The Forgotten Hollywood on the Palisades: A Complete History of Ideal Film Studios
The Forgotten Hollywood on the Palisades A Complete History of Ideal Film Studios Nestled atop the cliffs of North Bergen, New Jersey, just east of Bull's Ferry Road and overlooking the Manhattan skyline, once stood a cinematic dream carved from glass, steel, and ambition: Ideal Film Laboratories and Studios. From its inception in 1915 to its fiery demise in 1953, the story of Ideal Studios is one of bold beginnings, legendary visitors, cinematic firsts, dramatic collapses, and an enduring mystery cloaked in smoke. Act I: The Dream Takes Shape (1915–1916) It began with a land deal. On July 28, 1915, Anna and Fred Treis sold two adjacent parcels on the eastern edge of Bull's Ferry Road to a new venture, The Ideal Film Laboratories and Studios. The site was perched on the brink of the Palisades, promising natural backdrops and stunning views of the Hudson River. By early January 1916, local papers reported on a studio of unprecedented scale and fireproof construction. With 14...
