in the sources; Big Spring is only a nearby marker.
Filmed at Big Spring area, Texas (Texas, Big Spring, United States) — A Production-section sentence mentions the oil sign on the road; no exact road point is given, so the Big Spring city center is used as an approximate marker. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
Cass's Park Avenue apartment (1969)
Joe tries out his new trade on a New York woman and finds it does not go the way he pictured.
Set in Cass's Park Avenue apartment — The Upper East Side apartment of the woman Joe meets in his first days in New York.
No filming address for this apartment appears in any source that could be opened.
Hotel Claridge (1969)
Joe settles into a cheap hotel room in Manhattan and starts working the street below. His money slowly runs down.
Set in Hotel Claridge — The Broadway and West 44th Street hotel where Joe Buck lodges in the film. Google Maps · Apple Maps
The Hotel Claridge stood at Broadway and West 44th Street; the sources do not say the film was shot there.
The MONY sign (1969)
The glowing MONY sign hangs over Joe and Ratso in the Manhattan night, returning again and again as their story moves on.
Set in MONY Building sign, 1740 Broadway — The illuminated Mutual of New York sign, a motif that appears three times in the film. Google Maps · Apple Maps
The MONY Building stands at 1740 Broadway, near Central Park South.
Filmed at 1740 Broadway, MONY Building (Manhattan, New York City, United States) — The MONY Building at 1740 Broadway, whose sign appears three times in the film. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there:
The condemned building (1969)
Joe and Ratso move into a condemned New York building and share what little they have. The two men become each other's only friend.
Set in Condemned building shared with Ratso — A run-down, condemned building where Joe and Ratso set up home together.
No filming location for this building was found in any source.
The psychedelic party (1969)
Joe and Ratso step into a loud, colorful New York party full of strangers. It is a world that has nothing to do with the Texas Joe left.
Set in Psychedelic party — The Warhol-style party that Joe and Ratso go to in the film.
The interiors for this party were staged at Filmways Studios in East Harlem rather than at a real address.
Ratso's Miami Beach dream (1969)
Ratso dreams of Miami Beach and its warm weather. The dream gives both men something to hope for.
Set in Miami Beach (Ratso's dream) — The sunny Miami Beach that Ratso describes and imagines.
Reported as filmed in Miami Beach in the week of 1968-07-29; no exact beach location is given.
The bus to Florida (1969)
Joe and Ratso set out on a bus toward Florida, each hoping for a new start.
Set in Bus route to Florida — The long-distance bus ride toward Florida.
No specific filming location for the bus trip is given in the sources.
Characters
- Joe Buck — A young Texan who leaves a dishwashing job to become a hustler in New York City.
- Ratso Rizzo — A small-time New York con man who becomes Joe's friend and roommate.