Fort Worth Businesses Signal the ‘Landman’ Impact

Written, Photographed and Designed by Rubyanne Moley

Monty Miller, played by Jon Hamm, appeared on Petroleum Club's balcony and in its dining room in Season 1, Episode 1 of "Landman." While its role was brief, the Petroleum Club proudly counts the feature as part of Texas's transformation as a serious film destination.

Around the halfway point of “Landman’s” first episode, a steel-gray helicopter circles around the glass-faced skyscraper in downtown Fort Worth. Over the chopping whirl of the blades, a voice tells the tale of the petroleum business in Libya.

Then, the camera slips into the 40^th floor, revealing formally suited businessmen in crisp linens sitting amid the easy hum of lunchtime conversation. The plot is fictional, but at one table sits Tom Bass, a 30+-year Petroleum Club member, adding his true tale of Texas’s oil industry.

Just a few feet away, Jon Hamm, portraying oil titan Monty Miller, catches up with his colleagues. Since 1953, the Petroleum Club has welcomed oil and energy professionals, and now, it extends its space to Hollywood.

The production team filmed inside the Petroleum Club for only two days, yet the effect lingers. New membership and catering inquiries flood the club, with visitors stopping by to view the patio on which Hamm took his call or the dining room reimagined for the show.

The Petroleum Club is just one of many Dallas-Fort Worth filming locations reshaped by their appearance in Taylor Sheridan’s “Landman.” After season two debuted on Paramount on Nov. 18 following a July through August shoot, Texans have embraced the tales that successfully portray the state’s proud history rooted in oil. In addition to the momentum brought by Sheridan, a new film studio, Sheridan’s SGS Studios, along with government bills to increase entertainment funding, could put DFW on the track to be the next entertainment hub.

Tom Bass's Cameo from Season 1 Episode 1Bass tells some of his stories as a Petroleum Engineer.

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A private meeting room of the club located along one of their main walkways.

A view of the club's main dining room, whose furniture was switched for filming.

The hallway has photo sequences reminiscent of the club's history, including "Landman" production.

The club's bar area, fit with a jukebox and stellar sunset view.

Another glance at the dining room's views of Downtown Fort Worth.

Sheridan’s decision to set “Landman” in Texas align naturally with his family ties, education and ranching experience that also inform his “Yellowstone” universe. Over the years, Sheridan has shaped himself into the defining storyteller of Texas’s heritage, particularly when depicting the lives of landmen. Today, Sheridan is the ninth largest landowner in Texas, owning two of the state’s largest ranches, each woven with history and beauty.

“What ‘Landman’ and Taylor Sheridan have done for production all over Texas, specifically the DFW area, is remarkable,” said Brandon Jones, Film Frog Marketing’s president and CMO. “He’s been able to create an economy and an industry so that we can grow film production.”

The Petroleum Club appeared in “Landman” thanks to their longtime relationship with Sheridan’s 6666 Ranch located in King County. Sheridan’s team gave association members the opportunity to play extras in the various scenes filmed on their floor. The production team invited those who enjoyed the spotlight to continue their part with opportunities as extras in other filming locations across Fort Worth. 

“They got a chance to experience more of the Hollywood genre than just being at our club,” said General Manager Stephen Till. 

Logistically, filming at the top two floors of 777 Main posed challenges for the crew. Sheridan’s team swapped the interiors of the club down to the chandeliers, meaning all props and equipment had to be carried up two separate elevators to reach the 40th floor. But to capture the aesthetics of Fort Worth, complete with the club's irreplaceable bird’s-eye view, filming on location paid off. 

The club continues to cherish their cameo with a framed collection of photos in their main hallway, captured during this year’s production. Additionally, their guestbook stands on display, a physical embodiment of history through notable guest signatures such as Marilyn Monroe and Richard Nixon. If flipped to the most recent green bookmark on March 13, 2024, guests can find “Jon Hamm.”

Jon Hamm’s signature sits on display in the Petroleum Club’s guest book, which holds celebrity check-ins dating back to 1955, including Marilyn Monroe, Bob Hope, and Richard Nixon. Though originally an association for only oil and gas professionals, today the club’s membership spans engineers, bankers, entrepreneurs, and more.

According to Till, the show’s feature boosted interest in the club while elevating the field’s reputation. “The show continues to embellish the whole oil and gas industry, and sometimes grow it,” said Till.

Sheridan’s own restaurant Cattlemen’s Steakhouse, which he acquired in August 2023, also made the cut for a few scenes in season two. Many guests stopped by curious about the Steakhouse’s role in the show, said Restaurant Manager Lionel Juarez. He’s quick to point out the bar involved in filming, and for a special few, he’s arranged quiet tours of the Cattlemen’s Club, the members-only space tucked beneath the restaurant.

Weekend crowds have recently packed the exclusive restaurant, often filling every reservation. Even more interest is expected once its new patio, fit with a live-music stage and firepits, opens. While Juarez can’t say for certain that “Landman” is responsible, business has surged with no signs of slowing as they head into the holiday season.

Still, amid the busier weekends, visitors remember to snap a quick photo under the bright Cattlemen’s sign topped by a life-size white and brown cow—a small keepsake of Texas’ new entertainment achievements.

A life-size cow marks the entrance to Cattlemen's Steakhouse, which recently completed multimillion-dollar renovations. The restaurant is one of many Fort Worth spots seeing increased traffic as "Landman" pulls interest towards Texas culture.

Some other locations included in filming across DFW include Eskimo Hut, a to-go frozen cocktail spot in Fort Worth, to the intense cycling hub Body Machine Fitness. For a touch of authenticity, the show also stepped inside the American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL) headquarters.

Stepping outside these businesses, the show’s influence becomes even more visible in the community. Whether through road closures, advertisements in airports, or everyday gossip about the show’s drama, Texans have found themselves surrounded by all things “Landman.”

The AAPL headquarters was utilized as a set for both seasons of ‘Landman.’ Real landmen are on call for landowners, often driving long distances between courthouses, surface owners and field locations. It’s a schedule-heavy, travel-intensive occupation that differs greatly from its on-screen representation, according to AAPL-accredited landmen Nancy McCaskell and Jason Maloy.

Texas has the appeal of becoming a serious film hub, with mild, film-friendly weather and an “Anyplace USA” look that can be transformed into almost any city, but lacks the most important piece—consistency. According to Jones, consistent business would retain the talent pool needed to fuel future productions, which would allow further growth in film numbers.

That consistency may soon be easier to sustain with the now-complete SGS Studios, Texas’s largest TV studio at 450,000 square feet with multiple post-production suites and soundstages, where season two’s filming began in March 2025. Developed by Paramount, Sheridan and Hillwood as part of a Media Production Development Zone, the state-of-the-art campus is scalable to match incoming productions, retain talent, and provide the year-round infrastructure needed to stabilize film work in the region.

Beyond Sheridan's investment and Texans' enthusiasm for the story and its connection to the state, the series connects to some pop-culture history. Many critics compare the story told by “Landman” to that of “Dallas,” a series based on Texas oil and geopolitics that swept television screens across the 1970s for its emotional cliffhangers and fusion of personal and business affairs. Decades later, Taylor Sheridan’s “Landman” has built on that legacy with a modern perspective of the ever-evolving saga of Texas oil and fortune.

“Landman,” while it takes influence from history, was adapted from the 2019 podcast Boomtown. Billy Bob Thornton plays the lead role of Tommy Norris, a landman who doubles as a crisis manager and operations executive at M-Tex Oil. Portrayed as worn, rugged, and unconventional, Norris navigates cartel conflict, legal disputes, and on-site crises.

“It’s like a doctor watching 'ER,’ a lawyer watching ‘Suits,’ or a landman watching this TV show,” said Jason Malow, a landman of more than 20 years. And yet, Malow loved the show, dramatization and all.

Dealing with Theft as a Landman, According to AAPL MembersNancy McCaskell and Jason Maloy share personal experiences based on "Landman" scene.

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Though not true-to-life, “Landman” crafts scenes with authenticity that resonate with natives, set against the fictionalized Midland and Odessa backdrop recognizable to Texans. In the most exaggerated moments, like when Norris pushes past firefighters to manually close a burning valve surrounded in flames, Texans still root for his success.

“You want to invite people into the experience,” said Jones. “I know nothing about drilling oil in Odessa, I can tell you that, but I love hearing this guy’s [Tommy Norris] story, and he has a family, and he's a dad, and he's a business owner. That’s cool.”

Brianna Gapsiewicz, a 19-year-old SMU film student and Houston native, believes the show resonated with Texans who were familiar with its themes. “My Dad also works in oil, and as we were watching the show, he was able to see his story, so it was very real,” she said. “It identifies with a lot of people here in Texas.”

The Stockyards, featured briefly in season, celebrate history with every cowboy stature and preserved brick walkway. "1883," the "Yellowstone" prequel, once took over this landmark for production. It continues to be a top destination for Sheridan, with his restaurant located right on the corner.

Alongside its relevance to Texas, Gapsiewicz said the series acts as a demonstrative narrative of the difficulty of implementing sustainable energy. Though the technology is there, she argues that the infrastructure needed for renewable energy poses a daunting challenge that needs more attention to see real change.

While “Landman” production was already rolling before Senate Bill 22 became official, the bill will work in tandem with Sheridan’s efforts to bring more cinema to Texas without raising taxes. SB 22, signed into law by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, encourages more media companies to create local films with its $1.5 billion rebate incentive.

The state would rule seasons one and two ineligible due to timing to be considered for reimbursement on local labor and production costs. However, Rowena Pedrena, assistant professor of film and producer/filmmaker, suggests studios read the fine print before grabbing their portion of the reserve.

“If you look at the bill, it definitely angles towards religious conservatism and right-wing viewpoints of Texas. We’re not probably going to see something like Ozark, where we're talking about meth and drugs,” said Pedrena.“It’s really a question of Paramount as a production company—Do they want to deal with the notes from the Texas State Legislature?”

SB 22 rewards filmmakers for spending locally with grants based on a percentage of pre-tax funds at the discretion of the Governor’s Music, Film, Television, and Multimedia Office. Ad-like films that “bring glamor back to the south” are the films most expected to receive rebates, according to Pedrena. 

“This bill is great for the state of Texas, and there are a lot of opportunities to be had here. But I also think producers, writers, and directors who are originating ideas need to be mindful that there is legislature that hinges upon what you can write,” said Pedrena.

When it comes to Texas-based productions, “The Madison” is Sheridan’s next anticipated release for 2026. The “Yellowstone” spinoff featuring Michelle Pfeiffer, set in fictional Montana, will continue the streak of tying stories to national audiences, reinforcing Texas's potential to produce serious, large-scale media.