Did you know that the iconic fountain from the Friends opener also had a role in Hocus Pocus? Neither did we!
The Instagram account PopCulture realized how the two classic hits are connected and posted screenshots on Instagram to prove it. Not only is the foundation the same, but the buildings are the same as well.
“We were 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐥𝐝 when we found out that the fountain from #HocusPocus is the same as the one shown in the opening credits of #Friends,” captioned the publication.
One of the pictures shows the fountain in the center of the cozy, fall-colored town of Salem, Massachusetts. The other picture captures New York, New York—and the infamous orange velour couch—in summertime.
In reality, the water feature isn’t in either city. In fact, it’s not even on the East Coast. Instead, it lives on the other side of the country in the back lot of Warner Bros. Ranch in Burbank, California. Though, many fans of the sitcom have mistaken it for Central Park’s Cherry Hill Fountain.
‘Friends’ Fans won’t Find Monica’s Apartment in NYC, But ‘Hocus Pocus’ Fans Can Visit Allison’s Mansion in Salem
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Friends was almost entirely filmed on a soundstage at Warner Bros. Studio in Los Angeles. Many of the building facades captured in pass-by scenes were also in LA. The apartment building that was home to Monica and Rachel and then Monica and Chandler, however, was located in NYC’s West Village. Well, the outside of it, anyway.
While Friends may have fooled viewers with a fake Big Apple set, much of Hocus Pocus was, indeed, filmed in Salem. The movie’s most recognizable places are historic features in the city, and fans can visit them today.
The site of Winifred, Sarah, and Mary’s execution is located in Pioneer Village, which is a sort of outdoor museum built to replicate 17th-century Salem. Allison’s gorgeous white house is actually Rope’s Mansion and Garden, established in 1727. It’s a common stopping place for Hocus Pocus super fans because it looks almost exactly the same as it did when Allison gracefully ascended the staircase in her flowing ivory gown.
Max and Allison’s school and the Dennison house are also permanent fixtures in the spooky town. Unfortunately, you can only enjoy those locations from the street. The school has since been repurposed into an apartment building, and the cute bungalow is a private residence, according to Entertainment Weekly.
