Paramount Pictures
As the longest operating and only remaining major studio in Hollywood, Paramount
Pictures has been
on the ground floor of every major development in film – from the advent of
motion pictures, to the emergence of television, through the digital revolution.
During our 100-year history, we have served as
the production site for thousands of notable movies and TV shows.
Today, we continue to partner with projects large and small in a ceaseless
effort to create celebrated movies, television shows, and commercials.
Our studio lot has grown considerably over the years, expanding from 26 acres
and four stages to 65 acres and thirty stages. We have also constructed other
impressive sites like the massive Blue Sky Tank and our one-of-a-kind New York
Street backlot, which features ten distinct city neighborhood backdrops. When
you visit our lot, not only will you see where some of the most celebrated
movies and television series were made, but also see how we continue to produce
iconic motion pictures for the next century.
At Paramount, you will get to wander through the past and see the future at the
same time.
1912-1929
The Beginning and Early Years
Paramount Pictures began humbly in 1912 when Adolph Zukor, the owner of a New
York nickelodeon, released the first full-length drama shown in the United
States (Queen Elizabeth, starring Sarah Bernhardt) and founded the Famous
Players Film Company. A year later, Zukor began distributing his films through a
start-up company called Paramount Pictures.
In 1916, Zukor’s Famous Players merged with The Jesse L. Lasky Company, which
was producing films in Hollywood (including the first feature-length film ever
produced in Hollywood – The Squaw Man) and also using Paramount Pictures as a
distributor. The newly formed Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, soon
consolidated with the distribution company (in which Zukor was a major
stockholder) and all three companies became what you now know as Paramount
Pictures.
After the merger, audiences first began seeing the iconic logo with the mountain
and stars, which was created by Paramount (the distribution company) founder W.
W. Hodkinson. Hodkinson had borrowed the Paramount name from an apartment house
that he frequently passed in his neighborhood. A mountain peak he remembered
from his childhood in Utah inspired the logo, which he designed. Legend has it
that the stars surrounding the mountain represented the original 22 film stars
Hodkinson had under contract. Another implication was that Paramount had more
stars than there were in the universe.
In 1926, Lasky supervised the construction of a new Hollywood studio, which was
the foundation of the Paramount Pictures studio lot today. The original studio,
which cost $1 million to build, stood on a 26-acre lot and contained four large
sound stages.
It only took a year after moving onto our current studio lot for Paramount’s
success to become evident. In 1927, Paramount received the very first Academy
Award for Best Picture with its release of Wings, a silent movie about World War
I fighter pilots. In addition, Wings is the only silent film in movie history to
win that award.
There was no looking back after that.
Memorable Movies (1912-1929)
• The Sheik (1921)
• Wings (1927, Winner of the 1st
Academy Award for Best Picture)
• Interference (1928, Paramount's 1st All Talkie)
• Coconuts (1929)
Famous Stars (1912-1929)
• Cecil B. DeMille
• Mary Pickford
• Clara Bow
• Douglas Fairbanks
• Gloria Swanson
• Rudolph Valentino
Contact & Directions
When to Arrive / What to Bring
• Please arrive 30 minutes prior to your tour
• Photo ID is required for guests 18 and older
Parking
• Parking is available at Vistor Parking Lot A, across the
street from the Paramount Pictures Tour Center at the
corner of Melrose Ave and Windsor Blvd
• Parking is complimentary for VIP and After Dark Tour
guests with tour confirmation email
General Information
Please contact Guest Relations at 323-956-1777
Group Sales
Please contact Guest Relations at 323-956-1777
Paramount Pictures Studio Tour Entrance
5515 Melrose Avenue
Hollywood, CA 90038
