Historic Hollywood and Los Angeles
0:27 - 01:02 - B/W, 1936. EXT Warner Hollywood Theatre. Two male ushers carry and set up framed posters advertising gala previews including “Green Pastures†on sidewalk in front of theater.
01:02 - 01:26 - B/W, Night, 1930s. A man rotates a searchlight mounted on a platform surrounded by a crowd of onlookers at a movie premiere.
01:26 - 3:46 - B/W, Night, 1930. EXT “Mammy†premiere at “Warners†Theatre. Crowds of movie goers stand outside “Warners†Theatre. Cars drive in both directions on Broadway and Third Avenue Railway System streetcars passes by. WS “Warners†Theatre marquee reading “Mammy†with crowds of movie goers standing in entrance and spilling out of lobby. Singers in blackface and dressed like Al Jolson character perform in the theater entrance accompanied by brass band. A horse-drawn cart passes by amidst the other vehicles.
03:46 - 4:05 - B/W, 1933. Scene from “42nd Streetâ€. EXT HA Movie goers enter theater with “Pretty Lady gala premiere†on marquee.
04:05 - 08:43 - B/W, Night, 1930s. EXT Movie stars / celebrities including Norma Shearer, Myrna Loy, Peter Lorre, Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant, Mickey Rooney, Joe E. Brown, Olivia de Havilland, Leslie Howard, Bette Davis arrive at movie premiere, pose for cameras and talk into Los Angeles radio station KFWB microphone. KFWB announcer William “Bill†Ray interviews celebrities.
08:43 - 09:07 - B/W, Night, 1930s. EXT A man rotates a searchlight mounted on a platform surrounded by crowd of onlookers at movie premiere.
09:07 - 09:12 - B/W, Night, 1935. EXT Warner Beverly Hills Theatre. Marquee reads “Gala Premiere To-night A Midsummer Night’s Dreamâ€.
09:12 - 09:33 - B/W, Night. EXT Push in to CU rotating searchlight.
09:33 - 09:47 - B/W, 1930s / 1940s. Film scene. A woman escorted by a man signs autographs for a crowd of fans before getting into a car.
09:47 - 09:54 B/W, 1930s / 1940s. EXT A film crew films a tracking shot of a group of men in period clothing riding galloping horses with a camera dolly traveling on rails.
09:54 - 10:13 - B/W, Night, 1940s / 1950s. Car POV driving past Ciroâ€s nightclub with illuminated sign.
10:13 - 11:26 - B/W, 1930s / 1940s. INT WS nightclub. Manâ€s hands holding clapperboard for “Stage Show†in front of camera. Nightclub audience watching chorus line dancers perform dance routine on stage with can-can kicks.
11:26 - 16:26 - Color, Night, 1950s. EXT CU rotating searchlight. Flickering searchlight. Man rotating searchlights. HA Searchlight beams shining above heavy traffic on street below. HA crowds outside movie theater at film premiere with flickering of lights from cameras.
16:26 - 17:58 - Color, Night. EXT fireworks display.
17:58 - 18:27 - B/W, 1950s. EXT aerial view over houses, streets and Columbia Ranch.
18:27 - 19:23 - Color, 1970s. EXT film studio backlot / ranch entrance, probably Columbia Ranch. Sign pointing to “EUE/Screen Gems Commercial Department Castingâ€. Film sets. Front facades of buildings and houses. Film being shot with actor and actress wearing safari clothing.
19:23 - 19:49 - B/W, 1950s. Aerial view over streets surrounding studio backlot, probably Columbia Ranch.
19:49 - 20:05 - Color, 1950s. EXT Cars exiting and entering studio backlot near busy street.
20:05 - 20:13 - B/W, 1940s. Director sitting next to camera gives instructions to cameraman while period film scene is filmed.
20:13 - 20:22 - B/W, 1940s. EXT HA scene being filmed with male actor standing on edge of fountain giving passionate speech to people standing nearby.
20:22 - 21:18 - B/W, 1930s. EXT line of smiling pretty women, some wearing swimwear, walk up steps to an outdoor platform.
21:18 - 21:50 - B/W, 1930s. INT Film scene with man leading chorus line dancers in practicing routine on stage. A group of dancers in the rear of the stage get scolded by a man, who demonstrates the correct movements.
21:50 - 22:05 - B/W, 1933. Footage from “42nd Streetâ€. Multiple exposure shot of female dancer’s legs superimposed multiple times in kaleidoscope design.
22:05 - 22:24 - B/W, 1930s. INT theater. Film scene with PAN from conductor leading orchestra to stage as curtains open. Audience members sit in box seats.
22:24 - 23:03 - B/W, 1930s. INT HA Film scene with conductor leading orchestra. Stage curtains open. Male dancers descend steps of set onto stage. The mouth of a giant face opens and a female dancer emerges to join row of male dancers.
23:03 - 24:18 - B/W, 1930s. INT HA. Clapperboard is held in front of camera. Film scene with man and woman practicing tap dance routine on stage while chorus line dancers stand nearby and watch.
24:18 - 32:20 - B/W, 1930s. INT Busby Berkeley directing filming dance routine on stage with masked male and female dancers. Many takes of crane shots being filmed. Berkeley instructs dancers. Crew members clean stage in between takes. Crew pushes around elaborate set of columns into different positions.
32:20 - 36:11 - Color, 1970s. EXT aerial view traveling south over Santa Monica Beach with beach houses, Santa Monica Pier and ending at Pacific Ocean Park.
36:11 - 42:08 - Color, 1970s. EXT Paradise Cove, Malibu. Several takes of Paradise Cove Pier and beach with nearby cliffs. Crowded beach with beach-goers relaxing on beach, wading / swimming in water, jumping in surf and playing beach volleyball. Sign for “Snack bar, food and drinks†behind fence. Paradise Cove Beach Cafe. Children building sandcastles. Lifeguard tower.
42:08 - 42:56 - Color, 1970s. EXT Los Angeles, California. Aerials over Hollywood sign on Mount Lee, Santa Monica Mountains and Warner Brothers studio in Burbank.
42:56 - 43:03 - Color, 1970s. EXT Warner Brothers Studio building facade.
43:03 - 43:11 - B/W. Warner Brothers Pictures logo.
43:11 - 43:28 - Color, 1970s. Burbank, California. Warner Brothers studio. Mountains in background. Backlot. Deserted sets with 1940s cars.
43:28 - 44:48 - B/W, 1930s. Film scene being filmed on stage with man and woman singing on stage while chorus line dancers walk in rows on stage. Tracking shot being filmed with camera dolly mounted on track.
44:48 - 46:41 - Color, 1970s. EXT WS PAN Los Angeles skyline with buildings, freeway and Hollywood sign on Mount Hood in distance.
46:41 - 54:31 - B/W, 1950s. EXT On location filming of “Lone Ranger†TV episode in Bronson Canyon / Bronson Caves. Hollywood sign in distance. Parked trucks, horses, actors milling about and crew setting up equipment for shots. Camera crew on platform. Director and DP setting up shots next to cave. Director and actor blocking shot. Crew member shoveling hole to bury dynamite and covering it up with dirt. Dolly track being installed for tracking shots. Crew and cast members eating at craft services.
54:31 - 56:39 - Color, 1950s. Footage from an episode of “The Lone Ranger†television series.