As you pass through the studio gates on this walking tour, you’re immediately greeted by Tony Tasset’s arching Rainbow sculpture—a nod to the studio’s past as the home of The Wizard of Oz. The lot’s footprint has been significantly downsized since then, when it was known as the iconic MGM Studios; virtually all of its colorful backlot sets are now gone with the wind. But the magnolia tree-lined sidewalks and clean, white Art Deco facades provide a pleasant ambience that the other industrial-edged studios lack. A leisurely pace allows time to peer through the elephant doors of a soundstage and look out for passing celebrities. The tour skews toward contemporary productions—the bullet-riddled RV from Breaking Bad, a stock car from Talladega Nights and a stop in the studios for Jeopardy or Wheel of Fortune—but there are still plenty of small moments where that old moviemaking charm endures.
For fans of: The Wizard of Oz, Singin’ in the Rain, Ben-Hur, Spiderman, Breaking Bad, Talladega Nights, Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune
You won’t find anywhere else: The acoustic bliss during a stop in a foley studio.
Length: 2hrs
RECOMMENDED: See more studio tours in Los Angeles