Tag Archives: Universal Studios
Universal Studios staff play in the snow Universal City, Los Angeles, 1916
Snow falls across Los Angeles so rarely that when it does, it’s newsworthy. It’s also worth stopping what you’re doing and go outside and play in the snow because it probably won’t last long. That’s what these seven people are … Continue reading
Stanley Kubrick filming a scene from “Spartacus” above Cahuenga Pass, Los Angeles, 1959
While watching Stanley Kubrick’s “Spartacus” I’m kind of glad I didn’t know that they shot part of the movie on the Cahuenga Pass. It made sense, though. They needed a hillside and the Pass is maybe a 10-minute drive from … Continue reading
“Variety” deadline from January 6, 1943: 101 PIX GROSS IN MILLIONS
I was recently researching which movies were popular during WWII, which was a record-breaking era for Hollywood film-making, with movie-goers filling theaters in unprecedented numbers. According to one source I read, in 1942, movie attendance reached a record high of … Continue reading
The Monte Carlo set built for Erich von Stroheim’s “Foolish Wives” on the Universal Studios backlot, Universal City, California, circa 1920
When you have Erich von Stroheim in charge of (and starring in) your picture, you can kiss all financial responsibility goodbye and hope it’s a hit when it’s finally released. That’s what Irving Thalberg and Universal Studios had to do … Continue reading
Looking east along Hollywood Boulevard toward Carl Laemmle’s building on the Vine Street corner, 1931
This is a screen-grab from a British short called “Round About Hollywood” which travels around Hollywood in 1931 in a two-color process known as Cinecolor. As the camera approaches the Hollywood and Vine intersection, it passes that building on the … Continue reading
Color postcard of Universal Studios, Universal City, Los Angeles, 1928
We can see that back in 1928, when this image was captured, Universal Studios was still surrounded by the citrus orchards that used to blanket the entire San Fernando Valley. These days, the studio grounds probably cover most of the … Continue reading
Universal Studios backlot, Universal City, California, circa 1919
In this photo we’re looking at the backlot of Carl Laemmle’s Universal Studios in the San Fernando Valley section of Los Angeles. It’s a rather sprawling collection of facades with not much organization. Mind you, it was only 1919, so … Continue reading
One-story building advertising Universal Pictures’ movie “Broadway” on the corner of Hollywood and Vine, Hollywood, 1929
The northwest corner of Hollywood and Vine has been many things, but in the 1920s, Carl Laemmle, who owned Universal studios also owned the one-story building that stood there. In 1932, he opened the Coco Tree Café, but before that … Continue reading
Visitors Observation Platform, Universal Studios, California, circa 1915
Back in the early days of Hollywood, movies were silent, so it didn’t matter who made what noise on the set during filming because there were no microphones to pick up any unwanted noise. So when Universal Studios head, Carl … Continue reading
Universal Studios (Universal Pictures Company), North Hollywood (Universal City) Los Angeles
This quaint and charming building shows us how small the great behemoth movie studios started out as. I don’t have a definitive date on this photo but what I take to be the main building of Universal Pictures looks like … Continue reading