In 1912, the same year Arizona achieved statehood, a film crew from the New York Motion Picture Company rolled into Tucson with cameras, costumes, and a script for “The Sheriff’s Reward.” The rugged Sonoran Desert landscape that had challenged pioneers for generations was about to become one of America’s most iconic movie backdrops. What followed was a seven-decade love affair between filmmakers and the Arizona desert that would produce over 300 films and transform sleepy frontier towns into bustling movie sets.
The Birth of Desert Cinema (1912-1925)
Arizona’s film industry began almost by accident. Eastern film companies, seeking year-round sunshine and diverse landscapes, discovered that Arizona offered something California couldn’t: authentic frontier towns that required minimal set construction. Tucson’s dusty streets, complete with hitching posts and adobe buildings, looked exactly like what Eastern audiences imagined the Wild West to be.
The Lubin Manufacturing Company Pioneer
The Lubin Manufacturing Company established the first permanent studio in Arizona when they set up operations in Bisbee in 1912. The copper mining town’s Victorian architecture and mountainous backdrop provided perfect settings for both Westerns and melodramas. Between 1912 and 1915, Lubin produced 45 films in Bisbee, employing local miners as extras and transforming Brewery Gulch into everything from a Mexican revolutionary battleground to a Klondike gold rush town.
“The mountains around Bisbee offer every conceivable type of scenery,” wrote director Romaine Fielding in a 1913 letter to Moving Picture World. “Within a five-mile radius, we can film desert, pine forest, rocky canyons, and grassland. No painted backdrop can match what nature provides here for free.”
Tucson: The Filmmaking Capital
Tucson quickly emerged as Arizona’s filmmaking capital. By 1915, five different production companies had established seasonal operations there. The desert city’s proximity to the Mexican border proved invaluable during the Mexican Revolution, as filmmakers could capture actual battle footage and incorporate real revolutionaries into their productions. Director D.W. Griffith himself visited Tucson in 1914 to scout locations for future projects, declaring the area “the most photogenic landscape in America.”
The Studio Era Takes Root (1925-1940)
As Hollywood consolidated into the studio system, Arizona evolved from a convenient location into an essential part of the film industry’s infrastructure. In 1927, Fox Film Corporation (later 20th Century Fox) made a decisive investment by purchasing 1,200 acres north of Tucson to create Fox Movietone Ranch. This wasn’t merely a location; it was a fully operational studio facility complete with permanent Western sets, housing for cast and crew, equipment warehouses, and even its own airstrip.
Fox Movietone Ranch: “Foxville”
The ranch’s crown jewel was a complete frontier town built to 7/8 scale, making actors appear larger than life on screen. This “Foxville” featured 42 buildings including a hotel, saloon, church, jail, and bank—all constructed with removable walls for camera access. Between 1928 and 1939, Fox Movietone Ranch hosted productions of 85 films, including John Wayne’s breakthrough role in “The Big Trail” (1930).
The Birth of Old Tucson Studios
In 1939, Columbia Pictures transformed 320 acres of Pima County land into what would become Hollywood’s most enduring Western backlot. Built in 1939 for the movie Arizona (1940), Old Tucson Studios has been used as the filming location for hundreds of movies and television westerns, with workers constructing more than 50 buildings in just 40 days. The studio’s creation was largely thanks to Nick C. Hall, a local hotelier who convinced Columbia Pictures to film in Tucson rather than California, forever changing the landscape of Western filmmaking.
Republic Pictures and Gene Autry
Republic Pictures established a significant presence in Arizona during the 1930s, using locations throughout the state for their popular serials and B-Westerns. The studio’s scouts discovered that Arizona’s varied terrain could double for everything from the Arabian desert to the Canadian Rockies. Gene Autry, Republic’s biggest star, filmed eight pictures in Arizona between 1935 and 1940, often using the Superstition Mountains near Phoenix as dramatic backdrops.
The Golden Age of Arizona Westerns (1940-1960)
The 1940s marked Arizona’s transformation from a convenient location to an indispensable part of Hollywood’s infrastructure. Old Tucson’s success with “Arizona” sparked a gold rush of studio investment across the state. The film’s $2.5 million budget and use of authentic locations set new standards for Western productions, proving that audiences craved the realism only genuine desert landscapes could provide.
Sedona: “Little Hollywood”
Sedona emerged as Arizona’s second major filmmaking hub during this period. Having played host to more than 60 Hollywood productions from the early years of cinema through the 1970s, Sedona’s impact on the film industry was significant. The red rock formations provided a dramatically different aesthetic from Tucson’s desert landscapes, attracting directors seeking more varied and colorful backdrops.
The first notable film shot in Sedona was “Call of the Canyon” (1923), based on Zane Grey’s novel. This silent film introduced Hollywood to Oak Creek Canyon’s spectacular scenery, launching Sedona’s reputation as “Little Hollywood.” By the 1940s, major studios were regularly sending crews to capture the area’s unique geological formations.
RKO Pictures in Phoenix
RKO Pictures established a semi-permanent presence in Phoenix during the 1940s, using the Camelback Mountain area for numerous productions. The studio constructed a Western town set near what is now Scottsdale, complete with false-front buildings that could be quickly reconfigured for different films. Between 1942 and 1948, RKO shot portions of 23 films in the Phoenix area, including several film noirs that used the desert’s stark landscapes to create atmospheric tension.
Monument Valley: The Quintessential Western Landscape
Perhaps no location better exemplifies Arizona’s impact on American cinema than Monument Valley. Stagecoach (1939), directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne, had an enduring influence in making the Valley famous. The story of how this remote Navajo land became Hollywood’s most iconic Western backdrop involves a determined trading post operator named Harry Goulding.
When Goulding heard on the radio that Hollywood was looking for a location to shoot a western, he and his wife Leone drove to Los Angeles with photographs of Monument Valley. His persistence paid off when he showed the images to John Ford, who immediately recognized the cinematic potential of the landscape.
Ford would return to Monument Valley for nine more films, creating what became the quintessential image of the American West. Ford returned nine times to shoot Westerns—even when the films were not set in Arizona or Utah. This creative geography didn’t matter to audiences; Monument Valley’s towering sandstone buttes became the mental image of the frontier for millions worldwide.
The Television Era and Modern Studios (1960-1980)
The 1960s brought television production to Arizona in unprecedented volumes. Old Tucson, which had been dormant between film productions, reopened as a combination movie studio and tourist attraction in 1960. This dual-purpose model proved remarkably successful, providing steady income while maintaining the authentic sets filmmakers required.
Apacheland Studio: “Western Movie Capitol of the World”
In 1959, another significant studio emerged in the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix. Construction on the Apacheland Studio ‘western town’ began on February 12, 1959 by Superstition Mountain Enterprises and associates, with the intention of creating the “Western Movie Capitol of the World”. By June 1960, Apacheland was operational, immediately attracting television productions.
Actors such as Elvis Presley, Jason Robards, Stella Stevens, Ronald Reagan, Steve McQueen, Clint Eastwood and Audie Murphy filmed western television shows and movies at the western movie studio. The facility featured a complete Western town set, soundstages, and support facilities, making it a serious competitor to Old Tucson.
“The High Chaparral” Era
Television series transformed Arizona’s film industry during this period. “The High Chaparral,” which ran from 1967 to 1971, was filmed entirely at Old Tucson and became one of NBC’s most successful Western series. The show employed hundreds of local crew members and extras, establishing Tucson as a year-round production center rather than just a seasonal location.
Southwestern Studios (Carefree Studios)
In northern Arizona, Southwestern Studios (later renamed Carefree Studios) emerged as another significant production facility. Arizona Film Commissioner Fred Graham built Southwestern Studios, featuring a 160-acre desert property with three state-of-the-art soundstages, edit bays, a 35mm screening room, make-up and production facilities, a Western street and a back lot. The studio attracted major productions, including “The New Dick Van Dyke Show” in the early 1970s.
Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni rented a home in Carefree to shoot the MGM film Zabriskie Point, with a replica of a mansion built on the Southwestern Studios lot for the special effect of blowing it up. This demonstrated how Arizona’s studios could accommodate even the most avant-garde filmmakers alongside traditional Western productions.
Challenges and Setbacks
The 1970s marked both triumph and tragedy for Arizona’s film industry. While productions flourished, disasters struck repeatedly. On May 29, 1969, a suspicious fire destroyed most of Apacheland ranch. The facility was rebuilt, only to suffer another devastating fire in 2004 that led to its permanent closure.
Sedona’s film era began to come to an end in the mid-1950s when aircraft noise from the airport on Table Top Mesa, completed in 1955, kept interfering with audio recording. Directors found it increasingly difficult to capture clean sound between takeoffs and landings, leading many productions to seek quieter locations.
The Modern Legacy and Preservation Efforts
By 1980, Arizona’s golden age of filmmaking was drawing to a close, but its impact on American cinema was indelible. The state had hosted over 500 major productions, created thousands of jobs, and established the visual vocabulary of the American West that persists to this day. Old Tucson Studios alone has been used for the filming of over 400 movies and television shows.
Economic and Cultural Impact
The economic impact of these studios extended far beyond direct employment. Hotels, restaurants, equipment rental companies, and countless other businesses thrived on the film industry’s presence. Local crews developed world-class expertise, and many Arizona residents found careers as extras, stunt performers, and technical specialists.
Today, preservation efforts ensure that Arizona’s film heritage remains accessible. Old Tucson continues to operate as both a tourist attraction and occasional filming location, though the 1995 fire destroyed irreplaceable artifacts including wardrobe from “Little House on the Prairie.” The Sedona Heritage Museum maintains extensive archives documenting the area’s film history, while the surviving structures from Apacheland have been preserved at the Superstition Mountain Museum.
Indigenous Community Relationships
The studios also left a lasting cultural impact on the communities that hosted them. Local Indigenous communities, particularly the Navajo Nation, developed ongoing relationships with filmmakers that continue today. While early representations often reflected Hollywood’s limited understanding of Native cultures, these interactions eventually led to more authentic portrayals and greater Indigenous involvement in film production.
Technical and Artistic Innovations
Arizona’s unique contribution to cinema extends beyond mere geography. The state’s filmmakers pioneered techniques for shooting in extreme desert conditions, developed innovative ways to utilize natural light, and created authentic Western architecture that influenced set design worldwide. The relationships between studios and local communities established models for location filming that the industry still follows.
Conclusion
As we look back on Arizona’s film history through 1980, we see more than just a collection of movie sets and famous faces. We see the creation of an American mythology, the development of a major industry, and the transformation of frontier towns into centers of global cultural production. The red rocks, desert vistas, and frontier towns of Arizona didn’t just provide backdrops for movies—they became characters in their own right, shaping how the world imagines the American West.
Visit the History
Historic Film Sites and Museums
📍 Old Tucson
- Address: 201 S. Kinney Road, Tucson, AZ 85735
- 📞 Phone: (520) 883-0100
- 🌐 Website: oldtucson.com
- 🕒 Hours: Check website for seasonal hours
- 💰 Admission: Adults $21.95, Children (4-11) $10.95
- ♿ Accessibility: Most areas wheelchair accessible
📍 Sedona Heritage Museum
- Address: 735 Jordan Road, Sedona, AZ 86336
- 📞 Phone: (928) 282-7038
- 🌐 Website: sedonamuseum.org
- 🕒 Hours: Daily 11 AM – 3 PM
- 💰 Admission: Adults $10, Children under 13 free
- ♿ Accessibility: Fully accessible
📍 Superstition Mountain Museum
- Address: 4087 N. Apache Trail, Apache Junction, AZ 85119
- 📞 Phone: (480) 983-4888
- 🌐 Website: superstitionmountainmuseum.org
- 🕒 Hours: Daily 9 AM – 4 PM (Closed Mondays in summer)
- 💰 Admission: Adults $5, Seniors $4, Students $3
- ♿ Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible paths
📍 Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park
- Address: U.S. Highway 163, Monument Valley, UT 84536
- 📞 Phone: (435) 727-5874
- 🌐 Website: navajonationparks.org/navajo-tribal-parks/monument-valley
- 🕒 Hours: 8 AM – 5 PM (varies by season)
- 💰 Admission: $20 per vehicle (up to 4 people)
- ♿ Accessibility: Visitor center accessible; valley tours require high-clearance vehicles
Additional Resources
📚 Further Reading and Research:
- “Arizona’s Little Hollywood” by Joe McNeill – comprehensive history of Sedona filmmaking
- Arizona Memory Project: azmemory.azlibrary.gov – historic photos and documents
- Western History Association: westernhistory.org – scholarly resources on frontier filmmaking
🎬 Upcoming Events: Check individual museum websites for film screenings and lectures
From the silent era through the television age, Arizona’s diverse landscapes and dedicated studio facilities created a filmmaking legacy that continues to influence how we see the American West. These historic sites stand as monuments to the dreamers, builders, and artists who transformed desert towns into Hollywood’s most essential backlot.
