Television Production
In 1942, Chaplin sold the northern portion of the property, the portion containing the residence, tennis courts, and a portion of his backlot, to Safeway Stores. The house was destroyed, and a shopping center was built in its place.
In October 1943, Chaplin's studios were opened up for the first time to be used to shoot an outside production, Curly, produced by Columbia Pictures. The Los Angeles Times reported at the time that the Chaplin Studio "has been more or less sacrosanct, in the sense that outsiders were practically never permitted to work there." However, studio manager Alfred Reeves told the Times was emphatic that the Chaplin organization was "not going into the space rental business," and the use of the studios by Columbia would not create a precedent.
In 1949, the studios were reportedly the site of Greta Garbo's last screen test.
In 1953, a New York real estate investor bought the studio from Chaplin, who had left America permanently in October 1952, for $650,000. The new owner had planned to tear down the studio, but it was leased to a television production company and became known as Kling Studios. Starting in 1953, the property went through a succession of owners who used the studios to shoot television series. In 1953, the Adventures of Superman television series starring George Reeves was shot there. Beginning in 1959, Red Skelton shot his television series at the facility, and in April 1960 Skelton purchased the studio. From behind a desk in the office once occupied by Chaplin, Skelton said:
"I'm not the head of the studio. I'll be president and just own the joint. ... Seriously, I couldn't be a studio executive because I'm not qualified. ... I've got a nice enough racket trying to make people laugh and don't intend to foul that up. And, besides, that's harder than running a studio."
Skelton also purchased three large mobile units for taping color television shows, making a total investment estimated at $3.5 million. Skelton had a large "Skelton Studios" sign erected over the main gate on La Brea Avenue. Skelton also removed a block of sidewalk on the studio grounds which Chaplin had signed and pressed his footprints into in 1918 for display at his Palm Springs home.
Skelton sold the studio to CBS in 1962, and CBS shot the Perry Mason television series there from 1962–1966.
From 1981 to 1985, Soul Train taped at The Chaplin Stage.
Read more about this topic: Charlie Chaplin Studios
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