Warner Bros.: Hollywood's Ultimate Backlot

by Steven Bingen, Marc Wanamaker (With), Doris Day (Foreword by)

Overview

Movie studios are the wondrous, almost magical locales where not just films, but legends, are created. Unfortunately, these celebrity playgrounds are, and always have been, largely hidden from public view. Although some movie studios offer tours, few guests from outside the Hollywood community have ever been witness to the artistry, politics, and scandals that routinely go on behind the soundstage walls and away from the carefully orchestrated scenes visible to them from their tram carts. In this book, studio staff historian and Hollywood insider Steven Bingen throws open Hollywood’s iron gates and takes you inside the greatest and yet most mysterious movie studio of them all: Warner Bros. Long home to the world’s biggest stars and most memorable films and television shows, the Warner Bros. Studio lot functions as a small city and is even more fascinating, glamorous, and outrageous than any of the stars or movies that it has been routinely minting for more than ninety years. Accompanied by stunning behind-the-scenes photos and maps, and including a revealing backstory, this book is your ticket to a previously veiled Hollywood paradise.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781493035335
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	10/06/2018
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	555,769
Product dimensions:	8.40(w) x 10.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Steven Bingen is a historian, screenwriter, and former archivist at Warner Bros. Originally a native of Seattle, Bingen has written and contributed to dozens of books, articles, and documentaries on Hollywood history. He coauthored MGM: Hollywood’s Greatest Backlot, the first significant book ever published about a movie studio lot. He lives in the world’s largest backlot, also known as Los Angeles.

Editorial Reviews

I was in the saddle at Warner Bros. for many years, so reading this book brought back lots of memories for me. I’m certain that for the millions who know the studio only through the movies and TV shows which were shot there, exploring the real place will prove to be just as fascinating as it was for me. I take great pride in having been a part of the Warner Bros. story.

Clint Walker

PRAISE FOR MGM: HOLLYWOOD'S GREATEST BACKLOT In my opinion, there can never be enough books about the golden age of Hollywood. Whether I'm reading as researcher, writer, or fan, MGM: Hollywood's Greatest Backlot is a spectacular resource. It’s comprehensive, compelling, and takes you on the greatest guided tour—both visually and narratively—of one of the greatest Hollywood studios.

Jennifer Niven

Warner Bros.: Hollywood’s Ultimate Backlot works tirelessly to reveal the historical and cinematic history of the infamous movie studio. Steven Bingen.. . .spins a tale of movie magic and takes readers through a 'studio book tour.' Bingen is aided by his personal history of acting as a tour guide at the Warner Bros. studio as well as serving as a staff historian. He incorporates a fun, eloquent prose into the text, the way he would as a guide a tour of the lot. He also features maps scattered throughout the text, colorfully marking soundstages and backlots.. . .Bingen, together with his team of writers and researchers, carefully analyze the history, evolution and meaning of the lots, as they have played host to a large number of television shows, shorts and films.. . .[T]he book permits an opportunity to marvel in the meaning of its space. The book also provides an appendix of production shots, as complete as possible granted the history of the studio, commencing as early as 1928.. . .The book permits the opportunity to travel back and discover the history associated with the sets and buildings.

Tribute

Saved from early bankruptcy by a dog - box-office wunderpoock Rin Tin Tin - the Burbank studio named after founding siblings Harry, Albert, Sam, and Jack has had a storied history. Bingen's handsome coffee table tome tells that story, with great archival photos and a film historian's rigorous attention to detail - from backlot architecture to the actors, directors, designers, and costumers who walked, and biked, among offices and soundstages and commissaries to make movies that would capture a nation's imagination.

Philadelphia Tribune

This book is like a magic carpet, taking movie buffs on a journey through the history of Warner Bros., from its dressing rooms and craft departments to its legendary backlot. What a wonderful compendium of history, anecdotes, and even gossip. I loved every bit of it.

Leonard Maltin

I grew up exploring the backlot, as my grandfather, Harry Warner, and his brothers founded the studio, and my writer/producer father, Milton Sperling, gave me errands to do on Saturdays on the lot. If you've ever dreamt of exploring a movie studio, Warner Bros.: Hollywood's Ultimate Backlot is the book that will take you into that magical world!

Cass Warner

I’ve dreamed of walking through those magic-filled backlot sets and workshops. This book allows one the delight of reliving the many layers of illusion created on the studio property. I can feel the ghosts of heroes, villains, gorgeous ladies, skilled artisans, and other beloved characters that inhabited this place. Steve Bingen’s book is the next best thing to being there.

Ben Burtt

Ever wish you could sneak into Warner Brothers backlot and learn the studio’s secrets? Bingen’s handsome, coffee table book enables you to do just that. You’ll tour the soundstages, offices and acreage, finding out the glamorous film history. Fascinating anecdotes abound.. . .You’ll discover details of so many facets of filmmaking, including set design, props, costumes and more. There are loads of interesting photos to peruse.

Pop Culture Classics

This book is a testament to the miracles of classic studio filmmaking. In these pages you will visit all the studio departments—business, artistic, and technical—that contribute to Warner Bros. movies. You will also learn how craftsmen put down stakes to build landscapes of the Old West, the streets of New York, jungle lagoons, or any other place imaginable. This book is literally ‘the stuff that dreams are made of.’

Craig Barron

★ 09/15/2014
Bingen, former archivist at Warner Bros. and coauthor of MGM, provides a behind-the-scenes look at the Warner Bros. studio lot. In this very well-organized and meticulously researched book, he describes the start of the company, how the movie studio in Burbank came into being, and how it is used to produce films and TV shows. The photos contained are absolutely amazing, ranging from a picture of the ranch house that was on the original farm property when it was bought to build the studio, Audrey Hepburn posing in front of the makeup department, images of the famous Warner Bros. water tower, and James Dean lounging near the iconic Midwest Street church. The stories behind some of the physical structures are exciting—for example, Stage 7 was raised 30 feet by William Randolph Hearst in 1935 by cranking the building up inch by inch while constructing a new structure underneath for a movie starring his mistress Marion Davies. This really enjoyable read makes history come alive while also giving one an idea of what a lot of work it takes to create "movie magic." VERDICT Highly recommended for all who enjoy film history, history, California history, and Warner Bros. movies.—Sally Bryant, Pepperdine Univ. Lib., Malibu, CA

Library Journal