Burbank, California, was named after the owner of the area’s first sheep rancher, David Burbank, originally a dentist and New Hampshire native. Dr. Burbank moved west—along with thousands of other enterprising Americans—in the hopes of finding more opportunities, and eventually, the manufacturing, aviation and entertainment industries would follow in David Burbank’s footsteps and move into town. If, like Dr. Burbank, a student is in need of more opportunities to learn beyond the classroom, Burbank tutors can offer that.
Of the big three industries, none are more riveting than that of the entertainment industry. Leading the way in the late 1920s, the motion picture business, as well as the city of Burbank, would be taken over by Warner Brothers, Columbia Pictures, and Walt Disney’s expansion from Hollywood. The 1960s and 1970s saw more of an exodus from Hollywood to Burbank with NBC coming to town. All three, Warners, NBC, and Disney, ended up neighbors along the Media District in southern Burbank.
Several media companies call Burbank home; from Cartoon Network to Nickelodeon to Insomniac Games, Burbank earned its title of “Media Capital of the World.” No doubt, with such a roster of media giants, Burbank has seen its fair share of show biz comings and goings, ins and outs. It has been the site for location shooting for television shows like ER, Gilmore Girls, and Desperate Housewives. Some of Burbank’s own areas have become popular for filming, local spots like Burbank Town Center and the Magnolia Park, even reaching into oddball locations like Burbank’s Kmart and IHOP.
Back in studios and on stages, Burbank is home to Conan, where Conan O’Brien tapes his TBS talk show from Stage 15, which also happens to be where classics like Mel Brooks’ Blazing Saddles, Calamity Jane, and Ghostbusters (amongst others) were filmed. The entertainment industry in Burbank extends past even those well-known gems. Perhaps the most famous movie filmed in Burbank being Casablanca.
The trivia doesn’t stop there, though. While the entire film may not have been filmed in the city, several scenes of movies like Apollo 13, Coach Carter, Memento, and Back to the Future have been shot in Burbank. Though only a small faction of Disney’s operations are still based in Burbank, live-action films such as Mary Poppins and The Princess Diaries, each featuring Julie Andrews, were filmed on Sound Stage 2 in Burbank.
Without a doubt, Burbank has a solid foothold in the entertainment industry, and in 2012, an international filmmaking and acting academy— the International Academy of Film and Television—opened in Burbank securing the city’s reputation as a media capital. The emphasis on incorporating education and industry is a great example of how tutoring in Burbank opens opportunities for children to learn and succeed both in the classroom and beyond it.