Universal is ready for its close-up
Universal is ready for its close-up
Hollywood park to celebrate its 60th anniversary
Universal Studios dates back to 1912 and is the oldest existing US film studio. In those early years, the public was invited onto the Los Angles lot where they could sit on bleachers to watch films being shot. Since the movies were silent, there was no concern about audiences disrupting the productions. When talkies began, the practice ended.
Fast forward to 1964, and Universal again opened its gates to movie fans, this time offering tram tours of its backlots and soundstages. Thus was born Universal Studios Hollywood and the start of the Universal theme parks. On the occasion of its 60th anniversary, the original Universal Studios will be going retro from April 26 to August 11 and reveling in its 60s-era kitsch and glamor.
What distinguishes the Hollywood park from its sister properties is its history, its authenticity as a true, working movie studio, and the Studio Tour that launched it all. To this day, the tour remains the park’s highlight as well as its heart and soul. To mark the anniversary milestone, Universal will be introducing retro “Glamor Trams,” reproductions of the vintage vehicles that shuttled guests on the guided tours in the 1960s.
In addition, tram passengers will be able to get off the vehicles mid-tour and explore a movie set. For the selfie-conscious, there will be photo-ops with Bruce the shark from “Jaws,” King Kong, the creepy “Psycho” house, and an original red and white Glamor Tram. A scale replica of the famous Hollywood Sign will also be on display at the set.
“The Studio Tour paved the way for the development of Universal Studios Hollywood and celebrating its 60-year milestone pays homage to its indelible impact,” said Scott Strobl, the park’s executive VP and general manager. “We are thrilled and honored to share our enthusiasm for its historic relevance with guests both new to the experience as well as those who have journeyed with us along the way.”
Other anniversary features will include the resurrection of the Runaway Train, a tour scene that dates back to 1976. The trams will come to a halt on tracks as a locomotive threatens to barrel into them. The park will also be debuting the overhaul of “Earthquake–The Big One,” an attraction embedded in the tour that simulates a seismic catastrophe. For a taste of the past, Universal will be offering classic dishes such as a tuna melt and meatloaf during the celebration.
When I visited Universal Studios Hollywood in the 1960s (yes I’m ancient; stop your snickering), there was little more to do than the Studio Tour. The two-hour presentation didn’t include such modern-day features as King Kong 360 3D or Fast & Furious - Supercharged! Instead, the quaint tour took visitors behind the scenes of moviemaking. I remember the tram actually rolling onto a soundstage and entering Lana Turner’s dressing room. I also remember meeting Frankenstein’s monster, who still roams the park today. There was a Wild West stunt show that I–and many other folks in the audience–filmed using an 8mm camera and dutifully followed the “director’s” instructions about where to train my lens. (Sadly, my masterpiece is no longer part of the Levine family archives.) The cost to enter Universal Studios in the late 1960s? $3.75.
You may be surprised to learn that Universal Studios Florida, the second park in the company’s portfolio, also had a tram tour when it first opened in 1990. The brief tour circled the park and visited sets and soundstages when movies and television shows were being shot there. The Orlando studio failed to attract many projects, however, and the park abandoned the tour a few years after it debuted. While there are occasional productions shot at Universal Studios Florida today, it is primarily a theme park. Universal Studios Hollywood, however, remains a vital place to film movies and shows.
Do you have any memories to share about the Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood? Did you capture the stunt show on celluloid? Do you still have it?
I spent a lot of time at the SoCal theme parks in 1970s and early 1980s, including Universal, and I have a lot of fond memories.
I remember once being recruited for a crowd scene for a stage show where guests’ scenes were mixed in with footage from the TV show “Emergency!”, and another time to demonstrate how someone sat in a room while Fred Astaire literally danced on the ceiling in “Royal Wedding”. I remember getting the bejebers scared out of me by the carrot-toothed version from the shark from “Jaws”, and surviving being captured by Cylons in the “Battle of Galactica” (based on the original series). I’m old enough to remember the stop for the “Six Million Dollar Man Special Effects Stage” and the break at Prop Plaza.
I’m looking forward to seeing the candy-striped GlamourTrams and the runaway train come back this summer!
I have three strong "young(er)" memories at Universal Studios Hollywood:
1. seeing the wild west stunt show as a kid in the 70s and loving it
2. standing in line for the tram with the huge props for Land of the Giants (again in the 70s) and thinking they were cool
3. taking the tram tour and being driven through New York Street when it was draped for (fake) night shooting for Streets of Fire (early 80s?)