Melody Ranch Studio Tour
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Melody Ranch Studio
24715 Oak Creek Newhall, CA 91321 |
VIP Tours and Museum
E.J. Stephens: (661) 244-5874 |
Since 1915, when the studio first opened for business, this location has produced an endless string of hard-riding shoot-em-ups. Monogram Studios made 750 "B" westerns before selling the ranch to singing cowboy Gene Autry in 1952. Legendary cowboy actors, including William S. Hart, Gary Cooper, Tom Mix, Roy Rogers, Bill Boyd, and John Wayne, filmed their westerns here until 1962, when a fire swept through Placerita Canyon and destroyed the main western street. Gene Autry kept the rest of the ranch for his horse, Champion, until the horse passed in 1990. He then put the ranch up for sale, and the Veluzat brothers purchased it. Melody Ranch has been brought back to life by restoring the famous western street. Melody Ranch Studio features a massive western town with interiors in the saloon, bank, jail, general store, hotel, church, school, livery stable, and theatre. The ranch also includes a farmhouse, ranch house, Victorian home, and beautiful Spanish/adobe hacienda, all with interiors. Many stairways, balconies, and hundreds of feet of boardwalks round out this amazing film location.
At Melody Ranch, people will experience the main street where famous westerns were made such as, The Lone Ranger, Wyatt Earp, Gunsmoke, Hopalong Cassidy, Annie Oakley, Rin Tin Tin, The Cisco Kid, Deadwood, Tall Tales, Last Man Standing, Magnificent Seven (CBS TV Series), Django, Westworld Season 1, 2, & 4, Fall Out season 2 and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
At Melody Ranch, people will experience the main street where famous westerns were made such as, The Lone Ranger, Wyatt Earp, Gunsmoke, Hopalong Cassidy, Annie Oakley, Rin Tin Tin, The Cisco Kid, Deadwood, Tall Tales, Last Man Standing, Magnificent Seven (CBS TV Series), Django, Westworld Season 1, 2, & 4, Fall Out season 2 and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
* Studio Info provided by Melody Ranch website.
Front Entrance
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Western/Main St.
When brothers Renaud and Andre Veluzat began reconstructing Melody Ranch, they paid close attention to detail. Using photos of the original Main Street as a guide, they recreated the boardwalk posts and matched the original height and width of the saloon and storefront doorways. The Veluzats also purchased 74 truckloads of Western doors, windows, bars, and swinging saloon doors from another studio during its spring cleaning. “This contributed greatly to our ability to complete the restoration,” Renaud explains. “We have more than 74 storefronts, some with permanent interiors, including the saloon, church, hotels, bank, jailhouse, gun shop, theater, hardware store, and several ranch houses. The town can be signed and dressed to meet any filming company’s needs, and we also have interior and exterior props available for rent to help dress a set.”
Train
Gene Autry’s Melody Ranch in Placerita Canyon, California, became a hub for Western memorabilia, including a small but notable train collection. After buying the ranch in 1952–1953, Autry envisioned it as a working movie studio and Western museum, and he actively pursued that goal by collecting antique locomotives and train car.
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Sound Stages
Melody Ranch Studio in Santa Clarita Valley, California, is a 22-acre back lot located in the 30-mile zone. The studio zone is a 30 mile radius used by union film projects to determine per diem rates and driving distances for crew members. Melody Ranch has, in addition to the backlot, a few soundstages and production offices.
Some of the facades are actually working practical sets. All others are false fronts. Which means, the structure is complete inside so filming can be done as well.
Some of the facades are actually working practical sets. All others are false fronts. Which means, the structure is complete inside so filming can be done as well.
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Vehicles
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