imported>Bohemian Baltimore: removed Category:American film studios; added Category:Film studios in Southern California using HotCat

2025-06-13T06:07:29Z

removed Category:American film studios; added Category:Film studios in Southern California using HotCat

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{{short description|Independent filming lot in Hollywood}}
{{Infobox company
|name = Sunset Las Palmas Studios
|image = HollywoodCenterStudios01.jpg
|logo_caption = The front of the studio on 21 January 2014 under the ''Hollywood Center Studios''.
|former_name = {{ubl|General Service Studios|Hollywood Center Studios}}
|type = [[Privately held company|Incentive]]
|industry = [[Entertainment]]
|foundation = 1919
|parent = Sunset Studios ([[Hudson Pacific Properties]])
|location = {{nowrap|1040 North Las Palmas Avenue}}<br />[[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]], [[California]]<br />90038
|products = {{ubl|[[Filmmaking]]|[[Television production]]|[[Advertising]]}}
|website = {{official website|sunsetstudios.com}}
}}

'''Sunset Las Palmas Studios''', formerly '''General Service Studios''' and '''Hollywood Center Studios''', is an American independent entertainment production lot located at 1040 North Las Palmas Avenue in the [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]] neighborhood of [[Los Angeles]]. It has stage facilities and provides [[filmmaking]] services to clients in the [[film]], [[television]] and [[advertising]] industries. Founded in 1919,<ref name="IMDB Fleming">{{cite web|last=Fleming|first=E.J.|title=Biography for John Jasper|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1680524/bio|website=[[IMDb]]|access-date=September 27, 2013}}</ref> it is one of the oldest production facilities in Hollywood and has been the host of many notable motion picture productions for over a century.

Sunset Las Palmas Studios is one of the three production facilities which make up the "'''Sunset Studios'''" sound-stage conglomerate owned by [[Hudson Pacific Properties]]. The other two are the [[Sunset Bronson Studios]] and the [[Sunset Gower Studios]].

== History ==
In 1919 John Jasper, a former associate of [[Charlie Chaplin]], built exterior sets, three production stages, and several bungalows on a 16.5-acre site in Hollywood; he named it Hollywood Studios Inc. The first stages resembled hot houses with steel frames, cloth walls, glass roofs, and [[clerestory]] windows. Outdoor sets included an "Americana" residential street, a massive New York street, and an elegant Spanish villa. Among the first tenants was comedian [[Harold Lloyd]] who produced some of his most successful films on the lot.<ref>Vincent, Roger (February 19, 2014) [http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-property-report-20140220,0,7862097.story "L.A. developer bets on Hollywood revival with new office complex"] ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''</ref>

The lot changed ownership and name several times during its early years continuing to evolve and grow. In 1926, Metropolitan Studios began construction of one of the industry's first sound stages. A few years later, [[Howard Hughes]] moved production to the lot used and shot the [[World War I]] epic ''[[Hell's Angels (film)|Hell's Angels]]'' (1930), known for its innovative use of sound and for the screen debut of [[Jean Harlow]].<ref name="Dear Old Hollywood">{{cite web|last=Cress|first=Robby|title=Howard Hughes Headquarters|date=14 February 2011 |url=https://dearoldhollywood.blogspot.com/2011/02/howard-hughes-headquarters.html|publisher=Dear Old Hollywood|access-date=2021-04-09}}</ref>

Dozens of films were produced on the lot during the 1930s and 1940s including the [[Mae West]] vehicles ''[[Klondike Annie]]''  and ''[[Go West, Young Man (1936 film)|Go West, Young Man]]'' (both 1936); the 21-picture ''[[Hopalong Cassidy]]'' series, the [[Bing Crosby]] classic ''[[Pennies from Heaven (1936 film)|Pennies from Heaven]]'' (1936), and the [[Marx Brothers]]’ ''[[A Night in Casablanca]]'' (1946). [[Douglas Fairbanks Jr.]]; [[Stan Laurel]] and [[Oliver Hardy]]; [[Fred Astaire]], [[Cary Grant]], [[Glenn Ford]], [[Fredric March]], and [[Erich von Stroheim]] were among the stars who worked on the lot in the pre-[[World War II]] years. [[James Cagney]] made several films on the lot while his brother [[William Cagney|William]] was a part owner.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.cobbles.com/simpp_archive/cagneys.htm|title= Cagney Productions |author= |website= Hollywood Renegades Website|publisher= Cobblestone Entertainment|access-date= December 30, 2020|quote=In July 1946, William Cagney became a one-fifth owner of the General Service Studio, operated by SIMPP member Benedict Bogeaus}}</ref>

With the advent of television production on the lot changed dramatically. In 1951, the lot made history when Stage 2 became home to ''[[I Love Lucy]]'', the first prime-time comedy shot on film and produced before a live audience originating from the West Coast.

From 1951 to 1953, it was the home of [[Desilu Productions]], owned by [[Lucille Ball]] and her husband [[Desi Arnaz]]. The television version of actress [[Eve Arden]]'s radio series ''[[Our Miss Brooks]]'' produced its first season on the stage adjacent to ''I Love Lucy''. Both stages were known as the Desilu Playhouse seeing that a common entrance had been created at the rear of each sound stage. After the second season of ''I Love Lucy'', Desilu moved to what is now [[Red Studios Hollywood]]. ''Our Miss Brooks'' and other Desilu produced and filmed series moved with them.{{Citation needed|date=April 2020}}

The floodgates soon opened and the lot became the center of television's Golden Age. In the 1950s, General Service was the home of [[George Burns]]'s McCadden Corporation (''[[The Burns and Allen Show]]'', ''[[The Bob Cummings Show]]'', ''[[Panic (TV series)|Panic]]'', and ''[[The People's Choice (TV series)|The People's Choice]]''); [[Ozzie Nelson]]'s Stage Five Productions (''[[The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet]]'') and [[Jack Chertok]] Productions (''[[Private Secretary (TV series)|Private Secretary]]''). It later hosted a number of classic CBS comedies including ''[[Petticoat Junction]]'',<ref name="David Krell">{{cite web|last=Krell|first=David|title=All Aboard the Hooterville Cannonball! Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of "Petticoat Junction"|url=http://davidkrell.com/pop-culture/all-aboard-the-hooterville-cannonball-celebrating-the-50th-anniversary-of-petticoat-junction-part-2-of-5/|work=David Krell Esq: Sports, Entertainment, Media, Popular Culture|publisher=David Krell|access-date=January 21, 2014}}</ref> ''[[Green Acres]]'' and ''[[The Beverly Hillbillies]]''. ''[[The Lone Ranger (TV series)|The Lone Ranger]]'', ''[[Perry Mason (1957 TV series)|Perry Mason]]'', ''[[Mr. Ed]]'', ''[[The Addams Family (1964 TV series)|The Addams Family]]'' and ''[[Get Smart]]'' were also produced on the lot. George Burns maintained his office on the lot until his death.{{Citation needed|date=March 2020}}

In 1980, director [[Francis Ford Coppola]] purchased the lot, naming it [[American Zoetrope|Zoetrope Studios]]; he intended to use it to produce a slate of films.<ref name="variety-1118-zoetrope-studios">{{cite news |title=Forerunner to Dreamworks, Coppola's risky Zoetrope Studios bucked system |url=https://variety.com/1997/film/news/forerunner-to-dreamworks-coppola-s-risky-zoetrope-studios-bucked-system-1118/ |access-date=2 March 2022 |newspaper=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=11 November 1997}}</ref> Among them was the ambitious movie musical ''[[One from the Heart]]''. For the film, Coppola transformed the entire lot into a giant set that included a replica of part of Las Vegas’ [[McCarran Airport]]. During this time [[Mel Brooks]]'s [[Brooksfilms]] also rented a stage on the lot to film ''[[Frances (film)|Frances]]'', starring Jessica Lange. Cost overruns on ''[[One From the Heart]]'' combined with its poor box-office performance caused Coppola to fall into financial difficulties and the lot was sold again, this time to Canadian real estate developers, the [[Jack Singer|Singer Family]].<ref name="Variety Zoetrope">{{cite news| title=Forerunner to Dreamworks, Coppola's risky Zoetrope Studios bucked system| url=https://variety.com/1997/film/news/forerunner-to-dreamworks-coppola-s-risky-zoetrope-studios-bucked-system-1118/| access-date=September 27, 2013| newspaper=Variety| date=November 10, 1997}}</ref>

In 1984, [[The Jackson 5|The Jacksons]] used this lot to rehearse for the [[Victory Tour (The Jacksons)|Victory Tour]].

The Singers initiated a comprehensive modernization and refurbishing effort<ref name=VarietyStory>{{cite news| last=Karon| first=Paul| title=H'wood Center Studios sounds out new facils| url=https://variety.com/1998/biz/news/h-wood-center-studios-sounds-out-new-facils-1117478419/| access-date=January 21, 2014| newspaper=Variety| date=July 14, 1998}}</ref> that sparked a revival of the lot's fortunes and attracted a new generation of feature film and commercial filmmakers. The Singers also returned television production to the lot by adding control rooms and the infrastructure required for multi-camera video production.<ref name="Creative Cow Control Rooms">{{cite news| title=Hollywood Center Studios Upgrades Television Control Rooms| url=http://news.creativecow.net/story/869869| access-date=September 27, 2013| website=[[Creative COW]]| date=September 18, 2012}}</ref> The lot again was the home to some of the country's most popular shows including ''[[Jeopardy!]]'' (seasons 2–10), ''[[Star Search]]'', ''[[Soul Train]]'', ''[[The Man Show]]'', and ''[[Pee-wee's Playhouse]]''.

In a multimillion-dollar investment, the lot's control rooms, camera packages, and infrastructure were upgraded to [[HDTV]]. It was done to support television clients such as [[Disney Channel]], which produced a number of original series under the [[It's a Laugh Productions]] banner for Disney Channel and [[Disney XD]] on the lot. Three [[Cyclorama (theater)|cyc stages]] were added, one dedicated to green screen production. A virtual set stage was also built.<ref name="Post Article">{{cite news| title=Hollywood Center Studios Adds HD Virtual Set Stage| url=http://www.postmagazine.com/Press-Center/Daily-News/2010/HOLLYWOOD-CENTER-STUDIOS-ADDS-HD-VIRTUAL-SET-STA.aspx| access-date=January 21, 2014| magazine=Post Magazine| date=February 19, 2010}}</ref>

In May 2017, a Los Angeles–based real estate company, Hudson Pacific Properties Inc., purchased Hollywood Center Studios from the Singer family for $200 million and then immediately renamed the property as the "Sunset Las Palmas Studios."<ref name="Commercial Property Executive">{{cite news| last=Murray| first=Barbara| title=Hudson Pacific Nabs $200 M Hollywood Studio| url=https://www.cpexecutive.com/post/hudson-pacific-nabs-200m-hollywood-studio/| access-date=May 16, 2020| website=Commercial Property Executive| date=May 4, 2017}}</ref>

In June 2025, it was announced that the CBS soap opera ''[[The Bold and the Beautiful]]'' would move to Sunset Las Palmas Studios after its summer production hiatus, after 38 years of production at [[Television City]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=2025-06-06 |title=‘The Bold And The Beautiful’ Leaving Television City After 38 Years, Will Continue To Film In Los Angeles |url=https://deadline.com/2025/06/the-bold-and-the-beautiful-television-city-filming-location-1236426274/ |access-date=2025-06-07 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.sunsetlaspalmasstudios.com/ Official website]
*[https://www.cobbles.com/simpp_archive/linkbackups/hollywood-center_history.htm Hollywood Center Studios: history]

{{Greater Hollywood}}
{{Authority control}}

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[[Category:1919 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Film studios in Southern California]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Hollywood, Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Cinema of Southern California]]
[[Category:Companies based in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Entertainment companies based in California]]
[[Category:Culture of Hollywood, Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Television studios in the United States]]
[[Category:Desilu Productions]]

Sunset Las Palmas Studios - Revision history

imported>Bohemian Baltimore: removed Category:American film studios; added Category:Film studios in Southern California using HotCat