Feeding Seals at Catalina Isle - 1910 educational short film made on the beach, likely by producer Broncho Billy Anderson who was said to be heading there with his Essanay crew to film in 1909.
Some of Summer Children (1965), a neo-noir film directed by James Bruner, was filmed in Avalon.
1970s
The Night of the Squid (16 January 1970), a documentary by Jacques Cousteau, was filmed in front of the Casino.
In Bless the Beasts and Children (1971); starring Bill Mumy, parts were filmed east of the Isthmus, including Catalina's "buffalos" (bison) and some locals.
Portions of the 1998 film Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss, starring Sean Hayes and Brad Rowe, utilize the Catalina ferry terminal in San Pedro, California as well as locations on Catalina Island, including Avalon Harbor and the Casino building. The film closes with the song "Love Slave of Catalina".
2000s
The 2003 movie Aquanoids was filmed almost exclusively on the island. In the movie, Avalon was referred to as "Babylon Bay" and the island as "Santa Clara."
The 2006 TV comedy Falling in Love with the Girl Next Door, featuring Crystal Allen, Ken Marino and Patrick Duffy, takes place on Catalina Island.
The ending to the 2008 film Step Brothers is supposed to be a wine mixer on the island of Catalina but was actually filmed at the Trump National Golf Course.[5]
Dead in the Head, 2010. Action, adventure, comedy movie starring Estephania LeBaron, Brad Milne, William D. Caldwell. Two bounty hunters go to Catalina Island to arrest a bail jumper and find what they believe to be zombies.[6]
A 1962 episode of Route 66 called "There I Am - There I Always Am" starring Martin Milner, George Maharis and Joanna Moore was filmed at various locations on Catalina, including Avalon and Little Harbor. Filming took place between March 26 and April 1, 1962.
1970s
A 1970 music video for Jack Wild's song "Some Beautiful", was filmed on Santa Catalina, showing Wild riding a bike through various parts of Avalon Harbor as well as parts of Avalon.
A 1972 episode of Cannon called "The Island Caper", starring William Conrad, Keenan Wynn, was filmed on Catalina, showing various parts of Avalon including the Casino.
A 1975 episode of Mannix called "Bird of Prey", starring Mike Connors was filmed on Catalina, showing various parts of Avalon including inside the Casino.
A 1976 episode of Quincy, M.E. called "Hot Ice, Cold Hearts", starring Jack Klugman, Robert Alda and Lynnette Mettey, was filmed on Catalina, showing various parts of the Avalon Harbor and parts of Avalon.
Catalina was one of the settings for the 1977 CBS TV series Code R.
Several scenes from an episode of the TV series Emergency! were filmed on Catalina Island
1980s
In 1984, Catalina and the Avalon Casino were the filming locations for the Airwolf episode titled "Sins of the Past", though the island was given a fictional name.
In 1989, actor Chad Allen is seen visiting Santa Catalina Island in the promotional video The Real Chad Allen. Allen is seen visiting Avalon there and also snorkeling off the coast in the vicinity of a sunken ship.
1990s
In 1993, the daytime soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful filmed on Catalina for several episodes, most notably at The Inn on Mount Ada.
A 3-part episode during Season Six of the TV series Growing Pains where the story was set in Europe, was filmed on the island. In at least one episode, the Casino can be seen in the distance.
Baywatch, "Island of Romance," season 3, episode 13, original air date Monday January 11, 1993. CJ (Pamela Anderson) and Stephanie (Alexandra Paul) travel to Catalina Island for a women-only weekend where they encounter various misadventures and characters.[7]
Baywatch, "To Everything There Is a Season," season 6, episode 5, original airdate October 28, 1995. Cody (David Chokachi) agrees to swim to Catalina with Stephanie (Alexandra Paul) as part of his Olympic training and they rescue two boatloads of drunken college students.[8]
Baywatch, "Leap of Faith," season 6, episode 6, original air date November 4, 1995. Stephanie (Alexandra Paul), CJ (Pamela Anderson), and Caroline (Yasmine Bleeth) head to Catalina on a girls only junior lifeguard trip to and two of the girls get trapped in a flooded cave.[9]
Baywatch, "Heal the Bay," season 7, episode 11, original airdate January 27, 1997. Mitch (David Hasselhoff) becomes ill after swimming over drums of toxic chemicals dumped illegally off Catalina.[10]
Baywatch, "The Big Blue," season 9, episode 12, original airdate January 16, 1999. Jessie (Brooke Burns) persuades Mitch (David Hasselhoff) to go skydiving, but plans change when they need to rescue people from a boat wreck off Catalina.[11]
2000s
In 2002, the TV show Endurance was filmed on Parson's Beach, near the west end of the island.
In an episode from the first season of the Fox series Arrested Development titled "Staff Infection", employees of the Bluth Company get lost on Catalina Island, and are found and transported by a sheep herder in his animal trailer.
In the MTV reality series Daddy's Girls, Angela and Vanessa decide to spy on their friend, Alycia. As payback for them spying, their cousin Jessica lies and tells them that Alycia went to Catalina, leading Angela and Vanessa to spend hours searching the island.
UFO Hunters, "USOs," season 1, episode 2, original air date February 6, 2008. On January 26, 1980 a USO (Unidentified Submerged Object) shot beams of light at a plane. It seemed to cause equipment malfunction and the plane to crash in the water near Catalina Island.
2010s
The pilot episode of action series SAF3 takes place on the island.
Episode 2 of Season 2 of Fear The Walking Dead, "We All Fall Down", takes place on Catalina.
The series finale of Love, "Catalina", takes place on the island.
Ocean Mysteries with Jeff Corwin, "Santa Catalina," season 4, episode 12, original air date January 31, 2015. Jeff travels to Santa Catalina Island, dives through kelp forests and encounters both California sea lions and critically endangered Catalina Island foxes.[12]
Rock the Park, "Santa Catalina Island," season 4, episode 4, original air date May 19, 2018. Colton and Jack explore this island by bike, search for the free-roaming American bison and attempt their first solo shore dive.[13]
Twentysixmiles (working title: Catalina Island) 6 episodes, released 2010. Jack Kincaid's (John Schneider) wife Keri Kincaid (Jessica Tuck) files for divorce and moves from Los Angeles to Catalina Island.
Made, "Catalina Island (Entrepreneurs)," season 12, episode 21, Reality TV, Original air date April 4, 2013. Four childhood friends reunite on Catalina Island to start a matchmaking business.[14]
2020s
Islands Without Cars with Kira Hesser, "California's Santa Catalina Island," season 3, episode 2, original air date October 5, 2020. Santa Catalina Island is warm breezes, Hollywood-style romance, and high-seas adventure.[15]
Ghost Adventures, "Curse of Catalina Island," season 23, episode 9, original air date November 17, 2022. The Ghost Adventures crew goes to Catalina Island it investigate paranormal activity at a theater that held the disinterred bones of the island's indigenous people.[16]
Tough as Nails, "Welcome to Catalina Island," season 4, episode 1, original air date January 4, 2023. Twelve contestants must replace old boat moorings on Catalina Island. The first two who complete the challenge get to select their teammates.[17][18]
