Warner Bros. Studio VIP Tour

[classiccraig]

Anyone here ever taken it? I did it 3 years ago when I was out there visiting my friends. Was out there again this July, but didn't go again, I want to though. It's very cool, the best studio tour out there for sure, they have the regular VIP and the Deluxe. I took the VIP Deluxe, which is quite expensive, it was a bit cheaper a few years ago, but it's basically an all-day tour, and you eat lunch in the commissary and they take you to certain buildings you don't get to go on the regular VIP tour. But even the regular is fantastic, they gave us a tour guide named David who has been there 20 years, so he knew his stuff and was a real nice guy. I tested him a few times with some questions lol They take you in a small group, it's much more intimate. I was feeling great when we went down New York Street(gangster movies) and French Street(Paris scenes from Casablanca), it doesn't look that much different even today, the facades look amazing. Going on the soundstages was a real thrill, I remember telling David at one point that "I just want to stand where Bogart stood" and he said to me "you are actually, right now", you've been standing where Bogart stood, Errol Flynn, Cagney, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Ann Sheridan.." That place is so cool, you can really feel the magic, it's like going back in time, and at the end of the day I did not want to leave. We went to one of the oldest buildings on the lot, and when we were walking on the catwalk David asked me if I recognized the room, so I looked it over and recognized it right away. It was the room from White Heat where they filmed what was supposed to be the prison's metal shop, the damn room looks exactly the same after 60 years!

Also got some great stories about Jack Warner and Bette Davis fighting all the time, and how he got sick of hearing her complain about her tiny dressing room with no view, so he gave her the entire top floor of a small, 2-story ranch style office building, which David showed us lol I think Clint Eastwood and George Clooney have production offices in there now. If any of you ever have the chance to take the tour, do it, it's well worth it, you will really enjoy it!

 

[Red Diabla]

I haven't taken the tour, but I've worked for WB on and off over the past decade, and I LOVE going to the main lot every chance I get! A small group of coworkers and I went to the now-demolished Western backlot a few years ago and had a fun time wandering around there. Also checked out the old lots that I recognize from Bogart, Edward G. Robinson, James Cagney, etc. films. Just FANTASTIC.

And every soundstage has a plaque on the outside that gives a partial list of what's been filmed in each one, both films and television shows are listed. It's really fascinating to see how they're able to use and reuse all of their resources.

Warners feels like home in many ways to me, and I know I'm not the only one, which makes me happy!

RD

 

[Widebrim]

I was born and reared here, so the idea of paying for a studio tour rubs me the wrong way. When Universal started giving tours in the '60s, it was free (so was Knott's Berry Farm), so that only aggravates the situation. I have taken the Paramount tour twice, but for free, and it was pretty good. Having said that, I would love to tour Warner Bros. (but for free ).

 

[zetwal]

I live over a thousand miles away and would be more than happy to pay for a tour if I were in the area.

 

[classiccraig]

I haven't taken the tour, but I've worked for WB on and off over the past decade, and I LOVE going to the main lot every chance I get! A small group of coworkers and I went to the now-demolished Western backlot a few years ago and had a fun time wandering around there. Also checked out the old lots that I recognize from Bogart, Edward G. Robinson, James Cagney, etc. films. Just FANTASTIC.

And every soundstage has a plaque on the outside that gives a partial list of what's been filmed in each one, both films and television shows are listed. It's really fascinating to see how they're able to use and reuse all of their resources.

Warners feels like home in many ways to me, and I know I'm not the only one, which makes me happy!

RD

Man, I wish I could work there. Just to be around all that history everyday would be fantastic to me, I really loved it there. I haven't taken the Paramount or Sony(the old MGM studios in Culver City)tours, though I've driven by there a million times when in the area. I had heard the Sony one is basically just concentrating on the current , modern stuff going on there, they only dip into the past a small amount, which is pretty stupid if you ask me, but..... I did take some pics of the old front gate there on Washington Blvd. then went down the road to the old David Selznick studios with the white mansion in front and took some pics. I might go out again next year for vacation, I have friends all over the place, Ontario, West Covina, North Hollywood, Hawthorne and Redondo Beach too!

 

[Audrey Horne]

My husband and I won free tickets to the VIP tour last fall. It was a really nice tour and I would definitely recommend it. However, it wasn't particularly related to vintage Hollywood (Casablanca, etc.).

 

[classiccraig]

My husband and I won free tickets to the VIP tour last fall. It was a really nice tour and I would definitely recommend it. However, it wasn't particularly related to vintage Hollywood (Casablanca, etc.).

It's true they do talk a lot about the current tv shows and movies being done there, but our guide did go into a lot of stuff about the old movies as well. Sometimes I had to nudge him a bit, but he did discuss it and knew his facts really well. That could also be because the Deluxe VIP tour, which I took, is basically an all-day tour, so they have time to go into and show you more stuff than on the regular 2-hour tour. Also, it's probably hit or miss with the guides as far as if they go into stuff about the classic movies done there.

 

[Solid Citizen]

EDDIE @ WB Tour

Took the tour 2 months ago & met WB Museum Docent Eddie Bockser. I forgot the museum costumes, spent entire time there with EDDIE! He had drinks with Errol Flynn, delivered hats to Sinatra, was responsible for payroll on the Ocean's 11 with Frank, Dean & Sammy. He also knew Bette Davis & Joan Crawford. He also had Jack Warner ban James Dean's motorcycle off the Warner's lot when Dean almost ran Eddie down.

Solid Citizen

 

[skyvue]

Man, I wish I could work there. Just to be around all that history everyday would be fantastic to me, I really loved it there. I haven't taken the Paramount or Sony(the old MGM studios in Culver City)tours, though I've driven by there a million times when in the area. I had heard the Sony one is basically just concentrating on the current , modern stuff going on there, they only dip into the past a small amount, which is pretty stupid if you ask me, but..... I did take some pics of the old front gate there on Washington Blvd. then went down the road to the old David Selznick studios with the white mansion in front and took some pics. I might go out again next year for vacation, I have friends all over the place, Ontario, West Covina, North Hollywood, Hawthorne and Redondo Beach too!

I've taken both those tours. The Sony one is strange because they don't really talk that much about MGM (the introductory video was all about Columbia, which seemed odd, since the tour is of the MGM lot). They also don't allow photos until the very end of the tour.

Much better was the Paramount tour. Our guide was young and sort of clueless, but he was a nice enough fellow and when I told him I'd like to see anything related to Preston Sturges, he made an effort to include that info (though I'm not entirely sure he knew who Sturges was). I had to bite my lip to keep from jumping in with info about some of the classic movie figures he mentioned, but overall, it was enjoyable. And photography was allowed throughout.

I had no regrets about taking either tour, but Paramount is the one I recommend, if one can only take one.

I've never done the official WB tour -- I've been shown around twice, by friends who worked there, but I want to take the official tour (the VIP one) the next time we're in LA.

 

[classiccraig]

Took the tour 2 months ago & met WB Museum Docent Eddie Bockser. I forgot the museum costumes, spent entire time there with EDDIE! He had drinks with Errol Flynn, delivered hats to Sinatra, was responsible for payroll on the Ocean's 11 with Frank, Dean & Sammy. He also knew Bette Davis & Joan Crawford. He also had Jack Warner ban James Dean's motorcycle off the Warner's lot when Dean almost ran Eddie down.

Solid Citizen

Wow, I would love to talk to him myself!

 

[classiccraig]

I've taken both those tours. The Sony one is strange because they don't really talk that much about MGM (the introductory video was all about Columbia, which seemed odd, since the tour is of the MGM lot). They also don't allow photos until the very end of the tour.

Much better was the Paramount tour. Our guide was young and sort of clueless, but he was a nice enough fellow and when I told him I'd like to see anything related to Preston Sturges, he made an effort to include that info (though I'm not entirely sure he knew who Sturges was). I had to bite my lip to keep from jumping in with info about some of the classic movie figures he mentioned, but overall, it was enjoyable. And photography was allowed throughout.

I had no regrets about taking either tour, but Paramount is the one I recommend, if one can only take one.

I've never done the official WB tour -- I've been shown around twice, by friends who worked there, but I want to take the official tour (the VIP one) the next time we're in LA.

Paramount is next on my list for sure, hopefully if I go out there next year to see my friends, I'll arrange ahead of time a Paramount tour.