Mayberry, Metropolis and Rigel VII
October 26, 2014 5:38 PM Subscribe
It was called a number of things in its fifty years of existence, but the RKO Forty Acres (which actually measured just over twenty-eight) was above all a prolific movie and television studio located in Culver City, California. It started off as a film studio during the silent era that continued prominent use in sound films including Gone With The Wind, The Magnificent Ambersons and King Kong. Later, it was widely used for television shows like Bonanza, The Adventures of Superman and, most prominently, The Andy Griffith Show. It even got used in a number of classic Star Trek episodes (and be sure to visit this site for some nice screen caps revealing Enterprise crew members walking around Mayberry). The RetroWeb has a very thorough history of the studio, complete with prodigious pictures.
so close to home, yet so far away
Just a quick trip around the Sun under warp and you could be there!
posted by localroger at 6:14 PM on October 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
Just a quick trip around the Sun under warp and you could be there!
posted by localroger at 6:14 PM on October 26, 2014 [1 favorite]
Reminds me of that Star Trek/Mayberry crossover episode. The Spock-Fife mindmeld scene was powerful.
posted by jabah at 6:40 PM on October 26, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by jabah at 6:40 PM on October 26, 2014 [3 favorites]
I live not far from there, and it was a real headtrip the first time I find out about this studio. It looks so absolutely ordinary there now, just an industrial park surrounded by residential streets and Del Tacos and such. You would never, ever guess the glories beneath your feet.
Whenever awful people start getting snotty about how much they hate LA, I just say, "Oh, yeah? Well, I live a few blocks from SKULL ISLAND." Then I drop the mic.
posted by Ursula Hitler at 8:36 PM on October 26, 2014 [4 favorites]
Whenever awful people start getting snotty about how much they hate LA, I just say, "Oh, yeah? Well, I live a few blocks from SKULL ISLAND." Then I drop the mic.
posted by Ursula Hitler at 8:36 PM on October 26, 2014 [4 favorites]
I feel like I've seen more episodes of Andy Griffith than I would have liked but I thought it took place exclusively between andy's home and work. I didn't even know there was a whole big town set. Next you're going to tell me there's shots of New Rochelle in Dick Van Dyke.
posted by bleep at 9:25 PM on October 26, 2014
posted by bleep at 9:25 PM on October 26, 2014
The Star Trek in Mayberry images make me feel like I want to jump in there and do some Dishonored style gameplay...
posted by symbioid at 9:45 PM on October 26, 2014
posted by symbioid at 9:45 PM on October 26, 2014
Judging from this photo, they apparently did not totally re-dress the Mayberry street set for "Star Trek." I love the idea of James T. Kirk and the future Alexis Carrington going into Floyd's Barber Shop and interacting with the proprietor.
posted by Nat "King" Cole Porter Wagoner at 10:52 PM on October 26, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by Nat "King" Cole Porter Wagoner at 10:52 PM on October 26, 2014 [3 favorites]
I love these kinds of posts.
posted by JHarris at 3:52 PM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by JHarris at 3:52 PM on October 27, 2014 [1 favorite]
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posted by fairmettle at 5:50 PM on October 26, 2014 [6 favorites]