Black tarps were wrapped up- only never to unfurl again. Here they rest just…Blowing in the Wind!
This Stairway to Heaven overlooks Copperfield Court. It sits just inside the MGM Studio fence. It is alongside the fence line on Montana Street. A studio parking lot is located there.
John Ritter as Hero at Large, about to rescue a kid. A story in my latest book. Our Hero is on the catwalk level of Eastside Street. Everything in that area was reframed and strengthened for the star to be safe, close-ups were needed of John.
Public side streets include Montana Avenue and Overland Avenue. Overland takes you from MGM lots 1&2 all the way to MGM Lot 3.
Eastside Street and Brownstone. Same corner in side by side pictures, one picture has the tarp in use. The other tarp you see is folded up. These street burned down in 1967.
Left-The MGM Fire -1967, the day after. MAN from UNCLE cast looks over their destroyed headquarters. This was the very first of several backlot studio fires that included MGM, Desilu, and Universal. I was 7 years old, not a trespasser yet, and running errands with my dad that Sunday afternoon. Donald LeRoy Norden was a fireman in Tacoma, Washington, before moving to Culver City. He chewed nervously on his cigarette. He wanted to grab a firehose. CCFD did a fantastic job containing this to just one quadrant. Little did I realize at this time how regular accidental fires happen on backlots.
All these New York sets were built with poles anchored deep into the ground and encased in cement blocks. First things to be installed and the last things to face destruction. These help to keep these facades structurally sound and run up beyond the rooftops to the catwalks.
5th Avenue…used in all the classic musicals.
Looks like a model- but this is full scale, the entire length of New York Street. Universal Studios, our first of what would be-three New York Streets do to “Two” major fires. All you see here burned down.
You can see the sun beating in on this hot summer day. The tarps created even more heat due to lack of airflow.
Universal Studios with New York Street “ONE” tarped for night scenes…Streets of Fire. A show title that would be a harbinger of later things to come.I took this shot from the highest hill top on the backlot. Legendary cowboy Tom Mix had a home up here overlooking the studio.
Daylight infiltrates at the edge of this frame. Tarps being used here -daytime.
The Building used in The Twilight Zone episode...(Back There)
The enormous size and magnitude of making New York Street “night time” on a sunny day…
MGM Lot 2. New York Street is hidden under black tarps. This is a skill deploying these to block light and not get influenced by wind. Studio grips work alongside set lighting and special effects on very narrow passage ways. A busy place way above the street below. When needed, these tarps can cover every set on New York Street. Above, barely 1/3rd is covered. Waterfront, Brownstone, part of 5th Avenue …In the man made darkness.
My house is in all three pictures- as we pan forwards towards MGM.
My house bottom edge-4th from right-Maureen’s future apartment not built yet in this photo.
MGM Lot 2 from my roof- The sets from Romeo and Juliette and The BandWagon train depot.You can see catwalks on both sides of depot that could also be tarped over. The big green building in between telephone pole and avocado tree. Just below that green train depot is Arnold Gillespie’s snow room. Snow from every era and type was stored in “Arnold’s dungeon.” I have a magical story inside that room in…the middle of the night in my Book 3. Yes-it is haunted… Maureen’s apartment is the yellow and white building in front of- the station.“Your never to young to trespass“–says Chad- being trained by the top female trespasser in Hollywood.
The Phantom of the Backlot…on the Loose above Copperfield Court.
The Phantom escapes again leaving law enforcement dangling precariously.
Yes indeed -Jack and I crossed paths on this set. He waved at me with his non-weaponed free hand. He was just about to kill a fellow involved with tearing the backlot down..The passing of the torch-or weapon shall we say! MGM security nick named me –The Phantom -long before this movie of the week was produced. ‘Here one minute-gone the next” is how MGM Security described our interactions…
“I hate when things break that I’m on top off” –So goes Jack Cassidy -leaving me in charge.
A Day in the Life…
Left-fenced off studio from phase 2-Studio Mistakes-“Estates.” New homes sprouting up just beyond the catwalks…
Chainsaw Massacre
Timber…
The catwalks in this picture were just cut down
You can’t work this high up without encountering at least one of the 4 owls. They spend their nights hunting from up here. Picture left-dead center-an owl with a white head watches my every move. Like a “White Owl cigar add. I can proudly say-My feathered friends still exist up in the rooftops and rafters of MGM Lot 1. I ran into one who was hunting before dawn. It swooped up a critter and flew off towards the fabled MGM Watertank with it in its clutches.
Park Avenue on MGM maps. To be more specific, this is Fenway Park to any kid who was lucky enough to play MGM baseball. I’m on top of the “GREEN MONSTER.” It’s a homer if you hit it up here. Pictured-Catering area during the filming of Hero at Large.
Before Columbia Pictures installed this moniker overlooking the studio- Leo the MGM Lion owned this spot.
Stages have catwalks too-better known as perms...Here is a set for Spiderman.
In the perms, graffiti from past shows is etched forever, Bud Collins tribute up high in a stage. Bud wrote his name everywhere on the backlot. EVERYWHERE! I would see it looking down at me in places totally inaccessible. This iconic grip was half spider/half human. “The END of an ERA.”
We begin up high in the most dangerous part of the studio…
Skilled employees perform high-altitude tasks. They use either a 5-story straight-up ladders or navigate a maze of stairways that eventually interconnect. Grips, Electricians, Plumbers, and Special Effects work up here on top of the studio. Owls, watch our every move.
No clocks are needed, time stands still for predators on the lookout for their next meal.
There is extreme danger and these tiny “catwalk” isle ways in some cases 6 stories above ground. Today’s Hollywood would require several safety endorsements to work up here. First and foremost, fall equipment would be required. But these measures were not in place in my hay day of running around up top of this iconic backlot.
As a teenager, we overcame our slight fear of heights and threw caution ...to the wind. Our tools were B.B Guns. These catwalk rafters allowed us to enter buildings through their rooftops. Other sets around the lot only allowed ground access. this was a Utopia up here. We hunted each other, doing so at night.
Yep-pitch dark, otherwise we would be seen by the entire city of- Culver City. Add that dangerous element and it’s amazing no one was killed, except by pretending to be after being hit by a B.B or pellet. We took this cops and robbers game seriously. No one wanted to get hit. Our favorite place most used was Copperfield Street, home of the Three Musketeers, then Combat.
Very limited catwalks overlooked our Army games. In this European village-it was pure Combat. Right down to helmets, jackets and ammo clips. We were soldiers on one part of the lot, and Cops vs Bad Guys in Gotham City. Depends what your in the mood for basically. New York Street was less available because of frequent film use and patrol.
German Village allowed for(close quarter) gun battles. We carried rifles and pistols, with B.B refills and a tiny can of 3 in 1 oil. That lubricant made smoke discharge from the barrels. It seemed so real because …it hurt to get hit!
New York was far and away the most dangerous place to play. As long as you don’t fall, you can’t really get caught. The guards are not going to chase us up here and you can ladder down to any roof top.
Danger was our friend…
These catwalks were designed for weather control, such as artificial rain storms and set lighting. Rain had milk added so it would photograph better. Set lighting had the difficult task off bulky, cumbersome lighting equipment. Arc lights breathed smoke and fire up here. “Gels” could mount in front of the light’s housing- providing cascading brilliant colors all over the streets below.
Cameras and their operators made it up here to- for Birds Eye views. This was a busy place to be with such rickety conditions. If you’re afraid of heights-don’t proceed. Not only is it scary, but some of these floor blanks break as do handles attached to ladders. Always hold two -in case one breaks on the climb. Once on top, have a hand close to rigid water pipes used for rain sequences. Always have a back-up whenever possible if something gives out.
Rules to live by…
Load your B.B Guns to the fullest before “going up.” A Daisy Rifle holds over 700 copper B.B’s. A Crosman Pistol holds 20 B.B’s and/or 20 pellets. Multi pumps guns disallowed. Injury factor and potential to cheat. This becomes a game of chess at this point. Shots are too long to be accurate, so a lot of sneaking must be done. It became difficult to find your adversary. Therefore, we reduced this to above the “alley way set.” There are 3 large buildings interconnected by catwalks. This setup allowed for heated exchanges. It also provided opportunities to escape if someone sees us or hears us.
As always love to say “MGM was like Disneyland-with weapons!”
Written and lived by…Donnie Norden
Phantom of the Backlots 