Hollywood's 20th Century Fox Studios

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History of 20th Century Fox Studios

During the silent film era, Hollywood’s film industry was concentrated in the northeast part of Los Angeles. The idea was to have the film companies clustered together so that they’d have easier access to each other for collaboration. The Fox Studios were originally built for the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, owned by Broadway producer Abraham Lasky and film mogul Jesse Lasky. They began operation in June 1927, and that same year hosted the world premiere of the first full-length feature film with sound, “The Jazz Singer.” The sound revolution that would bring Hollywood to the West Coast was still three years away.

The Original Lasky Studios

The original Lasky Studios were built in 1927 on the east side of Dickson. When the new 20th Century Fox bought the property in 1934, Fox tore the original buildings down and built new ones in the same place. The studios have undergone several renovations since then, but much of the original makeup remains. The well-known “Hollywood” sign that towers above the hills in the Hollywood Hills is part of the same property. It was originally erected as an advertisement for the Lasky studios. Since then, the sign has been altered multiple times and has served as a backdrop for many iconic films, including “Gone with the Wind.”

1928 - 1940: 20th Century Pictures takes over

In 1928, Fox built a new bigger studio next door to the Lasky Studios. The new 20th Century (later known as the Fox) studio had three sound stages and state-of-the-art technology. The company continued to use the Lasky site to shoot outdoor scenes until 1939 when the original Lasky buildings were torn down and replaced with new ones. In May 1939, Fox was sold to a group of investors led by William Schenck and Joseph Schenck, who formed the 20th Century Fox Corporation. The Fox studio continued to use the Lasky site until 1948 when it was determined that the land would be better used as a location for office space, production facilities, and a large parking lot.

1941 - 1953: 20th Century Fox takes over again

In 1941, William Fox surrendered control of his company to the Schenck brothers as collateral for a loan he had taken out to purchase a controlling interest in the Capital Theatre chain. The Schenck brothers took over the studio, changed the name back to 20th Century Fox, and began shooting all of their films at the new studio on the lot next door. In 1948, William Fox lost a lawsuit that forced him to surrender his shares in the company, which were then purchased by the Schenck brothers. In 1952, the brothers sold their shares of the company to the New York investment firm, The Society for the Savings of Money (SSOM), and the studio became known as 20th Century Fox.

2003 - 2018: Final Years

In the early 2000s, 20th Century Fox was sold to the company then known as News Corporation, which also owned the Fox Television Network, the Fox Broadcasting Company, and the National Rugby League. Following the acquisition of the company, 20th Century Fox was merged with the other companies in the News Corporation family, such as Fox Television and the Fox Network, to create one large media conglomerate. The motion picture and television production arm of the company was renamed Fox Studios and was relocated to the Fox lot in Los Angeles, California. 20th Century Fox’s Hollywood studios shut down for good in June 2018.

Why did 20th Century Fox cease production?

Fox Studios had been operating on the site since 1928, and the final three decades of operation had been a period of unbridled success. However, the company was acquired by the American media conglomerate, News Corporation, in 2002. The new holding company wanted to consolidate operations by shutting down the Hollywood studios and moving all operations to the Fox lot in New York. However, the company promised they would build a new production facility in the Hollywood area if they were allowed to close their Los Angeles studios. The state of California responded by offering $100 million in tax incentives if the company promised to keep at least 2,000 employees in the state. Unfortunately, Fox studios were unable to attract enough tenants to keep the building in business. In 2018, the company decided it was no longer financially viable to keep the Hollywood studios open.