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Friday, 19 March, 2010 1:08 AM

The Sony Pictures Studio Tour is a must-see on your next visit to Los Angeles

PHOTO BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com

The Segway that Kevin James rode in the movie Paul Blart: Mall Cop.

CULVER CITY , Calif. -- Sony Pictures offers walking guided tours of its studio in Culver City, Calif. Tony was our tour guide. He says that Sony is the most historic lot on the planet. They have been making movies for 100 years -- it is the old home of MGM.

First, we sat for a 10-minute movie presentatio which featured clips of movies and TV shows. Then our first stop was the Thalberg Building where actors sign their contracts for movies and/or TV shows on the fourth floor.

As we were walking, we saw Mr. Clint Culpepper, who is a Hollywood big producer. He is the head of Screen Gems. That was impressive.

We walked over to the Jeopardy set. The show started in 1964. Alex Trebek has been there for 25 years. They tape six episodes a day, three in the morning and three in the afternoon for only two days a week. The biggest winner, as you recall, was Ken Jennings who won $2.4 million dollars in 74 consecutive shows.

The next set we saw was the Wheel of Fortune. This show is the most famous game show stage in North America. The show has been on the air since 1975. Pat Sajak worked there since 1981. Chuck Woolery was the original host and Susan Stafford was the letter turner. Vanna White is in the Guiness Book of World Records for clapping so much. Pat Sajak commutes to work 3,000 miles. He lives in Maryland. They also tape six episodes per day, two days a week and 25 weeks a year. Talk about a great job!

Sony is the landlord of the property and the entire campus are rented to whoever wants to use it.

Stage 14 is where Wizard of Oz was filmed here in 1938.

Stage 30 is the Esther Williams Stage. Underneath the stage is an 800,000 gallon water tank, where she filmed her synchronized swimming scenes. It takes four days to fill with water.

Stage 29 will be the set of the new Adam Sandler and Jennifer Anniston movie called "My Pretend Wife". The title of the film may be changed, but this is it for right now. Adam Sandler plays a dentist who lives has a house on the ocean. The set was mostly done and ready to start filming at the time of our visit.

This tour lasts two hours long and afterwards we stopped at the gift shop for souvenirs. The price of admission is $28.

Note: It is OK to bring a camera. However, there are certain times when it must be shut off and stored.

Click here for more information on the Sony Pictures Studio Tour.

PHOTO BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com

The Thalberg Building is where actors sign their contracts for movies and/or TV shows on the fourth floor.

PHOTO BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com

Just outside the sound stage where Jeopardy is taped.

PHOTO BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com

The Wheel of Fortune is a very popular game show in America.