Best known for glitzy and glamorous Technicolor musicals such as The Wizard of Oz and Singin' in the Rain, Sony Pictures Studios has a rich cinematic history that spans several decades. The studio was first founded by Harry Culver and Thomas H. Ince in 1914 under the name of Culver Studios. It was then later owned by MGM Studios which fell on hard times following the Golden Age of Hollywood. The broken-down and declining MGM Studios was dismantled and a majority of its remnants were purchased by Sony Pictures Studios years later.
The current state-of-the-art 45-acre studio is located in Culver City, California, roughly five miles from LAX and eight miles from downtown Los Angeles. It is bordered by Culver Boulevard to the south, Washington Boulevard to the north, Overland Avenue to the west, and Madison Avenue to the east. The old, bleached white colonnade facing Washington Boulevard is considered a Culver City historical landmark.
Sony Pictures Studios offers informative and engaging single and group walking tours of its studio complex, exploring buildings and sets named after cinematic luminaries such as Rita Hayworth, Clark Gable, and Judy Garland. Tour guests also have the opportunity to visit several of the on-site restaurants including the Rita Hayworth Dining Room, the Gower Café, the Studio Grill, and the Mocha Kiss Creamery and Coffee Shop.
The Sony Pictures Studio is known for being the home of TV sitcoms such as The King of Queens and Living with Fran. Most notably, Sony Pictures Studios is where the perennial and timeless TV game shows Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune are filmed.
Attraction Information
- Hours:
- Tours are Monday through Friday at 9:30am, 10:30am, 1:30pm, and 2:30pm (call for availability/reservations)
- Admission:
- General Admission: $28
- Children ages 12 and older are welcome
- Price not listed but fully customizable. Tour can be scheduled around an exciting taping of Jeopardy! or Wheel of Fortune
- Contact:
- Location: West Washington Boulevard, Culver City, CA
- Phone: 310-244-4000
- Website: www.sonypicturesstudios.com
