All language subtitles for Aerial Cities Series 1 6of6 Los Angeles 24 1080p

THERE’S NOTHING LIKE
A DAY IN THE SKIES

OVER THE CITY OF ANGELS

AND DISCOVERING WHAT IT TAKES

TO KEEP THE SECOND LARGEST
METROPOLIS IN AMERICA

RUNNING 24/7.

WHETHER YOU’RE PEERING DOWN
ON THE MOVIE STUDIOS

AND THEME PARKS OF HOLLYWOOD...

THE LUCRATIVE OIL DERRICKS THAT
ARE HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT...

OR THE DARK LAKE WHERE THOUSANDS
OF ANCIENT CREATURES

MET THEIR FATE.

IN LOS ANGELES,
IT’S POSSIBLE FOR ANYONE

TO FEEL LIKE THEY’RE A STAR,

ESPECIALLY WHEN
YOU RIDE THE BREAKS

WHERE CALIFORNIA SURF CULTURE
GOT STARTED...

WHEN YOU DROP INTO A BOWL

WHERE SKATEBOARDING
BECAME AN EXTREME SPORT...

AND WHEN YOU TRAIN ON A BEACH

WHERE ONE BODYBUILDER WENT ON
TO BECOME A HOLLYWOOD LEGEND.

L.A. MAY BE FAMOUS FOR
ITS CELEBRITIES AND LIFESTYLE,

BUT MAKING A NAME FOR YOURSELF
HERE TAKES A LOT OF WORK.

EVERY DAY, ENTERTAINERS HAVE TO
TRAIN HARD TO HONE THEIR CRAFT.

SOME HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO PLEDGE
THEIR ALLEGIANCE TO A CHURCH

THAT’S BEEN CALLED
A SECRETIVE CULT.

AND AFTER THE SUN SETS,

L.A.’S FREEWAYS ARE OFTEN JUST
AS PACKED AS THEY WERE AT DAWN.

NIGHTTIME SPECTACLES
LIGHT UP ITS SHORES.

A TEAM THAT’S ONE OF THE MOST
SUCCESSFUL IN THE NBA

HITS THE COURT.

AND 73 STORIES UP IN THE SKY,
PARTYGOERS FLOCK

TO ONE OF THE HIGHEST
OUTDOOR BARS IN THE WORLD.

ALL THIS IN JUST ONE DAY

IN THE SPRAWLING MODERN
METROPOLIS OF LOS ANGELES!

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♪

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BY THE TIME THE SUN RISES OVER
THE SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS

AND THE DISTINCTIVE SHAPES
OF L.A.’S SKYLINE

APPEAR ON THE HORIZON,

MORE THAN 10 MILLION PEOPLE
ARE JUST STARTING THEIR DAY

ALL ACROSS L.A. COUNTY.

THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE
IN THIS ONE COUNTY

THAN IN 43 OF THE 50
U.S. STATES.

AND IF THERE’S ANYTHING THAT
SAYS MORNING IN LOS ANGELES

TO THOSE WHO LIVE HERE,
IT’S THIS!

THE DAILY RITUAL OF TRYING TO
SURVIVE L.A.’S CROWDED FREEWAYS

DURING RUSH HOUR.

LOS ANGELES HAS MORE THAN 1,100
MILES OF FREEWAYS AND HIGHWAYS.

BUT IT’S STILL BEEN RANKED

AS HAVING THE WORST TRAFFIC
CONGESTION IN THE WORLD.

WHEN YOU PEER DOWN
ON L.A. COUNTY FROM ABOVE,

IT LOOKS LIKE IT’S COVERED WITH
A WEB OF OVERLAPPING VEINS.

MOST OF THESE MAJOR FREEWAYS

LEAD TO THE HEART
OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES.

THE REST CONNECT
THE 87 OTHER CITIES

IN THIS VAST CALIFORNIA COUNTY,

WHICH STRETCHES FROM
THE PACIFIC OCEAN IN THE SOUTH

TO THE MOJAVE DESERT

IN THE NORTH AND EAST.

A BIG PART OF WHAT MAKES
L.A.’S MORNING COMMUTE

IMPRESSIVE FROM THE AIR

ARE THE LOOPS AND RAMPS
OF ITS ENORMOUS INTERCHANGES.

IN FACT, IT WAS HERE
IN LOS ANGELES

WHERE ENGINEERS BUILT THE FIRST
INTERCHANGE IN THE WORLD

WITH FOUR LEVELS
OF OVERLAPPING ROADWAYS.

IT LIES JUST NORTH OF DOWNTOWN

WHERE THE 101 AND 110
FREEWAYS CROSS

AND IS KNOWN AS "THE STACK."

AFTER CONSTRUCTION
STARTED IN 1949,

THE LOS ANGELES TIMES CALLED IT

"THE MOST PHOTOGENIC PILE
OF CEMENT IN TOWN."

ON THE SECOND AND FOURTH LEVELS
ARE THE MULTILANE ROAD DECKS

OF THE 101 AND THE 110,

WHILE THE FIRST AND THIRD LEVELS
ARE THE CURVED ON AND OFF-RAMPS

THAT LEAD TO AND FROM
THESE TWO MAIN FREEWAYS.

ALL IN ALL, THE STACK HAS
22 LANES AND SEVEN BRIDGES.

WHEN IT OPENED, SOME DRIVERS
WERE TOO SCARED TO USE IT.

BUT TODAY,
THEY DON’T THINK TWICE

ABOUT CROSSING ITS BRIDGES
OR NAVIGATING ITS TIGHT TURNS.

BECAUSE FREEWAYS LIKE THESE
ARE STILL THE FASTEST WAY

FOR MOST PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN L.A.
TO GET TO WORK.

SOME OF THOSE ARE HOPEFUL ACTORS

WHO BRAVE L.A.’S TRAFFIC
THREE DAYS A WEEKS

TO GET IN LINE EARLY
HERE AT CENTRAL CASTING

IN THE CITY OF BURBANK.

THEY ARE ALL HOPING TO LAND WORK
AS BACKGROUND ACTORS

IN A HOLLYWOOD MOVIE.

THEY COULD END UP PLAYING
CUSTOMERS AT A CAFE,

PEOPLE AT A PARTY,

OR MAYBE EVEN MEMBERS OF A CROWD
IN AN HISTORICAL DRAMA.

CENTRAL CASTING HAS LONG HELPED
ACTORS WHO ARE NEW TO L.A.

GET FAMILIAR WITH
HOW MOVIES ARE SHOT,

LEARN THE TERMS USED ON SET,

AND SEE FOR THEMSELVES
HOW HOLLYWOOD’S BEST

DO WHAT THEY DO ON SCREEN.

BRAD PITT, RENEE ZELLWEGER,
AND MEGAN FOX

ARE JUST A FEW OF THE STARS

WHO GOT THEIR START WITH
SMALL BACKGROUND ROLES.

SO BY LINING UP AT DAWN AT
THIS FORMER WAREHOUSE BUILDING

NEXT TO THE FREEWAY,

THESE ACTORS MAY ALSO GET
THEIR CHANCE TO BE NOTICED,

AND HAVE A SHOT AT MAKING
HOLLYWOOD HISTORY.

BURBANK LIES
IN THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY,

WHICH PEOPLE IN L.A.
SIMPLY CALL THE VALLEY.

SEPARATING THE VALLEY
FROM THE LOS ANGELES BASIN

ARE A SERIES OF RUGGED HILLS

AT THE EASTERN EDGE OF
THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS.

THIS IS THE SITE
OF A VAST PUBLIC PARK

THAT COVERS MORE THAN
4,300 ACRES

AND IS FIVE TIMES LARGER THAN
NEW YORK CITY’S CENTRAL PARK.

EVERY MORNING, PEOPLE HERE FILL
THE TRAILS OF GRIFFITH PARK

FOR MORNING EXERCISE

AND THE CHANCE TO LOOK OUT
ON THE TOWERING SKYSCRAPERS

AND SPRAWLING CITY
OF LOS ANGELES.

THE LAND FOR GRIFFITH PARK
WAS DONATED TO THE CITY

BY A ONCE-PENNILESS
IMMIGRANT FROM WALES

NAMED GRIFFITH J. GRIFFITH.

HE ALSO USED HIS FORTUNE
FROM SILVER AND REAL ESTATE

TO FUND THE CREATION
OF THE GRIFFITH OBSERVATORY.

THIS DOMED COMPLEX HOLDS ONE
OF THE LARGEST PLANETARIUMS

IN THE COUNTRY, AND JUST LIKE
ALMOST EVERY LANDMARK IN L.A.

IT’S PLAYED A ROLE
IN MAJOR HOLLYWOOD MOVIES.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST DANCE SCENES
IN THE HIT "LA LA LAND"

WAS FILMED HERE.

AND FANS OF
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER

WILL NEVER FORGET THE SCENE
IN THE FIRST TERMINATOR MOVIE

WHEN HE APPEARS OUT
OF THE DARKNESS, NAKED,

WALKS PAST THIS OBELISK,

AND DEMANDS THAT THREE PUNKS
GIVE HIM THEIR CLOTHES.

BUT THE REAL STORY OF
GRIFFITH J. GRIFFITH HIMSELF

ALSO HAS THE MAKINGS OF
A GOOD HOLLYWOOD DRAMA.

IN 1903,
AFTER BECOMING CONVINCED

THAT HIS WIFE AND THE POPE
WERE CONSPIRING

TO STEAL HIS MONEY AND KILL HIM,

GRIFFITH PICKED UP A GUN
AND SHOT HER IN THE EYE

IN A SANTA MONICA HOTEL.

WITH THE AID OF A TOP LEGAL TEAM

HE GOT OUT OF
THE ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE,

WAS CONVICTED ONLY OF ASSAULT
WITH A DEADLY WEAPON,

AND SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS

AT CALIFORNIA’S NOTORIOUS
SAN QUENTIN PRISON.

IT’S 9:36 A.M.,

AND OVER AT ONE OF
L.A. COUNTY’S SMALLEST

AND MOST LEGENDARY
NEIGHBORHOODS, CALLED VENICE,

BODYBUILDERS ARE ALREADY PUMPING
IRON IN FULL PUBLIC VIEW.

THIS IS MUSCLE BEACH.

BEFORE ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER
ACHIEVED HOLLYWOOD FAME,

THIS IS WHERE HE GOT HIS START
IN L.A. AS A BODYBUILDER.

MUSCLE BEACH WAS
ORIGINALLY CREATED

JUST UP THE COAST
IN SANTA MONICA IN THE 1930s,

NOT FAR FROM
THE CITY’S FAMOUS PIER.

AT THE TIME, WEIGHTLIFTING
WAS A NEW FITNESS CRAZE,

AND THE BEACH STARTED DRAWING
HUGE CROWDS WHO CAME TO WATCH

THE BODYBUILDERS
AND DARING ACROBATS

WHO PERFORMED ON THE SAND.

BUT THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN MUSCLE BEACH

WITHOUT WARNING IN 1959.

SO, THE BODYBUILDERS MOVED
DOWN THE BEACH TO VENICE.

SCHWARZENEGGER ARRIVED IN 1968
AT THE AGE OF 21.

HE WAS CONVINCED THAT
BODYBUILDING WOULD BE HIS TICKET

TO FAME AND FORTUNE IN AMERICA,
AND HE WAS RIGHT.

HE TRAINED HERE BEFORE
WINNING THE TITLE OF MR. OLYMPIA

JUST TWO YEARS LATER.

A MURAL OF THE ACTOR AND
FORMER CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR,

BY ARTIST JONAS NEVER, NOW
HONORS THIS MUSCLE BEACH LEGEND.

BUT VENICE IS ALSO KNOWN FOR
ITS BOARDWALK AND SKATE PARK.

WITH TWO BOWLS, A SNAKE RUN,
A STREET SECTION, AND STEPS,

IT COVERS 16,000 SQUARE FEET

RIGHT HERE IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE BEACH.

MANY OF THE IDEAS FOR
THE DESIGN OF THIS PARK

CAME FROM LOCAL SKATERS
LIKE THESE.

AND THEY SHOULD KNOW,
BECAUSE THE WEST SIDE OF L.A.

IS WHERE A GROUP KNOWN AS
THE Z-BOYS TURNED SKATEBOARDING

FROM A SIMPLE HOBBY
INTO AN EXTREME SPORT.

TO UNDERSTAND THE ORIGINS
OF SKATEBOARDING,

YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND
CALIFORNIA SURF CULTURE,

WHICH MIGHT NOT EXIST IF NOT FOR
WHAT HAPPENED HERE ON THIS COAST

MORE THAN 100 YEARS AGO.

IT ALL BEGAN DURING THE EARLY
YEARS OF THE 20th CENTURY,

WHEN WEALTHY TYCOONS BOUGHT UP
HUGE PIECES OF BEACHFRONT HERE,

AND THEN DEVELOPED THEM INTO
THE NEIGHBORHOODS WE KNOW TODAY.

IT WAS A TOBACCO FORTUNE THAT
FUNDED THE CREATION OF VENICE,

A NEW COMMUNITY THAT WAS LAID
OUT AROUND CANALS AND BRIDGES,

AND MARKETED AS
"VENICE OF AMERICA."

NEARBY, A RAILROAD TYCOON
NAMED HENRY HUNTINGTON

BUILT NEW BEACHSIDE DEVELOPMENTS
OF HIS OWN.

TO CONVINCE THE PUBLIC
OF THE FUN THAT COULD BE HAD

IF THEY BOUGHT ONE
OF HIS PROPERTIES,

HUNTINGTON HIRED
A LONGBOARD SURFER FROM HAWAII

NAMED GEORGE FREETH
TO SHOW OFF HIS SKILLS.

FREETH WAS ADVERTISED
AS THE HAWAIIAN WONDER,

AND FOR MANY WHO
CAME TO SEE HIM,

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY’D
EVER SEEN ANYONE RIDING WAVES

ON A STANDING BOARD.

THAT WAS HOW CALIFORNIA’S FAMOUS
SURF CULTURE GOT ITS START.

IT’S ALMOST 10:00 A.M.,

AND SURFERS AROUND
THE HUNTINGTON PIER

ARE OUT IN FORCE.

MANY COME TO RIDE
THESE LEGENDARY WAVES

BEFORE THEY HEAD INTO L.A.
TO SPEND THE DAY AT THE OFFICE.

SINCE GEORGE FREETH’S DAYS,
SURF CULTURE HAS SPREAD

UP AND DOWN CALIFORNIA’S COAST
AND ALL AROUND THE WORLD,

WHEREVER THERE ARE GOOD BREAKS.

L.A. SURFERS OFTEN COME HERE
TO SURFRIDER BEACH IN MALIBU.

IT’S THE FIRST
WORLD SURFING RESERVE,

WHICH MEANS IT’S PROTECTED
FROM DEVELOPMENT.

AND TO THE SOUTH, JUST OVER
THE LINE IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY,

LONGBOARD SURFING IS
STILL ALIVE AND WELL.

THE SLOW-ROLLING BREAKS HERE
AT SAN ONOFRE BEACH

ARE WHAT LONGBOARDERS LIVE FOR.

IT GIVES THEM TIME TO TRY
AND DO HANG TENS,

WHEN THEY WALK TO THE FRONT
OF THEIR BOARD,

AND THEN TRY AND HANG ALL TEN
OF THEIR TOES OUT OVER THE WAVE.

IT’S NOT EASY AND OFTEN IT ENDS
UP BEING JUST A HANG FIVE!

ONE AREA OF BREAKS HERE
IS KNOWN AS OLD MAN’S BEACH,

BUT YOUNG SURFERS
COME HERE, TOO.

MANY LIVE OUT OF THEIR VANS
AND JUST SURF ALL DAY LONG.

IT WAS CALIFORNIA SURFERS
LIKE THESE

ON THE WEST SIDE OF LOS ANGELES
IN THE 1950s

WHO FIRST ATTACHED ROLLER SKATE
WHEELS TO WOODEN BOARDS

AND INVENTED A NEW HOBBY:
SKATEBOARDING!

ONE THING CALIFORNIA SURFERS ON
THE SHORES OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY

KNOW WELL IS THAT SOME DAYS
JUST AREN’T MADE FOR SURFING.

WHEN THE BREAKS DON’T COME,

YOU CAN SPEND AN ENTIRE DAY
JUST PADDLING OUT ON THE WATER.

BUT IN THE 1950s,
BAD SURFING DAYS

HELPED SPUR A NEW INVENTION.

SKATEBOARDS.

THEY WERE STILL SURF-LIKE BOARDS

BUT COULD BE RIDDEN ON STREETS,
NO MATTER WHAT THE WEATHER.

IN 1962, THE WORLD’S FIRST
SKATEBOARDING SHOP, VAL SURF,

OPENED HERE IN THE VALLEY.

IT’S STILL IN BUSINESS
MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY LATER.

BUT IT WASN’T UNTIL THE 1970s

THAT SKATEBOARDING
REALLY TOOK OFF.

AT THE TIME, THERE WAS
A DROUGHT IN L.A.,

AND POOLS LIKE THIS ONE IN THE
SANTA MONICA HILLS WERE EMPTY.

AND SO SWIMMING POOLS BECAME
THE FIRST SKATE PARKS.

A GROUP OF SURFERS AND SKATERS

WHO CALLED THEMSELVES
THE ZEPHYR COMPETITION TEAM

SOUGHT OUT THESE EMPTY
SWIMMING POOLS TO PRACTICE IN,

AND SOON THEY WERE
IMPRESSING THE WORLD

WITH THEIR AERIAL TRICKS

AND NEW LOW AND SMOOTH
SKATEBOARDING STYLE.

CALLED THE Z-BOYS,
THEY HUNG OUT IN A SURF SHOP

IN THIS ONE-STORY BUILDING

IN THE WEST SIDE NEIGHBORHOOD
OF DOGTOWN.

THAT SURF SHOP IS
NO LONGER HERE,

BUT THANKS TO THE Z-BOYS’ FAME,

THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
REFUSED A DEVELOPER’S REQUEST

TO RIP THE BUILDING DOWN,
AND NOW IT’S HERE TO STAY.

PRESERVATION MAY BE ON THE MINDS
OF MANY IN LOS ANGELES TODAY.

BUT OVER THE DECADES
L.A. HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED

BY SOME OF THE LARGEST
ENGINEERING PROJECTS

IN THE NATION.

DODGER STADIUM IS ONE OF THEM.

THIS AREA USED TO BE A MOUNTAIN
AND THE HOME

OF ONE OF L.A.’S OLDEST
MEXICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES,

KNOWN AS CHAVEZ RAVINE,

WHICH HAD ROOTS HERE
DATING BACK TO THE 1840s.

BUT THAT COMMUNITY WAS
EVICTED IN THE 1950s,

AND WHEN DODGER STADIUM WAS
BUILT STARTING IN 1959,

ENGINEERS SHAVED OFF
THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN

AND EXCAVATED 8 MILLION
CUBIC YARDS OF EARTH

TO SCULPT THE STADIUM’S
AMPHITHEATER.

JUST BUILDING THE GRANDSTAND
TOOK 13 MILLION POUNDS OF STEEL

AND THE LARGEST CRANE
IN AMERICA.

BUT THERE ARE ALSO MASSIVE
ENGINEERING PROJECTS

THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT
TO PROTECT ANGELENOS.

ONE SNAKES ACROSS THE FLOOR
OF THE L.A. BASIN.

ORIGINALLY, THIS WAS
THE LOS ANGELES RIVER,

BUT IN THE 1930s IT WAS TURNED
INTO A MASSIVE CONCRETE CHANNEL

TO CONTROL THE FREQUENT FLOODS

THAT DEVASTATED HOMES
AND BUSINESSES HERE.

TODAY, THERE’S JUST A TRICKLE
OF WATER IN THE L.A. RIVER.

BUT WHEN YOU FLY OVER SOME
NEIGHBORHOODS IN L.A. COUNTY,

LIKE THIS ONE, CALLED BEL AIR,

IT’S CLEAR THAT THERE’S
A HUGE SOURCE OF WATER

SOMEWHERE IN L.A.

ALL AROUND THESE
MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR HOMES

ARE ELABORATE PLANTINGS,

SWIMMING POOLS
AND WATER FEATURES.

THIS LUSHLY LANDSCAPED
56,000-SQUARE-FOOT PRIVATE HOUSE

WAS STYLED TO LOOK LIKE
A FRENCH CHATEAU.

IT WAS BUILT IN 1988
BY AARON SPELLING,

PRODUCER OF "CHARLIE’S ANGELS,"

"THE LOVE BOAT,"
AND "BEVERLY HILLS 90210,"

AMONG MANY OTHER HIT SERIES.

ONE MAJOR SOURCE OF THE WATER
FOR HOMES LIKE THESE

AND MILLIONS OF FAUCETS
ALL ACROSS L.A.

CAN BE SEEN FROM THE AIR
WHEN IT ARRIVES

HERE AT THE NORTHERN END
OF THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY.

THIS IS THE END POINT
OF THE ENGINEERING MARVEL

THAT HELPS KEEP
LOS ANGELES ALIVE.

BY THE EARLY 20th CENTURY, AS
L.A.’S POPULATION RAPIDLY GREW,

THERE WERE FEARS THAT THE COUNTY
COULD GO COMPLETELY DRY.

SO CITY OFFICIALS
APPROVED A UNIQUE PLAN

TO MAKE SURE LOS ANGELES WOULD
HAVE THE WATER IT NEEDED

TO GROW FOR DECADES TO COME.

THE CITY SECRETLY STARTED
BUYING UP RANCHES

AND THE WATER RIGHTS
THAT CAME WITH THEM

IN A REMOTE REGION TO THE NORTH
CALLED OWENS VALLEY.

THEN L.A. CONSTRUCTED A MORE
THAN 350-MILE-LONG AQUEDUCT

TO SEND THAT WATER DOWN TO L.A.

IT WAS AN ENGINEERING MARVEL
OF ITS DAY AND STILL IS.

ON NOVEMBER 5, 1913,

WITH GREAT FANFARE,
THAT WATER ARRIVED HERE

AT THE NORTHERN END
OF THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY.

TODAY, OWENS VALLEY
STILL PROVIDES

ABOUT A THIRD OF L.A.’S WATER.

AFTER IT EMERGES
FROM THE AQUEDUCT,

IT GETS STORED IN
THE LOS ANGELES RESERVOIR.

BUT WHEN YOU SOAR OVER

THIS MORE THAN
3.3-BILLION-GALLON RESERVOIR,

IT’S HARD TO SEE
ANY ACTUAL WATER.

THAT’S BECAUSE SINCE 2015

IT’S BEEN ALMOST COMPLETELY
COVERED WITH A BLANKET

MADE UP OF MORE THAN 96 MILLION
BLACK PLASTIC SHADE BALLS!

AS SOON AS THE WATER
ENTERS THE RESERVOIR,

HERE AT THE NORTHERN EDGE,

THOUSANDS OF THESE
FOUR-INCH-DIAMETER BALLS

CLOSE IN AND KEEP IT COVERED.

THEY HELP KEEP ALGAE
FROM GROWING

AND REDUCE EVAPORATION
BY SHADING THE WATER.

BUT THEIR MAIN PURPOSE IS
TO FIGHT A CARCINOGEN

KNOWN AS BROMATE,

WHICH IS CREATED WHEN
SUNLIGHT COMES INTO CONTACT

WITH BROMIDE AND CHLORINE,
TWO WATER TREATMENT CHEMICALS.

L.A. HAS SPENT
MORE THAN $34 MILLION

INSTALLING THESE BALLS

AND CLAIMS IT COULD LOSE
HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS

OF WATER FROM EVAPORATION
WITHOUT THEM.

TO KEEP ITS INVESTMENT
FROM SIMPLY FLYING AWAY

DURING HIGH WINDS, EACH BALL
HAS BEEN INJECTED WITH WATER,

SO THAT IT’S HEAVY ENOUGH
NOT TO END UP AIRBORNE.

WATER FROM
THE LOS ANGELES AQUEDUCT

FLOWS TO NEIGHBORHOODS
ACROSS L.A.

IT ALSO ENDS UP HERE

ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF
THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY,

NOT FAR FROM BURBANK,

AT ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE
PLACES IN THE COUNTY.

IT’S A TINY UNINCORPORATED AREA
CALLED UNIVERSAL CITY.

IT HAS ITS OWN ZIP CODE,
STREETS AND BUILDINGS,

BUT NO ONE ACTUALLY LIVES HERE,

EXCEPT FOR THE WIZARDS INSIDE
THE TOWERS OF HOGWARTS CASTLE.

THIS TINY CITY IS THE HOME
OF UNIVERSAL STUDIOS,

A STUDIO AND THEME PARK.

IT WAS FOUNDED IN THE EARLY
1900s ON RANCHLAND,

WHICH WAS SO FAR AWAY FROM
DOWNTOWN L.A. AT THE TIME

THAT MANY THOUGHT PLACING
A FILM STUDIO HERE

WAS A TERRIBLE INVESTMENT!

BUT TODAY, THIS THEME PARK

IS ONE OF L.A.’S BIGGEST
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS.

JOBS AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
ARE HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER

BY ASPIRING ACTORS.

TOUR GUIDES AND
ENTERTAINERS HERE

OFTEN GET FREE ACTING CLASSES

AND THE CHANCE TO MEET
TOP HOLLYWOOD CASTING DIRECTORS.

IT’S ALSO WHERE SOME ACTORS
HONE THEIR CRAFT

HERE ON THE SET OF "WATERWORLD,"

AN ACTION-PACKED SHOW BASED

ON THE 1995 SCIENCE FICTION
THRILLER STARRING KEVIN COSTNER.

AND NEARBY,
AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS’ BACK LOTS,

FILM CREWS AND CATERING TRUCKS

ARE PACKED INTO A SET
CALLED COLONIAL STREET.

IT’S BEEN BUILT TO LOOK LIKE

IT COULD BE ANYWHERE
IN SMALL TOWN AMERICA.

FANS OF "DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES"
MIGHT RECOGNIZE THIS STREET

AS WISTERIA LANE.

BUT UNIVERSAL ISN’T
THE ONLY STUDIO HERE

ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF
THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY.

JUST UP THE STREET
IS WARNER BROTHERS.

UNDER ITS ICONIC WATER TOWER
IS A BACK LOT SET

WHERE MANY SCENES FROM
THE HIT SHOW "E.R." WERE FILMED.

"E.R." STAR GEORGE CLOONEY

SPENT YEARS WORKING HERE
AT WARNER BROTHERS.

AND WHEN IT CAME TIME
FOR HIS LUNCH BREAKS,

HE OFTEN HEADED OUT
THROUGH THE STUDIO’S GATES

AND ACROSS THE STREET
TO THE SMOKE HOUSE RESTAURANT.

PRODUCERS, DIRECTORS AND ACTORS

HAVE BEEN FILLING ITS PLUSH,
RED BOOTHS SINCE 1946.

CLOONEY AND HIS PRODUCING
PARTNER GRANT HESLOV

WERE SO FOND OF THE PLACE,

THEY DECIDED TO NAME
THEIR PRODUCTION COMPANY

SMOKEHOUSE PICTURES.

BUT FOR MANY ANGELENOS
WHO HEAD OUT FOR LUNCH,

THERE’S ONLY ONE PLACE TO GO:

IN-N-OUT BURGER, WHICH GOT ITS
START RIGHT HERE IN L.A. COUNTY.

IN 1948 A YOUNG COUPLE NAMED
HARRY AND ESTHER SNYDER

OPENED A TINY ROADSIDE
BURGER JOINT

HERE IN THE L.A. SUBURB
OF BALDWIN PARK.

TO STAND APART, THEY USED
ONLY FRESH INGREDIENTS

AND OFFERED FAST
DRIVE-THRU SERVICE,

WHICH IS WHY IN-N-OUT
IS CONSIDERED

THE FIRST DRIVE-THRU RESTAURANT
IN CALIFORNIA.

THIS REPLICA NOW STANDS
CLOSE TO THE SITE

OF THEIR ORIGINAL BURGER SHACK.

IN HIS SPARE TIME, HARRY SNYDER
ALSO CREATED A STANDING BOX

WITH A MICROPHONE AND SPEAKER

SO DRIVERS COULD ORDER BEFORE
THEY PULLED UP AT THE WINDOW

TO SAVE TIME.

THAT SYSTEM WOULD SOON BE USED

AT JUST ABOUT EVERY DRIVE-THRU
IN THE WORLD.

SEVEN DECADES LATER,

THE MENU AT IN-N-OUT BURGER
IS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME,

AND THERE ARE NOW MORE THAN 300
LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA

AND A FEW OTHER STATES.

THE COMPANY’S CEO,

WHO IS THE GRANDDAUGHTER
OF CHAIN’S FOUNDERS,

HAS BEEN CALLED AMERICA’S
YOUNGEST FEMALE BILLIONAIRE.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TIME
FOR MANY HOLLYWOOD ACTORS,

AGENTS AND DEALMAKERS
TO HAVE THEIR LUNCHES,

THEY OFTEN HEAD TO
MUCH MORE GLAMOROUS SPOTS,

INCLUDING THE POLO LOUNGE
INSIDE THE BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL.

THIS HOTEL HAS PLAYED
SUCH A LEADING ROLE

IN THE DAILY LIFE OF HOLLYWOOD,

THAT WRITER AND ACTOR
FRAN LEBOWITZ ONCE SAID

THAT LOS ANGELES IS REALLY JUST
A LARGE, CITY-LIKE AREA

SURROUNDING
THE BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL.

OFTEN, AT MIDDAY, THOSE WHO TURN
INTO THE LONG DRIVEWAY

THAT LEADS TO
THE VALETED ENTRANCE

ARE A WHO’S WHO IN HOLLYWOOD.

AND IT’S BEEN THAT WAY
SINCE 1912,

WHEN THE HOTEL OPENED
FOR BUSINESS.

MARILYN MONROE STAYED
IN ONE OF BUNGALOWS OUT BACK

WHILE FILMING
"SOME LIKE IT HOT,"

AND ELIZABETH TAYLOR IS SAID
TO HAVE SPENT

SIX OF HER EIGHT
HONEYMOONS HERE.

OVER THE YEARS,
JUST ABOUT EVERYONE,

FROM ORSON WELLES
TO WARREN BEATTY,

JAY-Z AND BEYONCE,

HAVE EITHER STAYED HERE,
SWAM IN ITS POOL,

OR HUNG OUT
AT ITS LEGENDARY BAR.

BUT STARTING IN 2014,

MANY HOLLYWOOD REGULARS
STOPPED COMING.

THEY DID IT AS A BOYCOTT
AGAINST THE HOTEL’S OWNER,

THE BILLIONAIRE
SULTAN OF BRUNEI,

AFTER HE IMPOSED HARSH NEW LAWS

IN HIS TINY
SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRY.

ONE LAW CALLED FOR ADULTERERS
AND HOMOSEXUALS THERE

TO BE STONED TO DEATH.

EVEN THE BEVERLY HILLS
CITY COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION

TO TRY AND GET THE SULTAN
TO SELL THE PROPERTY,

BUT IT WASN’T SUCCESSFUL.

PART OF THE CHARM OF
THE BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL

HAS LONG BEEN THE PALM TREES
THAT SURROUND IT.

IT WOULD BE HARD TO IMAGINE
LOS ANGELES WITHOUT THESE TREES

THAT LINE MANY OF ITS STREETS.

BUT THIS TYPE OF PALM
WAS IMPORTED TO L.A.

AND PLANTED FOR VISUAL EFFECT.

IT’S NOT A NATIVE L.A. PLANT.

THE FIRST KNOWN ROW OF
PALM TREES IN LOS ANGELES

WAS CREATED BY A MAN NAMED
CHARLES A. LONGSTREET

SOMETIME AROUND 1869.

AFTER LINING HIS NEW DRIVEWAY
WITH ROWS OF THE TREES,

IT APPEARED ON MAPS
AS PALM DRIVE.

TODAY, AMAZINGLY,
LONGSTREET’S ORIGINAL PALMS

ARE STILL STANDING
AFTER MORE THAN A CENTURY

RIGHT HERE NEXT TO
THE 110 FREEWAY.

PARTS OF LOS ANGELES
MAY LOOK LIKE

THEY COULD BE IN THE TROPICS,

BUT L.A. IS CLASSIFIED AS HAVING
A MEDITERRANEAN-STYLE CLIMATE.

BECAUSE OF ITS ANNUAL
RAINFALL LEVELS,

IT’S NOT ACTUALLY A DESERT.

BUT THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT
MICROCLIMATES IN L.A. COUNTY,

AND THAT’S HELPED CREATE
A WIDE RANGE OF POSSIBILITIES

FOR L.A. LOCATION SCOUTS
AND DIRECTORS

ON THE SEARCH FOR FILMING
LOCATIONS CLOSE TO HOME.

NOT FAR FROM THE VALLEY
IS THE VELUZAT MOVIE RANCH,

WHICH HAS SERVED AS
A DUSTY WESTERN BACKDROP

IN HUNDREDS OF MOVIES
AND TELEVISION SHOWS.

AND TO THE WEST,

THE HILLS BEHIND
THE SEASIDE CITY OF MALIBU

SERVED AS A STAND-IN
FOR SOUTH KOREA

IN ONE OF THE LONGEST-RUNNING
SERIES ON TELEVISION.

THIS IS MALIBU CREEK STATE PARK.

IT WAS HERE THAT
THE TITLE SEQUENCE

OF THE TELEVISION SERIES
"M.A.S.H." WAS FILMED.

AS THE UNFORGETTABLE
"M.A.S.H." THEME SONG PLAYS,

U.S. ARMY HELICOPTERS LAND
AT A MOBILE ARMY HOSPITAL,

AND THE M.A.S.H TEAM RACES OUT
TO TRIAGE THEIR NEW PATIENTS.

ALL THOSE SHOTS WERE FILMED
RIGHT HERE IN THIS VALLEY.

THE AMBULANCE IN THAT SEQUENCE
STILL STANDS HERE.

BUT THIS AREA ALSO OFFERS
A CHANCE TO IMAGINE

WHAT L.A. WAS LIKE BEFORE
SPANISH SETTLERS ARRIVED.

A NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE
CALLED THE CHUMASH

ONCE LIVED IN THESE
COASTAL HILLS,

IN SMALL TOWNS THAT ARE
NO LONGER STANDING.

IT’S BEEN ESTIMATED THAT
ANYWHERE FROM 8,000 TO 22,000

CHUMASH ONCE INHABITED
THIS PART OF CALIFORNIA.

AND DOWN IN
THE LOS ANGELES BASIN

ANOTHER SITE HAS REVEALED
FASCINATING EVIDENCE

OF THE ANCIENT CREATURES THAT
ONCE THRIVED IN L.A. COUNTY

BEFORE THERE WERE HUMANS HERE

AND THE STRANGE SUBSTANCE

THAT CAUSED THOUSANDS OF THEM
TO PERISH.

IT’S ALMOST NOON,
AND A GIANT BOULDER

OUTSIDE THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY
MUSEUM OF ART, OR LACMA,

IS BATHED WITH MIDDAY SUN.

BUT THIS 340-TON ROCK
WASN’T PLACED HERE

BY A CALIFORNIA EARTHQUAKE,
MUDSLIDE OR VOLCANIC ERUPTION.

IT WAS CARRIED TO LACMA
FROM A QUARRY 105 MILES AWAY

BY A GIANT TRACTOR TRAILER.

IN 2012, AS THIS ENORMOUS ROCK

ROLLED THROUGH THE STREETS
OF LOS ANGELES

THOUSANDS CAME OUT
ALONG ITS ROUTE

TO CHEER ON THE BOULDER
AND THE TEAM MOVING IT.

IT’S PART OF A PERMANENT
OUTDOOR INSTALLATION

BY ARTIST MICHAEL HEIZER.

HE NAMED THIS WORK
"LEVITATED MASS"

AND INSTALLED THE BOULDER
SO IT SPANS A SLOPED TRENCH,

WHICH ALLOWS VISITORS TO PASS
UNDER IT AS IT LEVITATES ABOVE.

BUT THIS MODERN WORK OF ART
HAPPENS TO STAND ON LAND

THAT’S LONG HELD EVIDENCE
OF THE ANCIENT CREATURES

THAT ONCE ROAMED THE HILLS
AND VALLEYS OF LOS ANGELES.

IF YOU’D BEEN ABLE TO FLY
OVER THIS PART OF L.A.

30,000 YEARS AGO,

THIS IS WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN
ON THE GROUND BELOW.

A FAMILY OF AMERICAN MASTODONS

GATHERED AROUND THE BANK
OF A VERY DARK LAKE.

YOU MIGHT ALSO HAVE HEARD
THEIR AGONIZED CRIES FOR HELP.

THIS IS NOT A LAKE OF WATER;

IT’S ONE OF L.A.’S FAMOUS
LA BREA TAR PITS.

AND THESE MASTODONS
ARE PART OF A DISPLAY

TO SHOW HOW THOUSANDS
OF ANCIENT CREATURES

BECAME TRAPPED
IN PITS OF ASPHALT

AND DIED SLOWLY AS THEY
STRUGGLED TO GET OUT.

MORE THAN ONE MILLION BONES
HAVE BEEN RECOVERED SO FAR,

FROM SABER-TOOTHED CATS, SLOTHS,
WOLVES, AND EVEN ANCIENT CAMELS.

JUST A FEW OF THE CREATURES
THAT MET THEIR FATE HERE

BETWEEN 11,000
AND 50,000 YEARS AGO.

ANCIENT HUMAN REMAINS HAVE
ALSO BEEN DISCOVERED HERE.

THE SKULL OF YOUNG WOMAN
WAS FOUND

NEXT TO THE BONES OF A DOG,

AND SOME RESEARCHERS BELIEVE

SHE MAY HAVE BEEN THROWN
INTO THE TAR, AND MURDERED,

ROUGHLY 9,000 YEARS AGO.

CALLED THE LA BREA WOMAN,

SHE’S ONE OF THE OLDEST
KNOWN CALIFORNIANS.

THE ASPHALT FROM PITS LIKE THESE

WAS USED BY NATIVE AMERICANS
HERE TO WATERPROOF THEIR BOATS.

BUT IN 1892,
A MAN NAMED EDWARD DOHENY

CAME ACROSS ONE
OF THESE TARRY SEEPS,

DUG A WELL, STRUCK OIL,

AND KICKED OFF L.A.’S
FIRST BIG ECONOMIC BOOM.

WHEN LOS ANGELES
WAS FOUNDED IN 1781,

THIS PLAZA, JUST NORTH
OF WHAT’S NOW DOWNTOWN,

WAS THE HEART OF THIS
SMALL NEW SETTLEMENT.

STANDING ON THIS TOWN SQUARE

IS THE CHURCH OF
OUR LADY QUEEN OF ANGELS,

WHICH WAS COMPLETED IN 1814.

IT WAS DEDICATED TO
THE 11 SPANISH FAMILIES

WHO FIRST JOURNEYED HERE FROM
NEW SPAIN, OR WHAT’S NOW MEXICO.

LOS ANGELES BECAME PART
OF THE UNITED STATES IN 1848

WHEN THE U.S. WON
THE U.S.-MEXICAN WAR

AND GAINED CONTROL OF THE LAND
THAT’S NOW CALIFORNIA.

NOT MUCH HAPPENED HERE
IN THE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED,

AND BY 1870 THE POPULATION
OF THE CITY WAS LESS THAN 6,000.

BUT WITHIN JUST THREE DECADES,

THERE WERE MORE THAN
100,000 PEOPLE IN L.A.

AND THE CITY WAS BOOMING,
THANKS TO TRAINS AND OIL.

IN THE LATE 1800s, RAILROADS
MADE TRAVEL TO LOS ANGELES

FROM THE EAST POSSIBLE
FOR THE FIRST TIME.

THOUSANDS FLOODED IN.

AND SEVEN YEARS LATER, IN 1892,

SOON-TO-BE OIL TYCOON
EDWARD DOHENY

NOTICED AN OILY PATCH OF GROUND

IN THE HILLS CLOSE TO WHERE
DODGER STADIUM NOW STANDS.

AS SOON AS HE DRILLED
HIS FIRST WELL HERE,

THE OIL STARTED FLOWING,

AND IT WASN’T LONG BEFORE
HE HAD HUNDREDS OF WELLS

AND HAD MADE A FORTUNE.

HIS STORY INSPIRED
THE OSCAR-WINNING FILM

"THERE WILL BE BLOOD,"
STARRING DANIEL DAY LEWIS.

BY THE LATE 19th CENTURY, MANY
AREAS IN AND AROUND LOS ANGELES

WERE COVERED WITH FORESTS
OF OIL DERRICKS.

AND OIL IS STILL PART OF
DAILY LIFE FOR MANY ANGELENOS.

WHEN DRIVERS LINE UP AT
THIS McDONALD’S DRIVE-THRU

IN LONG BEACH, THEY PASS
RIGHT BY AN ACTIVE OIL WELL.

AND THESE NEW CONDOS NEARBY

WERE BUILT AROUND
WORKING PUMPJACKS.

BUT ARCHITECTS AND
ENGINEERS IN L.A.

HAVE ALSO GOTTEN VERY GOOD
AT DISGUISING WELLS

SO PEOPLE DON’T EVEN
KNOW THEY’RE THERE.

JUST OFF THE SHORES
OF LONG BEACH,

THESE WELLS HAVE BEEN LANDSCAPED
TO LOOK LIKE TROPICAL RESORTS,

WITH PALM TREES AND STRUCTURES

THAT LOOK LIKE HOTELS
FROM A DISTANCE.

AND HERE, NOT FAR
FROM BEVERLY HILLS,

THIS BUILDING WAS DESIGNED
TO LOOK LIKE

THE TOWER OF A SYNAGOGUE.

IF YOU PASS BY ON THE STREET,

YOU MIGHT NEVER REALIZE
THAT IT’S NOT.

BUT INSIDE CARDIFF TOWER
IS A WORKING OIL DERRICK.

WHEN IT WAS COMPLETED IN 1966,

THE MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES
CALLED THIS STRUCTURE

"AN OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION
TO CIVIC BEAUTY."

BUT NOT EVERYONE LIKES
HAVING OIL WELLS

SO CLOSE TO WHERE
THEY LIVE AND WORK.

RIGHT NEXT TO THE FOOTBALL FIELD
OF BEVERLY HILLS HIGH SCHOOL

IS A TALL WOODEN STRUCTURE,
PAINTED WITH COLORFUL DESIGNS,

THAT LONG DISGUISED
A ONCE VERY LUCRATIVE WELL.

NICOLAS CAGE, LENNY KRAVITZ
AND ANGELINA JOLIE

ARE JUST A FEW
OF THE FAMOUS NAMES

WHO ATTENDED THIS HIGH SCHOOL.

BUT IT’S ALSO KNOW
FOR THE 18 OIL WELLS

THAT LIE ON BEVERLY HILLS
SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPERTY.

OVER THE YEARS, THEY’VE
GENERATED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS

IN LEASING ROYALTIES FOR
THE CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS.

BUT THEY’VE ALSO BEEN THE SOURCE
OF A PROTRACTED LAWSUIT,

FILED BY ALUMNI AND TEACHERS.

THEY CLAIM THAT TOXINS FROM
THE WELLS HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE

OF AN UNUSUALLY
HIGH RATE OF CANCER

AMONG EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS
AT BEVERLY HILLS HIGH.

AT THE END OF 2016,

THIS WELL WAS SHUT DOWN
WHEN THE LEASE RAN OUT.

BUT SINCE THE OIL COMPANY
THAT OWNED IT WENT BANKRUPT,

IT’S NOW UP TO
THE CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS

TO CAP AND SEAL EACH WELL-HEAD,
WHICH WILL LIKELY COST MILLIONS.

MOST OF THE DOZENS OF INDIVIDUAL
OIL WELLS THAT WERE DRILLED

ACROSS BEVERLY HILLS HAVE NOW
BEEN CLOSED AND CAPPED.

BUT TRAVEL JUST SIX MILES SOUTH

AND YOU ARRIVE AT A MASSIVE
CLUSTER OF WELLS.

THIS IS THE INGLEWOOD OIL FIELD.

IT’S THE LARGEST URBAN OIL FIELD
IN THE NATION.

INGLEWOOD WAS DEVELOPED IN 1924,

AND WELLS HERE HAVE PRODUCED

400 MILLION BARRELS
OF OIL SINCE.

THERE’S STILL A LOT OF OIL
UNDER INGLEWOOD,

AT LEAST 30 MILLION
BARRELS’ WORTH.

SO THESE NEIGHBORS CLOSE TO
THE WELLS WILL LIKELY BE LIVING

NEXT TO A MASSIVE OIL FIELD
FOR YEARS TO COME.

BUT WHILE OIL COMPANIES
HAVE LONG TRIED

TO KEEP THEIR OIL DERRICKS
OUT OF PUBLIC SIGHT,

ONE CHURCH IN L.A. HAS MADE SURE
EVERYONE KNOWS IT’S THERE.

IN 1977, THE CHURCH
OF SCIENTOLOGY

BOUGHT THIS OLD
HOSPITAL BUILDING TO USE

AS THEIR NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS.

THE SCIENTOLOGY SIGN ON TOP
IS ALMOST AS HARD TO MISS

AS THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN
IN THE HILLS BEHIND IT.

MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH
CALL THIS FACILITY

PACIFIC AREA COMMAND BASE.

BUT MANY ON THE OUTSIDE
HAVE CALLED IT

A MIND-CONTROLLING CULT.

EVERY DAY, A STEADY STREAM
OF WORKERS CAN BE SEEN ENTERING

THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY’S
BUILDINGS.

VERY FEW PEOPLE KNOW WHAT
ACTUALLY GOES ON INSIDE.

MOST OF THE WINDOWS OF THE
CHURCH ARE COVERED WITH SHADES.

JUST DOWN THE STREET
ON FRANKLIN AVENUE

IS THE CELEBRITY CENTER.

IT’S HERE WHERE THE CHURCH
RUNS SPECIAL SESSIONS

FOR ACTORS, MUSICIANS,
AND OTHER BIG L.A. NAMES.

TOM CRUISE AND JOHN TRAVOLTA

MAY BE THE MOST FAMOUS
SCIENTOLOGISTS,

BUT OVER THE YEARS
OTHER ACTORS AND MUSICIANS

HAVE IDENTIFIED THEMSELVES
AS MEMBERS, TOO.

SOME FORMER MEMBERS HAVE
DESCRIBED ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR

BEHIND ITS WALLS.

ONE OF THOSE IS
ACTOR LEAH REMINI,

STAR OF THE SITCOM
"KING OF QUEENS."

REMINI EVEN WENT ON TO CREATE
A TELEVISION SERIES

THAT EXPLORES THE CLAIMS
AND EXPERIENCES

OF EX-SCIENTOLOGISTS.

THE MOST DISTURBING ABUSES WERE
REPORTED TO HAVE HAPPENED HERE

AT A PLACE SCIENTOLOGISTS
CALL GOLD BASE,

75 MILES SOUTHEAST OF L.A.

THIS HIGHLY SECURED CAMPUS
COVERS MORE THAN 500 ACRES

ON THE SITE OF A FORMER
HOT SPRINGS RESORT.

THIS HOUSE IS WHERE THE CHURCH’S
LEADER DAVID MISCAVIGE

IS SAID TO LIVE

WHILE DOZENS OF OTHER
SCIENTOLOGISTS STAY NEARBY

IN BUILDINGS THAT LOOK
MORE LIKE CONDOS.

A HOUSE, STYLED AFTER THOSE
IN THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS,

STANDS AT THE CENTER.

CALLED BONNIE VIEW, IT’S BEEN
REPORTED THAT IT WAS BUILT

FOR THE CHURCH’S LATE FOUNDER,
L. RON HUBBARD.

IT’S SAID THAT
IT’S METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED

SO IT’S READY FOR HUBBARD

WHEN HE RETURNS TO EARTH
IN ANOTHER BODY.

HUBBARD’S OLD
BLUE BIRD MOTORHOME

STANDS PERFECTLY PRESERVED
IN HIS GARAGE.

DOWN IN THE VALLEY IS A FULLY
EQUIPPED FILM PRODUCTION STUDIO,

STYLED AFTER A SCOTTISH CASTLE.

FORMER CHURCH MEMBERS
HAVE MADE DISTURBING CLAIMS

ABOUT WHAT THEY HAVE
WITNESSED HERE,

INCLUDING MEMBERS BEING
IMPRISONED FOR BAD BEHAVIOR

IN A BUILDING KNOWN
AS "THE HOLE,"

FORCED TO DO UNPAID LABOR

AND THREATENED
WITH PHYSICAL ABUSE,

ALL OF WHICH THE CHURCH
STRONGLY DENIES.

BUT WHAT IS CLEAR IS THAT
SECURITY PERSONNEL HERE

KEEP A CAREFUL EYE
ON WHO COMES AND WHO LEAVES.

ON THE HILLSIDE, JUST ABOVE
THE TALL CHAIN-LINK FENCE

THAT SURROUNDS GOLD BASE,
IS A WELL-HIDDEN BUNKER.

IT’S COVERED WITH
MILITARY-STYLE CAMO NETTING

TO MAKE IT BLEND IN
WITH THESE ARID HILLS.

AND RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE BUNKER

ARE DISGUISED SECURITY CAMERAS.

ONE SWIVELS AND CAN BE USED
BY THE SECURITY TEAM

TO KEEP THEIR EYES ON CHURCH
MEMBERS AND POTENTIAL INTRUDERS,

ON THE GROUND,
AND EVEN IN THE SKIES.

AND WHEN THEY LOSE SIGHT
OF WHAT THEY’RE FOLLOWING,

THEY QUICKLY SEARCH TO TRY
AND FIND THEIR TARGET AGAIN.

BUT WHILE SOME CHURCH OF
SCIENTOLOGY MEMBERS FROM L.A.

ARE BELIEVED TO SPEND DAYS AND
EVEN WEEKS HERE AT GOLD BASE,

OTHER ANGELENOS ARE HEADING OUT
AND UP INTO THE WILD.

L.A. MAY BE KNOWN FOR
ITS RELATIVELY FLAT BASIN,

BUT TO THE NORTH ARE
IMPRESSIVE CALIFORNIA PEAKS

KNOWN AS
THE SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS.

THEY LIE INSIDE A GIANT SWATH
OF PROTECTED LAND

IN THE CENTER OF L.A. COUNTY

CALLED THE ANGELES
NATIONAL FOREST.

AND NO PEAK IN THE SAN GABRIELS
LURES MORE PEOPLE FROM L.A.

THAN THE 10,064-FOOT-HIGH
MOUNT SAN ANTONIO,

WHICH LIES RIGHT ON THE EASTERN
BORDER OF THE COUNTY

JUST NORTH OF THE TINY
MOUNTAIN VILLAGE OF MOUNT BALDY.

GETTING TO THE TOP
TAKES A 10-MILE HIKE.

AN EARLY CALIFORNIA RANCHER
NAMED THIS PEAK

AFTER A PORTUGUESE SAINT
NAMED SAN ANTONIO,

AND THAT’S STILL
ITS OFFICIAL NAME.

BUT MOST PEOPLE IN L.A.
KNOW IT AS MOUNT BALDY,

A NAME INSPIRED BY

THE MOUNTAIN’S TREELESS
WESTERN FLANKS.

IT’S COVERED BY SNOW
FOR MUCH OF THE YEAR,

BUT DURING THE SUMMER AND FALL

ITS TRAILS ARE OFTEN
CROWDED WITH HIKERS,

EAGER TO REACH THE SUMMIT

OF THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN
IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

BUT NOT EVERYONE COMES TO THE
SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS TO HIKE.

SOME COME TO LEAP OFF
THE BRIDGE TO NOWHERE.

THIS BRIDGE WAS PART OF
AN ATTEMPT IN THE 1930s

TO BUILD A NEW ROAD FROM L.A.
THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS.

BUT FLOODWATERS
WASHED THE ROAD OUT,

AND THIS BRIDGE HAS BEEN
A BRIDGE TO NOWHERE EVER SINCE.

AND THAT’S WHAT MAKES IT
A PERFECT SPOT

FOR WEEKEND THRILL-SEEKERS
LIKE THESE.

IN 1994, SINGER AND SONGWRITER
LEONARD COHEN

LEFT HIS HOME IN LOS ANGELES

AND CAME TO
THE SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS

TO LIVE AS A MONK HERE
AT THE MOUNT BALDY ZEN CENTER.

HE SPENT THE NEXT FIVE YEARS
IN SECLUSION

IN ONE OF THE MONASTERY’S
CABINS,

LIVING SIMPLY
WITH THE OTHER MONKS

AND STUDYING TO BECOME
A ZEN MASTER.

ONE REASON HE CAME HERE

WAS TO TRY AND TREAT HIS OWN
ACUTE CLINICAL DEPRESSION,

SOMETHING HE SAID THAT
WINE, WOMEN AND SONG

HAD NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DO.

BUT HE ALSO CAME TO SERVE
AS THE PERSONAL ASSISTANT

TO THE MONASTERY’S
AGING FOUNDER,

A LEGENDARY ZEN TEACHER
FROM JAPAN.

EVENTUALLY, COHEN
ALSO FOUND TIME

TO WORK ON SONGS AND MELODIES
FOR A NEW ALBUM,

WHICH HE RELEASED
AFTER LEAVING MOUNT BALDY

AND RETURNING TO L.A. IN 1999.

BY THE TIME HIKERS AND OTHERS
LEAVE THE SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS

JUST BEFORE DARK,

WORK AT THE PORT OF LOS ANGELES

CAN SEEM LIKE IT’S JUST
GETTING STARTED.

THIS VAST FACILITY SPRAWLS
ACROSS 7,500 ACRES

ALONG THE COAST,
SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN L.A.

IT’S THE BUSIEST PORT
IN THE NATION.

EVERY DAY, THE EQUIVALENT OF
ALMOST 25,000 20-FOOT CONTAINERS

GET LOADED AND OFFLOADED
ON THE DOCKS HERE.

AND RIGHT NEXT DOOR LIES
AMERICA’S SECOND BUSIEST PORT:

THE PORT OF LONG BEACH.

IT’S 5:00 P.M. AND A FUTURISTIC
EXPERIMENT IS UNDER WAY

THAT COULD SOON REVOLUTIONIZE
SHIPPING AROUND THE WORLD.

WHEN THE PORT OF LONG BEACH
WAS FOUNDED IN 1911,

THE DOCKS HERE WERE DIRTY,
CHAOTIC, AND CROWDED

WITH LONGSHOREMEN WHO RACED
TO LOAD AND UNLOAD SHIPS

MOSTLY BY HAND.

NOW, MORE THAN A CENTURY LATER,
THE WORK AT ONE TERMINAL HERE

IS DONE ALMOST ENTIRELY
BY COMPUTERS AND ROBOTS!

AFTER BEING OFFLOADED FROM
TRAINS, CONTAINERS ARE STACKED

BY ROBOTIC LIFTERS AS THEY WAIT
TO BE LOADED ONTO SHIPS.

SOFTWARE AND ALGORITHMS
TRACK EVERY CONTAINER.

THEY DECIDE HOW THESE HUNDREDS
OF STEEL BOXES GET STACKED

SO EACH ONE CAN BE LOADED ON THE
RIGHT SHIP AT THE RIGHT TIME.

AS SOON AS IT IS
A CONTAINER’S TIME,

A LIFTER SEEKS OUT THAT ONE BOX
AND PLUCKS IT FROM THE STACK,

THEN DROPS IT
ONTO A ROBOTIC CARRIER

THAT WILL DELIVER IT
TO THE SHIP.

A MAGNETIC GRID EMBEDDED
IN THE PAVEMENT

OF THIS HIGH-TECH TERMINAL

HELPS THESE CARRIERS
KNOW WHERE THEY ARE,

AND HOW TO GET TO WHERE
THEY NEED TO GO AT ALL TIMES,

SINCE THERE’S NO HUMAN DRIVER
ON BOARD.

PEER DOWN ON THIS TERMINAL
FROM ABOVE,

AND THIS COULD BE THE FUTURE
OF GLOBAL CARGO.

UNLIKE LONGSHOREMEN,

THESE ROBOTS DON’T WORK
IN SHIFTS OR GET UNION BREAKS.

THEY’LL LOAD AND UNLOAD 24/7
IF THEY ARE PROGRAMMED TO.

THEY JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE
THEY DON’T RUN INTO EACH OTHER

WHEN THEY MAKE THEIR
COMPUTERIZED TURNS.

ONCE A CONTAINER IS
DELIVERED TO THE DOCK,

A ROBOTIC CRANE ARRIVES AND
LIFTS IT UP ONTO A WAITING AREA.

UNTIL NOW, EVERYTHING
HAS BEEN DONE BY ROBOT.

BUT HUMANS DO THE FINAL
AND MOST DELICATE WORK:

POSITIONING
EACH CONTAINER CORRECTLY

ON THE DECK OF THE SHIP
WITHOUT HITTING THE OTHERS.

THIS GIANT GAME OF TETRIS
REQUIRES SPEED,

EXPERIENCE AND PRECISION
THAT ONLY HUMANS CAN PROVIDE,

AT LEAST FOR NOW.

BUT ONE DAY SOON, A ROBOT
MIGHT BE DOING THIS JOB, TOO.

THERE’S NO BETTER PLACE
TO WITNESS

THE STUNNING TRANSFORMATION
OF DAY TO NIGHT IN LOS ANGELES

THAN HERE, THE TIP
OF THE SANTA MONICA PIER.

ON CLEAR EVENINGS LIKE THIS ONE,

HUNDREDS COME HERE FOR
A CHANCE TO PEER OUT,

WITH ALMOST NOTHING SEPARATING
THEM FROM THE SETTING SUN

BUT WATER AND SKY.

OVER THE DECADES, A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT PIERS OF ALL SIZES

HAVE STRETCHED OUT FROM
SANTA MONICA INTO THE PACIFIC.

THEY’VE CONTAINED BALLROOMS,
SKATING RINKS,

AND A WIDE RANGE
OF OTHER AMUSEMENTS.

BUT CHANGING TIMES, FIRES
AND WEATHER TOOK THEIR TOLL.

THE PIER THAT STANDS HERE TODAY

WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED
IN THE 1980s BY STORMS.

A NON-PROFIT EVENTUALLY RAISED
THE MONEY NEEDED TO REBUILD IT.

TODAY, WITH ITS FERRIS WHEEL
AND RESTAURANTS,

IT’S THE LIFE OF SANTA MONICA,
DAY AND NIGHT.

AFTER THE SUN FINALLY
FADES TO THE WEST,

HUMAN LIGHT SHOWS BECOME
L.A.’S MAIN ATTRACTION.

SINCE LOS ANGELES AND NEW YORK

ARE THE TWO MOST POPULATED
CITIES IN THE U.S.,

THEY ARE OFTEN COMPARED,

AND SOMETIMES
WITH SURPRISING RESULTS.

NEW YORK CITY’S NICKNAME MAY BE
THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS,

BUT STUDIES HAVE SHOWN
THAT PEOPLE IN NEW YORK

GET A FEW MINUTES MORE SLEEP
ON AVERAGE, EVERY NIGHT,

THAN PEOPLE IN L.A.

THAT’S EASY TO BELIEVE

WHEN YOU PEER DOWN ON
L.A.’S FREEWAYS AFTER DARK

AND SEE WHAT IT TAKES
JUST TO GET HOME.

WRITER JOAN DIDION
ONCE DESCRIBED

THE L.A. FREEWAY EXPERIENCE
LIKE THIS:

"ANYONE CAN DRIVE
ON THE FREEWAY," SHE WROTE,

"BUT ACTUAL PARTICIPATION
REQUIRES TOTAL SURRENDER,

A CONCENTRATION SO INTENSE
AS TO SEEM A KIND OF NARCOSIS,

A RAPTURE OF THE FREEWAY.

THE MIND GOES CLEAN.
THE RHYTHM TAKES OVER."

TONIGHT, SOME DRIVERS ON THE 110
AREN’T HEADING HOME,

THEY’RE ON THEIR WAY
TO DOWNTOWN L.A.

THE LAKERS ARE PLAYING AGAINST
THE HOUSTON ROCKETS,

HERE ON THEIR HOME COURT
AT THE STAPLES CENTER.

FOR CLOSE TO FIVE DECADES,
STARTING IN THE EARLY 1900s,

THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES
INTRODUCED

STRICT HEIGHT LIMITATIONS
ON THE BUILDINGS

THAT COULD BE BUILT DOWNTOWN.

NO STRUCTURE TALLER THAN
150 FEET WAS ALLOWED.

CITY OFFICIALS WERE FEARFUL

THAT SKYSCRAPERS WOULD
TURN DOWNTOWN L.A.

INTO A SERIES OF DARK,
WIND-FILLED CANYONS.

BY THE LATE 1950s,
RESIDENTS OF L.A.

HAD VOTED TO REPEAL
THE HEIGHT RESTRICTION,

AND BUILDINGS
IN THE CITY OF ANGELS

WERE SOON SOARING HIGHER
THAN EVER BEFORE.

TODAY, L.A. IS HOME
TO THE TALLEST BUILDING

WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI,

THANKS TO THIS NEW GLASS-COVERED
SKYSCRAPER, THE WILSHIRE GRAND.

REACHING 73 STORIES
INTO THE SKY,

IT WAS DESIGNED TO CELEBRATE
CALIFORNIA’S LANDSCAPE.

THE GLASS CROWN WAS SHAPED
AFTER A ROCK FORMATION

IN YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK
CALLED HALF DOME,

WHILE ITS GLASS FACADE IS SAID
TO HAVE BEEN INSPIRED

BY THE REFLECTIVE SURFACE
OF CALIFORNIA’S MERCED RIVER.

THE BUILDING HAS ALSO
BEEN ENGINEERED

TO WITHSTAND
A 7.5-MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE,

SINCE L.A. SITS RIGHT ON TOP
OF MULTIPLE MAJOR FAULTS!

BUT WHAT SOME PEOPLE
IN L.A. LIKE MOST

ABOUT THIS TOWERING
NEW SKYSCRAPER

IS THE COCKTAIL BAR ON ITS ROOF.

IT’S CALLED SPIRE 73 BECAUSE
OF THE FLOOR IT LIES ON.

L.A. PARTYGOERS HERE DON’T JUST
GET A CHANCE TO SIP THEIR DRINKS

ON THE HIGHEST OPEN-AIR BAR
IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE,

THEY ALSO GET TO TAKE IN
A STUNNING AERIAL VIEW

OF THE MOST DENSELY POPULATED
CITY IN AMERICA.

AND IF THEY PEER DOWN INTO
L.A.’S HISTORIC PERSHING SQUARE

IN THE LATE FALL,
THEY MIGHT ALSO CATCH SIGHT

OF THEIR FELLOW ANGELENOS
ICE SKATING,

RIGHT IN MIDDLE OF THIS FAMOUSLY
HOT AND DRY METROPOLIS.

TO THE WEST, AFTER DARK,
SUNSET BOULEVARD

IS ONE OF THE BRIGHTEST STREETS
IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

IT’S ALSO ONE OF THE BUSIEST,

THANKS TO THE MANY
CLUBS AND THEATERS

THAT LINE A 1.5-MILE SECTION
CALLED THE SUNSET STRIP,

HERE IN WEST HOLLYWOOD.

IN THE 1920s, THE SUNSET STRIP
LAY OUTSIDE L.A.’S CITY LIMITS,

AND THAT MEANT THAT
GAMBLING HERE WAS LEGAL.

CLUBS AND BARS THRIVED
ON THIS ONCE NEARLY EMPTY ROAD

LEADING TO BEVERLY HILLS.

BUT THIS PART OF L.A. HAS LONG
BEEN A MECCA FOR MUSICIANS,

WITH ITS RECORDING STUDIOS,
RECORD LABELS,

INSTRUMENT SHOPS, AND CLUBS.

THE L.A. TIMES HAS REPORTED
THAT THE HISTORY OF POP MUSIC

HAS ESSENTIALLY BEEN WRITTEN
ALONG SUNSET BOULEVARD.

WHISKEY A GO GO,
WHICH OPENED IN 1964,

IS ONE OF THE SUNSET STRIP’S
MOST FAMOUS CLUBS.

THE DOORS WERE ONCE
THE HOUSE BAND HERE.

OVER THE DECADES,
JEFFERSON AIRPLANE,

OTIS REDDING,
PARLIAMENT FUNKADELIC,

AND SOUNDGARDEN WERE JUST A FEW
OF THE HUNDREDS OF FAMOUS NAMES

WHO PASSED THROUGH
THIS CORNER CLUB.

A FEW YEARS LATER, IN 1973,

RECORD PRODUCER LOU ADLER OPENED
THE NOW LEGENDARY ROXY NEARBY.

THOSE WHO’VE TAKEN
THE STAGE HERE

INCLUDE NEIL YOUNG, U2,
GUNS N’ ROSES, AND THE RAMONES,

WHO PLAYED THEIR FIRST-EVER
CALIFORNIA CONCERT

HERE AT THIS CLUB.

THERE’S STILL PLENTY
OF LIVE MUSIC

ON THE SUNSET STRIP EVERY NIGHT.

BUT TODAY, MANY COME HERE
FOR COMEDY.

SOME OF THE BIGGEST NAMES IN
STAND-UP GOT THEIR START HERE

AT THE COMEDY STORE
IN WEST HOLLYWOOD.

TONIGHT A LINE IS FORMING
TO SEE COMEDIAN JEFF GARLIN,

STAR OF THE ABC SITCOM
"THE GOLDBERGS."

THE MARQUEES OF THE SUNSET STRIP

ARE JUST A FEW
OF THE MILLIONS OF LIGHTS

THAT GIVE LOS ANGELES
ITS UNIQUE AND COLORFUL GLOW,

ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU’RE
PEERING DOWN ON THIS CITY

FROM THOUSANDS OF FEET
UP IN THE SKY.

EVEN AFTER THE MOON RISES
OVER THE SANTA MONICA HILLS,

MOST OF THESE LIGHTS WILL
KEEP FLICKERING UNTIL DAWN.

AND WITH EACH PASSING NIGHT
THERE WILL BE

MORE AND MORE LIGHTS AND PEOPLE
IN THIS CALIFORNIA COUNTY.

THE POPULATION OF L.A.
IS EXPECTED TO TOP 11 MILLION

BY 2040.

ONE THING HERE WILL
ALWAYS REMAIN THE SAME:

THE MORNING SUN MAKING
ITS DRAMATIC ENTRANCE

FROM BEHIND THE SAN GABRIEL
MOUNTAINS TO THE EAST

AS IT USHERS IN ANOTHER DAY
IN THE HILLS AND VALLEYS

AND ALL ALONG THE SUNLIT SHORES
OF LOS ANGELES.

♪

♪