The opening scenes of Welcome to the Wedding take place in the main concourse of Cleveland's Union Terminal. One of the most notable features of the terminal scenes is the Ferro Mural which was mounted on the south wall of the concourse.

The Ferro Mural was created by the Ferro Enamel Corporation of Cleveland for the 1939 World's Fair in New York. It was designed by J. Scott Williams and its porcelain panels were painted by Cleveland art instructor Daniel Boza.

After the fair, the mural was relocated to the Union Terminal concourse where it remained until 1982 when the concourse was renovated. Since then it has hung on the wall opposite the entrance to the Western Reserve Historical Society Museum.

Jim's Steak House is a legendary dining establishment located on the banks of the Cuyahoga River directly across from downtown Cleveland and the Terminal Tower (Union Terminal). While researching Jim's for this site I came into contact with author G.L. Rockey - adopted son of proprietor Ray Rockey - who wrote a fascinating history of Jim's titled From the Back of the House - Memories of a Steak House Clan. Unfortunately, G.L. was away at college during the time Route 66 filmed there so he was unable to offer any personal recollections.

Jim's closed its doors for good in 1996 and after a few failed attempts to sustain other restaurant and drinking establishments at the location it became chronically vacant and in recent years has fallen into severe disrepair. I have spoken with the current owner of the property who says that he is considering tearing it all down and re-developing.

The owner also told me that he would unlock the doors and turn off the alarms so I could take photos inside (as long as I gave him copies), but unfortunately we were not able to make arrangements to do that before my last visit there on September 17, 2009. But I did take a few shots through the large plate glass windows which will have to do for now.

This shot is looking through the main room toward the windows that can be seen covered with curtains in the screen capture. If I'm not mistaken, that out-of-focus blob top-center is the reflection of my hand on the camera as it is being held against the window.

Read more about Jim's Steak House, G.L. Rockey, From the Back of the House and see a few behind-the-scenes photographs here...

The original Cleveland Union Terminal concourse was demolished in the early 1980s and in its place was built Tower City Center shown in this photo from September, 2009. The new interior is much more spacious and open than before and that arched set of windows, I believe, is approximately where the wall with the Ferro Mural once stood.

It may not be apparent to casual viewers of this episode that Cleveland Union Terminal (the railroad station) and Jim's Steak House (the wedding) are located directly across the Cuyahoga River from one another. The second photo is a view from the arched windows inside Tower City Center across the river to Jim's (center, surrounded by boats).

A view through the skylight inside Tower City Center

In an interview with the Cleveland Press while the Route 66 production crew was in town filming Welcome to the Wedding, along with Only By Cunning Glimpses and Every Father's Daughter, production manager Sam Manners mentioned that he used his boyhood home on the west side as one of the locations.

After watching the episodes closely, I had a suspicion that this home (Rod Steiger's boyhood home - and now where his "brother" Stanley was staying - according to the story line) was it. The street address is visible in the episode so I drove over to the street Manners mentioned and found the house.

This valet parking station is located in the garage on W. 6th Street that is part of the Tower City Center complex. As I approached the area taking photographs I was treated with suspicion by the on-duty valets so I put my camera away and pulled out the screen-shot prints I was carrying and shared them with the valets who were having a slow Saturday morning.

After talking with them for a while, and convincing the supervisor that my intentions were harmless, they allowed me to take all the photos I wanted.

Tod pulls Stanley's Chevy out of the parking garage while Justin (Rod Steiger) sits in the back seat with a gun trained on him.

Looking east on W. Prospect Ave. from W. 6th St.

That's the Terminal Tower on the left and Cleveland Union Terminal on the right.

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NEAR THIS SITE STOOD THE HOUSE IN WHICH WAS BORN ON JANUARY 1, 1860

MAJOR GEN. CLARENCE RANSOM EDWARDS D.S.M.

COMMANDING OFFICER AND BELOVED "DADDY" OF THE 26TH YANKEE DIVISION, A.E.F. IN THE GREAT WORLD WAR

NO LEADER WAS MORE LOVED OR MORE RESPECTED - NO LEADER WAS A GREATER INSPIRATION TO HIS MEN.

ERECTED BY THE YANKEE DIVISION VETERANS ASSOCIATION
MCMXXXVI

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The imprint on the from of the stone is "YD" for "Yankee Division."

The phone booth appears to be a completely non-functional prop. In 1962 a booth such as this would have been located next to a telephone pole and had plenty of wires for electricity and a connection to Ma Bell running out of the top and connected to the pole.

By close examination of the DVD you can also tell that there are no windows in the booth. Watch the directory blowing in the strong Lake Erie wind even when the door is closed.

The propeller-like structure to the right is a wind turbine for the renewable energy exhibits at the Great Lakes Science Center (the white building behind the turbine).

That's Cleveland Municipal Stadium in the background of the screen shot and Cleveland Browns Stadium in the new photo. Also note Lake Erie behind the stadium.

...is the long time mascot of the Cleveland Indians Major League Baseball team. Although his image is still used on clothing and other items, his presence has been toned down considerably over the past few decades due to concerns over reinforcement of negative racial stereotypes.

This neon-lit, rotating sign once stood atop Cleveland Municipal Stadium and is now on display at the Western Reserve Historical Society.

The original doors, steps and stainless steel railing are still there, but the beautifully landscaped yard with willow trees is now fenced off and completely overgrown with weeds.

The parking lot.

When I approached the boyhood home of Sam Manners on this Saturday afternoon, I saw two men back by the garage working on the engine of a tractor-trailer cab so I walked up the driveway and introduced myself. I spoke with the current homeowner and showed him the screen captures of his home from this 1962 episode.

He seemed interested to talk but he was very busy getting his truck into shape for an inspection so he asked me to write down contact information on the prints and leave them in his mail box.

But as I walked back the front of the house I noticed that his wife and daughter had come out and were sitting on the porch. So I handed the prints to them and began explaining again why I was there. After a few minutes of conversation, they asked me if I would like to come inside - of course I would like to - and I made sure my camera was ready.

I had brought along a complete third season DVD set to offer as a bribe if necessary - which it wasn't - but they were such a nice family and very excited to see the screen captures that I offered it to them anyway.

WARNING: Spoilers ahead - don't read if you haven't watched the episode yet.

Later that night, after arriving home from taking these photos, the neighbor of the current residents called me (since his house is seen briefly they invited him over to watch) and told me that his father-in-law had witnessed the filming so he was vaguely aware of it but the subject never came up after he purchased the home years ago. He jokingly mentioned that his neighbors are going to have nightmares for a while thinking about Rod Steiger being shot to death right inside their front door.

A view from the lawn at Jim's Steak House.

Note the arched windows seen from the inside in a photo above. Again, that is basically where the Ferro Mural hung in the original Cleveland Union Terminal concourse featured in Welcome to the Wedding.

CBS TELEVISION NETWORK
Program Practices, Hollywood
Date: July 23, 1962
To: Lancer Productions, Inc.
ATTN: Mr. Selmer Chalif (3)
RE: ROUTE 66 "Welcome to the Wedding"
RECEIVED: July 23, 1962

The above script is herewith approved for presentation on the CBS Television Network, with the following exceptions:

Page 23: Please avoid commercial identification of the taxi.

Page 26 & 27: It is imperative that these gunplay sequences be filmed with extreme care to avoid undue and unacceptable violence and brutality. With this in mind, we ask that you change the business of PEERS being shot three times and eliminate the business of the body jerking. We also ask that the cold-blooded killing of STANLEY be suggested off camera and the shot of STANLEY's face as he dies be eliminated.

Page 56: For the above reasons we ask that you please change the business of LEZEMA firing again after he is mortally wounded and of the policemen firing two more times as indicated in Scene 173.

Thank you very much for your cooperation.

Cc: Mr. Boris Kaplan

Please submit all revised pages for approval.

Final approval is based on completed film.

WM. H. TANKERSLEY
Director, Programming Practices, Hollywood
(signed by 'Editor' - Charles C. Pettijohn)

Nothing in this report shall affect CBS Television's rights if any, against the producer, the sponsors, or its or their advertising agency or agencies, to be indemnified against the claims, demands or causes of action of third parties arising out of the broadcasting or other use of material referred to herein.