Back To The Future III Filming Celebrated During Fundraiser
Jamestown, CA — Enthusiasts of Back to the Future III gathered at Railtown 1897 over the weekend for the annual Return to Hill Valley celebration.
Released in 1990, it is one of the most famous films ever to be shot in Tuolumne County.
There was a live-action train ride on Saturday in which actors performed spot-on performances of the film’s famous characters, acting out some of the famous scenes, such as the standoff and fight between Marty McFly and Mad Dog Tannen.
The original set, constructed in the Red Hills area, was unfortunately destroyed by a wildfire after the filming, but aspects were replicated for Saturday’s event along the train route.
The character actors also mingled with fans on the train cars and gained laughs by repeating some of the most memorable lines from the movie.
After the train excursion, there was a Hill Valley Festival set up in the park area and some actors from the film participated in a question-and-answer session. The notable person who fans were excited to see this year was Burton Gilliam, who played the Colt Pacemaker salesman in the movie.
One of his most famous lines was, “Just tell me one thing. Where’d you learn to shoot like that?”
To which Michael J Fox’s character, Marty McFly, responded, “7-11.”
Gilliam, who is also known for his work on films like Blazing Saddles and Fletch, said it was fun to come back and be a spokesperson for Back to the Future III. He traveled to Tuolumne County from his home in Texas.
Gilliam told Clarke Broadcasting some behind-the-scenes stories about the filming, including, “It was so cold. I worked three nights on the film. It was in November, and we looked like we were having a great time out there, dancing, and all of this stuff, but we were freezing to death. As soon as they would say cut, we would all head for the heater vans.”
Others who were on hand talking with fans included actors like Jeffrey Weissman who played George McFly in Back to the Future installments and Bobby Bennett who was a long-time stand-in for Michael J. Fox.
Several Deloreans were also parked at Railtown, including a replica of the version of the time machine that appeared in Back to the Future III.
What has now become an annual event, Return to Hill Valley helps raise money for the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Last year’s festivities were held at Columbia State Historic Park. The celebration is anticipated to return in 2025.
