SAVE RKO GLOBE PETITION

[JoeySanJoaquin]

As many of our "Lucy contingent" is already aware having posted the news, links and comments on Facebook about this but for those who are not, I thought you might be interested to know what's going on right now with the historic RKO Paramount lot in Hollywood, where so many Desilu (The Lucy Show most importantly!) and later, Garry Marshall-produced sitcoms (Odd Couple, Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Mork & Mindy etc.) as well as hundreds other countless classics have been filmed over the years.

 

To quote from the petition itself and so as not to inject my own biased thoughts and comments about this ...travesty in the making (see? Can't help myself!!), here's what's in the works:

 

"Paramount Studios has scheduled the demolition of the historically significant stages located on the Paramount Studios property at the corner of Gower St. and Melrose Ave. in Hollywood, CA.

 

We would like the RKO Globe that sits on top of Stage 21 preserved as a historically significant piece of California's entertainment history. We believe the globe should be removed and relocated near the Hollywood Heritage museum. It could then be restored to its original configuration with the radio tower on top of the globe.

 

In support of this proposal, we have started a Facebook page to protect and restore the globe and tower from Paramount Studios scheduled demolition:

 

https://www.facebook.com/SaveRKOGlobe/

 

RKO Studios was an original Hollywood Studio that created significant films such as the original King Kong, Citizen Kane and several Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers films."

 

As our own Jimmy Garrett posted on his Facebook page, this is especially important to him (and his mom who also chimes in), as he stated:

"Just read that Paramount Studios has pulled a permit to tear-down the three sound stages at the corner of Gower and Melrose. This includes the historic RKO radio tower and world globe it sits upon. These are sound stages where Fred and Ginger danced and Citizen Kane was filmed. And, for me, the middle stage was the home to "The Lucy Show." Our next door neighbors were "My Three Sons." History bull-dozed; so sad."

 

As a long-time Lucy and Hollywood history/culture fan, I find this development very upsetting as well.  While I need to do some further "homework" into why they want to do this, it's hard to imagine it's for any "altruistic" reason, other than expansion or given how LA often works, another stacked parking lot!  We shall see. 

 

Thanks for allowing me to vent a little and also let you fellow fans know what's going on.

 

(In a related topic, due to the ongoing Santa Clarita area forest fires, we also just lost Sable Ranch:

"a popular Southern California location for film and TV shoots, burned to the ground Saturday in a wildfire that has consumed more than 20,000 acres. The ranch, near the Angeles National Forest and an ideal location for Westerns with its old Spanish-style hacienda, stables and various out buildings, has been used for countless films and series, from TV’s Maverick to The A-Team and 24, and such films as Chevy Chase’s Invisible Man and the cult horror pic Motel Hell, to name a very few."-- Deadline.com

 

This is all too depressing!!

[Freddie2]

I hate seeing old studio lots go down like this. Thanks for brining it to our attention, because I wouldn't have otherwise known. For goodness sakes, they've got the sound stages, why not use them?

[Brock]

Thanks for the link. This is terrible!

[JoeySanJoaquin]

Thanks for the link. This is terrible!

Right?? Unbelievable!