Sony Pictures Studios

Sony Pictures Studios is an American television and film studio complex located in Culver City, California, at 10202 West Washington Boulevard and bounded by Culver Boulevard (south), Washington Boulevard (north), Overland Avenue (west) and Madison Avenue (east). Founded in 1912, the facility is currently owned by Sony Pictures and houses the division's film studios, such as Columbia Pictures, TriStar Pictures, and Screen Gems. The complex was the original home of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer from 1924 to 1986 and Lorimar-Telepictures from 1986 to 1988.

In addition to films shot at the facility, several television shows have been broadcast live or taped there. The lot, which is open to the public for daily studio tours, currently houses a total of sixteen separate sound stages.

The studio complex also houses Sony Pictures Television Kids' California-based operations, as well as the Culver City offices of sister Sony companies Sony Music and Sony Music Publishing.

History

Early years (1912–1924)

Director Thomas H. Ince built his pioneering Inceville studios in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, in 1912. While Ince was filming at Ballona Creek in 1915, Harry Culver, the founding father of Culver City, persuaded Ince to move Inceville to Culver City. During that time, Ince co-founded Triangle Film Corporation and the Triangle Studios was opened in the form of a Greek colonnade – the entrance to the studios. The colonnade still stands fronting Washington Boulevard and is a Culver City historical landmark.

Ince added a few stages and an Administration Building before selling out to his partners D. W. Griffith and Mack Sennett. Ince relocated down the street and built the Culver Studios at that location. In 1918, Triangle Studios was sold to film producer Samuel Goldwyn. Goldwyn also added a few sound stages before selling his shares in Goldwyn Studios.

MGM Studios/Lorimar-Telepictures Studios/Lorimar Studios (1924–1990)

In 1924, Loew's President Marcus Loew organized the mergers and acquisitions of three film companies – The Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures and Louis B. Mayer Pictures to form Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and occupying the Goldwyn production facilities.

In the Classic Hollywood cinema, MGM Studios was responsible for shooting 52 films a year, from screen epic films such as '' Ben-Hur'', and '' Mutiny on the Bounty'', to drawing-room dramas such as '' Grand Hotel'', '' Dinner at Eight'', and '' Anna Karenina''. But it was the Technicolor musical films, including '' The Wizard of Oz'', '' Singin' in the Rain'' and '' Gigi'' that MGM was best known for. MGM's success led to six working studio complexes, more than including twenty-eight soundstages – Stage 15 is the second largest sound stage in the world, and Stage 27 served as "Munchkinland" in the production of ''The Wizard of Oz''.

In addition to the main production building, MGM added two large backlot facilities – Lot 2 located opposite the main studio across Overland Avenue. Lot 3 entered the corner of Jefferson Boulevard and Overland Avenue and was MGM's largest backlot. The administration building was inaugurated in 1938 and was named for Thalberg.

However, the '' United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc.'' antitrust case of 1948 severed MGM's connection with Loews Theaters, and it struggled through its affairs.

On August 10, 1965, a massive fire destroyed Vault #7 in Lot 3, resulting in the loss of hundreds of silent-era films, among them Lon Chaney's 1927 film '' London After Midnight'', though the majority of MGM's silent film stock survived the fire. In 1969, millionaire Kirk Kerkorian bought MGM and proceeded to dismantle the studio. MGM's film memorabilia was sold through an 18-day auction, and of the studio's backlots were sold. Lot 3 was razed while Lot 2 was sold to housing developments. Kerkorian used the money to construct his MGM Resorts hotel chain.

In 1981, Kerkorian's Tracinda acquired United Artists and merged it with MGM to become MGM/UA Entertainment Co. He then sold MUEC to Ted Turner in 1986, who after 74 days, sold MGM/UA back to Kerkorian while retaining the pre-1986 MGM film library. In 1986, the studio lot was sold to Lorimar-Telepictures. During that time, the MGM logo was removed from the studios and moved across the street to the Filmland Building (now known as Sony Pictures Plaza) before their 1992 and 2003 moves to Santa Monica and Century City and finally settling in Beverly Hills from 2011 onwards.

Columbia Studios/Sony Pictures Studios (1990–present)

In 1988, Warner Communications acquired Lorimar-Telepictures two years before merging with Time Inc. to become Time Warner (now Warner Bros. Discovery). The following year, Sony hired producers Jon Peters and Peter Guber to run the company's newly acquired Columbia Pictures Entertainment unit, even though they had a contract with Warner Bros. To resolve this issue, Warner sold their Lorimar lot to Columbia, among other deals. Columbia Pictures had been sharing with Warner Bros. their studio lot in Burbank, California, in a partnership called The Burbank Studios starting in 1972. Sony sold its interest in The Burbank Studios as a result of the Guber-Peters issue.''Warner, Sony settle suit over producers'' (November 17, 1989). Los Angeles: Associated Press.

Sony acquired the property, first renamed Columbia Studios, in poor condition and thereafter invested $100 million to renovate the studio complex. The property underwent a three-year comprehensive plan as it transitioned to the Sony Pictures Studios complex. The buildings, many of which still bore the names of MGM film actors such as Clark Gable, Judy Garland, Rita Hayworth and Burt Lancaster, were painted and upgraded. New walls were erected around the lot and the ironwork gates were restored. Nostalgic art deco and false fronts on Main Street were added, as well as hand-painted murals of Columbia film posters. The MGM logo was removed from the Filmland Building in late 1992.

The long-running game shows ''Jeopardy!'' (Studio 10, renamed "The Alex Trebek Stage" in July 2021) and '' Wheel of Fortune'' (Studio 11), along with their spin-offs, have been taped at Sony Pictures Studios since the mid-1990s.

Taped programs

Dramas

* '' Close to Home'' (2005–2007)
* ''The Guardian'' (2001–2004)
* '' Joan of Arcadia'' (2003–2005)
* ''Las Vegas'' (2003–2008)
* '' Party of Five'' (1994–2000)
* '' Masters of Sex'' (2013–2016)
* '' Ray Donovan'' (2013–2020)
* '' Insecure'' (2016–2021)

Game shows

* '' Wheel of Fortune'' (1995–present, Studio 11)
* ''Jeopardy!'' (1994–present, The Alex Trebek Stage; formerly Studio 10)
* '' Wheel 2000'' (1997–1998, Studio 11)
* '' Jep!'' (1998–1999, Studio 11)
* '' Rock & Roll Jeopardy!'' (1998–2001, Studio 11)
* '' Hollywood Showdown'' (2000–2001, Studio 11)
* ''Pyramid'' (2002–2004)
* '' American Gladiators'' (2008 revival, Season 1 only)
* '' Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?'' (2010–2011)
* '' Sports Jeopardy!'' (2014–2016, The Alex Trebek Stage; formerly Studio 10)
* '' Snoop Dogg Presents The Joker's Wild'' (2017–2019)
* '' Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time'' (2020, The Alex Trebek Stage; formerly Studio 10)
* ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire'' (2020–2021; 2024–present, Studio 29)
* '' Celebrity Wheel of Fortune'' (2021—present, Studio 11)
* '' The Celebrity Dating Game'' (2021)
* '' Jeopardy! National College Championship'' (2022, The Alex Trebek Stage; formerly Studio 10)
* '' Celebrity Jeopardy!'' (2022—present, The Alex Trebek Stage; formerly Studio 10)
* '' Jeopardy! Masters'' (2023—present, The Alex Trebek Stage; formerly Studio 10)
* '' Pop Culture Jeopardy!'' (2024–present, The Alex Trebek Stage; formerly Studio 10)

Reality

* '' Shark Tank'' (2014–2020, 2021—present)
* '' The Gong Show'' (2017–2018)

Sitcoms

* '' Perfect Strangers'' (1986-1993)
* ''Full House'' (1987-1993)
* '' Family Matters'' (1989-1993)
* '' Step by Step'' (1991-1993)
* '' Married... with Children'' (1994–1997)
* ''The King of Queens'' (1998–2007)
* '' That's My Bush!'' (2001)
* '' Living with Fran'' (2005–2006)
* ''Cavemen'' (2007)
* '' Rules of Engagement'' (2007–2013)
* '''Til Death'' (2006–2010)
* '' The Goldbergs'' (2013–2023)
* '' Dr. Ken'' (2015–2017)
* '' One Day at a Time'' (2017–2020)
* '' Live in Front of a Studio Audience'' (2019, 2021)

Talk shows

* '' Donny & Marie'' (1998–2000)
* '' The Queen Latifah Show'' (2013–2015)
* '' Chelsea'' (2016–2017)

References

External links

Sony Pictures Studios

Studio Lot History

SPE Post Production

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Studios
Film studios in Southern California
Mass media companies established in 1912
Television studios in the United States
Companies based in Culver City, California
1912 establishments in California
Buildings and structures in Culver City, California
Culture of Hollywood, Los Angeles
Tourist attractions in Los Angeles County, California
Backlot sets