Driving Miss Daisy was one of my favorite movies as a child. I remember watching it several times and falling in love with Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman and their sweet friendship. This was long before I knew or cared anything about houses, but I watched it again recently, and it was so interesting to see with all the different spaces. When they shot the movie they did not have much of a budget, so they rented houses in Atlanta and shot it all on location. The movie was based on a play written by Alfred Uhry. Alfred Uhry was born in Atlanta and graduated from Druid Hills High School. He wrote the play based on his grandmother and her driver.
Jessica Tandy won an Academy Award for Best Actress for the film at age 81, and she is still the oldest person to win an Academy Award. See her acceptance speech below.
She's amazing.
The film also won Best Picture, Best Writing, Screenplay based on material from another medium, and Best Makeup.
There are 3 houses featured in the movie, which we will discuss below.
Miss Daisy's House
Miss Daisy lived at 822 Lullwater Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30307. At the end of the movie when miss Daisy is in a nursing home, they list the house for sale with Harry Norman using an actual Harry Norman sign, which is awesome and reminds me of putting out real estate signs with my mom when I was little. In 2013 the home was listed with Coldwell Bankers for $1.99 million. Using the listing photos we can see how the home changed over the years.
Exteriors from the movie
It's interesting how in this shot from the Winter they took down all the awnings and planters so you can see the architecture more, which I like.
This shot is of the house after it's gotten "run-down" and they put it up for sale.
The Exterior from 2013
You can see they removed both the awnings and shutters, which makes me a little sad.
Foyer from the movie
This is from the end of the movie when the house is empty, and it's looking into the foyer from the side.
Foyer in 2013
Same floor, different color walls, and truly terrible photography.
The Kitchen From the Movie
Production Designer Bruno Rubeo said it was difficult to find a house that was right for the movie because the kitchens had been modernized in all of the ones they looked at: “Every kitchen, no matter how period the rest of the house was, was changed and modernized. This one was, too, but it was the least modernized.” Rubeo added that they had to “gut the kitchen” and recreate a more vintage version for the movie. - Source: Hooked on Houses
I'm sort of in love with the original kitchen. I like all the white and the subway tile.
Kitchen from 2013
I can't even really talk about that. So sad.
Living Room From the Movie
Living Room 2013
I still love the doorways, that fireplace, and those beamed ceilings.
Sunroom from the movie
Sunroom in 2013
Dining Room From the Movie
Dining Room from 2013
I'm so glad they kept the chandelier!
There were several scenes shot in miss Daisy's bedroom, but I could not tell from the listing photos which room was the master. You can see the original bedroom in the scene below.
Miss Daisy's son Boolie (Dan Akroyd) owned two houses in the movie, which makes sense because it spanned an almost 30 year period.
Boolie's First House
This foggy shot was the only exterior I saw in the entire movie. It's fairly generic, and I could not find any information about it on the internet. It looks like it could have been a new build in the 70's, but other than that I am not sure. Does anyone know? Below are the interior shots from the movie.
Neither of those are very telling... Moving along..
Boolie's Second House
Exterior from the Movie
Luckily I do now quite a bit about this house because I shot it recently!!! Glennis Beacham has it listed, and I got a full tour of the place. It's located at 1953 Garraux, and at least this time I know the real estate photos are good ;)
The first time we see the house in the movie is on Christmas when Hoke (Morgan Freeman) is driving miss Daisy out for a party.
The house is really beautiful, and I love how it's decorated! So over the top Atlanta style. I'm just noticing those chandeliers on the porch. I wonder if those were put on for the season or if they were always there? I've never seen a chandelier on a front porch.
This shot from later in the movie is of Boolie on the phone. The camera looks over his shoulder and shows the front yard and gate, which I believe has been changed.
Exterior Today
Photo by Chris Voith
It looks similar, but it's missing those chandeliers! You can also see a little more if the brick. In the movie it looks like the house was painted completely white.
Dining Room From the Movie
Dining Room Today
The house has been completely renovated, which is obvious, but the wall behind the fireplace looks similar.
Kitchen From the Movie
LOL. Amazing.
Kitchen Today
Obviously totally renovated and brought out of the 70s!
Foyer From the Movie
Foyer Today
It looks very similar except for the wallpaper :)
For more information on this house, please click here.
I hope you enjoyed today's tour through the Driving Miss Daisy houses! I loved writing the post! If you have not seen the movie in a long time, I really suggest going back and watching it. It's still really really good, and there are some classic Atlanta scenes that I'm sure you will recognize (hint, think Little 5)
