40 Acres, Film studio backlot in Culver City, United States.
40 Acres was a studio backlot in Culver City with roughly 29 acres of outdoor film sets, including a town square, residential streets, and a New York-style urban district. The standing structures could be quickly modified to represent different locations and time periods for each production.
Cecil DeMille established the backlot in 1926 with a Jerusalem set for The King of Kings, which was then acquired by RKO Pictures in 1928. The studio remained in operation for decades, eventually demolished in 1976 to make way for industrial development.
The backlot served as a working studio space where countless American television shows and films were produced, with its streets and buildings adapted to represent different regions and time periods. The place held deep meaning for the industry as a practical solution for filmmaking during Hollywood's golden age.
Since the backlot was demolished decades ago, only its history remains today rather than any physical structures to visit. Visitors interested in learning about the productions filmed here can explore nearby studios and Hollywood film archives for more information.
The backlot was famous for its ability to transform: the same streets represented small-town America one week and ancient Egypt or Civil War Atlanta the next. This flexibility allowed hundreds of different productions to use the same property over the decades.
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