Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in your favorite movie set? For the past six years, Short Circuit enthusiast Richard Bates is doing just that. Purchasing the property where the 1986 American science-fiction comedy was filmed, the self-proclaimed movie buff is fortunate enough to wake up every morning, and live out his childhood dream.
Johnny 5 is without a doubt, still alive at 197 Hume Avenue. Originally constructed for Martin Johnson, one of the founding fathers of Uniontown, Oregon, the Victorian-style farmhouse was built in 1882 and is embraced as part of the National Register of Historical Places. Filmed in Astoria and Cascade Locks, Oregon, some of the most memorable scenes from Short Circuit are located in and around the home of fictional character Stephanie Speck, per-fectly portrayed by Ally Sheedy. The blockbuster motion picture directed by John Badham, features a robot who sparks to life after getting accidentally electrocuted, and discovers that instead of fol-lowing his intended programming, he is beginning to procure hu-man emotions. Garnering a passionate following due to its many niche qualities, the film has secured a spot as one of the top family movies of that era.
“I first saw Short Circuit when I was a little kid. We had a bunch of movies recorded off HBO, and I found it going through stacks of VHS tapes. Back then, you would record a few movies on each cassette, and I came across it that way. I thought Johnny 5 was awe-some, he’s kind of growing up at the same time as me. He essential-ly comes to life as a child would, and that’s sort of where I was. My sister and I watched it all the time, and I actually remember telling my mom, ‘Hey, do you see this house… I really like it.’ I had noticed the spiral staircase, the beautiful bridge outside, the fact that there were tons of animals in the yard, and I thought it looked really fun. So, I got drawn into not just the movie itself, but all of the amazing surroundings. There’s one scene where Stephanie’s boyfriend is attacking Johnny 5, but instead of focusing on that, I noticed the big hill and thought, wow I bet you could ride down that really fast. That was such a thing to think of in a child’s brain, but it really got my imagination going.
I was born in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, Washington and lived there until I was about four, and then grew up in the Vancouver, Washington area until I was out of high school. When I was ten years old, we took a family trip to Astoria… not to see the house specifically, but I recognized it as soon as we drove by. I observed the hill and the bridge, and quickly realized it was the Short Circuit house, because the image had always kind of stuck in my head. Later on in 2018 when I was working for the railroad, I came to Astoria with my girlfriend for a vacation. We stopped by to see the house, and to my disappointment, the grass in the yard was three feet tall, ivy was growing all over the deck… essentially it was abandoned and in really bad shape. I remember saying to her, ‘Wow, I genuinely wish someone would fix this place up to look like it did in the movie.’ I took a picture of my dog in the driveway, and was contemplating that some lucky person was go-ing to get that house, and didn’t think there was any way it was going to be me. A year and a half later, my job had taken me to Montana. One day on my lunch break, I was scrolling through my phone looking at photos, when I came across the one of my dog in front of the house. I immediately knew that was my next step… I needed to get the Short Circuit property. I ended up telling my friend about it who said he thought it was a great idea. We hung up, and five minutes later he called back and told me, ‘You know that house you want… it’s actually on the market currently for sale.’ I didn’t think there was any way I could buy it, reflecting that it had to be out of my reach, but the seed was planted… and long story short… a month and a half later, I had the keys.
As soon as I became the owner, I felt my life was going to change. Short Circuit at the time was a cult classic, and thought that the best-case scenario was that I get to fix the house up and do everything that I am doing now, and worst-case scenario was that I get to live in this dream place of mine. I got right to it, and would paint the exterior on the weekends while I was still working out of state. There was nothing filmed inside, but I have taken a bunch of screen grabs to get some of the design motifs as close as possible to keep the vibe, and I do have props and a collection of memorabilia. Now it’s open as an Airbnb, and I do my best to keep it available all year round.”
Most people have a favorite film, but not everyone takes the time to look up where they were produced. Surprisingly, there are more physical locations for sale than one would think.
“I endorse SetJetters, which is an app that tells you all the locations around the world where movies and television shows were made. My ex-citement for the craft may have started when I was in a few commercials myself as a kid. A few scouts came to my school and I guess I stood out with my red hair and freckles, but I never made it my career. I like to play guitar, and collect action figures, always leaning towards Short Circuit items first, and occasionally scope out other movie locations, for example The Goonies was filmed nearby.”
Recently appointed the position of Oregon Film Ambassador, Bates has immersed himself in archiving and collecting the state’s cinematic history, bringing new light to the aesthetically pleas-ing landscapes of the Pacific Northwest for use in upcoming projects.
“I am busy, but will engage with my guests if they wish. Some people want to talk my ear off, and have me show them around town – which I’m more than happy to oblige, and some people want to explore by themselves and do their own thing.”
So, what lies ahead for this historic residence?
“Well, none of the stars from the movie have visited yet, but we are planning something for the 40th anniversary next summer. I do plan to keep trying to get the house as close as can be to the original production and restore some of the magic, even keeping the home’s fake movie address above the front door. I’m not sure what the future holds, but one thing’s for certain… I would never sell this house.”
