Metromedia Square

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Satellite image of Metromedia Square from May 1994

Metromedia Square (also known as Fox Television Center from 1986 to 1996) was a radio and television studio facility located at 5746 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, on the southeastern corner of Sunset and Van Ness Avenue. For decades it was recognizable by the white, ladder-like snake on the building's roof. This work of art was called "Starsteps" and was dismantled when ownership of the building changed hands in 2000.

[edit] History

The site was first known as the Nassour Studio, built in 1946 and opened January 1, 1947.

Originally, there were four sound stages ranging in size from around 7,600 square feet to just over 13,000 square feet (Later, the Metromedia Corporation added two more as well as large office buildings).

Nassour's modern Art Deco-styled projection room and modern offices were located in the buildings fronting Sunset.

Dressing rooms were constructed adjacent to stages 1 and 2. An old converted two story apartment building located down the street on Van Ness housed producers and writers. The big stage (4) had removable panels that hid a water tank. It was used to film the jungle river scenes in "Africa Screams." The lot was very small (about 4 acres) so an underground facility for storage was necessary. A large freight elevator was installed for access.

Over 100 independent films were shot there under the Nassour Studio banner. Nassour Studio was sold to Norman Chandler who owned The Los Angeles Times. Chandler was looking for a facility to permanently house KTTV (Channel 11).

From 1949 to 1996, KTTV was housed here, and radio stations KMET 94.7 FM (now KTWV) and KLAC AM 570, both owned by Metromedia Broadcasting at the time, moved here in mid-1976.

Television producer Norman Lear moved into the property in 1973 and headquartered his company, Tandem Productions, in the building. Lear started videotaping his television series here in the fall of 1975, including, but not limited to, All in the Family, Diff'rent Strokes, The Jeffersons, Maude, Good Times, One Day at a Time, and The Facts of Life. One of his other classic shows, Sanford & Son, remained taping its series at NBC Studios in Burbank, although its 1980 revival, Sanford, was videotaped at Metromedia. Shows such as Diff'rent Strokes, Facts of Life, and The Jeffersons later relocated to Universal City Studios by 1982.

In 1986, Metromedia sold KTTV to the Fox Broadcasting Company, and the studios became the Fox Television Center, even though Metromedia continued to own the building and the land on which it was situated, therefore leasing the property to Fox and KTTV. Shows like the Fox-produced Small Wonder and NBC's Saved by the Bell were among the last series to be taped at this complex, as well as the sketch comedy series, In Living Color, and the first season of MAD TV. Ironically, very few Fox television shows were actually taped at the Fox Television Center.

KTTV moved to its own new building (the new Fox Television Center) in West Los Angeles in 1996, which is the corporate home of the Fox Television Stations Group. Meanwhile, the radio stations' studios had remained here, even long after they were no longer owned by Metromedia. KMET had become KTWV, now owned by CBS Radio, and moved to new studios in Culver City in 1997, and then Miracle Mile neighborhood on L.A.'s Wilshire Boulevard on February 18, 2005. KLAC eventually became acquired by Clear Channel Communications and moved to studios shared with Clear Channel's other AM stations, which are now located in Burbank.

The Fox Broadcasting Company, which had maintained some business offices at the 20th Century Fox studios in Los Angeles' Century City neighborhood while at the Television Center, moved its complete base of operations to the Century City studio lot shortly after the KTTV move. This new facility, known as the Fox Network Center, is the home to the network's live studio productions, such as Fox NFL Sunday and Fox Saturday Baseball.

The Metromedia Corporation sold the land to the Los Angeles Unified School District in 2000. The building was demolished by the School District in 2003, while a new high school is currently being built, which is scheduled to open by the 2007-08 school year.

[edit] List of Shows Taped at Metromedia

227 (NBC) (for its entire 1985-1990 run)
All in the Family (CBS) (from 1975 to 1979, formerly at CBS Television City from 1971 to 1975 )
Diff'rent Strokes (NBC) (from 1978 to 1982, then at Universal City Studios from 1982 to 1985 and ABC Television Center from 1985 to 1986)
The Facts of Life (NBC) (from 1979 to 1982, then at Universal City Studios from 1982 to 1987 and NBC Studios from 1987 to 1988)
Family Ties (NBC) (pilot episode only)
Gimme a Break! (NBC) (for its entire 1981-1987 run)
Good Times (CBS) (from 1975 to 1979, formerly at CBS Television Center from 1974 to 1975)
In Living Color (Fox) (for its entire 1990-1994 run)
The Jeffersons (CBS) (from fall 1975 to 1982, formerly at CBS Television Center in early 1975, then at Universal City Studios from 1982 to 1985)
MAD TV (Fox) (from 1995 to 1996)
Mama's Family (NBC/syndication)
One Day at a Time (CBS) (from 1975 to 1982, then at Universal City Studios from 1982 to 1984)
Sanford (NBC) (for its entire 1980-1981 run)
Saved by the Bell (NBC) (for its entire 1989-1993 run)
Small Wonder (syndication) (for its entire 1985-1989 run)
Three's Company (ABC) (early 1977 and 1982-1984, the pilot was shot at ABC Television Center, and the show was at CBS Television City from fall 1977 to 1982)