Milwaukee doesn’t need a giant HOLLYWOOD sign (we’d probably spell it HOLYWOOD anyway—this is beer country, not white-wine country).
What we do have is a knack for photobombing the pop-culture landscape—sometimes as the starring city on the marquee, sometimes as the sneaky stand-in you spot only if you’ve tailgated in the shadow of the Hoan Bridge.
From Fonzie’s wholesome “Ayyy” to Michael Bay’s robo-mayhem on our lakefront, the 414 keeps sliding onto screens big and small, turning fly-over myths into cinematic truth bombs.
Lights. Camera. Yah dere, hey.
Classic Sitcom Royalty
Happy Days (1974–1984)
Richie, the Fonz and the gang painted a picture-perfect 1950s Milwaukee—even if everything was shot on a Hollywood back-lot. The show’s success gave us eternal civic bragging rights and the downtown Bronze Fonz statue. Ayyy, Milwaukee!
Laverne & Shirley (1976–1983)
Set at the fictional Shotz Brewery, this spin-off celebrated blue-collar grit, bowling nights and “schlemiel, schlimazel” charm—forever linking Cream City with beer-slinging hijinks.
Big-Screen Comedies & Sports Flicks
Bridesmaids (2011)
Kristen Wiig’s pastry-chef chaos uses real Bay View streets, a local dive bar, and a swooping shot of the Milwaukee Art Museum—proving weddings are funnier in the 414.
Major League (1989)
The story says “Cleveland,” but every stadium scene was filmed in good old County Stadium. Tens of thousands of locals played extras, and Bob Uecker’s one-liners gave the film real Brew-Crew flavor.
Plus – the bar (with surprisingly upscale food) called 4th Base, nearly in the shadow of the current American Family Field, earned itself a cameo.
Mr. 3000 (2004)
Bernie Mac’s comeback quest features Miller Park (now American Family Field) and Brewers colors galore—finally a baseball movie that admits it’s set in Milwaukee.
BASEketball (1998)
Directed by Milwaukee native David Zucker, this cult sports spoof invents the Milwaukee Beers and turns Cream City into a beer-powered championship town. Absurd? Absolutely. Proud? You bet.
Tommy Boy (1995)
Chris Farley—Marquette alum extraordinaire—finally graduates after seven years, giving MU the most quotable commencement scene ever filmed.
Thrills, Chills & Crime
Public Enemies (2009)
Johnny Depp robs the marble interior of the Milwaukee Historical Society and lounges outside a downtown art-deco facade masquerading as his Chicago apartment. Double cameo, double civic pride.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
Optimus & Co. touch down at the soaring Calatrava wings of the Milwaukee Art Museum—one blockbuster moment where our lakefront survives Michael Bay mayhem intact.
Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Zack Snyder sets his fast-zombie apocalypse in suburban Milwaukee—proof that if the world ends, it probably starts at a Badger-State strip mall.
Dahmer (2002)
Jeremy Renner’s chilling turn revisits the Oxford Apartments era, confronting Milwaukee’s darkest true-crime chapter. Not exactly tourism-board material—but undeniably ours.
Milwaukee 53206 (2016, Documentary)
This feature-length doc examines America’s most-incarcerated ZIP code, shining a necessary spotlight on systemic issues right in our backyard.
The Domestics (2018)
In this post-apocalyptic thriller, survivors battle their way across a lawless Midwest toward the rumored safe haven of (where else?) Milwaukee.
Family of Cops (1995, TV-Movie)
Charles Bronson commands the MPD while his entire clan fights crime—campy, dated and unapologetically Milwaukee from badge to badge.
Blink-and-You-Miss-It Cameos
The Blues Brothers (1980)
The Nazi-fleeing car launch off an unfinished I-794 ramp? That’s the Hoan Bridge, Milwaukee playing Chicago for one glorious minute.
Wayne’s World (1992)
A backstage chat at the Riverside Theater gifts us Alice Cooper’s famous line: “Actually, it’s pronounced ‘mill-e-wah-kay,’ which is Algonquin for ‘the good land.’” Party on, indeed.
Love Actually (2003)
A hapless Brit heads to a fictional Milwaukee dive bar convinced American women will fall at his feet. The accents are ridiculous, but the rom-com love is real.
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Stan Lee drinks a gamma-tainted Milwaukee soda, blowing Bruce Banner’s cover. Proof our beverages pack a superhero-level punch.
Michael Clayton (2007)
George Clooney jets to Milwaukee for a tense deposition that flips the film’s entire narrative—small scene, huge plot turn.
Indie & Cult Gems
American Movie (1999)
This Sundance-winning doc follows Menomonee Falls filmmaker Mark Borchardt’s DIY horror hustle—pure Midwest determination on VHS, snow-covered backyards included.
Give Me Liberty (2019)
Shot entirely on Milwaukee streets, this kinetic indie barrels from the North Side to Walker’s Point in a whirlwind of humor, heart and wheelchair-lift chaos.
The Surface (2014)
Two men stranded on Lake Michigan fight for survival while the Milwaukee skyline bookends this locally produced thriller—our Great Lake never looked so ominous.
Chump Change (2000)
Milwaukee native Stephen Burrows skewers Hollywood and celebrates coming home, stuffing the screen with beer, bowling and polka jokes only locals fully appreciate.
Space Cop (2016)
YouTube legends Red Letter Media drop a time-traveling space cop into present-day Milwaukee for B-movie mayhem—aliens, cheese and all.
The Bottom Line
Whether it’s a classic sitcom set, a freeway cameo or a locally crowdfunded cult flick, Milwaukee keeps sneaking onto screens big and small.
Keep your eyes peeled—the next time Hollywood calls, Cream City will be ready for its close-up.