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If you are driving along the 210 Freeway and happen to see some really tall buildings and icons such as Disney Studios and Warner Brothers Studios, you are almost in the Media Capital of the World. To be there, exit the freeway and begin exploring sunny Burbank.Burbank was named after Dr. David Burbank, who owned two ranchos to raise sheep in 1867. The New Hampshire dentist sold off portions of the land to Southern Pacific Railroad and developers who subdivided the property into parcels for home developments. Land speculators began selling property in 1887 and by 1911, Burbank had 500 citizens who incorporated their community.
At first glance you will wonder what all the fuss is about. But as you drive down Burbank's streets and see neatly trimmed houses spanning a century, and you head for Downtown Burbank, you'll discover that Burbank is a time capsule of life that at one time WAS the studios and film-making, and today combines residential desirability with commerce (including filming) to make for a city with big ideas, a big heart and the charms of a small town.
Some consider the downtown even a little old-fashioned. With new shops, restaurants and boutiques constantly in the mix, park your car and begin exploring.
Getting to Burbank:
Bob Hope Airport or Burbank/Glendale/Pasadena Airport. burbankairport.com
Burbank Airport features access to and from Los Angeles and the San Fernando
Valley. It is the closest airport to Downtown L.A.,
Hollywood, Disney, Warner Bros., NBC, the Rose Bowl, Dodger
Stadium, Magic Mountain and many beaches and attractions.
Non-Stop Flights available at Bob Hope Airport have included:
Dallas-Ft. Worth – American Airlines;
Denver – United Express; Las Vegas – Southwest Airlines;
New York – JetBlue Airways;
Oakland – Southwest Airlines;
Phoenix – Southwest Airlines, US Airways;
Portland – Alaska Airlines;
Sacramento – Southwest Airlines;
Salt Lake City – Delta Connection;
San Francisco – United Express;
San Jose – Southwest Airlines;
Seattle – Alaska Airlines.
Today, Walt Disney Studios in Burbank
at 500 S. Buena Vista Street, Burbank, CA. / (818) 560-1000 is Walt Disney Studios, home of the
greatest fantasy & animated films ever made. The studios include a
fantasy building with an edifice that includes the includes an Animation Building with an
85-foot-tall Sorcerer's Apprentice hat, red and white stripes, and
the word "ANIMATION" in tall letters visible from the Ventura
freeway. The building houses approximately 600 employees. A brief
Disney Timeline from Columbia Journalism Review includes these
highlights:
While visiting Los Angeles, Burbank is the perfect place to experience
Hollywood's fantasy and glitz. Warner Brothers Studios offers a
VIP Tour that looks inside one of Hollywood's busiest and
most famous motion picture studios. It includes an introductory
film showcasing movies and television shows created by Warner
Bros. Guests are then escorted via tour carts to the Warner
Bros. Museum. Exhibits include costumes, props, awards and
actual scripts from well known productions. From the Museum,
guests visit backlot sets, sound stages and production shops. The Warner Bros.
Studios VIP Tour operates Monday through Friday. warnerbros.com
Location: Gate 3 parking structure at 4301 W. Olive across from
Gate 2 entrance of Warner Bros. main lot. Adults must
present legal photo identification upon registration and persons
under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
A more affordable tour is offered at NBC Studios at 3000 West Alameda, Burbank. The tour takes guests to the Wardrobe, Make Up, Set Construction, Special Effects and Sound Effects departments and includes a stop at the "Tonight Show" set where Jay Leno tapes his late night comedy.
To get tickets for the Tonight
Show with Jay Leno, send a self-addressed stamped envelope with
a brief letter listing the desired date of taping and three
alternate dates. You can request up to four tickets, but seating
is limited. Audience members must be at least 16 years old. If
tickets are available for the date you request, they will be
sent to you by return mail approximately 2-3 weeks prior to the
show date. All mail requests are processed on a first come,
first-served basis and should be submitted at least 6 weeks in
advance.
Tickets for a specific show are available the
day of the show only at the NBC Ticket Box, located at NBC in
Burbank, CA. The NBC Ticket Box opens at 8:00 a.m. All available
tickets are distributed to the public on a first come, first-served
two (2) tickets per person basis. Location: 3000 W. Alameda, Burbank, CA. nbc.com
History of Burbank: Two large
Spanish land grants—Rancho San Rafael, granted to Don Jose
Maria Verdugo by the Spanish government in 1798 and Rancho La
Providencia included lands that now comprise the city. Burbank was named
after Dr. David Burbank, who purchased both ranchos in 1867 to raise sheep.
Burbank's growth
at one time was tied to aviation and
entertainment with Lockheed Aircraft Company building a plant
for aircraft production. As the U.S. entered World War II,
Lockheed had approximately 94,000 employees producing 19,000
planes. Meanwhile, the motion picture industry moved to Burbank.
First National Pictures built a 78-acre site in the 1920's.
It became Warner Bros., a name known today in the field of entertainment. Landmarks of the newly-acquired company included release of the first all-talking 1927 movie, The Jazz Singer, starring Al Jolson. The success of the first enterprise here, along with the idyllic climate and work force attracted Columbia Pictures. The company built a ranch facility, using it primarily for outdoor shooting. Walt Disney's company, outgrew its Hollywood quarters and purchased 51 acres in Burbank. Disney's million-dollar studio was completed in 1939 on Buena Vista Street.
Today, Walt Disney Studios in Burbank
at 500 S. Buena Vista Street,
Burbank, CA. / (818) 560-1000 is Walt Disney Studios, home of the
greatest fantasy & animated films ever made. The studios include a
fantasy building with an edifice that includes the includes an Animation Building with an
85-foot-tall Sorcerer's Apprentice hat, red and white stripes, and
the word "ANIMATION" in tall letters visible from the Ventura
freeway. The building houses approximately 600 employees. A brief
Disney Timeline from Columbia Journalism Review includes these
highlights: