Warner Brothers 2

The Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank

	The famous Warner Bros. water tower is a studio landmark. Photo: © Hyde Flippo

If they were alive today, the Warner brothers would probably have a hard time recognizing the studios where they used to work—before the family-owned business became a corporate complex. But despite the loss or remodeling of some buildings, and many other changes over the years, there are still a few landmarks they would recognize, including the WB water tower (see photo). But even that structure moved from the center of the lot to its current location in the 1930s.

The brothers would no doubt be more shocked by the fact that their Warner movie studios today are primarily used for television productions. The sound stages today are used mostly for filming popular television series, including "Friends," "ER," "The Gilmore Girls," and "The West Wing." (The Warner Bros. Studios are separate from the WB television network. The WB production facilities in Burbank turn out programing for NBC and other networks.) Visitors taking the Warner Bros. studio tour view the sound stages of current TV series as well as the historical backlots where classic films such as Mel Brooks' "Blazing Saddles" were filmed. They also get to visit the studio museum, with its changing exhibits of memorabilia from films going back to "Casablanca" (1942) or the latest Harry Potter film.

The famous Warner Bros. Gate 2 is still located on Olive Avenue in Burbank. Except for the TV show signs, the view today is much like it was in the 1940s and '50s. Photo: © Hyde Flippo

The land on which the Warner Brothers Studios are located today was once part of farmland owned by Dr. David Burbank. In 1867, Burbank built his ranch home near what is now Warner Boulevard. In 1926, First National Pictures purchased the land once owned by Burbank and an additional 78 acres to build their new movie studios. By 1928, there were about 27 studio structures, including several sound stages, located on what had once been alfalfa fields.

It was around this time that the Warner Brothers operation was able to purchase First National and gain access to the Burbank studios. Eventually those facilities would expand to cover more than 140 acres, a bit larger than the size of today's studio complex (just over 100 acres). Warner Bros. was one of the first Hollywood studios to construct a lot based on a carefully planned layout that included both indoor and outdoor filming facilities and room for future expansion. Warner Bros. moved from their former studios on Sunset Boulevard (today the site of the KTLA broadcast studios) to the Burbank complex in 1930. The Burbank studios reached their maximum size in the 1970s, when Columbia shared the lot with Warner Bros. But by that time, the Warner family was no longer involved with the studio.

V I P   S t u d i o   T o u r

You can visit the Warner Bros. Studios in person. The WB tour offers an insider's view of a working studio. If you're lucky, you might see a famous star or two working on the production of a TV show or movie. From the Warner Bros. tour brochure: "Your tour begins when you step aboard a VIP cart and enjoy a unique excursion that changes from day to day—no two tours are exactly alike."

WB tours are scheduled every half hour from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Mon. - Fri. (October-May). In the summer season (June-September), tours run on the same schedule until 4:30 pm (last departure). The cost is $35 per person (age 8 and above only). For more information or reservations you can call 818-972-TOUR or visit the WB tour web site: www.studio-tour.com.

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