May 2026

May 21, 2026 Dave Mason

USS Angeles explores Greystone Mansion

Editor’s note: This is the second part of a two-part series on “Star Trek: Into Darkness” filming sites.

By Capt. Jeremy Kranz

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Greystone Mansion has had many roles on the big screen and in the darker corners of history.

The iconic Beverly Hills site served as everything from Wayne Manor in the 1997 “Batman & Robin” movie to London Royal Children’s Hospital in “Star Trek: Into Darkness” (2013). It was another hospital in the Jerry Lewis comedy “The Disorderly Orderly” (1964) and became Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters in the original “X-Men” movie (2000). The mansion later served as the Osborn residence in “Spider-Man” (2002) and “Spider-Man 3” (2007).

In real life, the mansion has a reputation for several suspicious deaths.

Kat Campbell, Lisa Sobien, Dave Mason and I visited the historic Beverly Hills site in early April during a USS Angeles away mission on a pleasant day with mostly clear skies.

It was my third time there, and each time was a little different but still impressive. During the previous times, we had a guided tour. This time, we were on our own and only allowed to explore the first floor and the grounds, which include the library, kitchen, several workrooms, bedrooms and lavish bathrooms.

The rooms seemed large and historic. The kitchen seemed particularly interesting, as I could see different types of stoves and an icebox. Even though it was more relaxing to be on your own, I missed the education the guides gave us. There were other visitors there, but it was not too crowded.

Outside, we walked around the building, viewed the gardens, which are on multiple levels, saw where the pool used to be, and looked down at Beverly Hills and Los Angeles.

We stood in the outdoor area where British actor Benedict Cumberbatch appeared as Khan in “Star Trek: Into Darkness.” The mansion became London Royal Children’s Hospital, and it was here where Khan offered a cure for a father’s young daughter, provided the dad helped Khan commit a horrific act of terrorism.

Elsewhere at the mansion, a small basement room, next to the mansion’s bowling alley, became the San Francisco bar where Scotty (Simon Pegg) and his alien friend Keenser (Deep Roy) are having drinks. According to Memory Alpha, in between takes, Pegg and Deep Roy had some fun by recreating the ending of the 2007 oil history-inspired movie “There Will Be Blood,” which was filmed in the same room.

Greystone has a long history and was built by oil magnate Edward L. Doheny as a gift for his son, Ned Doheny. Unfortunately, his son, Ned Doheny, was murdered there. Because of the suspicious deaths in that home, it now has a reputation for being haunted.

Even though we were restricted to the first floor, we felt satisfied with our visit. I would have liked to see more. Maybe if the mansion can’t have formal docent-led tours, it could at least have people there talking about it. I went home after the mission, and others went out to eat at Mel’s Diner in Sherman Oaks. I highly recommend visiting the mansion.

From left, Kat Campbell, Jeremy Kranz and Chris Mulrooney stand in the courtyard at Greystone Mansion. (Photo by Dave Mason / USS Angeles / Angels Flight)

Lisa Sobien holds information on Greystone Mansion as she stands in its grand foyer, which was featured in the Jerry Lewis comedy “The Disorderly Orderly.” (Photo by Dave Mason / USS Angeles / Angels Flight)

Dave Mason visits one of the exquisite rooms at Greystone Mansion. (Photo by Lisa Sobien / USS Angeles / Angels Flight)

Jeremy Kranz visits the breakfast room at Greystone Mansion. (Photos by Dave Mason / USS Angeles / Angels Flight)

Greystone Mansion has served as a hospital in “Star Trek: Into Darkness” (2013), Wayne Manor in “Batman & Robin” (1997), the Osborn residence in “Spider-Man” (2002) and Professor Xavier’s mansion and school for mutants in “X-Men” (2000).

From left, Chris Mulroooney, Kat Campbell and Jeremy Kranz explore a room at Greystone Mansion.

A couple outside is framed through the elegant door at Greystone Mansion.

This is the large kitchen at Greystone Mansion.

This was among the flowers in a concrete pond at Greystone Mansion.

SFI News Star Trek News

May 15, 2026 Dave Mason

USS Angeles visits Starfleet HQ in Garden Grove

Editor’s note: This is the first of a two-part series on “Star Trek: Into the Darkness” filming sites in Southern California.

By Capt. Jeremy Kranz

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. — USS Angeles members beamed down to where Capt. James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) gave his inspirational speech in “Star Trek: Into Darkness,” including the immortal words: “Space. The Final Frontier. …”

Lisa Sobien, Janice Sobien, Dave Mason and I journeyed on May 9 to Christ Cathedral, the Garden Grove filming site for the 2013 movie. Architect Richard Meier designed the Southern California cathedral and its futuristic, curvy Richard H. Pickup Cultural Center, as well as the Getty Center in Los Angeles. The courtyard in front of the cultural center and the Getty Center both served as filming sites for Starfleet headquarters in “Star Trek: Into Darkness.”

“We are here today to rechristen the USS Enterprise and to honor those who lost their lives nearly one year ago,” Capt. Kirk told the Starfleet audience in the scene filmed in front of the Catholic cathedral’s five-story cultural center. He was referring to the lives lost during the battles with Khan (Benedict Cumberbatch) and corrupt Starfleet Adm. Alexander Marcus (“Robocop” star Peter Weller).

Kirk went on to cite the captain’s oath: “Space. The final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Her five-year mission: To explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before.”

After posing for photos in front of the cultural center, we walked around the campus and its dramatic buildings during the USS Angeles’ first away mission there.

My first impression was, “Wow, look at all those glass windows.” There are tours of the cathedral during the week, but since we were there on a weekend, we just looked around on our own.

I led our team to the Cathedral Memorial Gardens, where we viewed the memorial spaces containing the ashes of two very important people. Our first stop was to honor the voice of Tony the Tiger: Thurl Ravenscroft. He’s the voice actor and singer known for saying “They’re gr-r-reeat!” as the Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes character.

We saw Ravenscroft’s columbarium niche, which is a compartment in a wall or structure that holds cremated remains.

Besides Tony the Tiger, Ravenscroft’s deep bass voice was heard in the song “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch” from CBS’ 1966 animated special “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”

His voice is in several places at Disneyland.

Examples include Fritz the parrot in the Enchanted Tiki Room (“Ach du lieber! I almost fell out of mein upper perch”) and the broken singing bust in the Haunted Mansion. Do you remember Buff on the wall of the Country Bear Jamboree, who whistles, then says this line: “Hey, Henry, what’s holdin’ ya up? Let’s get on with the show!”

On behalf of the entire USS Angeles crew, I placed a rose by Ravenscroft’s niche, which is next to his wife June Ravenscroft’s niche.

We then moved on to another well-known figure: Marie Callender, the baking legend who cofounded Marie Callender’s restaurants. Her niche is in front of a stained glass in an alcove, where the source of light is not the sun, but electric lights in the wall behind the glass.

In Callender’s honor, we ate at Marie Callender’s in nearby Orange before coming to Christ Cathedral. I greatly enjoyed the salad bar, which includes three types of soup! I had the split pea and hearty vegetable soups.Yummy! Yummy! I skipped the third soup. Dave, Lisa and Janice also ate lunch and then split a slice of a banana cream pie.

With our stomachs and hearts full, we went to Christ Cathedral, where I placed a rose at Callender’s memorial niche.

Afterward, I visited the cathedral’s gift shop, which I found quite interesting. In addition to books and statues, the shop had jewelry from the Venetian island of Murano, where Venetian glass is produced.

This outing was special because it was a cornucopia of many things: a nice meal, a “Star Trek: Into Darkness” movie scene and the niches of two well-known individuals. I would highly recommend going there to anyone. As Ravenscroft would have said, it’s “gr-r-r-eat!”

Next week’s story: The USS Angeles explores a hospital from “Star Trek: Into Darkness.”

From left, Janice Sobien, Lisa Sobien and Jeremy Kranz gather outside the Christ Cathedral building that appeared in “Star Trek: Into Darkness.” (Photos by Dave Mason / USS Angeles/ Angels Flight)

Jeremy Kranz brings a rose to honor voice actor and singer Thurl Ravenscroft, whose interment is at Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove. Ravenscroft was the original voice of Tony the TIger in Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes commercials.

Tony the Tiger continues to grace boxes of Kellogg’s Sugar Frosted Flakes.

Jeremy Kranz and Lias Sobien strike a “Tony the Tiger” pose in front of a mural on a wall that contains columbarium niche. Thurl Ravenscroft, the original voice of the character, is in the niche in the bottom left, right above the rose that Jeremy brought.

Lisa Sobien, left, and Jan Sobien beam down to Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove.

The USS Angeles gathered for lunch at this Marie Callender’s in Orange before going a few miles to the cathedral where pie legend Marie Callender’s cremated remains are kept in a memorial niche.

The USS Angeles places a rose below Marie Callender’s cremated remains at Christ Cathedral.

From left, Janice Sobien, Lisa Sobien, Jeremy Kranz and Dave Mason gather in front of the Christ Cathedral building that served as Starfleet headquarters in “Star Trek: Into Darkness.” (USS Angeles / Angels Flight photo)