universal studios hollywood

Universal Studios Hollywood is a movie studio in the Universal City community of unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States, and is the original Universal Studios theme park. Woody Woodpecker is the mascot for Universal Studios Hollywood and the rest of the Universal Studios Theme Parks. It is one of the oldest and most famous Hollywood movie studios still in use. Its official marketing headline is "The Entertainment Capital of LA", though during the summer it is often advertised as "The Coolest Place in LA." It was initially created to offer tours of the real Universal Studios soundstages and sets. It is the first of many fully-fledged Universal Studios Theme Parks, along with Universal Studios Florida, Universal Studios Japan, and the upcoming Universal Studios Singapore, Universal Studios Dubai, and Universal Studios South Korea theme parks.

Universal Hollywood tour
Fountain at park entrance

From the beginning, Universal has offered tours of its studio. In the silent film days, Carl Laemmle's tour included a chance to buy fresh produce, since then-rural Universal City was still in part a working farm.

Shortly after MCA took over Universal Pictures in 1962, accountants suggested a tour stop in the studio commissary would increase profits, and in 1964, the modest tour was expanded to include a series of dressing room walk-throughs, peeks at actual production, and later, staged events. This grew over the years into a full-blown theme park - the narrated tram (formerly "Glamortram") tour still runs through the studio's active backlot, but the staged events, stunt demonstrations, and high-tech rides overshadow the motion-picture production that once lured fans to Universal Studios Hollywood. Universal City also includes hotels Universal Hilton & Towers, the Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, a multi-screen theater, and Universal CityWalk, which offers a collection of shops and restaurants, as well as the Gibson Amphitheatre, a concert venue.

Backlot fire
Smoke during the fire. The Courthouse facade is visible to the left of the smoke plume.
Damage to the sets after the fire.

A Three Alarm fire broke out on the backlot of Universal Studios on June 1, 2008. The Los Angeles Fire Department had reported that Brownstone Street, New York Street, New England Street, the King Kong ride, some structures that make up Courthouse Square, the War of the Worlds movie set, and the Video Vault had burnt down (not to be confused with the actual Film Vault, The Video Vault contains the duplicates of the films). Aerial news footage later showed that the actual Courthouse facade survived the fire, although the west side of it was slightly charred. Over 516 firefighters from various local fire departments, as well as two helicopters dropping water, had responded to the fire. Fourteen firefighters and three Los Angeles County sheriffs' deputies sustained minor injures. It was the seventh serious backlot fire to strike Universal since 1932. The fire was finally put out after 12 hours, since firefighters encountered low water pressure.

Destroyed were 40,000 to 50,000 archived digital video and film copies chronicling Universal's movie and TV classic shows, dating back to the 1920s, including the films Knocked Up and Atonement, the NBC series Law & Order, The Office, and Miami Vice, and CBS's I Love Lucy. Many audio master tapes from Universal Music have been destroyed as well. As Universal Studios' workhorse sets, buildings, and rides were lost, YouTube stands as de facto memorial to Universal Studios' lost studio tour attractions and buildings. Universal president Ron Meyer stated that nothing irreplaceable was lost, meaning everything will be rebuilt again, at a price of at least 50 million dollars. Days after the fire, however, it was reported that the King Kong attraction will not be rebuilt and will eventually be replaced by a new attraction yet to be announced.In August 2008, Universal changed their mind and decided to rebuild the attraction, but it will be based on the 2005 film instead.

Attractions
Statue at the entrance of the park.

The attractions at Universal Studios Hollywood are split into two areas on different levels, connected by a series of escalators called the Starway.

Upper lot

* Waterworld: A Live Sea War Spectacular Opened: 1995
* Shrek 4-D Opened: May 23, 2003
* The Adventures of Curious George Opened: March 2008
* Studio Tour ("Earthquake: The Big One", "Jaws", "Flash Flood", "The Fast And The Furious: Extreme Close Up", "The Mummy's Tomb", Desperate Housewives Wisteria Lane and famous movie sets from Universal movies) Opened: 1964
* The Simpsons Ride Opened: May 19, 2008
* Creature from the Black Lagoon- The Musical (Coming Spring 2009)
* Universal's Animal Actors Opened: 2006
* T2 3-D: Battle Across Time Opened: May 6, 1999
* The Blues Brothers R&B Revue Opened: 1991
* Universal's House of Horrors Opened: March 31, 2007

Lower lot

* Jurassic Park: The Ride Opened: June 21, 1996
* Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride Opened: June 24, 2004
* Backdraft Opened: July 1992
* Special Effects Stages Opened: January 2002
* The Universal Experience Opened: May 28, 2008
* Transformers (coming 2011)

Park characters
View of the studio backlot at Universal Studios Hollywood. The studio tour takes visitors through the backlot.

Universal Studios has a number of costumed characters roaming the park grounds, representing many different genres. Some are portrayals of Hollywood icons, like the Marx Brothers, Marilyn Monroe, and Lucille Ball. Others are based on Universal's vast media library, such as:

* The characters of Walter Lantz (examples include Woody Woodpecker and Andy Panda)
* The characters of Hanna Barbera (such as The Flintstones and Scooby-Doo and Shaggy)
* Universal's collection of classic monsters (such as Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolf Man)
* Characters from Universal's various film releases (such as Back to the Future's Emmett "Doc" Brown, Beetlejuice, An American Tail's Fievel, and Curious George)

To augment its collection, Universal Studios Hollywood has licensed many other popular characters, like those from Shrek, and Nickelodeon shows SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer. Most recently, as promotion for their movie and their new attraction, the Simpsons can now be seen in the park. The Marvel superheroes used to be walking around, but disappeared ever since Marvel's contract with Universal expired.

Rocky and Bullwinkle, The Land Before Time characters, and Chipmunk characters have starred in their own former live shows, but never walked around before.

Former attractions

Upper lot

* Screen Test Theatre replaced by Star Trek Adventure (1984 - 1994), replaced by The Flintstones Show (1994 - 1997), replaced by Totally Nickelodeon (1997 - 2000), replaced by Rugrats Magic Adventure(2000 - 2001), replaced by Shrek 4-D
* The War Lord Tower (1965 - 2001), replaced by Nickelodeon Blast Zone (2001 - 2008), replaced by The Adventures of Curious George
* Rockslide (1974-1978) (part of the Studio Tour), replaced by Battle of Galactica (1979 - 1992) (part of the Studio Tour), replaced by Back to the Future: The Ride (June 4, 1993 - September 3, 2007), replaced by The Simpsons Ride
* Castle Dracula Live Show (1980 - 1983), replaced by The Adventures of Conan: A Sword and Sorcery Spectacular (1983 - 1992), replaced by Beetlejuice's Graveyard Revue (1992 - 1999), replaced by Spider-Man Rocks (2002 - 2004), replaced by Fear Factor Live (January 2005 - August 14, 2008), Will be replaced by Creature from the Black Lagoon- The Musical
* Rocky and Bullwinkle Live (1992 - 1996), The Land Before Time show (1997 - 1998), replaced by Coke Soak
* Fievel's Playland (1990 - 1997) and An American Tail (1990 - 1995), both replaced by T2 3-D: Battle Across Time
* Walk-through exhibits of Chicken Run, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Van Helsing, and The Mummy Returns: Chamber of Doom, replaced by Universal's House of Horrors
* Wild Wild West Stunt Show (1980s - 2002)
* The Land of a Thousand Faces (1975-1980) (outside the Castle Theater (housed Fear Factor LIVE))
* King Kong Encounter (1986 - 2008) (part of the Studio Tour), Tram tours encountered King Kong on the streets of New York. The exhibit was burnt down on June 1, 2008. It will be replaced by King Kong: The 8th Wonder of the World.
* Animal Actors School Stage (1970?-2001) Replaced by Animal Planet Live (2001-2006) Replaced by Universal's Animal Actors.
* The A Team Live Stunt Show (1984 -1987), replaced by Miami Vice Action Spectacular (Early 1987-January 16, 1995) & Spectrablast (June 26-September 5, 1994), replaced by Waterworld: A Live Sea War Spectacular

Lower lot

* The World of CineMagic (June 1991 - July 2001) replaced by Special Effects Stages
* E.T. Adventure (June 1991 - March 14, 2003) replaced by Revenge of the Mummy

Dining

Upper lot
View of the lower lot.

* Doc Brown's Fried Chicken (formerly for Back to the Future: The Ride)
* Cyber GRill (T2 3-D: Battle Across Time)
* Shrek Snacks (Shrek 4-D)
* Hollywood Cantina
* Hollywood Grill
* Flintstones Drive-In
* Mel's Diner

Lower lot

* Jurassic Cove (Jurassic Park: The Ride)
* Jurassic Cafe (Jurassic Park: The Ride)
* Panda Express
* Ben & Jerry's

Shopping

Upper lot

* Kwik-E-Mart (The Simpsons Ride)
* Cyber Image (T2 3-D: Battle Across Time)
* Shrek Shack (Shrek 4-D)
* Marvel Mania (Formerly for Spider-Man Rocks)

Lower lot

* Tomb Treasures (Revenge of the Mummy)
* Jurassic Outfitters (Jurassic Park: The Ride)

Former shops

Upper Lot

* Time Depot (Back to the Future: The Ride) Closed in 2004, Now a Kwik-E-Mart (The Simpsons Ride)

Lower lot

* E.T.'s Toy Closet (E.T. Adventure) closed in 2003 and are now lockers for Revenge of the Mummy

Future attractions

* Creature from the Black Lagoon: The Musical, coming Spring 2009. Will Replace Fear Factor Live.
* King Kong: The 8th Wonder of the World (part of the Studio Tour), rumored with not time frame. Will Replace King Kong Encounter.

* Transformers: The Ride, coming 2011. Will Replace Backdraft and Special Effects Stages