Located on Vine Street-near Sunset

Pedro was discovered by John Wayne on this episode of You Bet Your Life. Google this episode -it’s priceless!

Rio Bravo–Pedro costarred 7 times with John Wayne,who has visited his home.

John Wayne was so many things, he spotted talent, developed it, owned The Legendary Culver Hotel which he reportedly won in a game of poker from Charlie Chaplin, and played football for USC.

Publicity Photos-Talk about a shooting star, this man became a super Nova, overnight…

“Hostile Guns” 1967. Tab Hunter, Robert Emhardt, and Pedro.

Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood,– “Come back boy, you’re needed more than ever!”

A little known, golden nugget on a spoof of Hollywood. Pedro played a Mexican projectionist in his cameo. King Kong took up much of the Paramount Lot at this time. Kong, a movie so big, it took over most of MGM also. Dino De Laurentiis occupied Louis B. Mayer’s office during this period. Pedro Gonzalez’ house was a fence hop away from the Skull Island/Shea Stadium sets at MGM. “The Uninvited Visitor” will take you there.

Pedro, working with The Monkees on the Columbia Ranch… Music fact: David Bowie’s real name is Davey Jones. He changed it to Bowie because Davy Jones from The Monkees “owned it.” My friends and I loved the Monkees! We would play their albums and pretend we were them. As a result, I like to think that I can play a pretty mean tambourine. Let us never forget the music that accompanies this generation of TV. The Partridge Family was also on this backlot.

These two character actors are side by side in a previous picture with Tab Hunter. Two of the all time best character players ever in film. In Adam-12, Pedro sees everything, he’s driving a Taxi on this episode. “Did you see any kids run by here?”-“MGM just called us.”

Pedro as a farmer in -The Flying Nun

A legend, he will live on forever! Seen here with his wife Leandra. He is buried in Culver City.

Actor Clifton Collins Jr. Grandson of Pedro Gonzales Gonzales, Pedro’s wife Leandra and Samuel Jackson. Pedro sadly already deceased before this well earned star was cemented in.

Pedro owned this entire corner, a main house with a pool, and four stone covered rentals. This was his casa across from the MGM Backlot. I was often chased down this street by Studio Security, chases didn’t always end just by jumping the fence. They came outside and continued down public streets since I was like ‘Big Game”

Backlot, trespassers entering (actors playing the part of… me!) Pedro owns the orange home other side of fence. How it was in- 1973.

This picture is the public side of the studio fence those kids are climbing over. ” Reverse Angle” Taken at Maureen’s apartment, that’s her sister’s car. Popular hangout for Our Gang of trespassers, that’s why the film used this entrance- across from Pedro’s property.

The front entrance of Pedro’s old place as it stands today. Very little has changed.

This light was Pedro’s, given to him by John Wayne. This was from and used in one of John’s films, not sure which film…Magnifico! A Special Thanks to Alex and Bethannie for opening up their home to me. They are well aware of the history preceding their ownership and help history live on. Alex is a lawyer at NBC Universal and his office is in the famous Black Tower.

“Trick or Treat Pedro“…Maureen and I wore similar costumes in 1973, We always stopped here on Halloween. I was Caesar. She was a Partridge. The following year, ironically, I wore the real deal on the set of Planet of the Apes at the MGM Backlot. Didn’t see that coming. One of the funnest sets I’ve ever been part of… Roddy McDowall, who plays the role of Caesar, befriended me and several other kids visiting the set. Read more in “Hole in the Fence,” come on the set with me. “A little bit -too much lipstick here Caesar!”

This statue was Pedro’s, it sat outside the back door of his home facing MGM Lot 2. He owned property directly across from the backlot I snuck into everyday. This sat next to a sidewalk for decades, I would touch its head for “Good Luck” before trespassing into a backlot, which had its own Lion Logo looking down over all things MGM. My own lucky Lion. This stone fella saw me run home while being chased by MGM security- regularly. A MGM guard named George Barner lived a few houses down from Pedro. Every story has a villain and George was the neighborhood villain. I cherish my history with Pedro’s “Good Luck” statue.

Today we Salute a Dear Neighbor and Friend and begin in the Mid Sixties;

We all know this man if you own a television. His career took off overnight, thanks to a guest appearance on You Bet Your Life. Mr. John Wayne was captivated by this guest, as was Groucho. This appearance turned out to be a screen test. His innocence could melt your heart. Soft spoken with wit and charm, yet not trying to be anything other than the man he is …Pedro Gonzalez Gonzales.

Following Mexican tradition of the time, he was given not only his father’s last name but also his mother’s maiden name. Coincidentally, they were the same. At age 7, he left school to join his family act called “Las Perlitas”. He married his wife Leandra in San Antonio. They were both performers and they met while playing on the same bill. She was a fifteen year old dancer, he was 17 and only death separated them. Nothing like teenage love affairs that last a lifetime.

Pedro became a stock player in John Wayne’s company for nearly two decades, until 1974. His first film was Wings of the Hawk, 1953. Pedro often played comic relief roles in Westerns. Hollywood would type cast him and he would almost always play a Mexican in a service job. I’m in no way saying this with disrespect, but Hollywood tends to categorize. Pedro was an extremely talented entertainer and one of the best loved character actors. He played the roles that were available to him and he played them well. This “branding” translated into characters that fit in almost every show for however brief the role may be. His best parts were big roles side by side with the legends of film.

He became one of the era’s few recognized Mexican Americans on the big screen and television. Pedro has been credited with influencing stars like Cheech Marin and Cuba Gooding Jr. to pursue a career in acting. Latino actors as well as African Americans were up against a wall in trying to break into Hollywood. It would seem you needed to have something Hollywood could exploit to command interest. Rudolph Valentino was known as “The Latin Lover”, but he was Italian. This title was invented by Hollywood moguls, just for him.

As a teenager at MGM, I saw two major breakthroughs. The first was “Shaft” the television series starring Richard Roundtree. It filmed on the MGM backlot, and was one of the first times an African American carried a gun and badge to bust bad guys, rather than being the “Bad Guy.” Well acted, you have to wonder why it took this long to represent a culture in a positive way. Shaft was a smashing success and revolutionized how blacks should be perceived and respected.

The second series involved a a Latin cast, starring Hector Elizondo. I’ll take you on that set in my next book. Hector played a Puerto Rican widower raising his kids in a Brownstone on the backlot. The composer was Carlos Santana…” Now we’re talking.” Only ten episodes were produced before MGM- Television pulled the cord. The series was gaining a good following, but the time slot competed with “Happy Days”. Yet “Popi” can be credited as being ahead of the curve and MGM had a role in shifting the cultural tide on T.V.

My experience with Pedro was usually just a “Hello, Nice to see you today Mr. Gonzalez” as we would pass his house on the way to MGM’s backlot. He owned an entire corner of housing. His house has a pool. The only one around this neighborhood. The next closest pool was Esther Williams’, located across the street in MGM. Two pools, two legendary actors.

Pedro had the coolest statue of a Lion, it stared toward MGM. I loved it so much I would tap it on the head for “Good Luck” on my way to another trespassing adventure. This became a custom of mine, I would sit on a tiny wall alongside and talk to it, telling it MGM stories. Something about this statue, who owns it, and how it looks toward MGM. Pedro always said “Hi” politely as we passed him to begin our backlot escapades, but we had no-time for chit chat often on return trips home, because we were often being chased. He stayed busy on his property and was always out front.

Pedro saw more than once a Red Bronco speed down his street, chasing me. The guard also lived down the street, “Hey Pedro, did you see some teenagers just run by?” would be the question of the day. Luckily Pedro knew us and liked us, instead of answering their question, he went straight into character “No hablo Ingles Senor.” Pedro never ratted us out, no one liked Big George anyway…

“Gracias Pedro!”

Pedro was like a costar in my adventures too, and Maureen lived directly across the street, my other costar and forever friend. We enjoyed “trick or treating” at his house on Halloween night in vintage costumes over the years. I remember appearing in his doorway in a Planet of the Apes mask. The kind that makes you sweat but you leave it on to stay in character. Every kid knew this well decorated house where a movie legend and his wife would politely greet you and give out a whole hand full of candy and a freshly made tamale!

Thanks for the memories you two, we will never forget your graciousness…

Written and lived by…Donnie Norden and Maureen Miller.

Post-fire aerial view of the Columbia Ranch in 1970.

It is with disheartening news that I share my personal tales of Columbia Ranch… It is now known that this lot is currently being demolished. This wonderful, western-style, movie playground will go the way of so many other former studio backlots, such as MGM, Fox, and Desilu, which have all seen this sad movie playout before: Quick cash, in the form of real estate development, will overide the movie history that has played out both inside and outside the backlot. Paving paradise once again.

Hidden within the city of Burbank is The Columbia Ranch movie facility, surrounded on all four sides by residential property. Two story homes and apartments can easily see inside this fabricated world… Right from their living room windows, residents can have a peek over the ivy covered fences that secure this iconic movie location. It’s as if they are part of famous movie sets that sit right across the street. Like having a balcony seat for a fine play. Except this play never ends… until now.

It seems escalating property values overide history every time. Who needs these old buildings and mature forest areas that lie inside this lot? 

You may think you never have seen this lot or experienced it… ahh, but you have! You have watched TV episodes that were done entirely on this lot. In the back of your mind, you might’ve wondered, just where these neighborhoods exist. The Columbia Ranch… that’s where!

The future is here, sadly…

The sprawling 32 -acre Warner Brothers Ranch Backlot complex at 411 N-Hollywood Way in Burbank, California will be overhauled to make way for the largest studio development in the United States complete with 16 new soundstages, a multi level parking structure, support facilities, and a 320,000-square foot office building.

Hollywood can’t get enough sound stages. Fairly recently, Universal also tore down the Spartacus area to add stages. Old wooden sets have an expiration dates, apparently. The lush landscape surrounding these sets falls victim to circumstances. Large mature trees and jungle settings will no longer provide shade for a Fantasy Island and will be replaced a cement parking structures.Not the fantasy I would have wished for… All my wonderful memories on this lot will now forever be preserved in the steel can my mind has become, containing Hollywood’s Golden Age memories.. I feel more than ever like a old, smokey projector, complete with the sound film makes being advanced until the final frame tells you it’s ….”The End.”

My First of many Trespassing Tales on this Backlot-New Years Day 1976

My boots first touched ground on this movie backlot in the mid-seventies.

We begin… In the shade of large forested area located behind a super market in beautiful downtown Burbank. We park just a few feet from the wall we will scale. Every trespass at every studio begins and ends with fences to climb. There are warning signs telling you to ” stay out.” We sit in Jimmy’s VW staring at our objective, the Columbia Studios backlot. We ‘”brave up” by listening to songs on the Radio. Led Zeppelin’s “Gallows Pole” is blasting through the Blaupunkt speakers. As the song concludes, we are motivated begin this entirely new to us –backlot adventure.

The three of us, Jimmy, Pat, and myself touch down on pay dirt, large trees and grass berms provide shade and places to hide at while we take in the landscape. The thrill has begone, it’s like being on another planet, like some Space Cowboys. A space capsule sits hidden and isolated like it secretly landed. We see several four-story tall buildings not too far off. Those buildings can be seen driving down Hollywood Way, a street the locked main gate is located on. The locked gate is an indication this place is probably empty.

Each set and street need to be examined. If we get chased, security has an advantage of knowing the place, and that takes time, diligence, and some luck for us to accomplish that goal. We advance like we’re in an episode of Combat, building to building, trying to avoid battle, we hope today is entirely reconnaissance. Being inside now is how we will verify, we are hoping for the lot to be empty and for the taking! Everything we see is stationary- empty streets, abandoned up scale homes, and parked cars, as if someone hit a pause button. Time has frozen still for us, it’s like we’re climbing into a picture or matte painting. We three boys are the only live action going on here today, it appears. It’s like entering -The Twilight Zone…”Where is everybody?”

Nothing so far is recognizable from things on TV, because we came in through a backstage entrance, so to speak. But after a half hour in this forested area, we head toward the big city with the tall buildings over yonder. Weaving in and out of what the studio calls “picture cars”, a huge selection of cars could double as Cal Worthington and his dog Spot’s used car dealership. Jimmy and I pull Pat by the arm so to keep toward our goal, Downtown- Columbia Ranch.

Pat has a thing for cars, he would stay here all day if we let him. But we’re going to the highest vantage point on the backlot. It offers not only great views, but a 360-degree observation of any and all activities on the lot. Following proven effective methods used on all our other lots, we sit on rooftops four stories high. A fountain sits below us, and a pool with crystal blue water, in a park setting. We have a pool at MGM, but it’s drained now, so we use that old Esther Williams pool to skateboard in. This pool below us is perfect and ready for entertaining as is the fountain just opposite it.

We are on top of the world, or Columbia anyways. We bask in our glory, another successful backlot adventure is taking place, we three sit on the roof and dig into the depths of our collective brains that are TV sets at this moment. Each of us adjust our own set rabbit ears- pointing out things that slowly are being remembered or identified from TV shows from the sixties. This truly is- TV Land.

The Monkees used this fountain in their music video “”I Wanna Buy Me a Dog”. Jimmy and I loved the Monkees and now here we are. “This is the Partridge Family Studio, I’ve seen that bus drive by here.” Before follow up with another series, we take a brief Susan Dey time out moment, teenagers have a thing for her you know… But wait, their’s more- Bewitched used that fountain also. This fountain is like the center of the universe on this backlot. We sit above all this reflecting fondly, what a cool way to start the year. Off in the distance we see the “The Stevens house” a sling shot from Dennis the Menace’s house.

We are zipping through the sixties on classic TV memories, like we do at Desilu, the studio where Superheroes come alive.

A typical western street usually has gallows at one end, a church at the other, a Gunsmith in between. A saloon, livery stables, and a chicken ranch are within walking distance. Wooden gang plank sidewalks frame a dirt road. Horse tie offs make us wish wish we had a saddled up horses. A sheriff office and a bank trim out all you could possibly want or need.

Inside these buildings are treasures, ancient lighting equipment sits ready and willing to be re-energized. Thick cobwebs cover the bulb inside the housing. This street is everything you could want in a real Ghost-town. But these ghosts are captured on film to forever display themselves when called upon.

Today, we visited two old west deserted ghost towns, the first trespass was on the CBS backlot, close by in Studio City, that was earlier this morning. We have a thing for The Wild ,Wild West and we only had to go to the valley to go back in time.

As we make our way back across the entire lot to get back to our climbing spot, Pat finds an unlocked door in a steel covered one story storage facility, it’s the property department. Small hand props are packed inside here- we touch everything. It’s like the biggest curio shop ever, odd, strange yet cool things…I am in love with a brass container in the shape of a Scorpion. It opens up to put things inside. As tempting as this is, the Robin Hood in us says “Don’t take anything.” We still have a long way to go to exit and we are already carrying camera equipment. “You would think they would lock this place”…

As neat as this room is, it really is all about these wonderful backlots. Today, January 1, 1976…we conquered two more. We head back to Culver City together this New Year’s Day-no chases, no watch commanders, just a relaxing trip back in time- to the good old days…

A priceless moment that is as fresh as the day it happened. The beauty of memories is… they can’t be bulldozed.

For more stories such as these, follow me around Hollywood’s iconic backlots. A “”Hole in the Fence is how you can enter in on these adventures and you to can become the “The Uninvited Visitor” Detailed trespassing diaries, all studios…Coming soon.

Written and lived by Donnie Norden…

Bewitched Home A utility road is behind this set along with an ivy covered fence that has Warning Signs-No Trespassing. Always how my stories begin.

Home of Mr. Wilson’s Home in Dennis the Menace, and in 1954 it also served as the Anderson Family home in Father Knows Best. And then Jeannie’s house in I Dream of Jeannie, to name a few. Trespassing at Universal, I met Barbara Eden on the set of “Harper Valley. ” She was struggling to get to get her boots on as she sat on her trailer stairs. I had just exited the Munsters House when I saw her dilemma, as any well rounded-trespasser would do, I assisted her in completing this task. My Jeanie moment !

Donna Reed & Dennis the Menace home

Partridge Family Home–What a wild family of stars- in real life.This family had a number hit song on Billboard -“I think I Love You” David Cassidy performs with Shirley Jones, his real life step mother.

Fantasy Island Home on the backlot. The second house is located at the Los Angeles Arboretum. I took this picture on later visit. Notice a slight remodel to the arches in the columns compared to the earlier pictures I took below.I met these two men while filming the second episode ever of this series, on the MGM backlot. One of my greatest tales for you to live also, in my upcoming book.

My tresspassing buddy Jimmy walking up to the Fantasy Island Home.

We have arrived, but no planes!

The Griswolds house in Christmas Vacation (center).

High Noon was filmed here on Western Street, starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly

A scene from High Noon filmed on Western Street and picture I took below. I took this picture 20 years later. After the fire in 1970, some sets were Rebuilt using the original blueprints.

Another shot of Western Street nearly the same angle, I took later in color.

Pat Rich, my old Catholic School buddy, we were a couple of renegades, dating back to elementary days. We both were told to ” Do not comeback for 8th Grade.” I celebrated being liberated and moving on to public school where I could be with my girlfriend Maureen.. Pat, on the other hand was sent to Loyola High, a very strict private school.

“Boots on the ground are boots in the air as Pat enjoys pretending he’s on a horse. More on this lad- “he always volunteers on dangerous backlot assignments. He was my most trust worthy side kick. As a private early in our trespassing days, he exhibited guts and determination. He quickly moved up the ranks after being shot at twice by an MGM Guard branching a fire arm out the window of the Bronco security jeep. Bronco Bob was the guard and the term that became widely used was coined on that day being chased off the set of Soylent Green. Pat is no longer with us and is swinging up in heaven where all Catholic School boys end up. ”

My other partner in crime, Jimmie with his camera. Although I’ve taken hundreds of pictures here, I would love to get a hold of the ones my pal Jimmy took.I’m in his pictures, he’s in mine, I have a message in a bottle hoping to someday reunite. I can’t count how many times we have had to hide face to face behind some object as security attempts to hunt us down.Several studios this came up, after all, we are trespassers. The last time that happened was on this backlot after MGM was torn down. We were seen on western street and hid inside a barn, face to face, for the last time ever it turns out and it happened on this street. We got away but security gave this place a “once over” and we could hid for the final time “”Face to Face”

Here’s some of the 100’s of pictures I took on this backlot that I’ll post soon on a future post, if anyone is interested. All these pictures are mine and trespassing is how I achieved my library

Jimmie playing with the spotlight

Columbia Ranch pool. Above right is a scene from the Patridge Family and below, a scene from the Monkees. This pool had underwater window installed for filming.

A scene from the Monkees and a picture I took that’s nearly the same angle.

Before and after showing the location of the Partridge Family Bus location.

Famous courtyard fountain. This fountain has been used in may famous telivision productions.In 1967-The Monkees out sold both the Beatles and The Rolling Stones on L.P sales.

Some of my photos are beginning to fade away. Here’s a chariot scene from Hooper in 1978.I was a guest of a bit actor and trespasser-Tim Gray. He to is no longer with us. I was sitting in a wood chair with Cowboys and Romans all around me in video village. Hal Needham was directing and watching replays of the chariot races. I asked him “what was the your favorite all time stunt?” His response was”I hold the record for the most for the most car rolls-23″ he boasted proudly. It was then “Sonny Hooper” aka “Burt Reynolds” chimed in. “Tell him the rest of the story Hal” After a pause Hal says ” I was in the hospital for three months, I had a broken spleen, collar bone, damaged ribs” as Burt begins laughing as only Burt can. My favorite ranch memory.

The Partridge family bus in front of the European Church. My picture 10 years later, below.

Two and three wheelers once raced down these streets. Marlon Brando in the Wild One and Dennis the Menance.

“Valley of the Giants”. Kids become Giants after taking a drug called Goo and terrorize the backlot. Needless to say, this could be us. Been there Done that!

The Community church seen in Valley of the Giants was rebuilt after the fire. This church separates these two iconic residential streets.

This street is what’s behind the residential street with all the iconic homes and is featured in a few Fantasy Island episodes.

It’s up here that offers the best views of this backlot. Before exploring the sets below-we analyzed the topography for both who may be on the lot but also what shows took place here.Before computers and Steven Bingen’s fantastic books-we had to do old fashioned research. This roof is where to set up your vintage T.V antenna that pulls in signals from the past.

Before starting my first trespass on this lot, we listened to “Gallows Pole” by Led Zeppelin. Unknowingly, we ran into one. Once again, backlots incorporate hill sides into their western streets. Warner Brothers, Universal, and Columbia all have this hill side gateway into the old west. This is pertinent for how the west is presented. The Hollywood sign is on the other side of that hill top.

Another angle of a turn of the century village.

Front yard view from Dennis the Menace home.

The corner intersection of two iconic residential streets.This neighborhood is the real…T.V Land.

The main gate takes you here to this area first -if you have a drive on pass. We had-No credentials.

This spaceship would make a great fort!

Another Fantasy Island set pic I took.

1981 Under the Rainbow Oz set.

Columbia Ranch boneyard. The trees yonder is the Fantasy Island sets.

Jimmy, once again, a sword in one hand and a camera in the other. We sometimes wear costumes when we run into them. Like we stepped into a movie.

This picture is a public street right behind The Bewitched home. My invitation for a challenge is posted everywhere along these very hard to climb fences. I’ve learned by doing- there is always a weak link in a chain of fences.

Before/After. A conception of the 16 new soundstages, multi level parking structure, and 320,000-square foot office building. THE END….

The Andy Griffith show filmed many episodes at Franklin Canyon Park (Meyer’s Lake) including the opening title theme song.

Many of you may remember the opening credits of The Andy Griffith Show where Opie is skipping a rock in the water or Sgt. Saunders leading his squad through a forest with lakes in the T.V. series Combat!, or even Captain Kirk falling in love with an Indian maiden on Star Trek. There is one thing all these scenes have in common: They were all filmed at Franklin Canyon Park in Beverly Hills.

In the 1930s the studios began the frequent use of the canyon for filming. The movie industry discovered Franklin Canyon’s unspoiled beauty and lack of palm trees, and made arrangements with the Department of Water and Power to use the area for filming. It was an ideal site, with its proximity to the studios, but far enough from urban development and at the time, off-limits to the public.

Private Lives (1931) was the first to film here followed by It Happened One Night in 1934. Other famous films were Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), The Manchurian Candidate (1962), On Golden Pond (1981) A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), Purple Rain (1984), Platoon (1986) and The Silence of the Lambs (1991) to name a few.

Nearly every Classic Television show filmed a scene or two here from The Rifleman, The Andy Griffith Show, Bonanza, The Brady Bunch, Wonder Woman, Combat, Green Acres, Dynasty, Lassie, Star Trek, and The Waltons. If you didn’t already know about this place, you will now be able to spot this location when it appears in a scene of your favorite show.

Unlike many of the studio backlots of the past, not much has changed here other than the receding waterline and the trees have grown. If you look closely, you can even find a shell casing in the dirt left from a battle long ago.

Today, about 25 films are still shot here annually. This park, which is open to the public, is located at 2600 Franklin Canyon Dr, in Beverly Hills and is a 605-acre backlot, nearly 3 miles long.

If you live in the area and haven’t visited this park, I recommend you spend a Saturday morning here exploring this famous backlot. And best of all, it’s a backlot you can visit without being chased out by security guards!

Written and lived by Donnie Norden

Star Trek even visited the park in the episode “The Paradise Syndrome”.

America’s favorite Hollywood TV family filmed an episode here in “Camping We Will Go”.

All five seasons of Combat filmed episodes here, including nearly every episode of Season 5.

Clark Gable was here, taking orders from Frank Capra for “It Happened One Night.” Seen here is Claudette Colbert’s famous hitch-hiking scene. I’d give her a ride…

Franklin Lake, in a scene from Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954). Why is that little red haired kid always fishing in my spot?

In the episode Andy and Helen Have their Day, Andy gets a ticket for no fishing license. Colin Male (right) who plays the Game Warden is also the announcer who opens every episode with “The Andy Grith Show, starring Andy Griffith”.

Instead of bringing money to pay Andy’s fine, Barney mistakenly thinks Andy and Helen are going to tie the knot at the Justice of the Peace.

The Justice of the Peace house today

The Rifleman episode “Old Tony” was filmed here in 1963

This episode was just on TV last week. Another scene from The Rifleman shot at FCP.

One of our followers, Kami Cotler is pictured on the right, from a scene from The Walton’s episode “The Collision”

Exploring this backlot is worth the trip to Beverly Hills, especially since no security guards are chasing you.

Another scene from Combat then and now. This backlot hasn’t changed at all other than the trees are larger.

A friend of mine clowning around, reenacting a scene from Combat.

In 1964, the park was used by photographer Guy Webster as a background for the following album covers: (Sounds of Silence), Simon & Garfunkel and Big Hits (High Tide and Green Grass), The Rolling Stones.

The Beatles and The Rolling Stones both toured Los Angeles in 1965. The Beatles played to a sold out Dodger Stadium. They had hotel issues so Lew Wasserman, founder of MCA Universal put them up in the Universal lot. They visited The Munsters set and all became one big happy family. MCA stands for Music Corporation of America. The Stones played at The LA Sports Arena in their first LA show. The second US Tour began October 29 and ended up concluding 41 shows later, December 5th, 1965 in Los Angeles. That’s the time of this album cover photo. The British Invasion is underway…

Exact locations photographed, a bit blurry because Rock Stars never sleep, they just crash hard!

Little did they know when filming this opening scene, this show would go on to do so well for so many years.

Original B&W and later the Color opening credits filmed at FCP.

The Griffiths are not the only characters to fish here. Albert Einstein is seen here in an episode of The Rifleman.

Speaking of Rock Stars- Here’s Prince in a scene from Purple Rain filmed at Franklin Canyon Park.

Another scene from the Brady’s first family vacation.

Jodi Foster can be seen here in Silence of the Lambs.

This concrete barrier that aligns the road can be spotted in many famous television shows.

You can drive or walk down these roads at the park. Just don’t get out of line!

The concrete barrier can be seen spotted in the right hand corner during a fishing trip in TAGS.

Concrete barrier used in a scene from Combat.

Shell casings from prior battles which took place here can still be found buried in the dirt.

The original post is still there in another scene from Combat, showing Sgt. Saunders (Vic Morrow) on the move.

Another scene from Star Trek showing the lake in the episode “The Paradise Syndrome”.

Thanks for reading! For more backlot adventures, check out my book on Amazon. Phantom of the Backlots Presents: Hole in the Fence https://a.co/d/eYFJDQu

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