Located 26 miles off the Los Angeles, California, coastline, the island was first privately owned in 1848 when Thomas Robbins received a land grant from Governor Pio Pico. For the next almost 20 years, land speculators bought and sold the island until James Lick obtained the island in 1866.
In 1887, the Lick Estate sold the island for $200,000. George Shatto purchased the island that same year. The Banning Brothers (Joseph B., William, and Hancock) purchased the island in 1892 to develop as a resort. Two years later, they incorporated the Santa Catalina Island Company.
In 1919, William Wrigley Jr. obtained a controlling interest in the corporation. In 1972, the Wrigley family created the Santa Catalina Island Conservancy and 3 years later deeded 88% of the island to it.
"Action" (Universal 1921) Directed by: John Ford. Cast: Hoot Gibson, Francis Ford, J. Farrell MacDonald, Buck Connors, Clara Horton.
"Ben Hur" (MGM 1925) Directed by: Fred Niblo. Cast: Ramon Novarro, Francis X. Bushman, May McAvoy, Betty Bronson, Claire McDowell, Kathleen Key.
"The Black Pirate" (United Artists 1926) Directed by: Albert Parker. Cast: Douglas Fairbanks, Billie Dove, Tempe Pigott, Donald Crisp, Charles Belcher.
"Bird of Paradise" (RKO 1932) Directed by: King Vidor. Cast: Dolores del Rio, Joel McCrea, John Halliday, Richard Gallagher, Bert Roach, Lon Chaney Jr., Wade Boteler.
"Island of Lost Souls" (Paramount 1932) Directed by: Erle C. Kenton. Cast: Charles Laughton, Richard Arlen, Leila Hyams, Bela Lugosi, Kathleen Burke.
"King of the Jungle" (Paramount 1933) Directed by: H. Bruce Humberstone & Max Marcin. Cast: Buster Crabbe, Frances Dee, Douglass Dumbrille, Irving Pichel, Robert Adair, Sam Baker, Robert Barrat, Nydia Westman.
"Mutiny on the Bounty" (MGM 1935) Directed by: Frank Lloyd. Cast: Charles Laughton, Clark Gable, Franchot Tone, Herbert Mundin, Eddie Quillan, Donald Crisp, Henry Stephenson, Spring Byington, Movita, mamo Clark, Ray Benard.
"Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm" (20th Century Fox 1938) Directed by: Allan Dwan. Cast: Shirley Temple, Randolph Scott, Jack Haley, Gloria Stuart, Phyllis Brooks, Helen Westley, Slim Summerville, Bill Robinson.
"Guadalcanal Diary" (20th Century Fox 1943) Directed by: Lewis Seiler. Cast: Preston Foster, Lloyd Nolan, William Bendix, Richard Conte, Anthony Quinn, Richard Jaeckel, Roy Roberts, Minor Watson, Ralph Byrd.
"Wake of the Red Witch" (Republic 1948) Directed by: John Farrow & Edward Ludwig. Cast: John Wayne, Gail Russell, Gig Young, Luther Adler, Adele Mara, Eduard Franz, Henry Daniell, Paul Fix, Fred Fox, Jeff Corey, Fred Graham, Myron Healey.
"Atlantis, the Lost Continent" (MGM 1960) Directed by: George Pal. Cast: Sal Ponti, Joyce Taylor, John Dall, William Smith, Edward Platt, Frank DeKova.
"Chinatown" (Paramount 1974) Directed by: Roman Polanski. Cast: Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Perry Lopez, John Hillerman, Diane Ladd.
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