"RKO Studios 1941"
By Larry Grossman - RetroVisions

Founded in 1929, RKO is considered to be one of the "Big five" studios from Hollywood's Golden Age. Located on the corner of Melrose Avenue and Gower Street (near the famed "Gower Gulch") in Hollywood, the studio was responsible for many classic films including "King Kong" and "Citizen Kane". It's roster of stars included Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Robert Mitchum, and John Wayne, to name a few. In the late 1940's it was run (disastrously) by Howard Hughes, and by 1957 had completely shut down production. Today the studio is part of neighboring Paramount Studios, and is used mainly for the production of TV shows. -- L.G.