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Te first and the last major motion-picture studio in Hol- lywood, Paramount Pictures on Melrose Avenue has pro- duced movies at its current location since 1926, with roots firmly planted by Adolph Zukor as far back as 1912 including “Sunset Boulevard”, “Psycho”, “White Christmas”, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, and “Te Godfather”. Television shows includ- ing “Dr. Phil,” “Glee,” and “NCIS: LA” are currently being produced on the Paramount studio lot. On 62 acres, it is like a town complete with a water tower and a “Main Street.” Navarro, Marlon Brando, and Gary Cooper. From 1953 to 1967, it was known as Desilu Cahuenga Studios, and hosted such shows as “I Love Lucy,” “Te Dick Van Dyke Show” and “I Spy.” Since 1974, Ren Mar has been inde- pendently owned and operated, the taping site of “Ally McBeal” and “Lizzie McGuire.” Newly named, Sunset Gower and Sunset Bronson stu- dios have enjoyed similar longevity in Hollywood. Sunset Gower began when Warner brothers, Sam and Jack, pur- chased a farm on Sunset Boulevard between Van Ness and Bronson in 1919, where they filmed the “Rin Tin Tin” film series and notably produced the first “talkie” film - “Te Jazz Singer” -here in 1927. Warner Bros. moved east to- ward Burbank and Paramount purchased the studios in 1954, establishing the first TV station KTLA. “Family Feud,” “Judge Judy,” and “Hannah Montana” have all been taped at Sunset Bronson Studios and it’s still home to KTLA, now part of Tribune Broadcasting. In 1922, Harry Cohn leased a property on Sunset Boulevard which became officially known as Columbia Pic- tures in 1934. Frank Capra filmed “It Happened One Night” there that year, the first film to win all top five prizes at the Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Pictured clockwise from L: Jenna Ushkowitz, Chris Colfer, Cory Monteith, Amber Riley, Kevin McHale and Lea Michele in "Glee," filmed on the Paramount lot. Matthias Clamer/FOX ©2009 Fox Broadcasting Co. In 1915, Famous Players Fiction Studios began opera- tions on Melrose Avenue with a Mary Pickford production - one of the first features to be filmed at what is now Raleigh Studios. One of the world’s first sound stages was built on this location, thanks to owner William Clune. Raleigh En- terprises purchased the lot in 1979, which is today the pro- duction site of “Private Practice,” “Castle,” and “Te Closer.” Hollywood Center Studios on Las Palmas Avenue, built in 1919, was the filming site for Howard Hughes’ “Hell’s Angels”, starring Jean Harlow. “I Love Lucy” was shot there in the 1950’s, and George Burns kept an office on the premises. Te Disney shows “Te Suite Life On Deck” and “Sonny With A Chance” are both filmed on this sixteen-acre lot. Tim Mahoney, CEO of Hollywood Center Studios since 1984, oversaw the infrastructure transformation from filmmaking site to television studio. Te history of the lot has been a benefit for doing business. “Te feedback we get from people is that they sense that they’re sort of living that history, even though all of the equip- ment is modern, and all of our studios now are HD,” Mahoney said. “So it’s sort of a blend of nostalgia and high-tech.” Ren Mar Studios on North Cahuenga Blvd. features five sound stages, lighting and rental equipment, and of- fices for rental. Beginning in 1915, it was a Metro Pictures’ backlot, and saw the production of films featuring Ramon Raleigh Studios on Melrose was the site of the world’s first sound stages. A movie studio has stood here since 1915. Actress, Best Actor, and Best Screenplay. “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” and “Funny Girl” were also produced at this location. Screen Gems, Columbia’s television arm, opened there in 1948. Since its purchase by the Pick Vanoff Com- pany in 1977, the property has been known as Sunset Gower Studios, and its sound stages have played host to a continues SUMMER 2010 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 17