How The Civil War Was Fought/Filmed in Culver City by Thomas Ince Long Before Gone With The Wind

Mary Mallory: Thomas Ince, The Civil War and the Silver Sceen

Thomas Ince, sadly more recognized today for his tragic, early death than for the fine films he created, was one of Hollywood’s most successful early film producers. Building his first studio in 1912 at what is now the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Sunset Blvd., Ince churned out mostly westerns and Civil War pictures at this location, stories that possessed fine drama along with exciting action. In 1918 he built a fancy, state of the art studio facility at 9336 W. Washington Blvd. in Culver City, which later housed Selznick International Pictures and still stands today as the Culver Studios. Here Ince turned out a wide range of films with high artistic values. In 1924, he turned once again to a story of the Civil War, Barbara Frietchie, one that would allow him to employ many studio buildings as stand ins for Maryland buildings and mansions.

The rest of the story is at Film Works LA: