In 1915, Clune purchased forty acres of land near Hollywood Memorial
Park and built a soundstage for making movies. When United Artists was
formed, the production office moved to the studio and lensed a handful
of films on that lot. In 1922, Columbia Pictures occupied the lot,
followed by Inspiration Pictures, Lillian & Dorothy Gish Productions,
among others. Today Raleigh Studios occupies that parcel of land. Known
as a multi-millionaire, Clune was known for his vast wealth, due mostly
from real estate investments and his vision in the growing motion
picture industry. He began with a penny arcade, later building a
theater and purchasing what was then called the Philharmonic Auditorium
and later owned a number of theaters in Los Angeles and the surrounding
area.
