Television City facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Television City |
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Television City Studios in Los Angeles
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| Alternative names | CBS Television City Television City Studios |
| General information | |
| Type | Television studios |
| Location | Fairfax District, Los Angeles |
| Address | 7800 Beverly Boulevard Los Angeles, California 90036 |
| Coordinates | 34°04′28″N 118°21′36″W / 34.074444°N 118.36°W |
| Inaugurated | November 16, 1952 |
| Owner | Hackman Capital Partners |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Pereira & Luckman |
Television City, also known as CBS Television City, is a large television studio complex. It is located in Los Angeles, California, at 7800 Beverly Boulevard. This famous studio is owned by Hackman Capital Partners. It is leased to ViacomCBS, a big media company.
The studio was designed by architects William Pereira and Charles Luckman. Television City is one of two CBS TV studios in Southern California. The other is CBS Studio Center in the San Fernando Valley. Many TV shows have been filmed or broadcast live from Television City since it opened in 1952. This includes shows that were not even on CBS. You might have heard the phrase "from Television City in Hollywood" during the opening of some shows. The complex has eight separate studios.
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History of Television City
CBS decided to move most of its entertainment work to Los Angeles in 1950. They needed more space than their old Columbia Square complex. So, CBS bought the land at Fairfax Avenue and Beverly Boulevard. They hired architect William Pereira and spent about $7 million on the new studio.
Television City officially opened on November 16, 1952. It was built where a football field and race track, called Gilmore Stadium, used to be. Before that, the area was an oil field.
Early Color TV at the Studio
In 1954, Studio 43 got special RCA TK-40/41 color cameras. Cables allowed these cameras to be used in any of the first four studios. By 1956, Studio 41 also had these color cameras. However, CBS did not broadcast many shows in color until the 1960s. Most CBS programs were in black-and-white until 1964. That's when new professional video cameras were installed.
Famous Shows Filmed Here
Many popular TV shows have been filmed at Television City. Studio 33 is currently home to the long-running CBS game show The Price Is Right. It also hosts the HBO late-night series Real Time with Bill Maher.
This studio was also where The Carol Burnett Show was filmed from 1967 to 1978. Before that, The Red Skelton Show was filmed there from 1953 to 1970. Other famous game shows filmed in Studio 33 include:
- Match Game (the 1973–82 version)
- The $25,000/$100,000 Pyramid (in the 1980s)
- Hollywood Squares (hosted by Tom Bergeron)
- Wheel of Fortune (from 1989-1995)
- Card Sharks (the 1986–1989 revival)
- Press Your Luck (the 1983–86 version)
- Family Feud (the 1988–1995 run)
On April 9, 1998, Studio 33 was named the Bob Barker Studio. This was done to honor the longtime host of The Price Is Right, Bob Barker.
In the 1970s, many sitcoms started filming in front of a live audience. Television City became a popular place for these shows. Some examples include All in the Family, Maude, and Good Times. Even ABC sitcoms like Three's Company and Welcome Back, Kotter were filmed here.
Television City is also home to CBS Digital, which creates visual effects. It also houses the CBS Records music label. The name "Television City" is a registered trademark of CBS.
Ownership Changes
In 2017, CBS thought about selling the property. This was because of a lot of new building in the area. The city of Los Angeles began steps to declare the facility a historic landmark. In December 2018, CBS Corp. sold Television City to Hackman Capital Partners for $750 million. The new owners can still use the "Television City" name.
Many CBS shows will continue to be made at Television City. These include The Price Is Right, The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful, and The Late Late Show with James Corden. The headquarters for CBS's international unit also remains here.
Architecture and Design
The design of Television City is very modern. It features black and white walls that meet at sharp angles. Bright red accents add a pop of color. This design was created by Pereira & Luckman. The studio was built to handle the network's growing production needs. Their old studio, CBS Columbia Square, was too small.
The black and white colors of the building had a special meaning. Black walls and glass walls showed areas that were "temporary." These parts could be removed if the building needed to expand. White areas were considered "permanent."
The building first had four soundstages: Studios 31, 33, 41, and 43. In the late 1980s, two new soundstages were added to the east (Studios 36 and 46). More office and storage space was also added. Later, two more studios (Studios 56 and 58) were created. These were built in areas that used to be rehearsal halls. The original plans for Television City actually called for 24 soundstages! However, CBS decided to start with just four.
See also
In Spanish: CBS Television City para niños
