Early Warner Bros. Studios (Images of America)

Wonderfully evocative and superbly illustrated with many rare photos. I didn't want it to end!

This is yet another book in a great series from Arcadia publishing that documents visually the history of Hollywood Studios. Loaded with dozens of historical photos complimented by comprehensive captions this is a must purchase for fans of movie studio history.

Don’t expect an in-depth history of Warner Bros in this quick read. It’s a bit like… “We have several good images of Warner’s over the years - let’s put a quick history of the brothers at the start and pad the rest with some pictures”. This publication is very similar to the old special effects water tank at Warner’s - shallow.

Like the Culver City Studios book, this is a fun history of the beginnings of the movie industry. Unlike the MGM and Culver City studios, Warner Brothers did at least get their start in Hollywood, before moving out to their present Burbank location. I guess Hollywood just sounds better than Burbank or Culver City in the press releases. Because Warner Brothers moved around so many lots early on, if you've worked in Hollywood at all, then you've probably worked on one of their former lots, I know I have. So this was a fun read. The only fact I'd check on is the shooting location of "The Jazz Singer". The book claims it was at the studio at Sunset and Bronson, but having worked for decades at the old ABC lot in east Hollywood, now the Prospect Lot, it was known that the movie was shot at the original Vitagraph Studios, where the Prospect lot is, and there is a historical plaque on Stage 55 signifying that.

Did yoiu know that what we all know as the Warner Bros studio in Burbank was actually built by a movie production, distribution and theatre owning company called First National Pictures? First National was acquired by Warner Bros in 1929 and the studio became the Warner Bros. studio. This book has terrific photographs of the studio under construction by First National and lots of other historic photographs.

This is a must read if you are at all interested in the history of the Warner Bros. E.J. has a wonderful style of writing that makes that story come alive.