Kaufman Astoria Studios
Encyclopedia
The Kaufman Astoria Studios is an historic movie studio
located in the Astoria
section of the New York City
borough
of Queens
.
in 1920 to provide the company with a facility close to the Broadway theater district. Many features and short subjects were filmed here between 1920 and 1933. The two most famous movies to be shot here during that period are The Cocoanuts
(1929) and Animal Crackers
(1930), the first two Marx Brothers
films. It was also known as Astoria Studio and Paramount Studio. After Paramount Pictures
moved all studio operations to California in 1932, the Astoria location was turned over to independent producers whose films were released through Paramount.
In 1942, the United States Army Signal Corps
Army Pictorial Service took over the studio for the making of Army training and indoctrination films until 1971. The property was designated a national historic district
and added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1978. The district encompasses six contributing buildings.
Motion pictures filmed there include the musicals Hair
and The Wiz
, and the film Carlito's Way
. In 1984, The Jacksons' music video "Torture" was filmed there as well. Many sequences, especially the 'visitation' sequence in 2002 TV mini series, Angels in America
were also shot here. A 2009 remake, The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
, also used the studios. In 2011 the remake of Arthur (2011 film)
filmed and few scenes there.
Television shows filmed at the studio include Sesame Street
, Onion News Network
, Johnny and the Sprites
, Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego
, and its successor Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego?
, Power of 10
, The Cosby Show
, Swan's Crossing, Law & Order
, Million Dollar Password
, Video Power
and Spin City
. WFAN
, a local sports radio station owned by CBS
, was formerly based at the studio before moving to lower Manhattan in the fall of 2009.
The walls of the studio are lined with images of the performers who have worked in the studios, including Milton Berle
, George Burns
, Bill Cosby
, Diana Ross
, and Jerry Orbach
.
.
In 2008, Marty Robinson, who plays Aloysius Snuffleupagus
, Telly Monster
, and Slimy the Worm on Sesame Street married Annie Evans, a writer for the show on the Sesame Street set. The ceremony was performed on the steps of 123 Sesame Street and the reception was held throughout the rest of the set.
Movie studio
A movie studio is a term used to describe a major entertainment company or production company that has its own privately owned studio facility or facilities that are used to film movies...
located in the Astoria
Astoria, Queens
Astoria is a neighborhood in the northwestern corner of the borough of Queens in New York City. Located in Community Board 1, Astoria is bounded by the East River and is adjacent to three other Queens neighborhoods: Long Island City, Sunnyside , and Woodside...
section of the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
of Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
.
History
It was originally built by Famous Players-LaskyFamous Players-Lasky
Famous Players-Lasky Corporation was an American motion picture and distribution company created on July 19, 1916 from the merger of Adolph Zukor's Famous Players Film Company -- originally formed by Zukor as Famous Players in Famous Plays -- and Jesse L...
in 1920 to provide the company with a facility close to the Broadway theater district. Many features and short subjects were filmed here between 1920 and 1933. The two most famous movies to be shot here during that period are The Cocoanuts
The Cocoanuts
The Cocoanuts is the first feature-length Marx Brothers film, produced by Paramount Pictures. The musical comedy stars the four Marx Brothers, Oscar Shaw, Mary Eaton, and Margaret Dumont. Produced by Walter Wanger and the first sound movie to credit more than one director , and was adapted to the...
(1929) and Animal Crackers
Animal Crackers (film)
Animal Crackers is a 1930 American comedy film, in which mayhem and zaniness ensue when a valuable painting goes missing during a party in honor of famed African explorer Captain Spaulding. The film was both a critical and commercial success upon initial release, and remains one of the Marx...
(1930), the first two Marx Brothers
Marx Brothers
The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in Vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
films. It was also known as Astoria Studio and Paramount Studio. After Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
moved all studio operations to California in 1932, the Astoria location was turned over to independent producers whose films were released through Paramount.
In 1942, the United States Army Signal Corps
United States Army Signal Corps
The United States Army Signal Corps develops, tests, provides, and manages communications and information systems support for the command and control of combined arms forces. It was established in 1860, the brainchild of United States Army Major Albert J. Myer, and has had an important role from...
Army Pictorial Service took over the studio for the making of Army training and indoctrination films until 1971. The property was designated a national historic district
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
and added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1978. The district encompasses six contributing buildings.
Motion pictures filmed there include the musicals Hair
Hair (film)
Hair is a 1979 American film adaptation of the 1968 Broadway musical of the same name about a Vietnam war draftee who meets and befriends a tribe of long-haired hippies on his way to the army induction center...
and The Wiz
The Wiz
The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical "Wonderful Wizard of Oz" is a musical with music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls and book by William F. Brown. It is a retelling of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in the context of African American culture. It opened on October 21, 1974 at the Morris A...
, and the film Carlito's Way
Carlito's Way
Carlito's Way is a 1993 crime film directed by Brian De Palma, based on the novels Carlito's Way and After Hours by Judge Edwin Torres. The film adaptation was scripted by David Koepp. It stars Al Pacino, Sean Penn, Penelope Ann Miller, Luis Guzman, John Leguizamo, Jorge Porcel, Joseph Siravo, and...
. In 1984, The Jacksons' music video "Torture" was filmed there as well. Many sequences, especially the 'visitation' sequence in 2002 TV mini series, Angels in America
Angels in America
Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes is the 1993 Pulitzer Prize winning play in two parts by American playwright Tony Kushner. It has been made into both a television miniseries and an opera by Peter Eötvös.-Characters:...
were also shot here. A 2009 remake, The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009 film)
The Taking of Pelham 123 is a 2009 thriller film, directed by Tony Scott, and starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta. It is a film adaptation of the novel by Morton Freedgood , and is a remake of the original 1974 film adaptation, which was also remade in 1998 as a TV movie...
, also used the studios. In 2011 the remake of Arthur (2011 film)
Arthur (2011 film)
Arthur is a 2011 comedy film written by Peter Baynham and directed by Jason Winer. It is a remake of the 1981 film written and directed by Steve Gordon...
filmed and few scenes there.
Television shows filmed at the studio include Sesame Street
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
, Onion News Network
Onion News Network
Onion News Network is a parody television news show. The show premiered its ten-episode first season on January 21, 2011, at 10:00 p.m. EST on IFC....
, Johnny and the Sprites
Johnny and the Sprites
Johnny and the Sprites is a musical television show aimed for preschoolers that airs every weekend on the "Playhouse Disney" program of The Disney Channel. The show was created for, is produced by, and stars John Tartaglia . The show's theme song was written by Stephen Schwartz...
, Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego
Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego (game show)
-Original music and theme song:All of the music on the series was vocal music, arranged and performed by the a capella group, Rockapella. The music package included a popular theme song, and many short signature stings, such as "Let's Get Packing" when the contestant won the grand prize...
, and its successor Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego?
Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego?
Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego? is the title of three edutainment computer games in the Carmen Sandiego series that teach history. The concept was later adapted into a television show on PBS.- Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego? :...
, Power of 10
Power of 10
Power of 10 is an international Sony Pictures Television game show format featuring contestants predicting how a cross-section of local people from the host broadcaster's country responded to questions covering a wide variety of topics in polls conducted by the broadcaster and production...
, The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
, Swan's Crossing, Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
, Million Dollar Password
Million Dollar Password
Million Dollar Password is an updated version of the game show Password on CBS, which was hosted by Regis Philbin and ran from June 1, 2008 to June 14, 2009. Based upon a format created by Bob Stewart for Goodson-Todman, FremantleMedia produced the program.-Production and broadcast history:Million...
, Video Power
Video Power
Video Power is an American television series that aired in two different formats from 1990-1992 in syndication. Both formats revolved around video games, and actor Stivi Paskoski presided over both series playing video game master Johnny Arcade.Allen J...
and Spin City
Spin City
Spin City is an American sitcom television series that aired from September 17, 1996 until April 30, 2002 on the ABC network. Created by Gary David Goldberg and Bill Lawrence, the show was based on a fictional local government running New York City, and originally starred Michael J. Fox as Mike...
. WFAN
WFAN
WFAN , also known as "Sports Radio 66" or "The FAN", is a radio station in New York City. The station broadcasts on a clear channel and is owned by CBS Radio...
, a local sports radio station owned by CBS
CBS Radio
CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
, was formerly based at the studio before moving to lower Manhattan in the fall of 2009.
The walls of the studio are lined with images of the performers who have worked in the studios, including Milton Berle
Milton Berle
Milton Berlinger , better known as Milton Berle, was an American comedian and actor. As the manic host of NBC's Texaco Star Theater , in 1948 he was the first major star of U.S. television and as such became known as Uncle Miltie and Mr...
, George Burns
George Burns
George Burns , born Nathan Birnbaum, was an American comedian, actor, and writer.He was one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, film, radio, television and movies, with and without his wife, Gracie Allen. His arched eyebrow and cigar smoke punctuation became...
, Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby
William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
, Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
, and Jerry Orbach
Jerry Orbach
Jerome Bernard "Jerry" Orbach was an American actor and singer. He was well known for his starring role as Detective Lennie Briscoe in the Law & Order television series and as the voice of Lumière in Disney's Beauty and the Beast. As well, Orbach was a noted musical theatre star...
.
Current activities
Kaufman Astoria Studios has seven sound stages including the new Stage K, designed by the Janson Design GroupJanson Design Group
The Janson + Tsai Design Group is an architecture and acoustic design firm that specializes in studio and entertainment design. Founded by Dennis Janson in 1997, the firm is a medium sized specialty firm. Mr. Janson has practiced in this specialty field since 1979...
.
In 2008, Marty Robinson, who plays Aloysius Snuffleupagus
Aloysius Snuffleupagus
Aloysius Snuffleupagus, more commonly known as Mr. Snuffleupagus or Snuffy, is one of the Muppet characters on the longest-running educational television program for young children, Sesame Street. He was created as a woolly mammoth, without tusks or ears, and has a long thick pointed tail, similar...
, Telly Monster
Telly Monster
Telly Monster, known usually as just Telly, is an eternally worrying, fuchsia monster Muppet on Sesame Street. He is puppeteered by Martin P. Robinson....
, and Slimy the Worm on Sesame Street married Annie Evans, a writer for the show on the Sesame Street set. The ceremony was performed on the steps of 123 Sesame Street and the reception was held throughout the rest of the set.
External links
- Astoria Studios, Barracks Buildings, Thirty-fourth Ave between Thirty-fifth & Thirty-sixth Streets, Queens (subdivision), Queens, NY: 3 data pages at Historic American Building Survey
- Official Website
- Kaufman Astoria Studios at Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...