In 1935, movie producer, David O. Selznick, left his job at MGM to start his own studio, Selznick International Pictures. He set up shop in a section of the RKO Pictures lot at 9336 W. Washington Blvd in Culver City, which had been around since 1919, when it had been built for Pathé Pictures. Selznick went on to have a pretty good run, producing “A Star Is Born” (1937), Rebecca (1940), “Since You Went Away” (1944), “Spellbound” (1945), oh, and a little movie called “Gone with the Wind” in 1939. The car out front is either a Nash or Hudson circa 1937, so this photo was probably taken around then. Selznick International Pictures was dissolved in 1943. The studios became Desilu for a while, and is now known as the Culver Studios, which are home to Amazon Studios.
This is a view of the Culver Studios as seen from the upper floors of the Culver Hotel, circa late 1990s:
That building is still there. This image is from February 2021.
How much longer can that building survive?
I was glad to see it was still there. If it’s not protected as having historical significance, it ought to be.
I remember the first time I drove past this building. I almost wrecked my car, thinking, “That looks exactly like the building at the start of Selznick movies!” Which, of course, is what it turned out to be, as I soon discovered.
I tried to look up whether it has landmark status, but since it’s in Culver City, not Los Angeles, it’s not included among the Cultural Landmarks designated by the City of LA.
Probably time to mount a large T-rex head appearing to be breaking throught the roof. That’s when everyone will start screaming for it to be saved as culturally significant.