Vintage, Velvet & Valor
Relive Vintage Hollywood
Thanks to the magic of Culver City film historians and a cast of Hollywood's greatest stars, you can follow the yellow brick road to Vintage, Velvet & Valor in the 10th annual Screenland 5K.
Streets Come Alive
Many of the "greatest stories ever told" played out in the Heart of Screenland. Screenland 5K Creative Director Lori Escalera and film historian Chris Bungo showcase motion picture Vintage, Velvet & Valor for the 10th annual race. Bungo photographed locations of storied movie and TV scenes along the race course. "The fun part of the job was to overlay my photo onto the original film frame,” said Bungo.
Laugh at your Start
The 10th annual Screenland 5K starts opposite the former Hal Roach Studios, celebrated as the "Laugh Factory to the World." Roach produced Our Gang and Laurel & Hardy comedies and created WWII training films featuring Ronald Reagan and Alan Ladd. Across the street was Sebastian's Cotton Club, where jazz musician Louis Armstrong played. Further east of the race's starting point lies the East Culver City Arts District and the historic Helms Design Center, official bread and baked goods supplier for the 1932 Olympic Games.
Step on Scene Spots
As you begin your journey into Vintage, Velvet & Valor, imagine Adam “Batman” West chasing the Joker on Ince and Erik “CHiPs” Estrada citing a driver on Culver Blvd. You will pass locations where Aunt Bea and Andy Griffith admonished Opie, King Kong grabbed Fay Wray, Janet Gaynor eyed Fredric March, Ingrid Bergman saved Gregory Peck, Kevin Hart conspired with buddies, Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin escaped peril, Lucille Ball kissed and slapped Ricky, Hardy rebuked Laurel, Lassie came home, Tron fought foes, and ET flew in the moonlight. You'll encounter places where scenes were filmed for numerous TV shows such as Charlie’s Angels, Twilight Zone, Cougar Town, Bones, Perry Mason, and Wonder Years.
Soar with Spiderman
Follow the yellow brick road west down "Wagon Pass" (Washington Bl.), notorious for its nightclubs, gambling, and bootlegging. The street later became the city's economic engine with industry and car dealerships. Stroll by the gates of Sony Pictures Animation, home of Spiderman, Garfield, The Smurfs, and Hotel Transylvania.
Gang's All Here!
Venture north on Ince and encounter Ivy Substation, featured in train scenes from classic Hal Roach films and other major studios of the era. It's now home to the "Actors' Gang" theater, directed by Oscar-winning actor Tim Robbins. The "Gang" will entertain you to keep you walking, running, and smiling. Soon, you'll stride by the nation's smallest Main Street, America's film production hub in the 1940s, providing affordable entertainment during the wartime era. Across from Main St., moviegoers would see stars in the former Meralta Theater, owned by two female vaudeville performers,
Be Our Guest
Jog past the wedge-shaped century-old Culver Hotel, known for its legendary owners and notable film and political guests. Shortly after, you'll encounter the iconic Culver Theater, which showed first-run movies from the local studios. Today, It's the Kirk Douglas Theatre, part of the Center Theater Group.
Catch the Rainbow
Passing the storied gates of Sony Pictures Studios, formerly Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, you can see "The Rainbow," a soaring installation inspired by "The Wizard of Oz.". Soon, you'll stroll by Backstage, the famous movie studio watering hole, where you can feel the vibrant energy that thrived while studios filmed classics such as The Wizard of Oz, A Star is Born, and Gone with the Wind.
Pass Cinematic Landmarks
Skirt near the Western Hemisphere Marathon marker in front of Veterans Auditorium. It was the oldest consecutively run marathon west of the Mississippi and the first long-distance race in the nation to allow women to compete alongside men. Returning east, you will pass civic landmarks used in many motion pictures, such as the late-Moderne style Gateway Station post office, century-old Culver City Hall facade, Fire Station Number One, and the location of Esther Williams' extravagant swimming pool film sequences.
Finish on the Red Carpet
Jog past the historic Culver Studios, where many of the world's greatest stars in the 1900s rose to fame, including Bette Davis, Robert Mitchum, Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, Fred Astaire, and Ginger Rogers. Music icons Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson rehearsed there. Silent film pioneer Thomas Ince, legendary director Cecil B. DeMille, business magnate Howard Hughes, and comedic pair Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball took turns owning the large studio. Now, Amazon Pictures, which retains the century-old MGM film library, produces shows on the refurbished sound stages. Complete your cinematic adventure on the red carpet and receive your well-earned finisher's medal. Rehearse your acceptance speech!
