Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank facts for kids
The iconic historic WB water tower
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| Location | Burbank, California, United States |
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| Address | 4000 Warner Boulevard |
| Opening date | 1926 |
| Manager | Warner Bros. Studio Facilities |
| Owner | Warner Bros. Studio Facilities (Warner Bros. Entertainment) |
| Size | 62 acres (25 ha) |
Warner Bros. Studios, Burbank is a huge place where movies and TV shows are made. It's owned and run by Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. and is located in Burbank, California. This studio lot is about 62 acres big. It was first built in 1926 by a company called First National Pictures. They started it when they wanted to make their own movies, not just distribute them.
Contents
The Story of Warner Bros. Studios
How the Studio Began
Warner Bros. bought most of First National Pictures in 1928. This happened after their movies like The Jazz Singer and The Singing Fool became very popular. Warner Bros. then started moving their movie making to the Burbank lot. At first, it was called the First National studio. It had four special rooms called sound stages for filming.
In 1934, a fire destroyed about 15 acres of the Burbank studios. This made Warner Bros. use their old studio on Sunset Boulevard again. But soon, the Burbank lot became their main home.
Amazing Sound Stages and Sets
In 1937, Stage 7 was made much taller and renamed Stage 16. It became 98 feet high and had a huge 2-million-gallon water tank. This made it one of the biggest stages in the world! Famous movies like The Goonies (1985), The Perfect Storm (2000), and Dunkirk (2017) filmed scenes there. You can also see it in La La Land (2016).
Stage 22 was built in 1937. It was the last new stage built on the lot for 60 years! By 1937, the Burbank lot was the main place for Warner Bros. It still is today.
Exploring the Backlot Sets
The studio has many different outdoor sets, called the backlot. These sets can look like different places:
- New York Street: Built in 1930, this set can look like many different cities. It was used for movies like 42nd Street (1933), Blade Runner (1982), and The Dark Knight (2008). The TV show Friends (1994–2004) also used it.
- Hennessy Street: This set was built in 1937. It was used for My Fair Lady (1964), Annie (1982), and Spider-Man (2002).
- Midwest Street: Built in 1939, this set has been used for The Music Man (1962), The Dukes of Hazzard (1979-1985), and Gremlins (1984).
- The Jungle: This set was created in 1955. It was used for The Goonies (1985) and The Waltons.
- Laramie Street: Built in 1957, this set was for western movies like Blazing Saddles (1974) and TV shows like Cheyenne. In 2004, it became Warner Village, a street with houses. It's been used in shows like Two and a Half Men and The Big Bang Theory.
The Burbank Studios Partnership
In 1972, Warner Bros. worked with Columbia Pictures to create "The Burbank Studios." This was a way to save money. Many TV shows were filmed there, like The Dukes of Hazzard and Fantasy Island. This partnership lasted until 1990. Then, Columbia Pictures moved out, and the studio became Warner Bros. Studios again.
Famous Shows Filmed Here
The popular TV show Friends was filmed on the studio lot for ten years. The first season was on Stage 5. Later, it moved to the bigger Stage 24. After Friends ended in 2004, Stage 24 was renamed "The Friends Stage." Other shows like Full House and Mike & Molly were also filmed there.
The Big Bang Theory was filmed on Stage 25. Stage 1 is one of the stages where The Ellen DeGeneres Show is taped. By 2015, the studio had 35 sound stages!
Visit the Studio: Tours and Museum
Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood
You can visit the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood to see how movies and TV shows are made. It's a chance to go behind the scenes of one of the oldest film studios in the world! The public tours started in 1973. It used to be called the Warner Bros. Studios VIP Tour.
Warner Bros. Museum
The Warner Bros. Museum opened at the studio in 1996. Here, you can see props, costumes, and other cool items from famous Warner Bros. movies and shows.
