Universal City, California - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Universal City is a community in the San Fernando Valley

San Fernando Valley

The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...

region of Los Angeles County, California

Los Angeles County, California

Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...

, that encompasses the 415 acre (.65 sq mi) property of Universal Studios

Universal Studios

Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....

. Approximately 70 percent of the property is in an unincorporated area

Unincorporated area

In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...

of the county

County (United States)

In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...

surrounded by the City of Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

, and the remaining area is inside the Los Angeles city limits

City limits

The terms city limits and city boundary refer to the defined boundary or border of a city. The area within the city limits is sometimes called the city proper. The terms town limits/boundary and village limits/boundary mean the same as city limits/boundary, but apply to towns and villages...

.
Universal City is unincorporated to avoid City of Los Angeles business taxes and regulations (the community has a building permit office on site, simplifying the building process).

Located in Universal City are 10 Universal City Plaza

10 Universal City Plaza

10 Universal City Plaza is a 36-story rhombic office building in Universal City, California, in the United States. It was completed in 1984 by Hathaway Dinwiddie, and was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. The building contains of office space...

, a 36-floor office building for Universal

Universal Studios

Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....

and NBC

NBC

The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...

, the Sheraton Universal, the Universal Hilton, the Universal Studios Hollywood

Universal Studios Hollywood

Universal Studios Hollywood is a movie studio and theme park in the unincorporated Universal City community of Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is one of the oldest and most famous Hollywood movie studios still in use...

theme park, the Universal CityWalk

Universal CityWalk

Universal CityWalk is the name given to the entertainment and retail districts located adjacent to the theme parks of Universal Parks & Resorts. Originating as an expansion of Universal's first park, Universal Studios Hollywood, CityWalk serves as an entrance plaza from the parking lots to the...

shopping and entertainment center, the Gibson Amphitheatre

Gibson Amphitheatre

The Gibson Amphitheatre is a theatre located in Universal City, California, USA. It seats up to 6,189 for concerts, including 6,089 chairback seats...

, and Universal's studios, sets, and lots. The Metro Red Line underground station of the same name is located across the street from 10 Universal Plaza. A Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is a local county law enforcement agency that serves Los Angeles County, California. It is the fourth largest local policing agency in the United States, with the New York City Police Department being the first. The second largest is the Chicago Police...

station is located at Universal CityWalk.

It is also the home to the only paid government operated fire station on private property, Los Angeles County Fire Department

Los Angeles County Fire Department

The Los Angeles County Fire Department , serves unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County, as well as 58 cities and towns that choose to have the county provide fire and EMS services, including La Habra. It should not be confused with the Los Angeles City Fire Department, which serves the city of...

Station 51. This station number holds special significance to Universal. Station 51 was the fictional home of the Jack Webb

Jack Webb

John Randolph "Jack" Webb , also known by the pseudonym John Randolph, was an American actor, television producer, director and screenwriter, who is most famous for his role as Sergeant Joe Friday in the radio and television series Dragnet...

/Universal television series, Emergency!
Emergency!
Emergency! is an American television series that combines the medical drama and action-adventure genres. It was produced by Mark VII Limited and distributed by Universal Studios...

The ZIP Code

ZIP Code

ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...

is 91608 and the community is inside area code 818.

History

Carl Laemmle

Carl Laemmle , born in Laupheim, Württemberg, Germany, was a pioneer in American film making and a founder of one of the original major Hollywood movie studios - Universal...

officially opened the Second Universal City (Lankershim Blvd) on March 15, 1915 on a 230 acre (.36 sq mi) Talyor Ranch property. A crowd of men in waistcoats and women in bonnets jostled to catch a glimpse of the film stages, daredevil stunt pilots, silent-film idols and movie cameras Laemmle had brought to a dusty ranch in the hills of what is now North Hollywood.

"See how slapstick comedies are made. See your favorite screen stars do their work. See how we make the people laugh or cry or sit on the edge of their chairs the world over!" cried a poster touting Universal's opening. "C'mon out! Aw, c'mon!"

Universal Pictures' founder was a German immigrant who opened his first nickelodeon in Chicago

Chicago

Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

in 1906. He moved to 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...

, where he soon joined with half a dozen small motion picture companies to create the movie company he called Universal Pictures

Universal Pictures

-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...

.

In 1912, Laemmle briefly operated three small studios - Bison, Nestor, and Oak Crest Ranch. After a court battle with New York Film Company, control of the Bison lot was returned to the New York Film Company. The court allowed Carl Laemmle to retain use of the name 'Bison. Bison 101)" for his westerns, which were filmed on the Oak Crest property in the San Fernando Valley. The Oak Crest Ranch is where Laemmle filmed the western "At Old Fort Dearborn." The Providencia Land and Water company, called Oak Crest Ranch in the trade papers, became the first Universal City Location.

In 1913, Laemmle decided to consolidate the Nestor studio (Hollywood) and Oak Crest ranch (Providencia) property. His first Universal City was too small, so he ordered a search for a new and larger property in the valley, a location with more space to use for his Universal City. Laemmle leased Providencia ranchland in the San Fernando Valley

San Fernando Valley

in 1912. If it was a city, it was a haphazard one ( Motion Picture World) : With the help of nearly 300 movie hands and actors, he erected makeshift buildings, set up cameras and began churning out hundreds of one- and two-reel silent westerns.

Other studio chiefs laughed, calling the place "Laemmle's Folly" and jeering that it was so far out of town that Laemmle could film scenery for free anywhere he wanted. Laemmle himself had second thoughts and worried that maybe he had made a huge mistake. But he was to soon live his greatest dreams. Success was found all around with his "city" containing streets, bungalows, sets and viewing stands—all so the public could observe the magic of moviemaking.

In the meantime, Laemmle added a zoo to the Oak Crest Ranch (Moving Picture World
The Moving Picture World
The Moving Picture World was an influential early trade journal for the American film industry, from 1907 to 1927. By 1914, it had a reported circulation of approximately 15,000.The publication was founded by James Petrie Chalmers, Jr...

ad 1913). — Opened to Visitor to generate free advertising by word of mouth.
The Rotatian of Los Angeles were one of the groups permitted to visit the Oak Crest - Universal City. (The Rotarian - Feb 1914)

The Oak Crest ranch being too small ( Scrap-it). For his larger Universal City, Laemmle bought the Lankershism land and Water property, the Taylor Ranch 230 acre (0.9307778 km²) Talyor ranch for $165,000, calling it his new Universal City.

In 1914, The Oak Ranch (Providencia Ranch) operations were moved to the Taylor ( Lankershism) ranch. The Universal (Oak Crest) ranch zoo, was moved to the Back Ranch, of the Lankersim property. [ Moving Picture World]
The New Universal City was opened for Universal Staff in 1914.

Laemmle went on an eight-day whistle-stop tour from Chicago

Chicago

to Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

the week before Universal City's grand Public opening. His promoters even sold the grand (and technically impossible) lie that Laemmle had persuaded the secretary of the Navy to send a battleship up the Los Angeles River to fire a salvo on opening day. Easterners, they hoped, would believe anything about California.

After World War I, Laemmle brought even more kin over from war-torn Europe, increasing the payroll to 70. His cheerful nepotism was immortalized in humorist Ogden Nash's couplet: Uncle Carl Laemmle has a very large faemmle.

Laemmle was forced to end studio tours in the 1920s when talkies came along and "quiet on the set" became an absolute. He sold his sprawling entertainment empire in 1936. Before his death in 1939, at age 72, he helped bring more than 200 German-Jewish refugees to Los Angeles.

A nephew, Max, founded the local Laemmle Theatres chain.

Universal City didn't welcome tourists again until July 4, 1964. Next came hotels, an amphitheater, a movie complex and an urban theme park called Universal CityWalk—a faux city street and popular destination for tourists and locals.

Universal Ranch 1912

On June 8, 1912, Carl Laemmle merged IMP (Independent Motion Picture Company) with five smaller companies to form the Universal Film Manufacturing Company. After visiting his newly acquired west coast operations of Nestor Studios and Nestor Ranch, he renamed the studio "Universal Studios," and the leased Oak Crest Ranch became the first "Universal City" in the San Fernando Valley.

The first Universal/Nestor Ranch (Providencia Land and Water Development Company property Oak Crest Ranch) is presently the site of Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills).

In 1915, Universal moved its Hollywood/Nestor studio and Universal/Nestor Ranch operations to its new Lankershim Blvd. location before the official opening of Universal City (Lankershim Blvd).

In 1916, The first Universal Oak Ranch, became known as the Lasky Ranch. The Hollywood studio was then leased to Christie Comedies.

Universal City - Oak Crest Ranch - 1912

In 1912, Carl Laemmle toured his Pacific coast operations. He renamed the Nestor Studio - "Universal Studios" - and the leased Nestor Ranch - Universal City. He also took control property in Encino.

Carl Laemmle thought the Providencia ranch area was too small for this his ideas of "Universal City". He ordered the purchase the Lankershim land Water Company property.

Lankershim Ranch and Water Company

Subdivision of the east 12,000 acres (49 km²) of the south half of Rancho Ex-Mission San Fernando
Rancho Ex-Mission San Fernando
Rancho Ex-Mission San Fernando was a Mexican land grant in present day Los Angeles County, California granted in 1846 by Governor Pío Pico to Eulogio de Celis...

Purchased lots 276, 277, 278; also a small portion of Lot 279, marked Mary L. Carhart (left side of the Lankershim bridge).

Only 230 acres (0.9 km²) of northern part lot 278 became official studios front lot in 1915. The zoo and other stage were constructed on the northern sections of Lot 277 and 278.

The mountain portions above 600 feet (182.9 m) were not incorporated into studio use until MCA/Universal's master plan to level the hills and create the Universal Studio Tour Center and City Walk
http://content.cdlib.org/dynaxml/data/13030/kf/hb9b69p5kf/files/hb9b69p5kf-FID6.jpg] Map: Lankershim Ranch and Water Company

Universal City Ranch (Forest lawn) Moves

Between 1914 and 1915 "Universal City" assets were moved to the Lankershim Location.
http://employees.oxy.edu/jerry/univstud.htm Movie Making locations by Jerry L. Schneider

Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) History Before - 1917

The Providencia Land and Water Development Company property was used as a location for some early films, most significantly the battle scenes in the silent classic about the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

, The Birth of a Nation
The Birth of a Nation
The Birth of a Nation is a 1915 American silent film directed by D. W. Griffith and based on the novel and play The Clansman, both by Thomas Dixon, Jr. Griffith also co-wrote the screenplay , and co-produced the film . It was released on February 8, 1915...

(1915).

In 1912, Carl Laemmle (IMP) Universal Pictures took over the assets of Nestor Studios and named this area Universal City. The photograph of this area can be seen in Los Angeles Library archives: "A Birds Eye View of Universal City":

NBC Moves Operations

On September 10, 2007, NBC Universal management alerted its employees that the company planned to end its 56-year relationship with Burbank, California

Burbank, California

Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....

and sell much of the 34 acres (137,593.2 m²) Burbank complex. NBC Universal

NBC Universal

NBCUniversal Media, LLC is a media and entertainment company engaged in the production and marketing of entertainment, news, and information products and services to a global customer base...

will relocate its vast television and cable operations to the Universal City complex. The new facilities - part of an $800 million skyline-altering development expected to be completed in 2011 - will be located adjacent to the Universal City Red Line subway station

Universal City (LACMTA Station)

Universal City Station is a heavy-rail subway station in the Los Angeles County Metro Rail system. It is located on Lankershim Boulevard, across from the entrance to Universal Studios, in the Los Angeles, California community of Studio City...

and feature an environmentally friendly West Coast news headquarters.

Thomas Properties Group is developing and will own NBC's new home. The network will likely share its new space with other tenants. The first phase - the five-story, 315000 square feet (29,264.5 m²) broadcast studio with a 24-story post-production office facility and another 24-story high-rise with six stories of parking - should be finished in 2011. A 34-story office tower or condominium hotel is scheduled for completion in 2015, according to Thomas Properties. Eventually, the complex could employ about 3,200 people.

The Burbank studio was purchased in 1951. NBC moved The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...

from Burbank to the Stage One lot at Universal Studios when Conan O'Brien

Conan O'Brien

Conan Christopher O'Brien is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer and performer. Since November 2010 he has hosted Conan, a late-night talk show that airs on the American cable television station TBS....

took over hosting duties upon Jay Leno

Jay Leno

James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...

's exit from the program in 2009, but then shifted the show back to Burbank when Leno re-assumed hosting duties in 2010. The company plans to take West Coast network and local news operations and other facilities such as the "Access Hollywood" set to a new state-of-the art broadcast facility across the street from Universal Studios in 2011. The new facilities will be in a new building adjacent to the main subway line connecting Universal City to downtown Los Angeles. They will be across the street from Universal Studios, the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park and the CityWalk tourist destination.

Burbank Mayor Marsha Ramos was quoted as saying she was sad to learn The Tonight Show is leaving the city of 105,000. "The Tonight Show put us on the map," she told the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....

. "Without that line from Johnny Carson

Johnny Carson

John William "Johnny" Carson was an American television host and comedian, known as host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson for 30 years . Carson received six Emmy Awards including the Governor Award and a 1985 Peabody Award; he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1987...

about beautiful downtown Burbank, most people wouldn't even know that we exist." Tonight would return to Burbank following the 2010 Tonight Show conflict

2010 Tonight Show conflict

In early 2010, American television network NBC and two of its late-night talk show hosts, Conan O'Brien and Jay Leno, engaged in a media and public relations conflict over the host and airtime of The Tonight Show, the network's long-running late night program...

that saw Leno regain hosting duties with O'Brien leaving NBC altogether.

The dated Burbank property will be replaced by a modern media center featuring virtual studios, interactive graphic capabilities, a glass-walled newsroom and other high-tech features.

NBC's relocation and building plans still need approval from the City and County of Los Angeles. Several influential politicians have already raised concerns regarding the size of the project given increased traffic and congestion in the area.

Government and infrastructure

Fire protection in Universal City is provided by the Los Angeles County Fire Department

Los Angeles County Fire Department

. The LACFD operates Station #51 at 3900 Lankershim Boulevard as a part of Battalion 1.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

(LASD) operates the West Hollywood Station in West Hollywood

West Hollywood, California

West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984, with a population of 34,399 at the 2010 census. 41% of the city's population is made up of gay men according to a 2002 demographic analysis by Sara Kocher Consulting for the City of West Hollywood...

, serving Universal City. In addition the agency operates the Universal Citywalk Substation in the Universal Citywalk

Universal CityWalk

development in Universal City. Prior to the summer of 1991, the West Hollywood station handled all calls for police service from Universal City. In the summer of 1991 the LASD established the substation. From that summer until the summer of 1993, the substation was located in a trailer in the parking lot of the studio tour. The substation moved into a permanent location in the theme mall when the theme mall opened.

External links

http://www.flickr.com/photos/universalstonecutter/6125902657/
Universal City 1912 and 1914
Universal City 1912
Universal City 1912
Universal City 1912
Universal City 1912
Universal City 1912
"Nestor/Oak/ ranch 1912 to 1913" Universal Archives Collection
" Nestor Studios Ranch
Nestor Plant Article
Universal City 1912
Universal City 1912

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

History

Universal Ranch 1912

Universal City - Oak Crest Ranch - 1912

Lankershim Ranch and Water Company

Universal City Ranch (Forest lawn) Moves

Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) History Before - 1917

NBC Moves Operations

Government and infrastructure

See also

External links