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Images of America: California
Early Paramount Studios
For over 100 years, Paramount Pictures has been captivating movie and television audiences worldwide with its alluring imagery and compelling stories. Arising from the collective genius of Adolph Zukor, Jesse L. Lasky, and Cecil B. DeMille during the 1910s, Paramount Pictures is home to such enduring classics as Wings, Sunset Boulevard, The Ten Commandments, Love Story, The Godfather, the Indiana Jones series, Chinatown, Forrest Gump, Braveheart, Titanic, and Star Trek. Early Paramount Studios chronicles Paramount's origins, culminating in the creation and expansion of the lot at 5555 Melrose Avenue, the last major motion picture studio still in Hollywood.
128 pages, Paperback
First published July 15, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 23, 2024
Back in the summer of 2012 my wife and I went on a Paramount Studios tour. I bought this book afterward, looked at the pictures and some of the captions. Yesterday I decided to revisit it, and read all the captions. As usual, when you read the material you pick up details you might have missed in the photos. The only reason I give the book four stars instead of five, is some of the caption information is repetitive. The photos are great! Since reading this I've learned that the authors have also put together another Paramount book covering the 1940's to the present, as well as one on the Hollywood Forever Cemetery right next to the Paramount property. If you're interested in nostalgic Hollywood check 'Early Paramount Studios' out.
Bonus material regarding studio tours: Although we only live an hour north of the Los Angeles area, we had only been to Universal Studios. The summer of 2012 on a re-visit to Universal we decided we should tour Warner Brothers (which you can see from a hill that part of Universal is perched on), and Paramount. Of the three tours Paramount was the best. Very professional guide, and the company is very focused on the history of their studio. The Warner Brothers tour was more hurried, and seemed more focused on what is going on at their property present day. Universal of course includes their theme park and is more entertainment oriented.
Bonus material regarding studio tours: Although we only live an hour north of the Los Angeles area, we had only been to Universal Studios. The summer of 2012 on a re-visit to Universal we decided we should tour Warner Brothers (which you can see from a hill that part of Universal is perched on), and Paramount. Of the three tours Paramount was the best. Very professional guide, and the company is very focused on the history of their studio. The Warner Brothers tour was more hurried, and seemed more focused on what is going on at their property present day. Universal of course includes their theme park and is more entertainment oriented.
January 16, 2024
PHOTOGRAPHIC HISTORY OF EARLY PARAMOUNT.
Another fascinating and informative history from the marvelous Images of America series devoted to American cultural history - in this case an excellent photographic guide to the structure of the formative years of Paramount Pictures.
The authors have expertly charted the history of Paramount from its origins with Adolph Zukor's Famous Players Company, Jesse L. Lasky's Feature Play Company, Cecil B. DeMille's filming of "The Squaw Man" in a barn at Selma and Vine in "a place called Hollywood" and the Paramount Distributing Corporation, culminating in Paramount Pictures which quickly became the major player in the early American film industry.
All the various studios, production sites and film ranches the company used on its way to its final home at 5555 Melrose Avenue are all covered as well as the wide-ranging personalities which helped make the Paramount presence at the movies so memorable. The historical text accompanying the archival photos is faultlessly accurate, providing a vital history of one of the most iconic and certainly long-lasting studios.
Hundreds of amazing in-studio and back lot photos.
It should be emphasized that this is a studio personality/production history - not a book of stills from famous Paramount films.
Also note, as the title suggests, this book concludes at the end of 1939 with a further edition: "Paramount Studios 1940-2000" by the same authors also available in the series.
Another fascinating and informative history from the marvelous Images of America series devoted to American cultural history - in this case an excellent photographic guide to the structure of the formative years of Paramount Pictures.
The authors have expertly charted the history of Paramount from its origins with Adolph Zukor's Famous Players Company, Jesse L. Lasky's Feature Play Company, Cecil B. DeMille's filming of "The Squaw Man" in a barn at Selma and Vine in "a place called Hollywood" and the Paramount Distributing Corporation, culminating in Paramount Pictures which quickly became the major player in the early American film industry.
All the various studios, production sites and film ranches the company used on its way to its final home at 5555 Melrose Avenue are all covered as well as the wide-ranging personalities which helped make the Paramount presence at the movies so memorable. The historical text accompanying the archival photos is faultlessly accurate, providing a vital history of one of the most iconic and certainly long-lasting studios.
Hundreds of amazing in-studio and back lot photos.
It should be emphasized that this is a studio personality/production history - not a book of stills from famous Paramount films.
Also note, as the title suggests, this book concludes at the end of 1939 with a further edition: "Paramount Studios 1940-2000" by the same authors also available in the series.
November 18, 2015
Early Paramount Studios is a great book for education purposes and entertainment ones too. Starting from a pre-Paramount era and coming to an end around 1940's. It's filled with beautiful anecdotes, excellent photographs, posters and of course history.
Paramount Studios has a lengthy history, for more than a century now starting from theaters to movies.I will definitely recommend it to anyone who loves cinema or American history. You can find interesting facts in it and short biographies of those who build it from the ground.
Paramount Studios has a lengthy history, for more than a century now starting from theaters to movies.I will definitely recommend it to anyone who loves cinema or American history. You can find interesting facts in it and short biographies of those who build it from the ground.
July 27, 2023
”Look ahead a little, and gamble a lot.”
This one has so many cool photos and a lot of unique information :)
This one has so many cool photos and a lot of unique information :)
April 10, 2018
All about 1930
The book gives some good details about Paramount during the 1930's and before but not really anything about paramount during the 1940'and afterward.
The book gives some good details about Paramount during the 1930's and before but not really anything about paramount during the 1940'and afterward.
December 31, 2019
Great pictures. Felt like the information was repetitive and somewhat confusing, but definitely enjoyable. Looking forward to part 2.
June 28, 2020
Very comprehensive look at the studio and it’s backlot.
July 1, 2014
SO useful for research!
I picked this up at Larry Edmunds in Hollywood, and it's now one of my favorite additions to my library. So many useful photos, and great details.
I picked this up at Larry Edmunds in Hollywood, and it's now one of my favorite additions to my library. So many useful photos, and great details.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews