Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City, near Hollywood, grew from Carl Laemmle’s 1914 creation of Universal City as a working production center that soon welcomed the public onto a real movie lot. After early tours ended around 1930 because sound filmmaking made open access impractical, the studio tour returned in 1964 under MCA and gradually expanded into a full theme park. As access to real production narrowed, staged effects and film-based rides became central, while the site also developed into a larger entertainment district. Despite repeated backlot fires, including a devastating 2008 blaze, it remains a rare blend of active studio and major theme park.