Where was The Sting filmed? All filming locations explored 

The Sting film has become a nostalgia for many crime fiction fans, who always had a taste for guns and goons. "Chicago is a place to be in 1936," brings back those vintage VCR chase scenes that this film is known for. Released in the Christmas of 1973, The Sting won 7 Academy awards, including one for Best Picture. The film raised Paul Newman's acting career back again after suffering from a series of flops on the big screen.

Directed by George Roy Hill, the official synopsis of the film says,

"Following the murder of a mutual friend, aspiring con man Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) teams up with old pro Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman) to take revenge on the ruthless crime boss responsible, Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw). Hooker and Gondorff set about implementing an elaborate scheme, one so crafty that Lonnegan won't even know he's been swindled. As their big con unfolds, however, things don't go according to plan, requiring some last-minute improvisation by the undaunted duo."

Distributed by Universal Pictures, the film had a budget of $5.5 million but ended up grossing a whopping sum of $257 million at the box office. A sequel, The Sting II came in 1983.

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All filming locations of The Sting

Universal Studios Set

The Sting is set in 1930s Chicago, but most parts of the film were shot in Los Angeles on the set of its production company, Universal Studios, including prop sets to provide that vintage setting. Most of the dark interior scenes provided the classic American caper vibe and added more intensity to the film, which was possible because of the lighting.

Hill wanted to make the setting reminiscent of the 1930s gangster, watched a lot of films for inspiration, and made it possible with its art director Henry Bumstead, and cinematographer Robert L. Surtees.

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Wheeling, West Virginia

Although most of the movie was shot on the set, some scenes were shot in Wheeling, Virginia. The city of Wheeling is in Ohio and is a part of the state of West Virginia. Some of the popular attractions in Wheeling include Independence Hall, the Wheeling Station, Oglebay Park, and Chapline Street.

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Chicago Western Union Office and Chicago Station

Some scenes of the film were shot near the Chicago Union Office, an American multinational financial services corporation. The Chicago Station is an intercity railway terminal in the Near West Side of Chicago. Most railway scenes from The Sting were short around these places.

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Santa Monica Loof Hippodrome and Castle Green Apartments

The run scene on the carousal merry-go-round, by Henry (Paul Newman), was shot on the Looff Carousel, in the Santa Monica Loof Hippodrome, at the end of Colorado Avenue, Santa Monica. Along with that, several bars and gambling casino shots from The Sting were taken in the lounge of Castle Green Apartments, 99 South Raymond Avenue, Pasadena. It was once a lavish Los Angeles hotel but is no longer in use.

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LaSalle Street Station

Along with Union Station, some parts of the film were shot in the LaSalle Street Station, which is currently a commuter rail terminal in LaSalle Street in downtown Chicago. The station is still in use, but the place where the scenes from The Sting were shot is long gone.

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