Toes Beach Bridge…this connects Playa Del Rey to Marina Del Rey

Ooops!

Larry Hovis from Hogan’s Heroes fame became a photographer in this role, Venice Pier is behind the actors. This “citation” is for not having her bathing suit on as cops arrived. A year later, in 1974, Venice would become a nude beach. The only one of i’s kind. A freak show of sorts, I remember well-I was 14.

This area is jurisdiction of Pacific Division, LAPD. Our Cops are Tops!

Three camera rig that captures our stars for interior car scenes, is mounted on the hood. The things you don’t see on television.

A mega condo complex, and a park precede that apartment unit pictured above/below.

The only thing that changed in todays shot from 1973… is the rent!

1973 “Person of Interest” in Dune Buggy, where Culver Blvd. meets the Beach in Playa Del Rey

The oldest place left at Playa with a front row view of the Pacific Ocean.

Street today with a three story added home now completing the corner.

A Jeep today is parked where the Dune Buggy stop was made in 1973.

Wouldn’t you know it, more trouble on this side of the street! …We don’t even have to move Basecamp.

1973/2023

Suspect on rooftop…

Tanners Coffee, across street today.

“to protect and to serve” all this background still stands..

The white apartment behind The Shack Restaurant is the rooftop Officers Reed and Malloy are searching. The white “box” on the roof is the stairway up to this roof.

The suspect sat on Reed’s sandwich in the back seat of the squad car. A very fun beach episode.

Two-Locations at play;

We begin not anywhere near Universal Studios, this episode is titled Venice Division. Actually, Pacific Division is who responds to calls in this jurisdiction. This is one episode that’s not in need of a backlot. TV Shows, both crew and actors, love when writers put them out west along the Pacific Ocean. Who doesn’t like a day at the beach?

Starsky and Hutch would make a habit of filming in Venice Beach beginning in that series.

This happens to be the closest beach to my house and I love being down here. The planes at LAX are not only visible, they come complete with audio as the reverse thrust of engines permeates over this landscape. “CHiPs” would often film around here being close to MGM and these streets were often scouted for car stunts, as there is enough space for flipping or rolling cars on. “Baywatch” also made the leisurely drive through the wetlands from their stages at Culver Studios.

But in 1973, this was the police show to watch. It’s hard to believe but this series started in 1968. It is considered a spinoff of Jack Webb’s Dragnet. Reed and Malloy characters appeared in episodes of the parent program. 174 episodes are in the can and stored in a film vault at Universal.

“Internal Affairs” is the episode where Reed and Malloy testify in court in a case involving Police Brutality being worked by Friday and Gannon. A year later, they would have their own series. Crossovers occur because Emergency, Adam-12, and Dragnet are all Mark 7 Productions on the Universal Lot. Jack Webb was the man behind all three series.

Kent McCord played a police officer 4 times prior to Adam -12. The production of Adam -12 was to accurately depict all aspects of police procedures. Jack Webb insisted the Police Cruiser itself be considered a character. The studio purchased the cars from a local dealership and the studio prop department outfitted them to LAPD cruiser specs.

Driving scenes were filmed on public streets, but the most ambitious calls and pursuits often ended up on the Universal Backlot. A platform was developed that held three cameras and was mounted at the head of the cruiser. The center camera captured the two stars in one shot. The left and right camera captured each star respectively.

Reflections on the window became the next problem, so the glass was removed. This made the actors hair blow and created unwanted audio intrusions. Property then devised an overhang and reinstalled the glass windshield along with additional black boxes on each side side of the patrol car. This allowed for a controlled filming environment.

The script supervisor laid down on the back floor-feeding the officers lines. The director and the sound guy sat in the rear of the station wagon that is towing this police rig. This is the sequence of events needed for car interior shots-Director and sound in station wagon, remote cameras on hood, and stars appear to be driving and talking on radio. More complicated than it looks on television.

The early years of this series were mostly on the Universal Backlot. Season three started more location work off lot. In 1973, several episodes involving several different Police Divisions are depicted.

Today, well today’s a beach day episode, Venice Division style. So put on a bathing suit-otherwise a beach patrol may “cite you,” and enjoy another sunny afternoon in the summertime.

Written and Lived by…Donnie Norden

Before it was CBS, this lot was Republic Pictures.

CBS Radford, Studio City, California. The Hollywood Hills and Mulholland Drive are off in the distance.

My Three Sons family residence, in the 80’s. Talk about ruining a shot, parking stalls are delineating the street in front. That’s because many buildings double as office space and employees park their cars here to go to work. That would never have happened when this series was on the air.

I took the color picture and the B/W 10 years apart. Both trespassing…

This home was originally used in Gene Autry’s 1940 Western Melody Ranch. Then, the lot was known as Republic Pictures.

I like kids who have their name stamped on –Their Cookies! Really good idea…

Adjacent to The Wild Wild West–there was a family of boys…

What appears to be a garage is actually the side view of this home used in My Three Sons.

These rustic homes are some of the first sets you come across after hopping the near-by fence. Gilligan’s Island was once the closet set to these.

The Wild Wild West sets…

Every Western Street on any lot has a Gunsmith, Bank, Livery Stable, Provisions, Saloon, probably a brothel…definitely a jail!

Same building, over 10 years apart.

Small Town Square. Just like the TV series My Three Sons was filmed, I have both color and B/W photos from my escapades that transcend time.

Small Town Square during my first ever trespass on this backlot. Come along with me, I know where to get in, I’ll show ya! I’ll take you inside for another adventure in my forth coming book “The Uninvited Visitor”

These guys were ship wrecked in Studio City, California. The Lagoon was side by side with the L.A. River, a boundary for this studio and the place where this trespass was first made.

A tiny- New York Street was configured into this backlot.

Mr. Arnold Ziffel hams it up on a set fit for a star. Green Acres was another hit series going on. Eddie Albert turned down the part of Dad on My Three Sons. He ended up with a farm in need of repairs, a beautiful wife- Eva Gabor and lovely pig. “This has been a Filmways Presentation, Darling”

Shaggy, one of the many stars in the stable of the legendary Frank Inn. Don Grady, before being Robbie Douglas, was one of the Mouseketeers in Mickey’s Club.

American Bandstand 1967. This successful show at one time featured “The Captain” Daryl Dragon of Captain and Tennille fame. Singer and drummer in this Band, a Graduate from Burbank High School, pictured here, Incognito. A hat and glasses hide Don Grady aka Robbie Douglas, also billed as as “Luke R. Yoo”

My dad, handling “Pokey” with one of the many movie stars who would visit my street. I met Benji a few years after this photo. Glen Smith was Frank’s right hand man and trainer and lived directly across the street from me.

A Tale of Tails…

In 1943, Fred MacMurray was the highest paid actor in Hollywood, and the fourth highest paid American. When he appeared in Disney’s The Shaggy Dog, he became stereotyped and best remembered as the perfect father of three kids and a shaggy dog.

12 seasons and a whopping 380 episodes later, it finished second only to Ozzie and Harriet with 425 in the can. Eddie Albert was first offered the role but turned it down. He would fall into Green Acres and find that seven years of farm livin’ was the life for him. ABC aired My Three Sons for 5 years before moving over here to CBS. Reason being, ABC did not wish to pay the cost for color episodes.

Frank Inn was the animal trainer and every show with animals had one of his on set, at least. Frank owned and trained other stars including Arnold the Pig, as well as another young budding star on another TV series, Petticoat Junction. The terrier was uncredited in that series, but went on to melt movie goer hearts as Benji. Needless to say, Benji became the biggest star of all, starring in his own feature as lead dog. Yet, I’m sure he remained loyal to those three pretty girls in Hooterville. Woof!

Fred worked a lucrative deal allowing him a 10 week hiatus while the rest of the show continued on schedule. This created continuity issues that can sometimes be observed in final edits. The show endured despite never cracking the Top 10 in ratings. It once climbed to 11-season 2.

CBS had several hit TV series going on including Gilligan’s Island and The Wild Wild West, both big favorites of mine. Robert Conrad played a thinking man’s cowboy in this series while what kid didn’t enjoy the lush settings of the lagoon located not far behind this home and street. CBS had a tight knit backlot with varying types of filming locations. This lot- located on Radford, in Studio City, still exists as does this house once occupied by My Three Sons.

An interesting side bar is Don Grady played drums in a psychedelic band while starring in this show. The Yellow Balloon. It featured Grady as Luke R. Yoo, they had a hit song that reached # 25 on Bill Boards top 30.

I originally snuck on this lot with one goal in mind, finding-Gilligan’s Island. Sadly, it no longer existed as a lagoon. Some jungle did remain in the original section that hugs the L.A. River, but no S.S. Minnow, no castaways, but a very cute, contrite, effective backlot presented itself to me in the 70’s.

In my second story book I will take you down the streets used in The Wild Wild West. Come Trespass with me, as it happened. Bring your camera. We start, as usual, with finding a way inside. Risks…of course there’s risks! That’s why its title has three W’s!

Written and lived by…Donnie Norden

A panoramic view taken below Charlie Wright’s home showing nearly the entire backlot. Tara (left) is still standing in this picture.

On a night where Earth, Wind, and Fire combine forces…

It’s evening, December 10, 1938, at 8:20pm. David O. Selznick is at the pyrotechnic controls of one of the most famous fires in Hollywood history. It will be the first ever scene filmed for the movie Gone With the Wind. The King Kong and King of Kings sets are sprayed with kerosene and set ablaze. The massive flames could be seen 50 miles away.

Culver City residents who were unaware of this event began calling emergency to report the studio is on fire. Other residents flee the area with their family in cars.

But not all residents were unaware of this event. What is not readily known, is the “GWTW Fire Party” thrown by Charlie Wright for his guests above Blair Hills, which overlooked the 40 Acres Backlot.

The eccentric Charlie Wright, at the age of 30, purchased this property in 1932 from none other than Howard Hughes, using the small fortune he made as a bootlegger. This home was made of steel and glass with a 180-degree view of the city below. Charlie struck oil less than 2 years after purchasing the property, so by his early 30’s he was independently wealthy for the rest of his life.

This 20^th Century Renaissance Man would eventually develop many patents, including compression storage and use of petroleum gas. In the 1950’s he became a real estate developer, building property on the land he owned throughout Baldwin Hills. His personally named road stretches all the way to La- Cienega Blvd. Charlie is one of the most interesting figures in Culver City History.

There is little known about the attendees of the “Fire Party” but if I’d have to guess it’s a who’s who of the affluent residents of the area including Will Rogers Jr, and possibly Howard Hughes himself. Howard had a facility neighboring Charles’ house and were best friends. Benny Pitti was also a Culver resident and neighbor with horse property close by. He and his wife had two sons that are famous stuntmen. Carl and Paul Pitti are legendary horsemen. This was the elite property surrounded by horse ranches.

The Burning of Atlanta scene is not the only significant milestone to happen for this movie on this day. Scarlett O’Hara still hadn’t been cast. British actress Vivien Leigh, newly arrived from London, dropped by the burning set to visit her agent, Myron Selznick, brother of the producer, who introduced her to David as, “I want you to meet your Scarlett O’Hara”. David was impressed and asked her to test for Scarlett and signed her on a few weeks later.

I visited his house many times while exploring the hills above the backlot and took some pictures of it that I shared in this post.

Early 1971…

I first set foot on this hilltop in a mission to map Desilu from above. The entire backlot presents itself from the bottom of this hill and from the upper reaches. My pal Jimmy and I wanted to sneak in the 40 Acres backlot from the moment we first laid our eyes on it. We would ride our bikes all around the streets that surrounded the backlot, looking through the chain link fences. We could see Hogan’s Heroes and parts of Stalag 13, as the show was still in production back then. A guard tower could be seen on Lucerne. As tempting as this backlot was, the same fences we looked through had postings…Guard Dogs on Duty. With vicious German Shepherds painted above the warning.

Jimmy and I were infatuated with this place ever since we saw Batman drive by in the Batmobile, while looking through the fence on Higuera Street. I was a kid who owned a Bat Cape and mask, which I wore looking for the Real Batman. We were too young to “break the law” in the 60’s. Just riding our bikes that far was an adventure. I lived next to MGM, Desilu was pushing the limits as kids on bikes at that age. We had to settle for fenced out views, never actually seeing these guard dogs.

That is until we ventured up the hilltop overlooking the backlot. We then confirmed…Dogs exist!

Three German Shepherds with a security guard could be seen on the Desilu Western Street. We finally realized they have to be with a handler. The La Ballona Creek didn’t even have a fence, the dogs had to have supervision. We were doing due-diligence in the years preceding our vocation to be trespassers. We could watch Hogan’s Heroes be filmed from the safety of this hilltop. This view overlooked the Burning of Atlanta, long ago.

We had no idea the history we were looking down from. This backdrop, often seen in Andy Griffith, Star Trek, Gomer Pyle and The Untouchables was basically an extension of the 40 Acre backlot as Hollywood’s cameras capture scenes below.

The Backlot above…The Backlot

We explored this hilltop before ever setting foot in Desilu, and there was much to see. A compound with barb wire fences and security existed up here too. Signs indicate it belongs to “Hughes Tool Company.” In the distance you could see high rises in Downtown Los Angeles, San Pedro’s Vincent Thomas Bridge, LAX, and the Pacific Ocean. This is a strategic vector for Hughes Aviation and radars operated from here for Howard Hughes Airport, which we also overlook. This place was secured and in operation. It too had guard towers inside, like Stalag 13 below.

We followed a dirt road outside the compound fences and came to an isolated home with several cars, covered in dust that was occupied by this guy named-Charlie Wright. Since it was clearly occupied, we ventured only outskirts. Horse stables were spread out connecting different properties.

Our goal was to surveil Desilu and snoop out the safest way to trespass the backlot below us. Little did we realize how much sneaking around we would be doing above the Desilu lot.

In the years going forward, we spent ample time- up top here. It was part of the backlot. The part that you see when on the backlot movie ranch itself. Sitting in our forts we would later build at Andy Griffith’s house and in the Mayberry R.F.D. barn house, our views were of this hilltop. It’s like we spliced film history together.

Presently…

These structures have all been removed. A stairway to the top is a popular workout nowadays with no mention at all of the historic nature that preceded the observation deck and visitor center that greets you now.

Charlie lived on the property until his passing in 1991 and his house was demolished 10 years later. It wasn’t until recently I was contacted by Lee Phillips, who asked me for pictures of this residence, he then shared the house history and this GWTW pool party, told to him by Charles Wright.

Little is known about Charlie Wright, even though two streets are named after him (Wrightcrest Dr. & Wright Terrace).  If anyone has any other information about the GWTW party or Charlie Wright, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

Written and lived by Donnie Norden

The massive fire created from the burning sets could be seen 50 miles away.

Superman up on Charlie Wright’s hill, with Tara in the background. George Reeves has a history with the Tara set, as he played Stuart Tarlton in the opening scenes of Gone With the Wind.

All of the Fire Departments in the surrounding areas were working overtime for the fire.

David O. Selznick Telegram: You have missed a great thrill. “Gone With the Wind” has been started. Shot key scenes at 8:20 tonight and judging by how they looked to the eye they are going to be sensational! Notice the guy with the hose, and his shadow following him- bottom center.

Vivien Leigh and Myron Selznick (circled) showed up late to the fire, with DOS standing bottom right. Myron and Vivien rolled in about a minute and a half after the final building had fallen and burned.

David O. Selznick stated: Saturday night I was greatly exhilarated by the Fire Sequence. It was one of the biggest thrills I’ve had out of making pictures. First, because of the scene itself and second, because of the frightening but exciting knowledge that Gone With the Wind is finally in the works.

Even the MGM Fire Department was there to assist in case of a potential spread of the blaze to homes or the dry brush in the hills above.

Charlie’s house and palm tree can be seen in the background of many telivision shows. This is a post backlot demolition pic.

Arrow shown is Charlie Wright’s Glass Mansion residence. Building to the right is Howard Hughes’ Airfield Radar Station. An Antenna is spotted there in this screen grab from Gomer Pyle episode “Blow your Top” One of my favorite episodes. Howard sold this “Hilltop” to Charlie when Standard Oil discovered oil. Derricks sprouted up all over reaching just beyond MGM Lot 3. Howard would later lease part and parcel a section of this hill top that overlooks his airfield, now known as Playa Vista.

Only the palm tree is visible in a scene from the Andy Griffith Show.

Another scene showing Charlie Wrights’ home, this time in Hogans Heroes. Picture on right is how it appears today. Charlie’s house removed. The next time you watch one of your favorite televisioin shows, be on the lookut for Charlies home!

Bonanza filmed on the Desilu Backlot having been affiliated through parent company Paramount. Once again, these two studios stand connected. The Charlie Wright complex sits perched on the hill top above.Paramount at this time had a man made hill on their Western Street, Hills and the Old West Streets just go together. This Barn is very near-Stalag 13. The infamous tree stump is rope toss close to here. This is the barn where Maureen and I first-“Rolled in the Hay.” That’s a fun story you can read in my first book ” Hole in the Fence.”

LTR John Elwell (L), Charlie Wright (C) and Lee Williams (R) the guy who contacted me an told me about the life of Charlie Wright...Thanks Lee for back engineering the rest of this story with me. When I discovered this house, I had no idea its glorious past.

When paved streets become dirt roads, you have arrived at Charlies residence. Not Charlie Manson, Charles Wright. This was his entrance which is exactly the same driveway today. The Palm Tree still remains, all that’s missing is the home itself.

The roof of Charlie Wright’s tropical fish aquariums. There were about a hundred aquariums underneath that roofed structure. Pallets of valuable Black Coral lined the outside. Just one one of Charlies hobbies. This guy was an an extreme entrepreneur, yet somehow forgotten.

Red brick pathways extend from the house to the pool.

Landscaping planters lead you to the pool.

We arrive where the ” Gone With the Wind” pool party took place.

City veiw from the swimming pool

In this 1999, after Charlies passing this house sat vacant. The film 8 MM, starring Nicolas Cage, used both Charlies house and Hughes facility as locations. The house had been neglected, this section was a car port. The pool rim is on right side of photo. This ain’t Charlie pictured.

Pool and changing room.My son Jeff is in the empty pool, my dog Chester is on…The Hunt.

My kids, Christy and Jeff, with our two dogs back in 1999. We our inside the abandoned party home.A simple floor plan, one bedroom, one bath, a kitchen, and a living room entirely of glass and ornate tile from somewhere in this world.. This guy got around…

Abandoned, above Los Angeles. Stuffed animals along with two real dogs from a squatter family that occupied this home after Charlie died.

Interior shot I took standing outside of the home. A simple build, one bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen with a large dance floor type. living room. Picture taken looking in from outside.

View from pool, the industrial site below was Mayberry. Prior to that that, Atlanta.

This marble slab was recovered from outside Charlie’s home. Chuck traveled the world in search of cool stuff. This was sitting outside his aquarium annex. He had tropical fish from around the world and roughly one hundred aquariums inside. Pallets of super valuable rare black coral were stacked next to this marble slab I have inside my house. Scripp’s Institute of Oceanography worked a deal with Charlie, paying his property taxes for access to his his property and valuable imports. Charlie surfed the world.

The circle was where the pool was situated which is now Baldwin Hills Performing Stage.

1939 Deluxe Lobby Card showing an artist rendition of the Burning of Atlanta.

I took this picture in 1973. Taken directly in front of Goobers Gas Station, just left of frame. Cars lined up for service. Gomer barracks are directly behind me. Usually, Army trucks get parked here blocking the view of this filling station during Gomer Pyle’s barracks and camp scenes. The left arrow indicates Charlie Wright’s estate and right arrow Hughes Airfield radar facility combine on one hilltop. This dirt road follows along the La Ballona Creek and forks close by taking you past the Atlanta Depot. This area looked exactly like this in 1938- GWTW. Another iconic set would get built here in the mid-sixties…The Hogan’s Heroes Bridge, I”ll take you on top of that bridge with a handful of drunken Marines, a brawl takes place between soldiers and vandals. Needless to say who won. My new book “The Uninvited Guest” will take you down these same roads, dare come with me!.

I took this picture in 1976, the lot was decimated. Charlie Wright’s home actually looked down on “several fires,” most all started by vandals. In foreground right, a charred barn lays in waste. Top of hill two oasis’s, Charlie’s place left side, the trees on right mountain top surround Howard Hughes facility.

Train car 8142 can be seen in the upper left, which was used in the Burning of Atlanta scenes above. Lunch time for the cast of GWTW…it takes a lot of food to feed an Army. Scarlett’s double can be see in the lower left corner. Follow the hill slope and you can see Heinz 57 indentured in hillside. Charlies place looked down on Hill 57 into the 40 acre ranch. Charlie could have his own lunch with his feet in his pool- watching GWTW cast/crew eat theirs. “Pass the ketchup!”

GWTW burned Atlanta December 10, 1938. In December 11, 1916 this is how the area looked. No-backlot yet, Thomas Ince would play a significant part starting the film industry in Culver City. This is how the area looked pre-Hollywood. 57 stands for Heinz Ketchup. At night -57 lit up.

Two streets are named after Charlie Wright near his former residence. A toast is in order” Cheers Charlie!”

This lake formerly called Singapore Lake, became Jaws Lake, April 10, 1976. A year after the release of the smash hit “Jaws”.

If this shark could talk, he would complain of over usage, average attacks on summer days equal=Thirty trams-based off 6 tours a day for drivers equals 180 terrorized tram attacks. This animation shut down more frequently than any other. One overworked shark. He’s a high maintenance piece of machinery. His name is Bruce, the same name of Steven Spielberg’s lawyer.

Still a most popular animation…

The teeth on the original Jaws are hilarious and terrifying at the same time.

Singapore Lake has a new name… Amity. Watching over this fine community is… The Psycho House.

Pink and White Tours, the funner of the two tram styles. Super Trams replaced these originals. Less confining, more intimate. This version of tram holds 125 guests. Super Trams, Blue in Color, hold 175 passengers…like a Jumbo Jet on wheels.

Trespassing-Universal Style. A view from my castle, my favorite set on the lot.

Trespassing photo, taken by me from back porch of Boo Radley home.

This area became Cabot Cove for Murder She Wrote, starring friend Angela Lansbury.

McHale’s Navy first sailed these Shark infested waters in PT-73

Not the image you want to see when you’re swimming

That fisherman resurfaces quickly to be attacked repeatedly. Poor Chum… Blood and fire would later be included in this experience.

Here he comes!

This Great White Shark was responsible for many empty beaches after release of the movie.

Fishy out of water… for repairs.

The ever changing tour route since 1964. Studio Sea “pictured” contained PT-73 prior to having a Great White Shark.

This billboard is located at Universal itself, promoting the film to the Pink and White Glamour Trams.

You could not escape the peril of this “Great White” in 1976. Even Hollywood Blvd, isn’t safe… Still isn’t!

A shark is born, or at least fabricated with a permanent resting site about to become Amity Island

This lake formerly called Singapore Lake, became Jaws Lake, April 10, 1976. A year after the release of the smash hit “Jaws”.

Same angle, fisherman capsized. Over 40 years apart. The Super Tram replaced the Pink and Whites.

Today’s version, fire, brimstone, and blood. Four attacks or “snaps” per tram, one for each tram car. He’s now a senior citizen, we grew old together.

A copy of the Shark’s Dental records over the decades.

More modern effects-Same one trick shark!

“Keep your arms and legs inside the tram please.” a special thanks to Paul Farese for sending me his 1976 tram tour picture. Nice shot Paul, still got two arms right?

This place involves a pivotal transition in the future of Universal’s backlot expansion. Notice the barren hillsides. Earth movers have reshaped the hillsides in what was a true wilderness area. Similar to Topanga Canyon, a place where people working at the studio have disappeared., to be found later on. Ghost stories of incidents from the past were fun “pow wows” when doing all-nighters on the backlot.

Over 40 years later…Same dock as previous picture.

Welcome to 1976… My forever pal “Maureen” and I grew up together reading Mad Magazines on studio backlots.

Seems like everyone had one of these shirts after the release of the movie in the summer of 75

High maintenance star…

In honor of Shark Week, I present to you, Jaws…Tales from a Trespasser..

Growing Old with a Shark;

We first met tentatively, since I was trespassing in his world. There were other fish in the sea I needed to worry about other than just this confined- Great White Shark. Singapore Lake has been his home since 1976. The first time we were introduced was on a Pink and White Glamour Tram that I managed to sneak on at a tour rest stop located in a boarding area up at Prop Plaza. Tour Guides call him “Bruce,” named after Steven Spielberg’s attorney.

“Bruce” likes to attack guests, making him very popular. He already has a Box Office smash under his belt titled” Jaws ” Bruce wasn’t in the actual film, nor was this lake. Universal Studios turned America’s fear of sharks into a mega dollar Bonanza. Drinks are served in Shark cups, cool T-Shirts have sharks on them, with their snouts and jaws ready to pounce on unsuspecting swimmers. When this ride opened, it was must see, today, 47 years later, it still is on the much shortened and watered down backlot tour.

As it would turn out, Mr. Spielberg and I have something in common; “we” began as trespassers. On my first tram tour, I heard a tour guide boast about Steven sneaking on the lot while attending film school at Cal State Long Beach. He set up an office on the lot in an abandoned space. I was doing the same thing and had “offices” at multiple studios. MGM and Desilu amply provided me with the finest of accommodations, which I call “forts” in 6 backlot locations. I had one upstairs in Andy Griffith’s house. I was fortunate to later meet Ron Howard, and told him “we kids” built a fort in your upstairs bedroom. That kicked off a wrap session of all things Desilu between Ron and me, at a craft service table located on Stage 27 at Universal. He embraces the past, and is the only “kid” to have more experiences on that Backlot Ranch than me. It’s a small world in Hollywood, as I digress. But, trespassing opened many doors for me.

Trespassing isn’t an exact science. I like to compare it to battlefield conditions. Slow advances, one doorway, one building, one street at a time. Each village needs to be liberated. I was polished by the time I set foot on Universal’s dirt roads that never seem to stop. I would soon realize this is a much easier and calmer experience than at MGM, where everybody knew me. Here, at Universal, I have amnesty. Yep, like what Alias Smith and Jones wanted!

My face wasn’t on “Most Wanted” Posters here, like they were at MGM guard shacks. Special agents with the long arm of the law weren’t on my trail like bloodhounds. I was free to roam the outback, let my hair down, and just be me. The oldest part of the backlots were my preference. That coincides with where most the tram animations exist. I hid from trams-rarely if ever seeing any security. I wondered why MGM and Desilu didn’t capitalize on this tram tour thing… “What do I know, I’m just a kid with a passion.”

Inanimate objects became my friends here first, the train, the shark, a castle built for a king were all mine to spend time with. I’m just a kid with a castle. I became bolden, approaching sets while they filmed on the backlot. I met Lou Ferrigno, covered in all his green paint from head to toe. He was massive in size, like he stepped out of a comic book. I watched him fire a Flame Thrower on Universal’s Brownstone street… right after shaking his giant hand. One of the coolest memories I have on this lot.

When I became a tram driver in 1984, I was being trained in all things I have already done, but in reverse. Now I was the one triggering The Runaway Train, The Great White, The Flash Flood and The Parting of the Red Sea. These were formerly my hangouts when I snuck in this enormous backlot.

These days the Trams are Blue, a wide body version of the old Pink and Whites. It’s like driving a 747 Airliner around an airport. These trams now are 120-ft long and pull three trailers which tend to disappear around turns, only to reappear as the tram straightens out. The Tram is the most important vehicle on the backlot pavement and receives a “full right of way.” Paying customers rule this kingdom.

Trams can’t back up attached to multiple trailers so it’s important to follow a constantly changing route map. Even good plans sour often and those mistakes which usually involve filming, become legendary around these parts. I’ve seen a lot of those, shall we say “Out takes.”

To work an entire 35 year career in a place where you acquired your first training as a trespasser is a path few have navigated. A bit of skill and instinct along with tempered fear is how I grew up on all these major backlots. I’ll bet no one can say they rode “The Runaway Train” shotgun to the dummy engineer who shouts the line “Lookout I can’t Stop!”...but he always does, over and over. One track mind.

As the sands of time shift forward, I would work on a wide variety of productions at Universal, including the Jaws sequel back up at Falls Lake. The shark named “Bruce” became a staple here at Universal, and Spielberg’s office turned into Amblin Entertainment. I’m proud to know that we all three share a common bond, we grew old together in this fabulous kingdom still haunted by a Night Gallery of Monsters, Giants and Spirits in the Night.

Written and lived by…Donnie Norden

Absolutely Ghoulish…I’ve spent many a night in this normally pitch dark area of the backlot. Full moons rising above this house are priceless…What you may not know is this home sat in three different locations. Follow me to each…

Compare to color picture…

My first ever Psycho House picture on my first camera sneak in. A dead match with this old B&W. Another historic movie set conquered. Little did I know I would get a full access pass for decades to come when I took this photo.

Everyone’s favorite Haunted House.

The Grand Master at his most famous set.

As a kid I built a model of this house. I love Haunted Houses. I visited The Munsters house that same day I visited Hitchcock’s.

Denver Street is located in proximity to this isolated but already iconic Hitchcock set. Original location just above Singapore Lake. Notice how decrepit and aged the interior of this famous house is, it required a lot of rebuilding to handle all the shuffling it would encounter.

Location number two for the Psycho House. Few remember this location. Distant, left hand side of picture. Foreground is the future and final parcel of land this house will find itself at.

A side angle of location two. The Ice Tunnel is just below the change in elevation. This was a “picture stop” on a paved road on tram route before proceeding into the spinning tunnel of ice. These are very special pictures no one else has, and I was trespassing at this time. Few remember this temporary one year location.

This picture would turn into Universal Studios. Taken from the Hollywood Hills, archives presented me this grand picture. No Freeway, no Barham off ramp, before the famous Hollywoodland sign. Just pastures and lots of farming. Today, this is one of the busiest intersections in the world. Today, the 101 Freeway, Barham Blvd, Cahuenga Blvd intersect the Southwest corner of Universal Studios.

A modernized for today’s tourists– CityWalk towers in background. Log Cabin used in “Shooter” starring Mark Wahlberg… On a deserted “dead end” road” nearby where I I took this picture from, I encountered a “Bob Cat” while I was running power from a shooting station panel.” I Saw him as he saw me-we both did double takes” as he came down from the hillside. He then kept moving down into the lot. Had I been attacked in this area, no one would find me right away. Film companies sometimes use this desolate dirt road area.

Location two, third and final photo. The Hollywood Hills dominate the background. The 101 Freeway winds through the Cahuenga Pass in-between this house and those hills. Universal looks down on the freeway. This is the backend of the studio, going forward a long ways, Crystal Skull, Indiana Jones built the Ant Hill set way back in this area. Our hero had his hands full being chased by soldiers amongst these massive dirt mounds created by ants you could not step on. Brand new Super Trams in foreground, replacing the Pink and White Glamour Trams. 21 new 747 Jumbo size trams would transform the tour. 1981 or 82, time of these pictures. I was an “Uninvited Guest” at that time.

Third and final location, as it sits today. Bates Motel, foreground. The War of the Worlds 747 Crash now sits behind this iconic set. All get used in the world famous “Halloween Haunts” in the month of October.

I have a feeling we’re being watched…

Let’s go inside, shall we? Front door-both sides.

Inside, some of this house still remains, but much need repairs replaced old, rotted wood. The original location had the backside exposed to weather. It aged gracefully, never expecting to move. Welcome to Hollywood, move it did. She still remains today as Universal’s defining set. It was cross braced for the move up the hill, then rebuilt when it arrived in the final location. Since trams would drive under it, it had to be fortified. It now has four walls, a roof, and a locked front door.

Look what’s behind the curtain…A more recent Mother. The last one was kidnapped! Mother is attached to a motor to rock her chair, back and forth.

I was right, Mother had her eyes on us… I had to twist my daughter Christy’s arm to get this photo upstairs where few go.

A low budget film that features this iconic house…

This set majestically reawakens in each location it is set down upon. Like a cat with nine lives, it will no doubt remain to send a chill down the spine of generations to come. I’ve spent many a full moon with this set. Coyotes roam free up here and howl in the moonlight.

Under a full moon, we begin…

No set in Hollywood History presents itself quite as haunted as this. Perhaps, because it sat isolated for most of its history, on a hilltop, surrounded by steep canyons and covered, thick brush hillsides. At night, it sits off the beaten trail. All angles look upward, making it more imposing. A large pack of coyotes roam this area from dusk till dawn. Many tram guests have spotted these predators, who attempt to capture the deer that live here. A herd that survives all things Universal can throw at them as they graze the grasslands that surround the nearby stream and Falls Lake.

This is Topanga Canyon studio style, on maps it’s known as The Wilderness Area. A Hitchcock inspired backdrop haunts the landscape in all directions, summoning a keyed up feeling from within. A fight or flight instinct lays in wait. I have been told stories of studio visitors becoming stranded up here, getting stuck on dangerous dead end roads, while Mother keeps tabs from her chair.

Sound effects include;

Universal is 24/7 and the pre dawn hours are hunting hours. Moonlight is the only light up here. Owls “hoot’ in satisfied tones. Ancestors of generations worth of these silent, feathered predators. Bullfrogs have deep loud Jug -o-rum calls. Like a cow mooing, that’s why it has a “Bull” prefix. They provide the deep base sounds for this wilderness band that performs in the nearby ponds and streams.

Crickets dominate the sound effects as if they were The Bee Gees, providing their own Night Fever soundtrack for the creatures living in this wilderness. Bats thrive here, once your eyes acclimate to the darkness, a strange Moondance takes place around this home, with little bat whines hardly decipherable to the human ear. Coyotes howl like a chorus line when involved in a hunt, they live here, we just work here. This area takes on a identity that gets erased as the sun comes up.

Only to reappear at night, like a Las Vegas show. Speaking of bunny rabbits, they are everywhere-by the hundreds, before the sun wakes up this extensive canyon for human occupation. Then the sounds of equipment, particularly trams, restart the industrial revolution. But that’s not allowed until 7am, so not to wake the neighbors who live above all this craziness.

Sometimes security does set watch up here. All night, sit in a chair, exposed to the elements, just you and…them. When I spot a new guard, I know I have a captive audience. I tell them what to expect up here, besides sometimes brutally cold weather. I start, “Didn’t the Watch Commander tell you the dangers up here?” I continue to the stunned patrol person, “It’s the most haunted area on the backlot, just something to think about!” -“You could become – the hunted.“ I stop there, not wanting them to quit.

I give them a powerful work light or two, show them the whereabouts of a rolling phone…just in case, then wish them good luck on their new job.

The fun never stops up here, it only rests a bit…

Written and Lived by…Donnie Norden

Inside the Psycho House: A Nighttime Adventure

Venturing into the iconic Psycho House under the enchanting glow of the full moon is an experience like no other. As the studio and its surrounding wildlife come alive, a sense of trepidation and excitement intertwine, capturing the essence of a Hitchcock-inspired adventure.

The imposing silhouette of the Psycho House looms against the moonlit sky, exuding an aura of mystery and intrigue. Stepping over the threshold, the atmosphere is thick with history and untold stories, amplified by the nocturnal symphony of the surrounding wildlife.

As we traverse the interior, the moonlight dances through the drapes and windows, casting eerie shadows that seem to come alive. The presence of Mother is palpable, her rocking chair creaking in the stillness of the night. Despite the need for repairs to replace old, rotted wood, the house retains its haunting allure, a testament to its enduring legacy in Hollywood.

Outside, the sounds of the wilderness intertwine with the studio’s bustling energy, creating a dichotomy that is both exhilarating and unsettling. The howls of coyotes and the hooting of owls form a haunting soundtrack, while the distant hum of the studio’s activity adds a surreal layer to the experience.

As the moonlight bathes the surroundings in an ethereal glow, the Psycho House stands as a testament to the enduring power of storytelling. It is a place where the lines between reality and fiction blur, where the magic of cinema converges with the mysteries of the night.

Join me on this unforgettable journey to the heart of cinematic history, where the Psycho House reigns supreme under the watchful gaze of the moon.

Written by Donnie Norden

The Opera House remained forever after, built into the stage itself. No other stage on any studio lot has ever been named for one particular picture.

Close up of details inside the stage. This set aged gracefully.

The west side of the- Paris Opera House…Yours truly took all these color photos.

The opera set balconies only take up a section of this massive, elegant stage. This atmospheric location mesmerized the creative minds of film makers and was a most popular destination for filming. If any stage is haunted...it’s this one.

The opposite side “east” on a different day. Movie Caterers use this stage to feed the crew on large shows when it doesn’t have sets in the way. Workers know to go upstairs into the balconies to catch a “cat nap.” Some balconies have hammocks strung inside.”

Center of Opera House. Two massive “elephant doors” are located just behind this Grand entrance. The engineering of these doors was simple and effective for eternity. First you pull a hanging chain that raises it off the floor. 2 inches is all you need, these doors are heavy. Then a wheel the size of one found on an ocean liner is turned for travel, opening the door. There are 2 sets of these and this is how shows “load -in.”

Behind this curved entranceway are 2 large square ‘Elephant Doors.” Like a funnel , this opera set doorway restricts what can load in through here. The outer doors being much bigger. Another set of these “Elephant Doors” sits unobstructed on Southside of stage and is where “big stuff” enters inside.

West side of Opera House

The Real- Paris Opera House this was copied after.

Horror movies is where Universal sets itself apart from other studios. The Studio where Monsters roam free.

“She’ll like me after she gets to know me.” Ghoulish fun never sleeps…

Make-up time-Chaney‘s horrific self-applied make-up was kept a studio secret until the film’s premiere. Rumor had it that Christine’s (Mary Philbin) reaction to the unmasked Phantom was real-she had no idea what he would look like until the moment he was unmasked.

This stage usually ends up with Blockbuster films. Here is a set from The Muppets.

Hardly confused with Monsters, these Muppets had a certain je ne sais quoi that made them very likable. Jim Henson’s puppets were a sensation and became quite the ticket. This Backdoor Stage set was built on Stage 28, by the real backdoor of the actual Stage. Parts of Hitchcock’s Psycho was done on this stage as were scenes from the original Dracula.

Building index…Dec, 1925. A mere 230 acres would expand to 470 acres.This was official Studio map dating back to the making of this film.

Big stage, top of photo–The Phantom Stage. Picture taken in 1920’s.

An entrance into the catacombs below the stage is located here. A metal stairway just out of view walks you up into the stage floor. Just behind this tram is a set of tours that take you to the catacombs below the stage floor. Frighteningly haunted, like the skulls under Paris. It’s proximity to tours that sealed its fate. Before Transformers was put in, the animation next door was “Backdraft.”

A Stage built with a plan…

Finished product-A Masterpiece!

Phantom Stage 28-left of “Transformers Stage”. formerly “Backdraft.’

The Phantom will never completely die and is a fixture at the tour to greet tourists.

Building 3251 is Stage 28, left photo. The right is a bit tricky. #45 is, I believe, Stage 28. Stage numbers change over years and the entire studio has recently been renumbered. More interesting is a creek working its way through the lot. The L.A. River had not been cemented yet by the Army Corp. of Engineers at the time of this original map, so a stream cuts through the lot. Bridges are needed to cross, identified in numbers by #170.

The Phantom of the Backlots walks the same footsteps as The Phantom of the Opera…

This story began a long time ago on a Stage we called # 28, on the Universal Studios front lot:

In 1925, Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel Le Fantome de l’Opera was adapted to silent film which was directed by Rupert Julian and starred Lon Chaney as the deformed Phantom who haunts the Paris Opera House, causing murder and mayhem in an attempt to make the woman he loves a star. Carla Laemmle, niece of Universal founder Carl Laemmle, played the role of “prima ballerina” when she was 15 years old, and was the last surviving cast member that graced this truly “haunted stage.”

This film premiered at the Astor Theater in New York on September 6, 1925. The final budget…$632,357. Box office return-$2 million.

Lon Chaney, Ernst Laemmle, Edward Sedgwick all assisted in directing with Mr. Julian.

This story actually begins in 1922 when studio founder Carl Laemmle, took a vacation to Paris. It’s there he met Gaston Leroux, who was working in the French film industry. In a simple remark from Carl about how much he admired the French Opera House, Leroux gave Carl a copy of his 1910 novel. Upon reading it in one night, Laemmle bought the film rights. When Rupert Julian was first presented with the script, he simply said “Lon Chaney or it can’t be done.”

Next, Universal needed to recreate this legendary, most opulent playhouse. Stage 28 was big enough to capture it in all its grandeur. Ben Carre, a French Art Director had worked at the opera and was familiar with the novel was signed on. 24 charcoal sketches later, the studio recreated all the Paris stage areas. Tres magnifique! After filming ceased, this legendary set was not torn down-due to how it was built. Partially into the walls of the stage. It became a fixture in all the decades of film to follow.

This stage and Opera House lasted over 100 years! Sadly, we would have to say Au Revoir in 2021 when the stage was torn down in its entirety. Employees at the studio had their hearts broken. This place was revered like your wise, old, debonair relative…The One who’s seen it all!

No stage in Hollywood had the charisma this stage presented once you opened the massive elephant doors. I was blessed being one of a select few who had the responsibility, of both “waking-up,” and putting this stage “to sleep.” I had a full access pass to a temperamental entity, that was state of the art in the 20’s but far from that in the modern age of film making. Learning both the stages strengths and weaknesses, I was able to quickly decipher what would be needed to facilitate today’s Blockbuster films.

This stage was in continuous use and became a destination for top directors such as Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, Gore Verbinski, and John McTiernan, to name a small few I worked with. I saw this stage in its most private moments, as the lights were shut down after a long day of filming. Only for a brief cat nap before the next long day. I shared 35 years of this enjoyment.

I had a material lock up underneath the stage that was like the catacombs under Paris, France. Instead of skulls, we stored lighting equipment. Until you could hit the light switch, this part underneath the stage floor was even more spooky than the Opera House above it.

The stage exterior was nondescript. Corrugated steel serves as a top protective layer to the iron framing, wood, thick soundproofing, and plaster. If you were ever on a tram tour, you passed along western border. VIP tours could go inside based on availability, but not when filming is taking place.

My Memories…

Where do I even begin? Spectacular sets were built inside this massive stage that had a pit which could be filled with water. The TV Series seaQuest, starring Roy Scheider, used this stage for many aquatic scenes. I was amazed by robotic Dolphins, built by Special Effects. They were so real down to their skin.

Jurassic Park, directed by Steven Spielberg, transformed this stage into a jungle complete with pre historic creatures, with the Opera House area used for video village, craft service, story boards etc.

I blew wind in Captain Jack’s face on the bow of a Pirate ship (with a Ritter fan of course). Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom sailed- set against a Green Screen.

I had lunch with Indiana Jones on the Crystal Skull. Stage 28 was being used as the catering area. He was in full costume and I had a hat I wore similar to his-he signed mine, as did practically every star on our lot. Sadly, that was stolen out of my car, it was one of a kind. We conversed about another film, years before we were on…Blade Runner. A true Gentleman…Mr. Harrison Ford.

Another Gentleman wore number 18 and played on the Indianapolis Colts, Peyton Manning. My son Hudson came on set with me to meet this Hall of Famer, my boy was a QB on the Venice Bull Dogs, who idolized this man. Also, a shout out to ESPN’s Chris Berman, who was like a big kid, we toured the lot together.

The stage would become French- Quebec style- once again for the traveling Cirque du Soleil. This troupe rehearsed their acrobatic, gravity defying, dance performing ensembles for 3 months on our stage. I enjoyed trying to communicate with this entire French speaking group. I found common ground talking Canadiens de Montreal hockey with my friends from the Nord-du-Quebec.

Final Thoughts…

The Opera House was the most iconic set of all I’ve ever set eyes on. I’ve climbed through part and parcel, running power usually. The curtains in the balcony seating areas were original. Some being see through, others a thick velvet with one thing in common… a century of dust. A stairway took you upstairs on each side of the Opera House for your journey into the past. With the stage empty and very dimly lit, this is when the spirit world is most active. A very soundproof stage can at moments-come to life in all its whimsical delights, with no time boundaries or restraints. Just yours to enjoy for eternity.

This stage was demolished for the Studio Tour and some Mario Brothers Playland.

I’m sure Carl Laemmle and Lon Chaney rolled in their graves as 28 came crashing down... I know I cried, I lost a big part of me!

Silence…Fade to Black

Written and lived by…Donnie Norden

Retracing the footsteps of Gone With the Wind in 1972

I have my own memories of these sets since I wasn’t old enough to have been there in 1938, when the rats took over the neighborhoods of Culver City, frightened from this massive burning of Atlanta. Residents still remember the creature’s exiling the backlot.

I first visited these former Gone with the Wind sets back in 1972, as a trespasser, where only the streets of Atlanta remained. Long gone was the Tara Mansion and just before my first visit to the 40 Acres Backlot, the famous Train Depot, where thousands of Confederate soldiers lay dying in street.

This weathering time capsule of a backlot, which was once rented out to David O. Selznick, still had a vibe from that movie 30 years later. You could still feel the horses and urgency from those scenes’ decades later, especially inside these buildings. The inside never got facelifts like the outside. You can stand in a doorway that has not changed, and imagine with all your senses, the sounds of racing hooves and the smell of horses, the sounds of struggle as carriage after carriage roll by in fear of a battle brewing.

All my friends and I know these streets we coerce almost every day are loaded with a deep rich history. The dust from the stage coaches and war sequences is plastered over windows you can barely see out. Floor boards creak and crack as if all this action just took place. Rope still hangs everywhere in knots that are close to 50 years old now, just withering in the wind…what was on the other end of this hemp is long gone now.

Old signs get thrown inside to fade away, sign replacement is a set decoration’s number one fix, so your mind puts you in Mayberry, not the Atlanta Mercantile Company. Old stuff that collectors today would eat up, sat rotting in these old buildings. We saw stuff that we too left behind -that I kick myself to this day for not taking.

All these buildings are just front half’s, wide open in the backsides. The backside has not changed a bit since 1938, it’s a doorway back in time, through which the actors would emerge in those marvelous costumes, each and every one on this street.

There is very little which remains of the sets from this historic movie. What’s left of Tara is located in a warehouse in Georgia, waiting to be reassembled to its former glory. The only set which remained at The Culver Studios, until recently, was the stained glass from the church, which was unknowingly thrown in the trash. Collectors and movie enthusiast seem to have a greater desire to preserve these items than the studios themselves.

It was an honor to once walk the sreets built by David O. Selznick, but my only regret is not taking more pictures and not rescuing more “souvenirs” from this playground of all playgrounds. Film was expensive and developing was more costly, for a just turned teenager.

No other movie from the Golden Age of Hollywood has had a following like Gone With the Wind. Today, you can see Christmas ornaments, plates, blankets, posters, dolls, etc. still being made and sold in department and online stores. The film has been re-released 8 times and adjusted for inflation, it’s the most successful film in Hollywood history at 3.4 billion dollars.

 “Here in this pretty world, Gallantry took its last bow”. Unfortunately, most of these historic backlots have too, taken their last bow. “Here was the last ever to be seen of Knights and their Ladies Fair, of Master and of Slave”. And due to the subject sensitivity, it’s a movie that today, could never be made. It would never pass the building inspector, yet its critics are not ready to tear it down. But when they do, you’ll have to…. “Look for it only in books, for it is no more than a dream remembered, a Civilization Gone with the Wind…”

Written and lived by Donnie Norden

This house was located on Peachtree Street (40 Acres Backlot) and seen here in the film as Rhett and Scarlett take a stroll with Bonnie Blue.

Another picture I took in 73 of the former GWTW sets with a still from the movie. Many of the facades had changed in 30 years.

Tara location before and after. Interestingly, the bricks which I do not believe are from Tara have the same brick molding (debris farthest to the right) as the top of the columns in the main picture.

A picture I took facing the area of King Kong’s gate where the burning of Atlanta was filmed.

A picture I took of what’s left of the Atlanta Railroad Depot when I arrived.

A picture took in 73′ looking toward the Atlanta Examiner, with a still from Pax Son from the making of the movie.

Here’s a rare Scarlett Perfume advertisement (Window Card) from 1940 and empty perfume bottle. This is one of hundreds of different promotional items sold when the movie first came out. The fragrances on the 40 Acres Ranch at this time were Liquorice Plants, Mint Leafs, Horses, Wood and Dirt… Ranch perfume!

Our damsel in distress in the exodus from Atlanta. In the picture I took on the right, only the brick building remains the same.

A picture from Pax Son next to a picture I took while up in the Church Tower in 73′.

Inside the Atlanta Train Depot 1939 and 30 years later.

Gone are many of the famous stages used in GWTW, which were removed by Amazon.

Unlike the sound stages in the rear, not much has changed to the main office!

A rare rear shot of Tara taken on the corner of Lucerne & Higuera and the same angle today.

A three picture progression of the 40 Acres Backlot taken 30 years apart.

For more backlot adventures, check out my book on Amazon.com

Lake Powell

Fox Movie Ranch/Malibu Creek State Park Before and After

The Ape City was built in this area which is adjacent to the Century Lake, which is no longer visible because of the overgrowth.

Malibu Creek State Park Before/After

Fox Movie Ranch and Point Dume Beach in Malibu. The movie ranch is now the Malibu Creek State Park and is open to the public.

Fox Movie Ranch/Malibu Creek State Park

The cage to hold the humans was set up on the old foundation of what was once the Crags Country Club Lodge. The private lodge was built around 1900 and subsequently torn down by 20th Century Fox after purchasing the land. 

This area currently known as the large group camping area of the Malibu Creek State Park was the location used as the area where the apes were hunting the humans in the fields of corn.

This area currently known as the large group camping area of the Malibu Creek State Park was the location used as the area where the apes were hunting the humans in the fields of corn.

The movie ranch is now the Malibu Creek State Park and is open to the public.

Fox Movie Ranch/Malibu Creek State Park Before and After

Pirates Cove at Point Dume in Malibu. A famous Nude Beach. Around the he corner is another famous location, Paradise Cove and its iconic little pier.

The final scenes take place in what is known as Pirates Cove at Point Dume in Malibu. A splendid place to surf!

The costumes were extremely revealing for impressible, young, soon to be teenagers, especially on the big screen.

Hours in the make -up chair is how your day begins…

Roddy and his classy Quellazaire, used by both men and women.

No one smokes a “Fag” as eloquently as Audrey Hepburn.

MGM Backlot 2…1974. Pictures from Donnie Norden collection. No Cameras on set!.

Arc Lights glowing above a Subway. An Earth Quake is about to take place.

Roddy McDowell in Blue Robe, smoking, fresh out of hours of make-up, going over first scene of day. His cigarette smoke rose upwards and I shared this “smoke” with him, in my hiding place.

Good time to invest into the future. All this smoking can make an ape thirsty…

Everywhere I turn they’re smoking, the only time they don’t is when the camera is rolling.

These two have been hiding out in my backyard next to other movie props.….for decades! Cool toys for cool Boys!

Spring 1968, We Begin;

Most everyone my age remembers Woodstock and the impact it had on culture in 1969, but another phenomenon proceeded this time and space. Planet of the Apes was the name of a novel written in 1963 by Pierre Boulle. It was adapted for a screenplay written by Michael Wilson and my hero, Rod Serling. Sci-Fi director Franklin J. Schaffner was chosen to lead a cast that includes two actors I would “in the not to distant future” watch act before my eyes in movies on the MGM backlot.

The early 70’s became all things apes.

In 1968, I was in a Catholic elementary school, St Augustine. “Education by the end of a ruler” as I call it. A school that prepared you for life. Some nuns you feared, like apes, no nonsense. I bring up this comparison to several scenes where apes intimidate and rule humans in a setting of caves, fields and beaches. In other words, I related with Charlton Heston, Kim Hunter and Roddy McDowell.

I vividly remember walking down train tracks all the way to the iconic Culver Theater, now Kirk Douglas Theater. The Bill Boards around town were effective and lured you in. The fact Apes could talk and became dominate over man is all the plot you would need. Needless to say, after 2 hours of popcorn and candy, the walk back home was surreal. This is what movie making is about. We were captivated by what my Pal Jimmy and I just witnessed. A fast walk to the theater changed to a slow walk home alongside good old MGM.

Both of us go to different schools, and quickly this film spread like a wild fire. Nothing was ever done like this before. For an eight year old, this was frighteningly real. You wouldn’t want to run into this group of Apes on Horses, with rifles no less.

Locations included California, Utah, and Arizona. The final cost was $5.8 million dollars. It returned a whopping $33.3 million into the pockets of the producers. It received honors for Best Make Up, Best Costumes, and Best Original Score. It launched a franchise, 4 sequels, a television series, an animated series, comic books and tangible items such as lunch pales and costumes for Halloween.

Fast forward 1974…The T.V Series

By now, the world could not get enough of this concept, I’m now 14 years of age. I already started my backlot trespassing lifestyle, watching Charlton Heston in another thriller, Soylent Green, on the MGM backlot in 72.’ Imagine my surprise when truckload after truckload of broken cement was delivered to MGM’s backlot for use in a T.V Series of the same name, Planet of the Apes, 20th Century Fox Television…starring Roddy McDowell.

In my book Hole in the Fence, I take you with me on set. I meet Roddy, an absolute Gentleman and a kid from the MGM stable himself. I wear Urko’s helmet while the crew took lunch. I slipped on ape hands, then toted a rifle. MGM security saw me in costume and totally flipped out. I looked pretty intimidating.You can read the rest in my book.

Sadly, do to the high cost of filming, the series was discontinued. Not before Roddy McDowell escorted all the neighborhood kids who were trespassing- onto the set. Like he is one of us.

I excitedly watched every sequel made in this franchise leading up to this T.V series. Never in my wildest imagination could I have imagined I would live this.

Final memories;

Yes, Apes smoke cigarettes, all the time. They read newspapers and follow the stock market when not in scenes, they also make phone calls on rolling phones, to their agents. They eat meals, in costume, removing what garments they can in the hot summer sun. Horses have gun holsters and finally, No Cameras, allowed on set.

Today, I bring you back to simpler times, when apes ruled the world !

Many of the scenes from POTA were filmed at 20th Century Fox Ranch. This movie ranch is known today as Malibu Creek State Park, and has been open to the public since 1976, after the State of California bought the property from Fox in 1974. The lake in the park is named Century Lake after it’s former owners.

Stuff...

The shocking ending—in which the remains of the Statue of Liberty are found, revealing that the supposedly unknown planet is really Earth—ranks among the most famous in film history.

The immense popularity of the film resulted in four sequels: Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971), Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972), and Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973) and a TV series (1974). In addition, Director Tim Burton remade the first film in 2001. MGM or Sony -technically had an ape village built wall to wall inside Stage 27.

Written and lived by…Donnie Norden.

R.I.P …RAC-OOO

Finished product look a like…

Lets start in 1923…

It was then this imported British actor named Ronald Colman got his first lead opposite Lillian Gish, in The White Sister. It launched his career as a romantic idol in the silent era. But, Ronald had more success in talkies. Some of his acclaimed films include ( A Tale of Two Cities, Lost Horizon, and The Prisoner of Zenda)

Ronald Colman died the same year he bought this car, it’s a 1958 Facel Vega. A French Body on top of a Chrysler V-8, 325 horsepower engine block. This car was brand new. But it sat exposed, for a decade at least, with zero conditional love. It’s lost it’s owner and turned into a golden lonely orphan, parked under a fruit tree on a dirt driveway. How it got there, your guess is as good as mine. Real old people lived there. They must have in some way been connected to Mr Colman.

The elder gentlemen and owner was not into cars, so much so, he left a window down, ruining the kangaroo skin upholstery. .That was impossible to replace we found out in my dad’s attempt to restore. The sin here was, this car was brand new. The engine purrred once it was jump started back to life. The mechanical end seemed right out of the factory, but the interior aged significantly.

It moved on to our front grass for awhile as my dad always had 3 or 4 classic vehicles in our long driveway. My friend Jimmy and I often sat in the backseat, and pretended to be adults drinking and carrying on-like movie /rock stars. 93 KHJ and The Beatles played through the speakers. Ringo had nothing on us, we could match him car for car, song for song…

You can’t do a car story without mentioning two other legendary car collectors, Elvis and Mr. Steve McQueen. I hope you enjoyed the ride!

Written and lived by… Donnie Norden

“Dead Man’s Shoes” Written by Charles Beaumont. Directed by Montgomery Pittman. Aired Jan, 19, 1962

Props needed…”Shoes”…

“What You Need“-Written by Rod Serling. Director Alvin Ganzer. Based off “What you Need ” by Lewis Padgett…”What happens next-I put these on- right- they take me somewhere?”

“Now What old Man!”

“Nathan Edward Bledsoe of the Bowery Bledsoes, a man once, a specter now. One of those myriad modern-day ghosts that haunt the reeking nights of the city in search of a flop, a handout, a glass of forgetfulness. Nate doesn’t know it but his search is about to end, because those shiny new shoes are going to carry him right into the capital of The Twilight Zone”

A picture of mine-Looking down from across the way. This is where Rod introduces the opening narrative involving Edward Bledsoe and those shiny shoes…

“Just going for a drive with the boys- no there’s nothing in the trunk”…Rod’s intro done on stairway behind car.

One of the three passageways into this secluded area…

Entrance to alley from Eastside Street.

This building is being knocked down by bulldozers…This was same alley Limo turns in.

“Time to get up and stretch my legs”

This was one of my very favorite spots-center of New York City. Three entrances combine under this stairway.

“Might as well have a drink!”

“Coast is clear-dump him here”

Upstairs, across from Hobo stairs-looking down on deceased drop off point. I took this picture on a rainy day on the backlot.

“Poor fellow- sure has some nice shoes”

“Good place to sleep up there”

Up -There –different angle on our Hobo stairway.

The final moment of this most iconic stairway. I wanted this so bad, I’ve run up and down this a million times-recreating every movie scene ever done. My first view of filming on these stairs was Charlton Heston looking down in Soylent Green.

This wise old owl and I became friends. Center picture-white head, focused on me. A pair of them could be found up here sleeping in daylight, hunting at night. On quiet nights-the owls could be heard communicating fervently at times, shrieks echo the length of the street. Owls are part of the landscape. They ended up having babies. I’m proud to say offspring- Still Exist. I saw one recently flying off with a possum toward the Columbia Pictures sign and iconic Water Tower on Lot 1. Bone piles of digested rodents made like a science puzzle. I love owls!

Recognize this?-The alley being demolished.

1975- “garbage” is set dressing.

“Those are some high falutin shoes”

Same stairs -1976. Set dressed for Popi, a short lived MGM TV project starring Hector Elizondo.

Camera Marker-“Action”…My favorite words.

“I feel rich”… just strutting along.

“I like your shoes,- I’ll trade ya”

1980- Same angle our actor begins his feverish walk upset at our street vendor. Damaged vehicles are left over from the TV Series “CHiPs”

“What gives old man?”

“Get out of the way!”

“This is not what I need!”

“First, my tie gets caught in the elevator-now this!”

Where the trucks are parked in this picture is where the impatient man in those magic black shoes was struck down, on that corner. August 1973-“Lemon-Up” commercial being filmed.

The same area as the hit and run– long before the television series existed.

Larry Blyden gets killed in this alley and goes straight to “heaven”

“You’re a Winner!”

Before being “Mr. French” Sebastian Cabot absolutely nails this part as Mr. Pip, the Devil’s Caretaker. “This is the other Place“

A down and out Jack Klugman befriends a trumpeter in this alley. “A Passage for Trumpet”

Sometimes, taking the high road in battle tested running shoes is “What you Need“ -to escape, that is!

“Active Lad Shoes” High performance, all terrain, acrobatic, dependable, and silent- except when playing basketball. The “right” shoe always wears out first- due to never ending skateboarding, which we do here often.

Shoes are important on these backlots…

Fancy shoes are for entitled hobos and movie stars. Trades and craftsmen wear boots and protective footwear. Security wears polished, shiny black leather footwear that match their uniforms. Trespassers wear tennis shoes-always ready to run and scale fences. It’s on the backlot they all come together like keys on a piano.

You can tell a man’s life story by the shoes he wears. You can tell a kid’s by all the scuff marks and dirt trapped below the surface. All the dirt on my body, from my cheeks, brow, hands, etc. is from somewhere here at MGM. I’ve worn out several pairs over the years here at MGM because- that’s what kids do! That’s what moms are for…new shoes, clean clothes, and dinner.

The Twilight Zone features two episodes with shoes as the narrative. Neither “ends well ” for the guest stars who fit inside these fancy Oxfords… Death becomes them.

Many times, hiding from security searching whatever building I’m hiding in, you hear only footsteps. Some rapid, some thuds, some soft footing sneaky types. You tune in on your surroundings, especially when you’re hiding from the law. Their fancy polished shoes make noise-like a tap dancer in a MGM Musical. My tennis shoes are silent, yet comfortable. When we climb fences, we are careful not to leave scuff marks. Shoe prints on fence tops are a dead giveaway for enquiring security personnel. The fences reflect the wear and tear of shoes, the rubber marks left on metal fences tell their own shoe story.

These two shoe episodes were always especially cool since both filmed extensively on the same section of New York Street. I can’t tell you how many times we relived the hobo scene at the top of the stairway. I’ve spent many an afternoon killing time in this alley that has more history- than any alley in the world.

This alley is the same one used in Boystown in 1938. Kids are throwing fruit at one another as Father Flanagan walks down the street adjacent to our alley.

I’ll keep focused on the Twilight Zone history, since this is that post.

In “A Nice Place to Visit“ episode, Larry Blyden is killed in this alley in a robbery and discovers himself in his “afterlife”. Sebastian Cabot stars as the provider of “any wish’ and is in charge of that “other place.” Directed by John Brahm. Writer-Charles Beaumont. Season 1-episode 28.

In “Person or Persons Unknown” Richard Long -“David Gurney” escapes from an institution that has a set in this alley. Charles Beaumont wrote this one also with the same director, John Brahm, this time in season three-episode 27.

Jack Klugman and John Anderson meet- in this alley in “A Passage for Trumpet,” Directed by Don Medford, Written by Rod Serling. Season One-episode 32. Featured music by Lyn Murray, including trumpet cues.

This condensed section of the backlot is like a funnel everything channels through. It’s fairly safe, but a long way from fences. If you somehow end up being pursued, just keep climbing higher than the pursuers. Catwalks connect to other buildings allowing eventual escape. Reason being, “no one is going to make that climb if they don’t have to.” Sometimes we have no choice and I’ve had to do it at night-“the devil you see vs. the devil you don’t.”

Somehow I survived, thanks most likely to a a very worn -in pair of black and white tennis shoes with a mind and story all their own…

Written and lived by…Donnie Norden