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April 26, 2024

This Year, in Culver City

The hottest ticket this year isn’t for Tailor Swift’s latest concert date (sorry Swifties) – it’s EIDR’s Annual Participant Meeting (APM) scheduled for May 7, 2024. This year, the EIDR APM will be hosted at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California. It will be an amazing event filled with media & entertainment luminaries, insights, and revelations – truly, the place to be, and be seen. But the EIDR APM isn’t the only thing of note that has ever happened on the Sony lot – they also produce movies and television programs there, from time to time.

What is now Sony Pictures Studios was established in 1915 by Thomas Ince, credited with creating the modern motion picture production process,[1] as the successor to his Incevillestudios on the Pacific Palisades and the new home of the Triangle Film Corporation.[2] The Greek colonnade that fronts the Studio on Washington Blvd. marks the original entrance to the Triangle Studio lot. Ince sold his interest in Triangle, and the Studio property, and moved down the street to establish Culver Studios. Meanwhile, Samuel Goldwyn purchased the property in 1917. In 1924, Marcus Loew merged Metro Pictures with Goldwyn Pictures and Louis B. Mayer Pictures to form Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). MGM eventually grew the Studio to cover 180 acres that encompassed 28 soundstages and numerous backlot standing sets.

In 1969, Kirk Kerkorian purchased MGM and began selling off its parts, and large portions of the Studio property were turned into housing developments. In 1981, Kerkorian acquired United Artists and merged the two companies to create MGM/UA. In 1986, Ted Turner purchased MGM/UA from Kerkorian then sold it back just 74 days later, keeping only the MGM film library. Later that same year, the Studio was sold to Lorimar Telepictures, which was sold to Warner Bros. two years later. By this time, Sony had acquired Columbia/Tri-Star and, in 1989, acquired the Lorimar Studios lot from Warner Bros., now comprised of 46 acres and 18 soundstages, eventually renaming the property Sony Pictures Studios.

Over the years, many classic movies and popular television programs have been filmed on the Studio lot, including The Wizard of Oz, the Men in Blacks (I, II, and III), the Rockys (I, II, III, and V), Batman, and Bonanza. The Sony Pictures Studio Tour provides an informative list of the production milestones on this famous studio lot.[3] For its part, the EIDR Content ID registry includes all of these works in its identifier catalog, along with links to numerous third-party sources for additional information from cast and crew to synopses to parental advisory ratings.

[1] And famed for his suspicious death following a trip on the private yacht of media mogul William Randolph Hearst (inventor of yellow journalism and the thinly disguised subject of Citizen Kane). Official reports list Ince’s cause of death as heart failure, though more than one person claimed he was shot by Hearst, who’d been intending to shoot Charlie Chaplin. Ah, the Golden Age of Hollywood.

[2] The “triangle” was formed by Thomas Ince, D.W. Griffith, and Mack Sennett, all early motion picture pioneers and significant contributors to the creation of the Hollywood motion picture industry.

[3] Sony Studios is the third oldest film production studio in the United States – only Paramount and Universal are older (both established in 1912. The oldest continuously-operating film studio in the world is the Gaumont Film Company, established in France in 1895.

Notable Productions Shot at Sony Pictures Studios

Title Year EIDR ID
Applause 1929 10.5240/0FAB-84B2-9669-8B02-6C4A-B
Tarzan Escapes 1936 10.5240/BF1F-0438-A911-F7DD-DCCB-0
Broadway Melody of 1938 1937 10.5240/A051-36EB-6CBA-5B36-D284-J
Gone with the Wind 1939 10.5240/FB0D-0A93-CAD6-8E8D-80C2-4
Tarzan Finds a Son! 1939 10.5240/6F0E-C5BE-8915-BDFE-E46B-0
The Wizard of Oz 1939 10.5240/3D2E-101B-07E2-C2CE-8085-T
The Magnificent Ambersons 1942 10.5240/56AE-1FDD-F4DD-9F05-C7D1-I
Ziegfeld Follies 1946 10.5240/95D2-42B6-9651-062E-E010-2
Easter Parade 1948 10.5240/86D1-9989-6A6F-FFF6-8AEA-P
On the Town 1949 10.5240/E841-132C-A43B-BFA5-5335-F
Take Me Out to the Ball Game 1949 10.5240/A1F1-40AC-2C92-1128-A4F7-G
Cheaper by the Dozen 1950 10.5240/FFDA-1267-A5CB-446B-5759-N
Royal Wedding 1951 10.5240/0432-C301-43F5-4C71-3BFD-A
Singin’ in the Rain 1952 10.5240/17DA-758E-B51E-6E36-DFED-J
Les Girls 1957 10.5240/1913-83C5-D4DA-6CA1-4E2C-A
Ben-Hur 1959 10.5240/4DDF-A111-8543-E67B-58F6-2
Bonanza 1959 10.5240/825C-DB15-1128-C692-3F7C-N
North by Northwest 1959 10.5240/6F97-0EA5-B406-1B29-4C38-K
Rawhide 1959 10.5240/E97C-2D19-6EED-6B88-0FE2-6
Some Like It Hot 1959 10.5240/E547-F495-69F5-6319-377A-4
The Twilight Zone 1959 10.5240/DF2E-752D-4B28-7147-3B6B-9
Mutiny on the Bounty 1962 10.5240/4A12-886E-E7CF-2439-8300-0
Jeopardy! 1964 10.5240/0EAC-1D09-09B6-75D7-86C1-P
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. 1964 10.5240/16B7-AF3D-950F-BFA1-BF03-P
The Greatest Story Ever Told 1965 10.5240/3DF1-5884-0DF7-CD4B-765E-2
The Loved One 1965 10.5240/B0F5-6FCA-11F0-6F9D-F96F-T
Batman 1966 10.5240/819A-E982-D744-AC70-5855-9
Westworld 1973 10.5240/00A7-792F-D5EA-47CF-4073-U
Phantom of Hollywood 1974 10.5240/29F8-0CF8-CF42-1333-6711-R
Jaws 1975 10.5240/36E3-649C-57F2-A251-72B1-E
Rocky 1975 10.5240/B939-40E1-5BEA-C661-EA64-5
The Donny & Marie Show 1975 10.5240/C0C5-4C54-40BB-9802-86D2-8
King Kong 1976 10.5240/98E5-39C5-4C8E-DD9D-408E-T
Dallas 1978 10.5240/AE44-6898-346F-61E9-BD98-L
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band 1978 10.5240/858B-CAEC-A73B-C4A7-3776-8
Rocky II 1979 10.5240/BBFC-9634-24F7-6139-7DC5-P
Rocky III 1982 10.5240/5D4A-E92C-4B0D-553F-EF8C-R
WarGames 1983 10.5240/1302-AE25-0A2C-1B85-A764-0
Wheel of Fortune 1983 10.5240/E6AD-D244-0320-B585-24D6-A
ALF 1986 10.5240/DF5D-3E8E-3372-74CB-9DD3-6
Married…With Children 1987 10.5240/C48B-6937-D039-5D1D-5048-D
The Running Man 1987 10.5240/CC33-B74B-D017-89F4-CC61-5
Rocky V 1990 10.5240/2F1A-E379-7B90-6F87-A908-C
Another You 1991 10.5240/F20F-9615-A417-A51E-B848-4
Hook 1991 10.5240/959C-8E25-D083-1A00-5BAC-7
Bram Stoker’s Dracula 1992 10.5240/F896-CAB2-54D1-881E-943F-3
Hero 1992 10.5240/4ECB-8039-3C77-9FC3-D25E-B
Calendar Girl 1993 10.5240/C05B-7CD2-F7CD-7ECC-5F99-0
Geronimo: An American Legend 1993 10.5240/1DF0-65D2-EAC9-0AAB-C076-6
Last Action Hero 1993 10.5240/6A9B-D8DE-6A2E-CA63-5E6E-C
My Life 1993 10.5240/6A4D-3DFD-3CF6-B35D-28A7-C
Cops and Robbersons 1994 10.5240/58CF-2108-619C-19C9-E3C8-V
Party of Five 1994 10.5240/B2F2-FF7F-EC15-7A06-DF27-C
Wolf 1994 10.5240/B915-7A15-2B9E-12FF-616E-4
Get Shorty 1995 10.5240/70BE-C6AF-A118-6796-FC1F-T
Money Train 1995 10.5240/BADA-D0B5-0248-320D-4572-S
Nixon 1995 10.5240/D785-47A6-1B7D-A358-27C2-7
The American President 1995 10.5240/23DB-EB1F-B97E-8C54-CCE9-Y
The Net 1995 10.5240/F8FD-07A0-57C2-5200-2D0E-B
High School High 1996 10.5240/DA4E-2B6F-74BC-1D2B-964D-V
Jerry Maguire 1996 10.5240/96BD-1C50-D906-0476-039F-0
The Cable Guy 1996 10.5240/8B14-A702-1B2D-7109-8D3D-2
The Craft 1996 10.5240/01F6-065B-A63C-41A4-E79C-6
Air Force One 1997 10.5240/C65E-8133-6CD1-6F22-51CD-S
As Good as It Gets 1997 10.5240/5D49-3F9E-EF63-FB91-02BD-D
Cop Land 1997 10.5240/776A-3C1F-2281-6575-0D32-0
Men in Black 1997 10.5240/363F-76F4-D9AB-85DE-F68B-Y
My Best Friend’s Wedding 1997 10.5240/7FBF-6928-6FF7-46D2-BB2B-D
Starship Troopers 1997 10.5240/19C9-24E7-F459-4FDF-FA6C-0
Godzilla 1998 10.5240/2AC2-9FF9-ED94-F927-5312-X
I Still Know What You Did Last Summer 1998 10.5240/E747-699C-6C4C-C44D-B528-5
The King of Queens 1998 10.5240/246F-A33B-6A0E-1BD8-DF69-G
8MM 1999 10.5240/F331-98CF-26B2-F5A8-4E85-8
Angel 1999 10.5240/093F-685F-CEAE-9D0C-787F-J
Blue Streak 1999 10.5240/55C9-33BA-DD31-014E-38B6-U
Idle Hands 1999 10.5240/023F-83E1-BFE2-34DF-E46E-Z
Stuart Little 1999 10.5240/47F0-21D2-55CA-E107-43C0-W
Cast Away 2000 10.5240/C603-2B49-9C44-E579-E718-A
Hanging Up 2000 10.5240/EC61-4ADE-8D76-216B-B893-F
Hollow Man 2000 10.5240/4808-3FAC-627C-C086-FDE8-Y
What Lies Beneath 2000 10.5240/3DCF-69F0-45F5-7576-3666-E
What Planet Are You From? 2000 10.5240/F3BA-04F1-9EBB-0E2A-9FA5-C
America’s Sweethearts 2001 10.5240/C1B6-08C5-6591-12D4-1A2F-4
Not Another Teen Movie 2001 10.5240/59C2-B205-9C4C-06F8-551C-E
Planet of the Apes 2001 10.5240/9C52-422A-45A5-065B-B7A2-L
Reba 2001 10.5240/452E-E3AF-A618-F062-6AAC-0
The Glass House 2001 10.5240/6989-B2E3-E406-429F-8C32-N
The Majestic 2001 10.5240/226E-A335-63A0-ACC3-96BA-W
Men in Black II 2002 10.5240/0748-20F9-70F4-5596-25AE-4
Spider-Man 2002 10.5240/24C7-F1B1-B79C-8F2B-A7F6-3
Stuart Little 2 2002 10.5240/2591-84D1-28A0-3A5A-4F8B-Z
The Ring 2002 10.5240/499F-71B2-E7A2-0FC8-43C7-R
Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle 2003 10.5240/1D9C-A377-7036-71A6-F4AE-0
Identity 2003 10.5240/0B2B-61D4-70F5-8C46-FE73-N
13 Going on 30 2004 10.5240/77EC-4E93-1735-78CD-97C6-7
50 First Dates 2004 10.5240/6AF9-ECD4-873A-56E6-6C0D-8
Spider-Man 2 2004 10.5240/0B99-F01B-5172-2074-BE5F-M
Bewitched 2005 10.5240/F9F6-8686-2298-191E-9760-Z
Wanted 2005 10.5240/7EE1-D476-7736-9CD8-5983-3
War of the Worlds 2005 10.5240/7592-FA1E-BF86-C2FC-44BB-3
Zathura: A Space Adventure 2005 10.5240/92BD-6A4D-6945-B102-DB06-9
Click 2006 10.5240/F1B0-1C35-DB09-4178-B663-I
‘Til Death 2006 10.5240/C601-5BC2-D2AD-DE71-8AB0-S
Beowulf 2007 10.5240/449B-F8BE-6EA5-69E5-D84F-P
Californication 2007 10.5240/7F72-F9FA-3CD8-1FB9-2B7B-U
Reign Over Me 2007 10.5240/BFFF-F97B-C848-6FEE-EDA7-U
Rules of Engagement 2007 10.5240/3406-9920-2389-2359-74C1-0
Spider-Man 3 2007 10.5240/B097-63D8-BFF2-C877-FFDB-4
Superbad 2007 10.5240/5037-C329-5E40-BA4D-55DA-D
Vacancy 2007 10.5240/7E8B-2EB9-01C7-319F-DC2E-I
Bedtime Stories 2008 10.5240/CA7D-B584-6212-4749-9EE2-P
First Sunday 2008 10.5240/0196-BC47-3201-890A-4B26-L
Hancock 2008 10.5240/0236-64F6-819F-4F4F-2FB2-O
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 2008 10.5240/1661-26EA-C88E-6DA0-1098-H
Pineapple Express 2008 10.5240/7EEE-A51F-B81D-6E33-BAB0-B
Prom Night 2008 10.5240/0108-A472-E14B-D288-47C6-T
Quarantine 2008 10.5240/FD18-B999-A6A4-14B0-2EE6-L
Step Brothers 2008 10.5240/EC21-68E6-A6C5-D633-FBD4-G
You Don’t Mess With The Zohan 2008 10.5240/A9B1-DF6A-F871-0367-4A46-R
Angels & Demons 2009 10.5240/F592-58D1-A4D9-E968-5435-L
Funny People 2009 10.5240/7141-C9D0-A852-B941-AD02-9
The Stepfather 2009 10.5240/F6BB-7921-4996-578B-1808-3
Alice in Wonderland 2010 10.5240/A6A9-7EC2-F153-2862-96C5-Q
Iron Man 2 2010 10.5240/631A-9EC2-9011-6CC6-E303-F
Stand Up to Cancer 2010 10.5240/2E4C-C389-8F54-A0C4-C321-X
Takers 2010 10.5240/852A-FB17-EB85-938F-F2B8-S
Priest 2011 10.5240/77D9-E356-9143-3072-26CE-2
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo 2011 10.5240/7C9F-6897-BAFD-ACD3-22DB-C
The Green Hornet 2011 10.5240/AA8B-946F-0674-8222-C1C6-Y
Transformers: Dark of the Moon 2011 10.5240/C6C2-2789-6229-183F-3170-H
Men In Black 3 2012 10.5240/252E-7C12-1F61-7223-DF6C-N
Oh Sit 2012 10.5240/F8E5-3BAE-C88D-0235-DF23-4
Snow White and the Huntsman 2012 10.5240/1855-E48F-3980-6829-D27B-3
The Amazing Spider-Man 2012 10.5240/3B13-ACB5-E080-7B6D-DF7E-V
The Dark Knight Rises 2012 10.5240/1A47-15ED-0073-50F7-78DF-Y
Oz: The Great And Powerful 2013 10.5240/5BED-2432-5EEC-266F-9CAF-U
Star Trek Into Darkness 2013 10.5240/6F14-7746-4BF7-508A-CD63-N
Interstellar 2014 10.5240/7F93-54BB-49EF-CD69-2C90-R
Barry 2018 10.5240/929A-FFC6-1F4D-50E8-F0AE-1