The Paramount Story
As the longest operating and only remaining major studio in Hollywood, Paramount Pictures has been on the ground floor of every major development in film – from the advent of motion pictures, to the emergence of television, through the digital revolution. During our 100-year history, we have served as the production site for thousands of notable movies and TV shows.
Our studio lot has grown considerably over the years, expanding from 26 acres and four stages to 65 acres and twenty-nine stages. We have also constructed other impressive sites like the massive Blue Sky Tank and our one-of-a-kind New York Street backlot, which features ten distinct city neighborhood backdrops.
When you visit our lot, not only will you see where some of the most celebrated movies and television series were made, but also see how we continue to produce iconic motion pictures for the next century. At Paramount, you will get to wander through the past and see the future at the same time.
Our studio lot has grown considerably over the years, expanding from 26 acres and four stages to 65 acres and twenty-nine stages. We have also constructed other impressive sites like the massive Blue Sky Tank and our one-of-a-kind New York Street backlot, which features ten distinct city neighborhood backdrops.
When you visit our lot, not only will you see where some of the most celebrated movies and television series were made, but also see how we continue to produce iconic motion pictures for the next century. At Paramount, you will get to wander through the past and see the future at the same time.
1912 - 1929 The Beginning
Paramount Pictures began humbly in 1912 when Adolph Zukor, a New York nickelodeon owner, introduced the first full-length drama shown in the United States, Queen Elizabeth, starring Sarah Bernhardt. That same year, he founded the Famous Players Film Company. By 1913, Zukor expanded his reach by distributing films through a startup company known as Paramount Pictures, laying the groundwork for what would become a major force in the film industry.
In 1916, Famous Players merged with the Jesse L. Lasky Company, a Hollywood-based studio that had produced The Squaw Man, the first feature-length film made in Hollywood. Both companies already relied on Paramount as a distributor, and after consolidating operations, they formed the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation. This entity eventually became Paramount Pictures. Around this time, the iconic mountain-and-stars logo, designed by W. W. Hodkinson, was introduced, inspired by a Utah peak and symbolizing the company’s early stars.
In 1926, Lasky oversaw the construction of a new studio lot in Hollywood, marking a major step forward. Just a year later, Paramount achieved significant recognition when Wings won the first Academy Award for Best Picture and remains the only silent film to ever receive that honor.
In 1916, Famous Players merged with the Jesse L. Lasky Company, a Hollywood-based studio that had produced The Squaw Man, the first feature-length film made in Hollywood. Both companies already relied on Paramount as a distributor, and after consolidating operations, they formed the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation. This entity eventually became Paramount Pictures. Around this time, the iconic mountain-and-stars logo, designed by W. W. Hodkinson, was introduced, inspired by a Utah peak and symbolizing the company’s early stars.
In 1926, Lasky oversaw the construction of a new studio lot in Hollywood, marking a major step forward. Just a year later, Paramount achieved significant recognition when Wings won the first Academy Award for Best Picture and remains the only silent film to ever receive that honor.
1930 - 1959The Golden Age
The Golden Age of Hollywood, proved to be an immensely successful period for Paramount. In the midst of The Great Depression, many of the classics we’ve all come to know and love were created including the memorable Bing Crosby musicals, John Wayne westerns, Hitchcock thrillers, Cecil B. DeMille spectacles, and the outrageous comedies of Mae West.
During the mid to late 40s, the critical acclaim of films from Paramount also became prominent. In 1944, Paramount won its second Academy Award for Best Picture for Going My Way. The very next year, The Lost Weekend also took the top prize. Throughout the early 50s, Paramount dominated the Academy Award nominee lists with enduring classics, including Sunset Boulevard, The Greatest Show on Earth (1952 Academy Winner), Shane, To Catch a Thief, and DeMille’s remake of The Ten Commandments.
During this era, RKO Pictures also made history by producing the iconic films Top Hat, King Kong, and Citizen Kane on sound stages right next door to Paramount Pictures. Decades later, those very stages would be integrated into Paramount’s studio lot, becoming part of the enduring legacy of Hollywood filmmaking.
During the mid to late 40s, the critical acclaim of films from Paramount also became prominent. In 1944, Paramount won its second Academy Award for Best Picture for Going My Way. The very next year, The Lost Weekend also took the top prize. Throughout the early 50s, Paramount dominated the Academy Award nominee lists with enduring classics, including Sunset Boulevard, The Greatest Show on Earth (1952 Academy Winner), Shane, To Catch a Thief, and DeMille’s remake of The Ten Commandments.
During this era, RKO Pictures also made history by producing the iconic films Top Hat, King Kong, and Citizen Kane on sound stages right next door to Paramount Pictures. Decades later, those very stages would be integrated into Paramount’s studio lot, becoming part of the enduring legacy of Hollywood filmmaking.
1960 - 1979The New Hollywood
From 1960 to 1979, Paramount Pictures underwent a major transformation, evolving from a traditional studio into a key player in the “New Hollywood” era. The studio soon embraced more modern and daring storytelling with hits like Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Rosemary’s Baby, and Psycho.
Paramount’s creative and financial resurgence continued into the 1970s with Love Story, followed by a string of influential hits that defined the decade like Chinatown, Saturday Night Fever, and Grease. In 1972, Paramount earned another Best Picture Oscar with The Godfather and then again in 1974 with its sequel, The Godfather Part II. Both films forever defined the genre and are now widely considered to be amongst the greatest films ever made.
During this time, Paramount also dove headfirst into the world of television. In 1967, the lot underwent one of its largest expansions with the purchase of Desilu Productions from Lucille Ball. With the acquisition, Paramount controlled and produced some of the most unforgettable TV series ever (and now iconic movie franchises) Star Trek and Mission: Impossible.
Paramount’s creative and financial resurgence continued into the 1970s with Love Story, followed by a string of influential hits that defined the decade like Chinatown, Saturday Night Fever, and Grease. In 1972, Paramount earned another Best Picture Oscar with The Godfather and then again in 1974 with its sequel, The Godfather Part II. Both films forever defined the genre and are now widely considered to be amongst the greatest films ever made.
During this time, Paramount also dove headfirst into the world of television. In 1967, the lot underwent one of its largest expansions with the purchase of Desilu Productions from Lucille Ball. With the acquisition, Paramount controlled and produced some of the most unforgettable TV series ever (and now iconic movie franchises) Star Trek and Mission: Impossible.
1980 - 1999Turn of the Century Blockbusters
With the success of The Godfather series, the 1980s gave rise to some of Paramount’s most memorable crowd-pleasing franchises, including Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop, Indiana Jones, and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. The studio also fond critical acclaim with Ordinary People (1980) and Terms of Endearment (1983) winning Best Picture Oscars.
Under Sherry Lansing, the first female studio head, Paramount experienced renewed success throughout the 1990s. During this time, the studio expanded to its now 65-acre campus, adding the Melrose Gate, park areas, and the Paramount Theatre, which hosted premieres of 1990s Best Picture winners Forrest Gump and Braveheart.
In 1997, Titanic, a joint production with 20th Century Fox, became the highest grossing film up to that time, earning over $1.8 billion worldwide (now $2.2 billion) and an Oscar for Best Picture.
Under Sherry Lansing, the first female studio head, Paramount experienced renewed success throughout the 1990s. During this time, the studio expanded to its now 65-acre campus, adding the Melrose Gate, park areas, and the Paramount Theatre, which hosted premieres of 1990s Best Picture winners Forrest Gump and Braveheart.
In 1997, Titanic, a joint production with 20th Century Fox, became the highest grossing film up to that time, earning over $1.8 billion worldwide (now $2.2 billion) and an Oscar for Best Picture.
2000 - PresentA New Century Begins
May 8th, 2012, marked the 100th anniversary of Paramount Pictures, the only studio to still call the town of Hollywood home. There was nothing more fitting than for the first studio in Hollywood to celebrate its first century by finishing first in box-office earnings with Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Kung Fu Panda 2, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, and a Best Animated Feature Oscar for Rango.
Ten years later, Paramount broke box-office records once again with Top Gun: Maverick (2022), which became the highest-grossing film of the year and earned six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture.
In 2025, Paramount was acquired by Skydance Media to create Paramount, a Skydance Corporation, connecting over 3.2 billion in more than 165 countries with legendary brands Paramount Pictures, Paramount Television Studios, CBS, Nickelodeon and more. Today, Paramount embarks on the next exciting chapter of this iconic company, brining Paramount’s legacy as a Hollywood institution into the future of entertainment.
Ten years later, Paramount broke box-office records once again with Top Gun: Maverick (2022), which became the highest-grossing film of the year and earned six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture.
In 2025, Paramount was acquired by Skydance Media to create Paramount, a Skydance Corporation, connecting over 3.2 billion in more than 165 countries with legendary brands Paramount Pictures, Paramount Television Studios, CBS, Nickelodeon and more. Today, Paramount embarks on the next exciting chapter of this iconic company, brining Paramount’s legacy as a Hollywood institution into the future of entertainment.
The Paramount Story
As the longest operating and only remaining major studio in Hollywood, Paramount Pictures has been on the ground floor of every major development in film – from the advent of motion pictures, to the emergence of television, through the digital revolution. During our 100-year history, we have served as the production site for thousands of notable movies and TV shows.
Our studio lot has grown considerably over the years, expanding from 26 acres and four stages to 65 acres and twenty-nine stages. We have also constructed other impressive sites like the massive Blue Sky Tank and our one-of-a-kind New York Street backlot, which features ten distinct city neighborhood backdrops.
When you visit our lot, not only will you see where some of the most celebrated movies and television series were made, but also see how we continue to produce iconic motion pictures for the next century. At Paramount, you will get to wander through the past and see the future at the same time.
Our studio lot has grown considerably over the years, expanding from 26 acres and four stages to 65 acres and twenty-nine stages. We have also constructed other impressive sites like the massive Blue Sky Tank and our one-of-a-kind New York Street backlot, which features ten distinct city neighborhood backdrops.
When you visit our lot, not only will you see where some of the most celebrated movies and television series were made, but also see how we continue to produce iconic motion pictures for the next century. At Paramount, you will get to wander through the past and see the future at the same time.
1912 - 1929 The Beginning
Paramount Pictures began humbly in 1912 when Adolph Zukor, a New York nickelodeon owner, introduced the first full-length drama shown in the United States, Queen Elizabeth, starring Sarah Bernhardt. That same year, he founded the Famous Players Film Company. By 1913, Zukor expanded his reach by distributing films through a startup company known as Paramount Pictures, laying the groundwork for what would become a major force in the film industry.
In 1916, Famous Players merged with the Jesse L. Lasky Company, a Hollywood-based studio that had produced The Squaw Man, the first feature-length film made in Hollywood. Both companies already relied on Paramount as a distributor, and after consolidating operations, they formed the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation. This entity eventually became Paramount Pictures. Around this time, the iconic mountain-and-stars logo, designed by W. W. Hodkinson, was introduced, inspired by a Utah peak and symbolizing the company’s early stars.
In 1926, Lasky oversaw the construction of a new studio lot in Hollywood, marking a major step forward. Just a year later, Paramount achieved significant recognition when Wings won the first Academy Award for Best Picture and remains the only silent film to ever receive that honor.
In 1916, Famous Players merged with the Jesse L. Lasky Company, a Hollywood-based studio that had produced The Squaw Man, the first feature-length film made in Hollywood. Both companies already relied on Paramount as a distributor, and after consolidating operations, they formed the Famous Players-Lasky Corporation. This entity eventually became Paramount Pictures. Around this time, the iconic mountain-and-stars logo, designed by W. W. Hodkinson, was introduced, inspired by a Utah peak and symbolizing the company’s early stars.
In 1926, Lasky oversaw the construction of a new studio lot in Hollywood, marking a major step forward. Just a year later, Paramount achieved significant recognition when Wings won the first Academy Award for Best Picture and remains the only silent film to ever receive that honor.
1930 - 1959The Golden Age
The Golden Age of Hollywood, proved to be an immensely successful period for Paramount. In the midst of The Great Depression, many of the classics we’ve all come to know and love were created including the memorable Bing Crosby musicals, John Wayne westerns, Hitchcock thrillers, Cecil B. DeMille spectacles, and the outrageous comedies of Mae West.
During the mid to late 40s, the critical acclaim of films from Paramount also became prominent. In 1944, Paramount won its second Academy Award for Best Picture for Going My Way. The very next year, The Lost Weekend also took the top prize. Throughout the early 50s, Paramount dominated the Academy Award nominee lists with enduring classics, including Sunset Boulevard, The Greatest Show on Earth (1952 Academy Winner), Shane, To Catch a Thief, and DeMille’s remake of The Ten Commandments.
During this era, RKO Pictures also made history by producing the iconic films Top Hat, King Kong, and Citizen Kane on sound stages right next door to Paramount Pictures. Decades later, those very stages would be integrated into Paramount’s studio lot, becoming part of the enduring legacy of Hollywood filmmaking.
During the mid to late 40s, the critical acclaim of films from Paramount also became prominent. In 1944, Paramount won its second Academy Award for Best Picture for Going My Way. The very next year, The Lost Weekend also took the top prize. Throughout the early 50s, Paramount dominated the Academy Award nominee lists with enduring classics, including Sunset Boulevard, The Greatest Show on Earth (1952 Academy Winner), Shane, To Catch a Thief, and DeMille’s remake of The Ten Commandments.
During this era, RKO Pictures also made history by producing the iconic films Top Hat, King Kong, and Citizen Kane on sound stages right next door to Paramount Pictures. Decades later, those very stages would be integrated into Paramount’s studio lot, becoming part of the enduring legacy of Hollywood filmmaking.
1960 - 1979The New Hollywood
From 1960 to 1979, Paramount Pictures underwent a major transformation, evolving from a traditional studio into a key player in the “New Hollywood” era. The studio soon embraced more modern and daring storytelling with hits like Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Rosemary’s Baby, and Psycho.
Paramount’s creative and financial resurgence continued into the 1970s with Love Story, followed by a string of influential hits that defined the decade like Chinatown, Saturday Night Fever, and Grease. In 1972, Paramount earned another Best Picture Oscar with The Godfather and then again in 1974 with its sequel, The Godfather Part II. Both films forever defined the genre and are now widely considered to be amongst the greatest films ever made.
During this time, Paramount also dove headfirst into the world of television. In 1967, the lot underwent one of its largest expansions with the purchase of Desilu Productions from Lucille Ball. With the acquisition, Paramount controlled and produced some of the most unforgettable TV series ever (and now iconic movie franchises) Star Trek and Mission: Impossible.
Paramount’s creative and financial resurgence continued into the 1970s with Love Story, followed by a string of influential hits that defined the decade like Chinatown, Saturday Night Fever, and Grease. In 1972, Paramount earned another Best Picture Oscar with The Godfather and then again in 1974 with its sequel, The Godfather Part II. Both films forever defined the genre and are now widely considered to be amongst the greatest films ever made.
During this time, Paramount also dove headfirst into the world of television. In 1967, the lot underwent one of its largest expansions with the purchase of Desilu Productions from Lucille Ball. With the acquisition, Paramount controlled and produced some of the most unforgettable TV series ever (and now iconic movie franchises) Star Trek and Mission: Impossible.
1980 - 1999Turn of the Century Blockbusters
With the success of The Godfather series, the 1980s gave rise to some of Paramount’s most memorable crowd-pleasing franchises, including Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop, Indiana Jones, and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. The studio also fond critical acclaim with Ordinary People (1980) and Terms of Endearment (1983) winning Best Picture Oscars.
Under Sherry Lansing, the first female studio head, Paramount experienced renewed success throughout the 1990s. During this time, the studio expanded to its now 65-acre campus, adding the Melrose Gate, park areas, and the Paramount Theatre, which hosted premieres of 1990s Best Picture winners Forrest Gump and Braveheart.
In 1997, Titanic, a joint production with 20th Century Fox, became the highest grossing film up to that time, earning over $1.8 billion worldwide (now $2.2 billion) and an Oscar for Best Picture.
Under Sherry Lansing, the first female studio head, Paramount experienced renewed success throughout the 1990s. During this time, the studio expanded to its now 65-acre campus, adding the Melrose Gate, park areas, and the Paramount Theatre, which hosted premieres of 1990s Best Picture winners Forrest Gump and Braveheart.
In 1997, Titanic, a joint production with 20th Century Fox, became the highest grossing film up to that time, earning over $1.8 billion worldwide (now $2.2 billion) and an Oscar for Best Picture.
2000 - PresentA New Century Begins
May 8th, 2012, marked the 100th anniversary of Paramount Pictures, the only studio to still call the town of Hollywood home. There was nothing more fitting than for the first studio in Hollywood to celebrate its first century by finishing first in box-office earnings with Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Kung Fu Panda 2, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, and a Best Animated Feature Oscar for Rango.
Ten years later, Paramount broke box-office records once again with Top Gun: Maverick (2022), which became the highest-grossing film of the year and earned six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture.
In 2025, Paramount was acquired by Skydance Media to create Paramount, a Skydance Corporation, connecting over 3.2 billion in more than 165 countries with legendary brands Paramount Pictures, Paramount Television Studios, CBS, Nickelodeon and more. Today, Paramount embarks on the next exciting chapter of this iconic company, brining Paramount’s legacy as a Hollywood institution into the future of entertainment.
Ten years later, Paramount broke box-office records once again with Top Gun: Maverick (2022), which became the highest-grossing film of the year and earned six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture.
In 2025, Paramount was acquired by Skydance Media to create Paramount, a Skydance Corporation, connecting over 3.2 billion in more than 165 countries with legendary brands Paramount Pictures, Paramount Television Studios, CBS, Nickelodeon and more. Today, Paramount embarks on the next exciting chapter of this iconic company, brining Paramount’s legacy as a Hollywood institution into the future of entertainment.