Studio City, Los Angeles

Studio City is a neighborhood in Los Angeles, California, United States, in the southeast San Fernando Valley, just west of the Cahuenga Pass. It is named after the studio lot that was established in the area by film producer Mack Sennett in 1927, now known as Radford Studio Center.

History

Originally known as Laurelwood, the area that Studio City occupies was formerly part of Rancho Ex-Mission San Fernando. Rancho Ex-Mission San Fernando was a Template:Convert Mexican land grant in present-day Los Angeles County, California, granted in 1846 by Governor Pío Pico to Eulogio F. de Celis. This land changed hands several times during the late 19th century, and eventually passed into the ownership of James Boon Lankershim (1850–1931) and eight other developers, who organized the Lankershim Ranch Land and Water Company. In 1899, the area lost most water rights to Los Angeles, so subdivision and sale of land for farming became untenable.<ref>Template:Cite report</ref>

Construction of the Los Angeles Aqueduct began in 1908, and water reached the San Fernando Valley in November 1913. Real estate boomed, and a syndicate led by Harry Chandler, business manager of the Los Angeles Times, with Hobart Johnstone Whitley, Isaac Van Nuys, and James Boon Lankershim acquired the remaining Template:Convert of the southern half of the former Mission lands—everything west of the Lankershim town limits and south of present-day Roscoe Boulevard excepting the Rancho Encino. Whitley platted the area of present-day Studio City from portions of the existing town of Lankershim, as well as the eastern part of the new acquisition.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

In 1927, Mack Sennett began building a new studio on Template:Convert donated by the land developer.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The area around the studio was named Studio City.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

In 1955, Studio City's Station 78 became the first racially integrated station in the Los Angeles City Fire Department.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

A house fire that soon spread to surrounding homes broke out in Studio City on January 8, 2025 as part of the January 2025 Southern California wildfires.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Geography

The Los Angeles River and Tujunga Wash flow through Studio City. The two concrete-lined channels merge just west of Colfax Avenue and north of Ventura Boulevard adjacent to Radford Studio Center.

Demographics

The 2000 U.S. census counted 34,034 residents in the Template:Convert Studio City neighborhood—5,395 people per square mile, among the lowest population densities for the city but about average for the county. In 2008, the city estimated that the resident population had increased to 37,201.<ref name=MappingLAStudioCity/>

In 2000, the median age for residents, 38, was considered old for city and county neighborhoods; the percent of residents age 19 and older was among the county's highest.<ref name="MappingLAStudioCity">Template:Cite web</ref>

The ethnic breakdown was Whites, 78%; Latinos, 8.7%; Asians, 5.4%; Blacks, 3.7%; and others, 4.1%. Iran (7%) and the United Kingdom (6.7%) were the most common places of birth for the 21.1% of the residents who were born abroad—a low percentage for Los Angeles.<ref name=MappingLAStudioCity/>

The median yearly household income in 2008 dollars was $75,657, considered high for the city. The percent of households earning $125,000 and up was high for Los Angeles County. The average household size of 1.9 people was low when compared to the rest of the city and the county. Renters occupied 55.9% of the housing stock and house- or apartment-owners held 44.1%.<ref name=MappingLAStudioCity/>

In 2000, there were 837 families headed by single parents, the rate of 11.2% being low for the city of Los Angeles. There were 2,591 veterans, 8.8% of the population, a high figure for the city.<ref name=MappingLAStudioCity/>

Arts and culture

File:Saint Saviour's Chapel, Harvard-Westlake School.jpg

Saint Saviour's Chapel at Harvard-Westlake School, built in 1914 in a Spanish Colonial Revival style

File:Studio City Theater converted into Book Store.JPG

Studio City Theater, now a Barnes & Noble bookstore

Notable places

• Radford Studio Center (formerly known as CBS Studio Center)
• Los Angeles River walk (see North Valleyheart Riverwalk)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Exterior of Brady Bunch house<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="surveyla"/>
• Campo de Cahuenga<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Metro B Line Universal City/Studio City station<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Several buildings by Rudolph Michael Schindler<ref name="surveyla">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Library

• The Studio City branch of the Los Angeles Public Library is at the corner of Moorpark Street and Whitsett Avenue.<ref>"Studio City Branch Library." Los Angeles Public Library. Retrieved on March 19, 2010.</ref>

Parks and recreation

The Studio City Recreation Center (commonly known as Beeman Park) is in a residential neighborhood on Rye Street at Beeman Avenue. It has an auditorium, barbecue pits, a lighted baseball diamond, an outdoor running and walking track, lighted outdoor basketball courts, a children's play area, picnic tables, unlighted tennis courts, and many programs and classes including the second-largest youth baseball program in the public parks.<ref>"Studio City Recreation Center." City of Los Angeles. Retrieved on March 19, 2010.</ref>

Moorpark Park, an unstaffed pocket park at the corner of Moorpark Street and Laurel Canyon Boulevard, has a children's play area and picnic tables.<ref>"Moorpark Park." City of Los Angeles. Retrieved on March 19, 2010.</ref>

Woodbridge Park, on Elmer Avenue at Moorpark Street, on the eastern border of Studio City has a children and toddler's play area.

Wilacre Park, a 128-acre natural mountain park with the lower trailhead for the Betty B Dearing hiking trail, is on Fryman Road at Laurel Canyon Boulevard. It has a large parking lot, restrooms and a picnic area. It is part of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and is managed by the Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority.<ref name="mrca.ca.gov">Template:Cite web</ref>

Fryman Canyon Park is a 122-acre nature park accessed via the Nancy Hoover Pohl Overlook on Mulholland Drive with the upper trailhead of the Betty B Dearing hiking trail. The park is part of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and is managed by the Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Coldwater Canyon Park is a nature park adjacent to Wilacre Park and Fryman Canyon Park. It contains an amphitheater and the headquarters for the conservation group TreePeople. It can be accessed via a parking lot near the corner of Mulholland Drive and Coldwater Canyon Avenue and via the Betty B Dearing Trail. The park is managed by the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks (LA Parks). This park is not to be confused with an unrelated park with the name Coldwater Canyon Park, three miles to the south on North Beverly Drive in the city of Beverly Hills.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In addition, Studio City has the Studio City Mini-Park, an unstaffed pocket park.<ref>"Studio City Mini-Park." City of Los Angeles. Retrieved on March 19, 2010.</ref>

North Valleyheart Riverwalk is a linear park that abuts the Los Angeles River.

Government

The northeast part of Studio City is in City Council District 2, represented by Paul Krekorian, and the southwest section is in District 4, represented by Nithya Raman. The community is represented within the city of Los Angeles by the Studio City Neighborhood Council.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The area is represented by Los Angeles County District 3 Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, State Senator Robert Hertzberg, California Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian and U.S. Representative Brad Sherman.

Education

Almost half of Studio City residents aged 25 and older (49.4%) had earned a four-year degree by 2000, a high percentage for both the city and the county. The percentage of those residents with a master's degree was also high for the county.<ref name=MappingLAStudioCity/>

Schools

File:Walter Reed Middle School.jpg

Walter Reed Middle School

File:Ted Slavin Field.jpg

Athletic field at Upper Campus, Harvard-Westlake School

Schools within the Studio City boundaries are:<ref>[1] "Studio City: Schools," Mapping L.A., Los Angeles Times</ref>

• Bridges Academy, private, 4–12, 3921 Laurel Canyon Boulevard
• Campbell Hall School, private, K–12, 4533 Laurel Canyon Boulevard
• Carpenter Community Charter School, LAUSD, K–5, 3909 Carpenter Avenue
• Harvard-Westlake School, private, 10–12, 3700 Coldwater Canyon Avenue<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Walter Reed Middle School, LAUSD, 6–8, 4525 Irvine Avenue
• Oakwood School, private, K–6, 11230 Moorpark Street
• Rio Vista Elementary School, LAUSD, K–5, 4243 Satsuma Avenue
• St. Charles Borromeo School, private, K–8, 10850 Moorpark Street

Notable people

Film and television

• Leon Ames, film and television actor<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref>
• Ernie Anderson, television and radio announcer/voiceover artist<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Paul Thomas Anderson, film director<ref name=rebels84>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Dana Andrews, film actor and past president of the Screen Actors' Guild<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• R. G. Armstrong, actor and playwright<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Ed Asner, film, television, stage, and voice actor, past president of the SAG<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Gene Autry, actor, singer-songwriter, businessman and owner of the California Angels baseball team<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Elizabeth Banks, actress and director<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Joe Barbera, animator, director and co-founder of Hanna-Barbera studios<ref name="BarberaAutoBio">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp<ref name="NYTBarberaObit">Template:Cite news</ref>
• Bonnie Bartlett, television and film actress<ref name="bartlett">Template:Cite news</ref>
• Ed Begley Jr., actor and environmentalist<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Joseph Benti, television news anchor<ref name=LAT>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Mayim Bialik, film and television actress<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Robert Blake, actor<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Julie Bowen, actress<ref name="patchlocals"/>
• Clancy Brown, actor<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Smiley Burnette, comedic actor, singer-songwriter and inventor<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• George Clooney, actor, film director, producer, and screenwriter<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Gary Cole, actor<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Marisa Coughlan, actress<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Barry Crane, television producer and director<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Jon Cryer, actor<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• William Daniels, actor and former president of the Screen Actors Guild<ref name="bartlett"/>
• Whitney Cummings, actress and comedian<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Brad Davis, actor<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Jimmy Dore, comedian and political commentator<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Yvonne De Carlo, actress of film, television, and theater<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Zooey Deschanel, actress<ref name="patchlocals"/>
• Leonardo DiCaprio, actor and producer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Charles S. Dutton, stage, film, and television actor and director<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
• Zac Efron, actor<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Erik Estrada, actor<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Clark Gable, actor<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Betty Garrett, actress, singer and dancer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Jennie Garth, actress<ref name="variety.com">Template:Cite web</ref>
• Alice Ghostley, actress
• Vince Gironda, movie star trainer and bodybuilder<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Meagan Good, actress, film producer<ref name="DallasBlack">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Kam">Template:Cite web</ref>
• Cuba Gooding Jr., actor<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Ryan Gosling, actor<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Gary Graver, film director and cinematographer<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Tom Green, actor, comedian<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Earl Holliman, Golden Globe winning film and television actor.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Lucy Hale, actress and singer<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Neil Patrick Harris, actor, singer, writer and magician<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Laurel Holloman, actress<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Vanessa Hudgens, actress and singer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Josh Hutcherson, actor<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Allison Janney, actress<ref name="patchlocals"/>
• Mila Kunis, actress<ref name="patchlocals"/>
• Tom Kenny, voice actor, voice director, comedian<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Lucy Lawless, actress<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Lucy Liu, actress<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Seth MacFarlane, actor, singer, comedian and producer<ref name="patchlocals1">Template:Cite web</ref>
• Jennette McCurdy, actress<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Roddy McDowall, actor and photographer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Kevin McKidd, film and television actor<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Alyssa Milano, actress<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Dennis Miller, TV host and comedian<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Chloë Grace Moretz, actress<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Bill Nye, science educator, comedian, television host, actor, and mechanical engineer<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Jack Osbourne, reality show star<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Patton Oswalt, actor and comedian<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Russell Peters, comedian<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Jason Priestley, television actor<ref>"Template:Cite web</ref>
• Lance Reddick, actor<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Michael Richards, actor, comedian, writer and television producer<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Alex Rocco, actor<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Aaron Seltzer, director and screenwriter<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• William Shatner, actor, musician, recording artist, and author<ref>"William Shatner." The Biography Channel. Retrieved on September 21, 2009</ref>
• Melville Shavelson, film director, producer, screenwriter, and author<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Mason Shefa, director of experimental films<ref>"Template:Cite web</ref>
• Anna Nicole Smith, model, actress and television personality<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Sage Stallone, actor and producer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Jonathan Stark, actor, writer, producer<ref name="Franks2004">Template:Cite book</ref>
• Linda Stirling, actress, showgirl, model and college professor<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Lyle Talbot, film, TV and stage actor; a founder of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG); honorary mayor of Studio City in the 1960s<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Stephen Talbot, child actor; PBS Frontline documentary producer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Alex Trebek, game show host<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Renee Valente, producer, former president of the Producers Guild of America<ref name=thr2>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Sofía Vergara, actress<ref name="patchlocals">Template:Cite web</ref>
• Nancy Walker, actress, comedian and director<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Anton Yelchin, actor<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Literature

• Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey, journalist and playwright<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Lorin Morgan-Richards, author and illustrator<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Jerry Pournelle, science-fiction author and blogger<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Israel Regardie, occultist<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Sports

• Zack Greinke, Major League Baseball pitcher<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Joc Pederson, Major League Baseball outfielder<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Justin Turner, Major League Baseball player<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Jrue Holiday, National Basketball Association player

Other

• David Burtka, chef and actor<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Cara Delevingne, actress and model<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Peter Hurkos, allegedly manifested extra-sensory perception<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• James B. Potter Jr., Los Angeles City Council member<ref name=LibraryFile>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Jerome Vered, record-setting contestant on the game show Jeopardy!<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Joel Wachs, Los Angeles City Council member<ref name=Decision93>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Sam Yorty, mayor of Los Angeles<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

External links

• Studio City Residents Association
• Studio City Chamber of Commerce