Willat Studios-Historical location (Culver City, California)

 place with historical importance, interesting place, film/video production studio/facility, historical layer / disappeared object, historic site

6509 Washington Blvd. (old numbering system)

Historical location--this is the general location of a silent film studio know as Willat Studios.

Built from 1920-1921, the brothers, Carl and Irvin Willat, opened their own independent studio in Culver City at what is now Washington Boulevard, Willat and Hoke Streets.

Carl ‘Doc’ Willat, a former Technicolor executive and studio owner/builder in Fort Lee, New Jersey, arranged distribution with the Hodkinson Company for his brother’s upcoming four-feature film deal.

Irvin Willat, originally began in the film business working with the IMP (Independent Motion Picture Company) of Carl Laemmle, later known as the future president of Universal Pictures. By this time Irvin Willat distinguished himself as an upcoming film director, having real time experience working for Thomas Ince for many years.

Carl and Irvin prepared four films for their independent releases: Down Home, Partners of the Tide, Face of the World and Fifty Candles, all to be produced in Culver City at their new studio.

Their main building was known as the "Witch's House" because of its distinctive gingerbread characte and in 1924 sold the studio to film producer Ward Lascelle. Lascelle subsequently moved the entire administration building to Culver City in 1926 and remodeled it into a house where he lived until he died. It was subsequently was relocated to Beverly Hills where it has stood since the 1920's as a private residence, (the Spadena House on Walden). It was almost returned to Culver City for a historic museum.