Photos: Old ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Studios before the fire
Nearly 40-percent of Old ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Studios, including many of the most-famous wood structures seen in Westerns, was destroyed by fire on April 24, 1995.
Built in 1939 for the movie, "ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥," the set languished until Robert Shelton leased the lot in the late 1950s. He rapidly expanded the movie set for the movie, "Rio Bravo," starring friend John Wayne. He also added features to make it more of a Western-theme park to attract tourists and maintain another source of income in between movie productions.
The park flourished until Shelton's guidance. Dozens of notable Western movies were filmed at Old ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Studios. It was also used for several television commercials. Thousands of tourists walked the dusty streets each year.
The park was rebuilt for tourists after the fire, but never regained the magic of its heyday as an Old West filmmaking mecca.
Rick Wiley
Photo editor
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