PROVIDENCIA RANCH

The Providencia Ranch was leased by Universal Studios in 1912 before their move to Universal City. After Universal Studios moved out, they again began leasing the property. On August 4, 1916, Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company began leasing the property. It consisted of 500 acres, with an additional 1,500 acres of adjoining government land which they were allowed to use. The ranch was also known as Providencia Flats and the Lasky Ranch. Around the same time that the lease was expiring, Paramount Famous Lasky purchased the Paramount Ranch location in the Agoura area, and moved all of the ranch sets to the new location. The lease then was turned back to the Hollingsworth interests. In 1929, Warner Bros purchased a portion of the ranch from the W. I. Hollingsworth Realty Company. By 1950, Forest Lawn Cemetary owned the property. It was located across the Los Angeles River from the First National/Warner Bros studios in the area which is now Forest Lawn Cemetary.

The Lasky company has acquired a 4,000-acre ranch in the great San Fernando valley on which they have built a large two-story Spanish casa which is to be used in "The Rose of the Ranch" which has just been started. The new ground is to be used for big scenes and where a large location is needed. A stock farm is to be maintained on the ranch. It is planned to use 500 people in the story. There will be 150 people transported through Southern California for the mission scenes. The studio will be used for the largest scene ever set up, the whole state and ground space being utilized.
[The Moving Picture World, October 10, 1914]

DIRECTIONS: From Los Angeles, take Interstate 5 north to the 134 west. Exit at Forest Lawn Drive. The Forest Lawn Cemetary is on your left (south side). This was the location of the ranch.

SELECTED FILMOGRAPHY:

"Black Legion" (Warner Bros 1936) Directed by: Archie Mayo. Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Dick Foran, Erin O'Brien-Moore, Ann Sheridan, Helen Flint, Joe Sawyer.

"The Fighting 69th" (Warner Bros 1940) Directed by: William Keighley. Cast: James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, George Brent, Jeffrey Lynn, Alan Hale, Frank McHugh, Dennis Morgan, Dick Foran.

"Here Comes Mr. Jordan" (Columbia 1941) Directed by: Alexander Hall. Cast: Evelyn Keyes, Claude Rains, Rita Johnson, Edward Everett Horton, James Gleason, John Emery, Donald MacBride.

"The Ghost That Walks Alone" (Columbia 1944) Directed by: Lew Landers. Cast: Paul Hurst, Arthur Lake, Arthur Space, Barbara Brown, Janis Carter, Warren Ashe, Frank Sully.

"Guest in the House" (United Artists 1944) Directed by: John Brahm. Cast: Anne Baxter, Ralph Bellamy, Aline MacMahon, Ruth Warrick, Scott McKay, Jerome Cowan.

"Bedside Manner" (United Artists 1945) Directed by: Andrew L. Stone. Cast: John Carroll, Ruth Hussey, Charles Ruggles, Ann Rutherford, Claudia Drake, Renee Godfrey, Esther Dale.

"Throw a Saddle on a Star" (Columbia 1946) Directed by: Ray Nazarro. Cast: Ken Curtis, Jeff Donnell, Adelle Roberts, Guinn "Big Boy" Williams, Andy Clyde, Emmett Lynn, Frank Sully, Robert Stevens, Eddie Bruce.

"Last of the Redmen" (Columbia 1947) Directed by: George Sherman. Cast: Jon Hall, Michael O'Shea, Evelyn Ankers, Julie Bishop, Buster Crabbe, Rick Vallin, Buzz Henry.

"The Stranger from Ponca City" (Columbia 1947) Directed by: Derwin Abrahams. Cast: Charles Starrett, Smiley Burnette, Virginia Hunter, Paul Campbell, Jim Diehl, Forrest Taylor, Ted Mapes, Jacques O'Mahoney, Tom McDonough, John Carpenter.

"Trail to Laredo" (Columbia 1948) Directed by: Ray Nazarro. Cast: Charles Starrett, Smiley Burnette, Jim Bannon, Virginia Maxey, Tommy Ivo, Ethan Laidlaw, Hugh Prosser, Mira McKinney, John Merton, George Chesebro, The Cass County Boys.