Downtown Riverfront in Shreveport in Caddo Parish, Louisiana — The American South (West South Central)

The Guardian

Released 2006

— Film Location —

The Guardian Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 29, 2025

1. The Guardian Marker

Inscription.
The U.S. Coast Guard version of “Top Gun” starring (Kevin Costner) as an aging U.S.C.G. rescue swimmer turned trainer who meets a young man (Ashton Kutcher) with unlimited potential as a rescue swimmer who learn from each other and in the final scenes both end up U.S. Coast Guard heroes.

Maggie's Hangar was the site of the bar scene in “The Guardian” where Bonnie Bramlett (Maggie McGlone), owner of Maggie’s Hangar, sings with the Chicago Cats, which is the movie director (Andrew Davis) brother's band out of Chicago. During the band scene, there is a special cameo appearance by James Burton, Elvis Presley's guitar player from 1969 until Elvis' untimely death, in 1977. Both James and his wife Louise are owners of this bar which is open for special occasions, such as the premiere party of “The Guardian”.

The making of “The Guardian” was instrumental in skyrocketing Shreveport-Bossier City's popularity in the film industry. In 2009, Movie Maker Magazine ranked Shreveport-Bossier #4 out of the top 25 cities to live, work, and make movies following Chicago, Atlanta, and New York City.

Erected by Shreveport-Bossier Film.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment. A significant historical year for this entry is 2006.

Location.

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32° 30.86′ N, 93° 44.671′ W. Marker is in Shreveport, Louisiana, in Caddo Parish. It is in Downtown Riverfront. It is on Commerce Street just north of Crockett Street, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 618 Commerce Street, Shreveport LA 71101, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Louisiana.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Deep South,

and in the Piney Woods.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

the Louisiana Purchase,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Cane-Bennett Building (here, next to this marker); 525 Spring Street (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Henry Watkins Allen / Battery 10 (about 500 feet away); Harrison Building (about 500 feet away); Green's Alley (about 700 feet away); Shreve Square (about 700 feet away); Cane & Bennett's Trading Post (about 700 feet away); 3rd Caddo Courthouse (about 800 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Shreveport.

Also see . . . The Guardian (Wikipedia).

Excerpt: David Dobkin was originally slated to direct The Guardian until being replaced by Andrew Davis. Ron Brinkerhoff was also originally involved, making the pitch for a mid-six-figure-budgeted film, before Disney took over the production.
Following the series of hurricanes in the southern United States in 2005, production moved to Shreveport, Louisiana. Some of the base scenes were filmed at Barksdale Air Force Base
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 29, 2025

2. The Guardian Marker
Looking south along the Commerce Street sidewalk. This is the lower one of two historical markers on the post.
in Bossier City, Louisiana and at Camp Minden in Minden, Louisiana. Some of the scenes that were supposed to be filmed in Kodiak, Alaska were actually filmed at CG Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Sixty thousand pounds of ice were needed on the set. The training pool used in the movie was LSU–Shreveport's natatorium. The wave scenes were filmed at Louisiana Wave Studio, Metropolitan Ave, Lynbrook, Shreveport.

(Submitted on October 30, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 29, 2025

3. The Guardian Marker

Looking west from Commerce Street. The “Maggie's Hangar” site is in the background. The historical marker is on the left side of this image.

“Maggie’s Hangar” site from <i>“The Guardian”</i> movie image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 29, 2025

4. “Maggie’s Hangar” site from “The Guardian” movie

Looking west from Commerce Street. The historical marker is edge-on, in front of the utility pole, and nearly invisible from this perspective.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 30, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 29, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 75 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 29, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 3, 4. submitted on October 30, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.