Burbank Things to Do

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Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Burbank City Hall’s is the elegant example of art deco architecture from the 1930s and 1940s. Designed to be a modern building for its time, the art deco architecture celebrates the achievements of technology and the taming of nature.

It is obsolutely stunning!

Burbank City Hall is dominated by a central tower equivalent to a three and one half story building (approximately 77 feet high from the base of the steps to the top of the flagpole). It is flanked on either side by two-two story wings. A vertical panel with recessed cast concrete grill runs from the front doors to the roof of the tower, giving the facade a decorative flair and at the same time, providing light and impressiveness to the interior’s main lobby and grand stair case.

All of the exterior surfaces of the building are plain cement except for the sculpted panels (bas-reliefs) over the front windows of the two wings. Vertical lines are accentuated in the treatment of the window openings with horizontal lines in the walls of the basement. The set back of the tower has a low pitched roof covered with glazed shingle tiles.http://www.burbankca.gov/index.aspx?page=660

The plaque reads:
Burbank City Hall
April 18, 1996

This Property has been
Placed on the
National
Register Of
Historic Places
By The
United States Department
Of The Interior

..and perhaps--- get on camera!!

A reason why many visitors would go to Burbank is to attend the long-running Tonight Show live in studio, on the lot of NBC. The Tonight Show taping is at NBC Burbank lot in Studio 11

Manage to reserve tickets through snail mail (4-6 weeks in advance), TVTix.com or in person at the lot for same day shows only requires getting to studio early and some luck). The best thing of this experience - it is free!! There is no cost involved but a weekday off to be prearranged.

Current Tonight host Jay Leno is sure to get you to laugh (even when the jokes get lame, he plays it off well.) The Tonight show band, currently led by industry favorite Rickey Minor, is sure to rock the place.

Do try to following some tips if attending:
Don't bring a camera or recording devices to the studio. A thorough search of belongings is conducted before entrance inside the studio.
Be patient. The wait time before seating for the show can be 1-2 hours.
Bring water and snacks when waiting outside, especially during those hot summer days.
The studio is very strict on this.
For admission, attendants must be 16 or older.
The pedestrian entrance is on Bob Hope Drive. Parking is limited, so arrive early, as indicated by instructions given from show organizers after reserving tickets.
There is free parking available on nearby side streets (i.e., Riverside)
A paid parking option is located on California Street at Clear Channel underground parking building.

For my Tonight Show visits through the years, I saw up close:
Angelina Jolie!
Lenny Kravitz!
Kenny Chesney!
John Lithgow!

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Listed as a Historical Landmark as:
BOB'S BIG BOY RESTAURANT AND SIGN
Registration Date: 11/12/1992
Location: City: Burbank
County: Los Angeles

This is oldest Bob Big Boy Restaurant nationwide. Built in 1949 by two local residents Scott MacDonald and Ward Albert and designed by architect Wayne McAllister. The restaurant has that 1940's transitional design of streamline modern style coffee shop. The huge wonderful sign outside still reflects that wonderful era us Baby Boomers remember and what a treat it was to visit a restaurant and one of the first drive up’s. The MacDonald family acquired it back and are currently restoring to its rightful charm.

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Warner Brothers Studios is a historic 110-acre business and home to 30 sound stages, 20-acre back-lot that can transformer itself to bustling metropolitan city, a jungle and Main Street, USA. They have one of the best post-production facilities that encompass a vast supply of costumes, property/set dressing, set design & construction, scenic art, set lighting, grip, transportation and photo lab.

Once called in 1926 as First National Pictures that was once farmland, but by 1928, Warner Bros. bought it after the success of its picture The Jazz Singer, which was the first "talking picture." Since then it has such success during the 1930s, with Little Caesar and The Public Enemy. Stars who graced the premises such as Bette Davis, James Cagney, Paul Muni, Humphrey Bogart, Edward G. Robinson and Errol Flynn, and so many others. It’s from here those beloved cartoons sprang most of us grew up on such as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Yosemite Sam, Sylvester and Tweety Bird. They jumped from the drawing boards of the talented Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, Chuck Jones, Friz Freleng and Bob McKimson.

So if you are interested, they have tours of the facilities. But it is highly suggested you get your ticket online because if you get them at the ticket office, its first come, first serve.

Tours Mon-Friday
8:20AM -4:00PM
Ticket Office Opens
7:30AM-7:00PM