Old Warner Brothers Studio facts for kids
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Executive Office Building, Old Warner Brothers Studio
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 Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | 5800 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, California |
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| Built | 1923 |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 02001257 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 1, 2002 |
The Old Warner Brothers Studio, officially called Sunset Bronson Studios today, is a famous place in Hollywood, California. It's where movies, radio shows, and TV programs are made. This studio is super important because the very first talking movie, The Jazz Singer, was filmed here in 1927.
The studio was first built in 1919. Over the years, it has had different owners and names, like KTLA Studios and Tribune Studios. In 2008, Hudson Pacific Properties bought it and named it Sunset Bronson Studios.
Because of its big role in movie history, this studio is a special landmark. The main office building, which was part of the original Warner Bros. studio, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.
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Studio History: A Hollywood Landmark
The studio facilities at 5800 Sunset Boulevard were first built in 1919. In the early 1920s, Warner Bros. took over these buildings. They became the company's main offices and studios during that time.
In 1923, a group called the Western Motion Picture Advertisers' Association held a big party here. Many famous movie stars attended. At that time, the studio had a huge stage. It was 350 feet (110 m) long and 200 feet (61 m) wide. This made it the largest covered stage in the world!
The Birthplace of Talking Movies
This studio is famous for being the place where The Jazz Singer was filmed in 1927. This movie was special because it was the first full-length film with synchronized dialogue. This means the actors' voices matched their lip movements.
The studio was also home to radio station KFWB in its early days. This was Warner Bros.' radio station in Los Angeles.
In 1930, Warner Bros. started moving its main offices and filming to Burbank, California. However, the Sunset Boulevard studios were still very busy. They were used for filming movies and making "phonograph recordings."
Even after the move, Warner Bros. continued to film movies at the Sunset Boulevard studios in the 1930s. The classic Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons were also made here. This happened from 1933 to 1955.
In 1933, a newspaper reported that Warner Bros. was still using its Sunset Boulevard studio a lot. They had companies shooting films there every day. In 1934, a fire damaged the Burbank studios. This forced Warner Bros. to use the Sunset Boulevard studio fully again.
From Studio to Sports Center
By 1937, Warner Bros. had closed the Sunset Boulevard studio. The property was then changed into a bowling alley and a "sports center." A newspaper noted that the "birthplace of the Vitaphone" (the sound system for early talking movies) was now a sports center. Stage One, where many early talkies were made, became badminton courts.
Return to Entertainment: TV Studios
In 1954, the Sunset Boulevard studio returned to the entertainment business. Klaus Landsberg, a TV pioneer, bought the 10-acre (40,000 m2) site. He planned for it to be the new home of Paramount Television Productions.
Paramount spent $2 million to rebuild the site. In 1955, they tore down the older buildings. A newspaper wrote that the "birthplace of the talkies" was being turned to dust. However, the old executive office building and a large antenna were saved.
In 1967, Gene Autry and his company, Golden West Broadcasters, bought the studio from Paramount. They paid $5 million for it. Golden West already owned KTLA and had been renting the space.
In 1977, Hollywood celebrated the 50th anniversary of talking movies. A parade of old cars ended at the KTLA studios. This was the same place where The Jazz Singer was filmed 50 years earlier. The United States Postmaster General and MPAA President were there. They released a special stamp to honor the anniversary.
Modern Era: Sunset Bronson Studios
In 2001, Tribune Entertainment Company, which owned the site then, announced big plans. They wanted to make the studio the first fully digital studio lot in the country. This project cost between $10 million and $20 million.
In 2008, Tribune Entertainment sold the studios to Hudson Capital, LLC, for $125 million. Hudson Capital is now called Hudson Pacific Properties. The studio was renamed Sunset Bronson Studios. It became a sister studio to the nearby Sunset Gower Studios.
Recent TV shows filmed at the studio include Judge Judy, Hannah Montana, and The Biggest Loser.
In 2014, Hudson Pacific Properties announced plans to build a 14-story office tower next to the historic office building. This new building was designed by Gensler. It is part of a bigger expansion that includes a large parking garage and a five-story production building.
An iconic 160-foot tower was taken down in December 2014 for the new construction. This tower was built in 1925. It was one of two radio towers for Warner Bros.' radio station, KFWB. After being fixed up, the tower was put back in its original spot. When KTLA moved in in 1955, they added "KTLA-5" to the tower. It became a famous landmark visible from the Hollywood Freeway.
The new office tower now holds production offices for Netflix. Netflix also uses most of the studio's sound stages to create its content.
Why It's a Historic Place
In 1977, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Peggy Stevenson asked the city to declare the KTLA-KMPC production facilities a historic monument. This was done to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Jazz Singer. The reason was that the studio was "the site of the filming of the first feature film with synchronized dialogue."
The city agreed and declared the studio facilities at 5800 Sunset Boulevard a Historic Cultural Monument (HCM #180) in September 1977. It was called the "Site of the Filming of the First Talking Film."
In 1979, a newspaper article pointed out that the city had not saved many early movie studio buildings. However, the Old Warner Bros. Studio on Sunset was one of the few that had been named a Historic Cultural Monument. The facilities were also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.
