The Warner Ranch fort near the end of its life
The fire department practicing on the sets
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Harry Warner, one of the brothers in Warner Bros., purchased over 1,200 acres of land in Woodland Hills in the late 1920’s from the McCoy family. While a portion of the ranch was utilized for raising thoroughbred racehorses, other sections were set aside for filming purposes, including the erection of standing sets. Over time, these sets included a western town, a Mexican village, a ranch set, a western fort, and many other sets.
Large films and small used the ranch for location filming. Production companies other than Warner Bros. also rented the property. Films such as “The Adventures of Robin Hood”, “The Miracle of Fatima”, “Good Earth”, and “Stalag 17” lensed there.
A subsidary of Southern California Edison purchased the property for subdivision. Near the end of the life of the ranch as a movie setting, the Los Angeles County Fire Department practiced fire fighting by torching all of the remaining sets.
Directions coming!
The fire department practicing on the sets
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by Chuck Campbell/RV Image, and are used by his permission. |
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SELECTED FILMOGRAPHY:
"The Charge of the Light Brigade" (Warner Bros 1936) Directed by: Michael Curtiz. Cast: Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Patric Knowles, Henry Stephenson, Nigel Bruce, Donald Crisp, David Niven, C. Henry Gordon.
"The Adventures of Robin Hood" (Warner Bros 1938) Directed by: Michael Curtiz & William Keighley. Cast: Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, Claude Rains, Patric Knowles, Eugene Pallette, Alan Hale.
"Gold Is Where You Find It" (Warner Bros 1938) Directed by: Michael Curtiz. Cast: George Brent, Olivia de Havilland, Claude Rains, John Litel.
"The Oklahoma Kid" (Warner Bros 1939) Directed by: Lloyd Bacon. Cast: James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart, Rosemary Lane, Donald Crisp.
"Santa Fe Trail" (Warner Bros 1940) Directed by: Michael Curtiz. Cast: Errol Flynn, Olivia de Haviland, Raymond Massey, Alan Hale, Ronald Reagan, William Lundigan, Van Heflin.
"Dallas" (Warner Bros 1950) Directed by: Stuart Heisler. Cast: Gary Cooper, Ruth Roman, Steve Cochran, Raymond Massey.
"The Command" (Warner Bros 1953) Directed by: David Butler. Cast: Guy Madison, Joan Weldon, James Whitmore, Harvey Lembeck, Ray Teal.
"The Boy From Oklahoma" (Warner Bros 1954) Directed by Michael Curtiz. Cast: Will Rogers Jr., Nancy Olson, Lon Chaney Jr., Anthony Caruso, Wallace Ford, Clem Bevins, Merv Griffin, Louis Jean Heydt, Sheb Wooley, Slim Pickens, Tyler McDuff, Skippy Torgensen, James Griffith, Charles Watts.
"The Lone Ranger" (Warner Bros 1956) Directed by: Stuart Heisler. Cast: Clayton Moore, Jay Silverheels, Lyle Bettger, Bonita Granville, Perry Lopez, Robert Wilke, John Pickard, Beverly Washburn, Michael Ansara, Frank de Kova, Charles Meredith, Mickey Simpson, Zon Murray, Lane Chandler.
