Tag Archives: Universal Studios
The Film Daily Year Book of Motion Pictures 1939 (detailing 1938)
I recently acquired a copy of the the Film Daily Year Book of Motion Pictures for 1939. Their year books were thick, hard-bound bricks of books that detailed what everything, everyone, every studio, every contract player was doing. Very comprehensive! … Continue reading
Color photo of moviegoers watching the premiere of “Back Street” at the Warner Bros. Theater, 6433 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, October 21, 1961
I always enjoy seeing a photo of a Hollywood movie premiere, especially if it’s in color. This one was taken looking west along Hollywood Blvd from around Cahuenga Blvd. On October 21, 1961, Universal Studios held the premiere for their … Continue reading
Looking west along Hollywood Blvd from Vine St as a motion picture camera crew shoots outside the CoCo Tree Café, Hollywood, 1936
Filming on the corner of Hollywood and Vine would be a lot more complicated these days, but back in 1936, when this photo was taken, all it seemed to take was a couple of cops. I’m exaggerating, of course, but … Continue reading
Seven men stand on the front of a locomotive chartered by Universal Pictures to publicize the opening of Universal City in Los Angeles, 1915
On May 15, 1915, Carl Laemmle opened Universal City, home to his newly built Universal Pictures, a studio so large that it became its own city. To publicize the event, Universal chartered this train from New York to Los Angeles. … Continue reading
A circa 1929 Ford Model A is parked in front of the Universal Cafe outside Universal Studios, Los Angeles
When Universal Studios moved to the San Fernando Valley in 1915, the studio development – Universal City – was so large that it qualified for its own US Post Office. That’s the building on the left we can see in … Continue reading
Universal City movie studio backlot, San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, circa late 1910s
The movie studios were (and still are) so vast that they’re almost cities unto themselves, with their own post office, fire department, police force, and power generators. Universal Pictures went one step further and called their studio lot Universal City. … Continue reading
Screenshot of the opening credits to “Hollywood Story” (1951) showing the street signs for Hollywood and Vine
Recently, I was contacted by a guy name Ken who wanted to alert me to a Universal picture from 1951 called “Hollywood Story.” He said I might enjoy it because it was filmed on location all around LA. Whenever I … Continue reading
Striking photo of a bank of lights, Universal Studios, 1963
Apart from the fact that this photo was taken for Life magazine at Universal Studios in 1963, I have been able to find no other information to share with you. But it’s such a striking photo that I couldn’t not … Continue reading
Aerial photograph of Universal Studios backlot, Universal City, California, 1963
In this aerial photo taken by Life magazine, we get to see what a chunk of the Universal Studios backlot looked like in 1963. If you’ve not been to a movie studio backlot before, the castle in the bottom right … Continue reading
Up in the rafters among the lighting in a soundstage at Universal Studios, 1963
You know how in the movies, someone yells “Lights! Camera! Action!” (Well, they do that in the movies about making movies, anyway.) Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be up on the catwalks in the rafters of a … Continue reading