(C) 2017 Google.
The page looks at the more ‘remote’ locations, spots (13), (14), (16), (17), (18), and (19) above. Remember to click each image for a larger view.
(13) – Buzzin’ Around – looking NW at the corner of Elm and E 13th.
Chased by the angry convertible owner, Roscoe gains temporary sanctuary beside another conveniently posted cop. A modern renovation has covered over all of the ground floor windows at this Elm and E 13th corner (13), although one row of the original contrasting brick stripe remains exposed above the new facade. While we can no longer compare the ground floor windows, given the building’s proximity, and its distinctive interior court, upper floor window patterns, and non-rectangular configuration, all matching perfectly with the tracking shots from the movie, I’m confident this is the correct spot.
(14) – Buzzin’ Around – strolling west along Elm from the corner of E 13th.
Not realizing his savior the cop has turned into the building’s interior court, Roscoe blithely saunters west along Elm (14), unconcerned his nemesis is following him. The building is now home to the Bais Yaakov Academy (BYA). As a further confirming clue, the fireplug (14) in the movie frame above is exactly where the 1930 Sanborn fire insurance maps shows it to be.
(16) – Buzzin’ Around – view north across Ave M towards the back of homes on Locust west of E 13th.
In 1932 the north side of Ave M between E 13th and E 15th was lined with modest homes and small structures rather than storefronts. When Roscoe parks his car in front of 1306 Ave M (left), this reverse view (16) shows the back of extant homes along Locust between E 13th and E 12th. A large modern building blocks the view today.
(17) – Hey Pop – view north past 1259 E 13th, the Biltmore Apartment entrance.
The Hey Pop orphanage thugs give chase past the entryway to the Biltmore Apartments (17), 1259 E 13th. Not visible in the film, the name ‘Biltmore’ is carved above this doorway.
(18) – Hey Pop – view of the King George entrance on 1256 E 13th.
The thugs also turn the corner of the Biltmore Apartment, from E 13th onto Locust, with the King George apartment entrance (18) behind them. Not visible in the film, the name ‘King George’ is carved in the second floor mantle above the curved entrance.
(19) – Buzzin’ Around – view north across Ave M, now blocked, towards the side of the Biltmore.
Looking north, as Roscoe enters Ave M from E 14th, the side of the six-story Biltmore Apartments on Locust (19) looms at back. The foreground buildings were once storage sheds and carpenter shops for the studio. A massive modern building now lines the entire north side of Ave M, blocking a comparable view today.
Below – looking west at the corner of E 13th and Locust. Next, settings on Ave M further east of the studio.
Chaplin-Keaton-Lloyd film locations (and more) 
Thanks, John! Great as always.
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Brilliant work.
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John, your remarkable eye works equally well on both coasts! I really enjoyed this post, because I’m a native New Yorker and I own the Arbuckle-Shemp Howard DVD. I’m not from Brooklyn, though (Manhattan), so I was stumped trying to figure out just where these films were made. Brooklyn or Queens, obviously, but just WHERE? Now I know. Thanks!
Poor Roscoe, though… he still “had it,” but cruel fate cut him down.
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Thank you Tom – Roscoe’s life story, the rise, the fall, the comeback, the tragic death, are nearly beyond belief.
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Why is it “beyond belief”? People die of heart attacks all the time, especially if they are overweight and heavy smokers. Yes, it’s sad, he was plainly a very nice man. But entirely within the realm of believability.
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Reblogged this on Travalanche and commented:
There’s no way the Travalanche readers won’t LOVE this article and the blog it comes from. Thanks John Bengtson!
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Thank you Trav – given LA’s dismal preservation record it’s remarkable to see how little in Brooklyn has changed after 85 years. Do you know any local history groups that might appreciate this information? John
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Loved this information. Late 50’s early 60’s I lived one block south of Wilshire on Detroit in a building I can see! It has since been torn down and is a parking lot. So many familiar landmarks where movies and history were made.
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Whoops. Looking through so many areas, lost track and posted to wrong spot.
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The Midwood, Brooklyn neighborhood near the Avenue M subway stop has changed so in the past 5 years. The demolition of the former Vitagraph studio site that was used by an Orthodox Jewish girls’ school and the building of rental apartments there, and the transformation of the former NBC Brooklyn I & II studios across East 14th Street into a Jewish social services & community center (Brooklyn I) and a self-storage facility (Brooklyn II) Progress. At least the Vitagraph smokestack still stands.
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Thanks for the update DW – change is inevitable, but it always makes me a bit sad when some classic building or neighborhood is demolished, or loses its character. It was fun tracking these down using Google maps – I’ve never visited in person
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Wow! With no prior knowledge of anything discussed here, I just caught ‘Salt Water Daffy’ on TCM and was amazed to recognize the streets of Brooklyn and the Navy Yard. A quick internet search to confirm my suspicions brought me here. My grandfather was a foreman with the Longshoremen when we all resided in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn. I have great memories of accompanying him to the waterfront as a kid when he stopped by the office on his off days. Despite now residing in Forest Hills, I was actually at a couple of the locations (Bay Ridge and Midwood) identified here in the past few weeks. Those street scenes confirm Brooklyn has always had a charm all its own.
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