Tuesday, January 27, 2026

I knew that George Lucas grew up in either Modesto or Merced, California and American Graffiti is about his experience growing up there

begin quotes:

 

George Lucas grew up in
Modesto, California, which served as the inspiration for the 1962, small-town cruising culture featured in his 1973 film, American Graffiti. His experiences as a teenager, including drag racing and cruising the streets of Modesto, provided the basis for the movie's nostalgic, coming-of-age storyline. 
Key details about this period include:
  • Location: Modesto, CA, specifically around the 10th and 11th Street "cruising strip".
  • Influence: Lucas attended Thomas Downey High School in Modesto and was heavily involved in the local car scene.
  • Production: While inspired by Modesto, the film was primarily shot in Petaluma, California, because Modesto had changed too much for the desired look. 

The film, which focuses on a group of teenagers on one summer night in 1962, is considered highly autobiographical for Lucas. 
  • American Graffiti film success story - Facebook
    Jun 18, 2025 — Produced by Francis Ford Coppola, the film is a nostalgic look back at teen life in early-1960s California, specifically Modesto—L...
    Facebook
29:10

Show all

  • George Lucas - Biography - IMDb
    George Walton Lucas, Jr. was raised on a walnut ranch in Modesto, California. His father was a stationery store owner and he had t...
    IMDb
  • George Lucas & his American Graffiti Hometown of Modesto
    Mar 14, 2021 — and Harve Presnell who appeared in paint your wagon at Saving Private Ryan but 100 years from now Modesto will continue to relish ...
    YouTube·History Hunters
  • No comments: