Thomas H. Ince Studios (The Culver Studios)

On July 19, 1918, Thomas H. Ince purchased a 14-acre property at 9336 West Washington Blvd. on an option basis from Harry Culver along with a $132,000 loan. Thus was formed "Thomas H. Ince Studios," which operated there from 1919 to 1924. When Ince conceived the idea of building his own studio, he was determined to have it different from the others. Among plans submitted to him by architects Meyer and Holler, was one that suggested the whole front administrative building made a replica of George Washington's home at Mount Vernon. The resulting administration building, known as "The Mansion," was the first building to go up on the lot. In 1925, after Ince's death, Cecil B. Demille acquired Ince Studios, renaming it the DeMille Studios. Besides DeMille, among those who filmed on the lot were Pathé, RKO, producer Howard Hughes, and Desilu Productions. In 1991, Sony Pictures Entertainment purchased the property as the home for its television endeavours, renaming it Culver Studios, and eventually selling it in 2004 to a group of investors. In his honor, the street intersecting the studios was named Ince Blvd. and there is an Ince Theater planned to be constructed in a parking lot adjacent to Ince Blvd. in the near future.