Motion Picture Daily (Jan-Mar 1935)

MOTION PICTURE DAILY Tuesday, March 19, 1935 Opening of Universal City March 15, 1915. This historic picture shows Carl Laemmle being greeted by the "chieftess" of studio police; Isadore Bernstein, then studio general manager; P. A. Powers is at Laemmle's left. He OLLYWOOD, March 18 — When producers pioneered into California, warm bright sunshine and natural beauty also attracted Carl Laemmle who had been filming Universal pictures previously at Fort Lee, N. J. Fresh from Kenosha, he built his first studio at Gower and Sunset, in Hollywood. There was a great deal of activity in the little studios, which employed sunlight exclusively for photographic purposes back in 1912 and two years later the Gower Street "plant" was so crowded, Laemmle began to worry about larger quarters. The town itself was beginning to grow, thanks to the picture industry, and real estate prices boomed. Besides, there was an increasing demand for westerns which could not hold 50 horses, so Carl, Senior, felt the best investment he could make would be to buy a large ranch and build a plant that would met the needs of every type of picture from westerns to serials to animal films to comedies. So he began pioneering again at distant places for a site that would match his ambition. For more than six months, Universal agents scoured the surrounding countryside. Finally, early in 1914, Isadore Bernstein, then manager of Universal Studios, negotiated for the purchase of the Taylor estate, in what was then Lankershim. The property was located five miles from the heart of Hollywood and about 13 miles from the Alexandria Hotel, then the hub of 1931 Universal City, "15 "35: Its Genesis and History Los Angeles. Two hundred and thirtyfive acres and ideally suited for picture making. Laemmle pondered. Through Stanley Anderson, who later developed Beverly Hills, Bernstein acquired the Taylor estate and was ordered to prepare for Laemmle's approval, his concept of what the "world's largest studio" should encompass. This was the beginning of Universal City, which today extends west from Dark Canyon Road, the Burbank city limits, to Lankershim Blvd., the main street of North Hollywood. Scenes representing every corner of the globe have been filmed here and from the studios located here have gone more than 2,250 pictures which have made film history and brought fame and fortune to many stars, writers, directors and producers. Long before a street car line approached this "magic city" of the San Fernando Valley, the site of Universal City was the scene of a modest little war. Spanish invaders from Carl Laemmle acquainting Professor Albert Einstein with some of the intricacies of production as well as some of its problems. In the group also are Mrs. Einstein and, at the left, Mrs. Stanley Bergerman, nee Rosabelle Laemmle. Reunion at the studio. The group includes Eddie Lyons, kneeling; Tom D. Cochrane, Dorothy Phillips, Rupert Julian, Mary McLaren, Carl Laemmle, Monroe Salisbury, Priscilla Dean, Marie Walcamp, P. A. Powers and Eddie Polo. northern California came down to El Camino Real from San Francisco and, following the inhabitants of the Puebla, heard of the advancing forces and marched north along the riverbed until they met the attackers. It is said that for three days there was gun fire, a lot of noise and, after a mule had been killed and two men wounded on each side, the clashing warriors got together and celebrated peace with a huge fiesta and the valley was quiet again. Without assistance and although he was managing the affairs of 20 companies making pictures every week, Bernstein laid out Universal City, even to the point of arranging a residential section, enabling the studio thus to obtain the rating of a fourthclass city with its own governmental post office. He designed the buildings and acted as contractor with William Horsley as head of the construction crew. In the fall of 1914, construction crews began clearing the western end of the ranch, leveling off sites for stages and building roads, particularly "Laemmle Boulevard," a paved street a mile long leading from the front ad mission gate to the "Back Ranch." Presently the farming community of Lankershim began to grow into a city of considerable size, for those who did not and could not live at Universal City bought property and moved there. In October, 1914, there were nearly 500 inhabitants of Universal City, among them 75 Indians, who lived in tepees on the edge of the hill ; western riders, "soldiers" and workmen and 125 head of horses. By December, 1914, the administration buildings, cafe, stables, hospital, and post office were complete. At first, open stages were built, to accommodate overflow production from Gower St. The new stages were large enough for several companies at one time. North of the sets were the dressing rooms and over the dressing rooms was a huge grandstand where tourists and visitors were admitted at a small charge, the whole thing resembling a baseball park in many ways. Visitors came to the studio in busses, mounted In the days when a young unknown named Irving Thalberg was beginning to win his spurs. He was then Carl Laemmle's secretary. This is one of the prized photographs from the Laemmle collection over the years. the bleachers and were permitted to applaud so long as they did not disturb the work before the box cameras. The crowning achievement of this early plant was "the electric stage." Pioneering again, a stage electrically equipped was erected between the electrical department and the scenario building, which was closed in and not open to the bleacher visitors. On this stage the first "trick" shots were photographed. Nearly 50 pictures were completed at Universal City before the grand official opening and filmland's finest zoo had become so well established that elephants, camels, and even trained lions made their way about the back ranch with homelike nonchalance. March 15, 1915, had been heralded as the opening day for this then wonder city. Colored posters had been tacked in railway stations from coast to coast, promising thrills never before experienced would assail the eyes and ears of California visitors when Universal City opened. A special train from New York picked up Universal branch office managers and leading exhibitors at Chicago, Kansas City and Denver. They charged a quarter to see how pictures were made in those days. Scene at Universal City when a "Rubberneck Wagon" made regular trips from Los Angeles to the studio. Tourists were the customers and they came in droves. Buffalo Bill met the party at the Grand Canyon and crowds at every station sped them to the show. At San Bernardino, Bernstein and studio officials ballyhooed their arrival and the 100 passengers motored into Los Angeles. Early next morning, Monday, March 15, the visitors headed a motorized caravan through Hollywood, over Cahuenga Pass and down into the valley to the main gate of Universal City. Here a crowd of more than 20,000 saw the west's first woman police chief, Laura Oakley, present Laemmle with the golden key to the chain lock. As a band played the national anthem, a flag was pulled to the top of the flag pole, and Laemmle with a grand gesture and his smile, opened Universal City and studios. R. H. Cochrane, vice-president, P. A. Powers, treasurer, Joe Brandt and Bernstein proudly assisted their chief. U. K. Whipple, camera man who was later to become a famed war photographer, ground off newsreel scenes. As visitors entered the grounds on their first tour of inspection, cowboys, mounted actors costumed as Union and Confederate soldiers ; Indians, in full war paint and regalia, acted as guides and guards. During the lunch hour, the guests of honor were served in the studio restaurant, and famous players of those days were introduced between speeches of greeting and well wishing. When luncheon was over, the party (.Continued on page 19) 1932 When lgnace Paderewski, world famous pianist and wartime premier of Poland, visited the "Back Street" set. From the left: John M. Stahl, who directed the picture; Laemmle, who produced it; Irene Dunne, who starred in it, and Lew Ayres.