The Blank Check House

After the success of Home Alone movie studios did not waste anytime copying the formula (kid outsmarts bad guys).  While the worst offender was probably Three Ninjas, Disney was also guilty with Blank Check.  They even used it as a selling point!

I saw Blank Check in the theater, I remember because it was the only time in my movie going life that the theater manager came out and talked to us about how the movie was filmed in Texas (which is where I live).  So, on a recent trip to Austin, I stopped by the Blank Check house.

Here is how it appeared in the film:

And today:

As you can see, they've done quite a bit of remodeling.

Not to mention the heavy plant growth which makes it almost unrecognizable.

The old garage door is now a window

The original entry way has been completely removed.

This is the front door now:

I drove around to the side and found the back gate open.  In the film, the back yard had a pool, go cart track, batting cages, and all sorts of bounce houses.  The new owners must not have liked the water slide from the bedroom because the whole back yard is torn up.

I was hoping the workers would be out so I could ask them for a peek inside.  That didn't happen though, this open window was my only glimpse.

Here's a little info on the house, which is actually The Pemberton Castle

If you want to visit, the address is:

1415 Wooldridge Dr.  Austin, TX

I guess the only thing that has changed more than the house is the actor from the film.  Here is a current picture of Brian Bonsall.

When he isn't out getting neck tattoos, or running from the law, he does a pretty descent acoustic cover of the NOFX classic "Linoleum".