Last updated: May 7, 2024
Article
Paramount Ranch Interview
Abby Stone Lauer
Introduction
On Tuesday, August 29th, 2023, I met a former Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area (SAMO) volunteer coordinator who is now a park volunteer and local historian at Paramount Ranch. I learned about the filming history and about the connection between filming at the ranch and the National Park Service. Mike Malone shared about his experience working at SAMO and gave me some great ideas for future programs. Based on the interview and research advice, I created a historical program about film and the ecosystems around the ranch.
Throughout the interview, I recorded Mike’s invaluable experience. I later transcribed my notes from the historical tour at Paramount Ranch. I really enjoyed learning about the History of Paramount Ranch through Mike’s eyes. It was evident that SAMO was fortunate to have a passionate employee like Mike working for them. After the interview, he took the time to send me resources like the cultural landscape report and the history around the studios; these resources helped me write a program for my Public Land Corps project.
Paramount Ranch History
In the late 1920s, Paramount Pictures purchased 2,700 acres in the Santa Monica Mountains to use as a movie-making ranch. Between 1927 and 1943, the studio made more than 130 films there. The ranch served as a filming location for movies set in the American West, the eastern United States, and many other regions around the world, including South America, Africa, Europe, and Asia. “The National Park Service purchased Paramount Ranch in 1980, two years after the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area was established by Congress. This is the only site in the National Park Service that is dedicated to telling the story of American filmmaking — both past and present”(Paramount: Past, Present, and Future - Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area ). TV shows of the 1950’s included many western films of natural landscapes.
Ecosystems in Film
Paramount Ranch has been a special place in film history since the year 1927. It is the National Park Service's only site dedicated to interpreting American film history. The Paramount Ranch property is a working movie ranch that allows the public to see filmmaking in progress. There are many diverse ecosystems around the ranch. It offers several miles of easy to moderate scenic hikes through chaparral, riparian, and valley oak savannah plant communities.
Conclusion
The diverse landscape, however, was the real star of the show. The habitat around the ranch is a character. It offered filmmakers the freedom to create distant places. If you ever have a chance to visit the Santa Monica Mountains, I highly recommend going to Paramount Ranch and learn about the movie magic.
Article written by Abby Stone Lauer
WFM Fellowship Program, in partnership with NYC Program
for Article series: A Day in the life of a Fellow
Abby Stone Lauer