Overview
Depending upon whom you ask, LA is many things: a fashion capital of the US, the modern purveyor of the raw food diet, or the center of the real estate universe. But with the past century of its history and the most current Census Bureau report at hand, we’re pretty sure it’s safe to say that LA is the mecca of the film and television industries. In the city that coined the word “tourism,” those industries are primed to cart and prod you through the mazes of their studios; but don’t be fooled, as all Tinsel Town tours are not created equal.
Be you resident, tourist, or the next Martin Scorsese, knowing what you’re in for could save you hours of frustration. The studios aren’t what they used to be, as anyone who survived the strike with payroll intact can tell you. The studios are sliding ever more toward operating as giant service providers to production companies. Post- 9/11, the days when Steven Spielberg stole away from his tour at Universal and faked employment there until he was officially hired are long gone. Many tours were cancelled or have changed since then, and security is tighter at some studios than it is at LAX. So expect to bring photo ID to all tours and make reservations. But there is still some good stuff out there and plenty of tourist-y fun to be had. Just keep your ears to the ground: changes are afoot. The WB and UPN have joined forces to form the CW (CBS Warner Bros.) in Burbank (much to the chagrin of UPN employees who were accustomed to staying on the proper side of the hill). CBS is looking to move its operations over to the Valley completely, making it a regular bastion of network television and film production. So take our suggestions below and keep alert. LA’s entertainment industry redefines itself more frequently than the Madonna of yesteryear.
Warner Bros. Studio
4000 Warner Blvd, Burbank, 818-977-8687;
vipstudiotour.warnerbros.com
The Warner Bros. Studios tour is the créme de la créme of studio tours. The Warner Bros. lots in Burbank are like a miniature Disneyland. The buildings look like decorative castles with towering posters of the popular shows taped at the studio, and its renowned WB emblem looms over the gates of its main building. When the average person pictures a California studio with row upon row of cream-colored square buildings lined with crisscrossing little roads and palm trees, this is it. On their 2 1/4-hour VIP Tour (this is the basic tour, but for $52 per person, you’d better be a VIP), you’ll be driven about the 100-acre facility on a small tram to see things like the New York Street, the raised El train platform from ER, or The Jungle. Scoff though a skeptical know-it-all may, many of these simple things are quite a surreal sight to be had and you’ll recognize more than you’d think. The tour also includes glimpses of current productions, a stop at the gift shop, and potential star sightings. Tours are given weekdays from 9 am to 3 pm and until 4 pm in the summer months. There’s also an even more involved 5-hour Deluxe Tour that departs weekdays at 10:30 am and costs $150 per person. They only take 12 people per tour and it includes lunch at the commissary as well as an in-depth look at the craft of filmmaking. We’re not quite sure what that means, but we’re awfully curious. If you’ve got a mint to drop, they also rent out their back lots for special events. The tour office is located at 3400 Riverside Drive, just outside of the studio gates. Children under eight are not allowed. Current shows: The Ellen Degeneres Show, and Conan Tonight.
Paramount Pictures Studio
5555 Melrose Ave, Hollywood, 323-956-1777;
www.paramount.com
The magnificent Paramount Studios is a reminder of everything that the Hollywood studio used to be: magical, beautiful, and powerful. A romantic Spanish villa that sits ever so gracefully off Melrose and Gower, it’s the last movie studio to remain in Hollywood and its eye-popping splendor sprawls over a mass nearly the size of Disneyland. From the main gate immortalized in Sunset Boulevard, to the iconic Paramount water tower, the studio is as classic as old Hollywood itself. The Paramount Studio’s walking tour has been reinstated after a post-9/11 hiatus and, for the film enthusiast, just the chance to walk in the same steps as Gary Cooper, Claudette Colbert, and Audrey Hepburn is enough in itself, as is the chance to have lunch at the studio’s famous Commissary. But sadly, the studio tour is a letdown, owing largely to an uninspired itinerary and guides that seem passively interested at best in the studio’s rich history. For the $35 ticket price, the tour should definitely allow you to see more than just soundstage exteriors. Our advice? Save your money (and your feet) and take in a TV show taping where you’re guaranteed to see the inside of a soundstage—not to mention a famous face or two. Current shows: Girlfriends, Dr. Phil, Judge Judy.
Sony Pictures Studios
10202 W Washington Blvd, Culver City, 323-520-TOUR;
www.sonypicturesstudios.com
The design and main gate of Sony Pictures Studios are a little too clean and corporate, and their Main Street really does feel like a facade. It’s all very Disney-esque, and not in a good way. Though this is the old MGM studio where The Wizard of Oz was shot, Sony seems more interested in billing it as the home of Men in Black and Spiderman. They also have some lots up their sleeve that aren’t on the tour, over where Hayden Place deadends. Sony has a series of lots that have been used for shows like Las Vegas, but you’d never know from the distribution-warehouse-looks of the place that make it just as nondescript as the other surrounding office complexes. Still, there is much more to see here than at some of the other options in this city. Also, it’s only $25 per person, parking is free in the Sony Pictures Plaza, and children under twelve are not allowed. Tours are held Monday through Friday at 9:30 am, 10:30 am, 1:30 pm, and 2:30 pm. Group tours are also available. Current shows: Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy!
CBS Studio Center
4024 Radford Ave, Studio City, 818-655-5000;
www.cbssc.com
Tucked behind Ventura Boulevard on Radford, this facility seems almost hidden behind sushi restaurants and strip malls, until you accidentally head down Radford or drive down Colfax to Ventura—then it doesn’t seem so hidden at all. That blissful, naive moment of discovery makes this studio center seem pretty sweet. Too bad they don’t offer tours. So that just leaves attending the taping of a show. But kudos to you for finding it! Shows: ET, Big Brother, Parks and Recreation. FYI: Seinfeld was also shot here back in the day.
CBS Television City
7800 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, 323-575-2458;
www.cbs.com
Not to be confused with CBS Studio Center, Television City films such gems as The Price is Right and The Late Late Show. If you want to see a taping and you don’t care which show it is, you can walk up to the studio’s ticket office (near the corner of Beverly & Fairfax) and pick up tickets. If you’re after tickets for a specific show, you’ll need to call 323-575-2458 (live) or 323-575-2449 (The Price is Right recorded hotline) in advance.
NBC Studios
3000 W Alameda Ave (at Bob Hope Dr), Burbank,
818-840-3537; www.nbc.com
NBC is the only television studio in LA to offer tours. From the outside it looks like a bland corporate office building, and it’s not exactly in a lively section of Burbank. To top that off, it’s only a 70-minute walking tour and—sorry to spoil the surprise–it’s basically just a visit to The Tonight Show set. However, entry can be gained for the bargain price of $7.50 for adults, $6.75 for seniors, $4 for children ages 5–12, and free for kids under 5. They do take you deep into the belly of NBC (even if it’s just a lot of viewing-from-afar and standing-behind-the-velvet-rope kind of deal). Maybe empty sets, display cases, and seeing Jay Leno’s parking space is your thing – meaning you weren’t a Conan fan. If not, you can always just go to see a taping of The Tonight Show, and lining up for free tickets to shows with a live studio audience might even be more fun. If you do plan on seeing The Tonight Show, tickets are available in person the day of taping or in advance by mail. We suggest you phone ahead for availability if you plan on lining up, otherwise you might just get a good view of the corporate building with no glimpse at Leno’s parking space to soften the blow.
ABC TV
2300 Riverside Dr, Burbank, 818-460-7477; www.abc.com
The ABC TV Studios have been recently relocated to the Disney Studio lot in Burbank. The studios still do not offer public tours, but tickets to some shows can be obtained. For more information, visit the network’s website to find out which ticket agents provide free tickets to shows such as America’s Funniest Home Videos and Dancing with the Stars.
Disney Studios
500 S Buena Vista St, Burbank, 818-560-1000;
www.disney.com
If there’s one thing Disney can do better than anyone else, its set up a great photo op. And that’s pretty much all you can do at the Walt Disney Studios: take a picture of the elaborate stone and glass building and the 160-foot stone statues of the Seven Dwarfs seemingly holding up the front of its roof. The studio is closed to the public, which really is a pity because it’s a Disney fan’s dream. You can wander through the hugely impressive prop warehouse where a good deal of the stuff is quite recognizable (like Madonna’s Evita portrait), you can ogle at an original Multiplane camera on display (the pioneering technology that made Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs possible), there are trailers belonging to people like, say, Jennifer Garner, and the studio also hosts a lovely miniature museum with everything from Mary Poppins’ iconic blue dress to vintage Mickey memorabilia and an impressive art archive. The back lot’s manicured lanes and lawns are typical, formulaic Disney: homogenous and sterile, but it’s a formula we’re all suckers for, admit it. The studio would make for a killer tour and also make a lot of fans happy—but you’ll just have to make do with snapping a picture at the main gate.
KCET Studio
4401 W Sunset Blvd, Hollywood, 323-953-5238;
www.kcet.org
KCET, the local public television (PBS) station Channel 28, is a historic studio where classics like The Jazz Singer were filmed. Sadly, they have temporarily suspended free walking tours for security reasons.
Universal Studios
100 Universal City Plz, Universal City, 800-UNIVERSAL;
www.universalstudios.com
If this studio tour feels like a theme park ride, that’s because it is. Universal Studios is really more like 60% theme park, 40% studio, and the theme park features are certainly more famous. The studio itself is part of the Universal City experience, which includes the CityWalk, a mini Las Vegas of restaurants, shops, stores, and a movie theater. As you ride their tram tour, you’ll suffer the onslaught of Jaws and King Kong. There are several rides and shows within the park for favorite spectacle blockbusters like Back to the Future, Jurassic Park, Terminator, and War of the Worlds. There are TV shows taped here as well, and film production is always in full swing, but the theme park experience—standing in the extremely long lines after the $61 ticket price—can become somewhat trying. Nevertheless, Universal Studios remains a tour favorite—you just can’t get attacked by a shark and a giant ape on the same day anywhere else. If you do decide to take this wild ride, try visiting their website before you go as they often have special reduced rate offers and deals that allow free entry for the rest of the year with the purchase of a full price ticket.
20th Century Fox
10201 W Pico Blvd, Century City; www.fox.com
You can see this studio by heading south down Avenue of the Stars (though this is a misnomer of a street, really), and it’ll be on your right just before Pico. Much of what used to be this studio’s back lots were sold off to make room for the Century City shopping centers. The facilities that have remained or relocated continue to shoot movies and television. Most of these television shows do not require live audiences, but you can get tickets for the few shows, like Reba, by contacting Audiences Unlimited (see below).
Audiences Unlimited
Audiences Unlimited is an agency that distributes free tickets to the tapings of television shows. Call 818-753-3470, visit www.tvtickets.com, or get tickets through the mail (include an SASE) by writing to Audiences Unlimited, 100 Universal City Plz, Bldg 153, Universal City, CA 91608. Be sure to specify the name of the show, date, and number of people in your party. However, we suggest visiting the website or calling the company directly. The tickets are free, so they don’t exactly have trouble handing them out.