POPCULTURE · HISTORICAL MARKER
Motion Picture History
Calabasas, California
· Wasserman Campus
Pop Culture
3
During the lifetime of the Great Valley Oak, motion picture history and the history of the Wasserman campus unfolded together. Around 1847 the Great Valley Oaks sprouted. In 1890 the first motion picture camera was built. In 1903 "The Great Train Robbery," identified here as the first real feature film, was produced. In 1910 "In Old California," the first film made in Hollywood, was released. In 1915 "The Birth of a Nation" became the first film shown in the White House. In 1921 the Motion Picture Relief Fund was founded by industry pioneers including Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, and D.W. Griffith. In 1927 the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was founded, and "The Jazz Singer" was produced, ending the era of silent films. In 1940 Motion Picture Relief Fund president Jean Hersholt purchased 48 acres in Woodland Hills for the Country House and Hospital. In 1941 Orson Welles directed and acted in "Citizen Kane." In 1942 the Motion Picture Country House at Calabasas was dedicated, and in 1948 the Motion Picture Hospital was dedicated. In 1966 the Samuel Goldwyn Plaza, with 16 new cottages, was dedicated. In 1967 the Louis B. Mayer Theater opened and the Screen Smart Set was established. In 1980 Ronald Reagan, identified here as the first movie star President of the U.S., was elected. In 1981 the Frances Goldwyn Lodge for Assisted Living was dedicated. In 1989 the new Motion Picture and Television Hospital opened. In 1993 the Motion Picture and Television Fund Foundation was established. In 1998 the MPTF Woodland Hills campus was renamed the Wasserman campus. In 2001 the 80th anniversary of the Motion Picture Fund was celebrated with the opening of the Fran and Ray Stark Villa. In 2005 a heavy branch fell and split the trunk, marking the end of the Great Valley Oak. In 2006 the WHHC was renamed the Skirball Health Center, and in 2007 the Saban Therapy, Aquatic and Administration Center opened.
FIND IT
Calabasas, California
CITY · 14 STOPSExplore Calabasas, California
Hear every story as you drive
4.8 Stars · 800+ Ratings
© 2026 MainEngine