9. It Served as the First On-Location Set for a Hollywood Film in History When Alfred Hitchcock Filmed ‘North by Northwest’ There

When Alfred Hitchcock‘s latest film at the time, a spy thriller called North by Northwest, was in production, Hollywood directors, actors, and production staff had little reason to leave California. Principal photography that took place entirely on pre-built soundstages was the norm. The filming of North By Northwest was one of the first in which the entire production staff shot on-location. A bevy of other films would later shoot at the Plaza Hotel, including The Way We Were, Funny Girl, Crocodile Dundee, and Home Alone II: Lost in New York.