Revue Studios | film/video production studio/facility, television studio

USA / California / West Hollywood /
 film/video production studio/facility, historical layer / disappeared object, television studio
The approximate area of the Universal Studios mammoth 367 acre backlot which, from 1958-1964 was owned (separately from Universal Studios) by MCA and called Revue Studios.

MCA started Revue Productions in 1943 for the purpose of broadcasting radio productions to the troupes over seas during the war. The produced the popular "Stage Door Canteen." They also produced USO shows and tours.

During the 1950s Revue turned its attention to producing television programming. Popular among their shows were "Leave it to Beaver'" Wagon Train," "The Adventures of Kit Carson," "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," and many others. The Revue logo became familiar at the end of many popular shows.

Feeling the need to own its production facilities, MCA bought this huge tract of land, leasing the land back to Universal for film production at a rate of a million dollars a year.

In 1962 MCA bought Universal Pictures and in 1966 Universal Television was formed, replacing Revue Productions as the television production arm of MCA. At this point in time Universal Pictures and Universal Television were separate companies, both owned by MCA and both having separate productions facilities: Universal Pictures on the front lot, and Universal Television on the back lot, each renting facilities from one another.

Some time in the mid 1960s the two lots (the real estate) were reunited, but the production companies were still operated separately. In the 1990s MCA and Universal Television were reincorporated together as Universal Pictures, and the Universal Television brand sold to Barry Diller and reincorporated as Studios USA. During this same period Seagram & Sons (the distiller) bought Universal from MCA, followed by Vivendi, followed by NBC, who now owns and controls both the Universal brand and the Universal lot.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Television#Revue_Studios
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   34°8'11"N   118°21'7"W

Comments

  • Does the facade (or entire building) of the mansion used in some of the old "Boris Karloff's Thriller" episodes (Pigeons from Hell, Return of Andrew Bentley, Dr. Markesan) still exist? It was also used on at least one episode of "One Step Beyond." If it still exists, where is it?
  • You can google map the coordinates and see which "homes" are on site. The entire setting for Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, the Munsters, and Leave it to Beaver are there. The Psycho house is still on property as well as the beach area from Jaws.
  • Bewitched set is on the Warner's Ranch lot.
  • "Jeannie" house is/was also on the Warner's Ranch lot.
This article was last modified 9 years ago