Originally Universal Studios specialised in melodramas, serials and westerns. The studio later become known for its series of monster films such as Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Wolf Man and Creature from the Black Lagoon.

The studio continued to be a famliy-run company and focussed on low-budget films with tried and true formulas. Universal was one of the last studios to move to Technicolor. It was also known for several high profile star contracts including Doris Day and Alfred Hitchcock.

The successful animated character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit was owned by Universal, even though it had been designed in part by Walt Disney. A fallout between Disney and Universal over the character lead to the launch of the Walt Disney Studios and the creation of Mickey Mouse.

The company is now part of NBCUniversal, itself owned by General Electric and home of the television network NBC, responsible for such hits at Days of Our Lives, Law & Order, 30 Rock and The Apprentice.

The studio also began offering public tours of it's production facilities and has since grown into the third largest amusement park operator in the world, after Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and Merlin Entertainments Group. Universal Parks and Resorts now operates theme parks in Hollywood, Florida, Japan and Singapore, with plans to open further parks in Dubai and South Korea.

Universal Studios is responsible for such iconic and beloved film franchises as Airport, Jaws, Back to the Future, Jurassic Park, American Pie, The Fast and the Furious and The Bourne Identity.

Universal's Biggest Worldwide Earners:
Jurassic Park - $914.7 million
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial - $792.9 million
Fast and Furious 5 - $626.1 million

Upcoming Universal Releases:
The Lorax - March 29, 2012
American Reunion - April 5, 2012
Battleship - April 18, 2012
Snow White and the Huntsman - June 21, 2012
The Bourne Legacy - August 16, 2012

Check out this highlights reel of Universal's 100 year history.