Tower TheatreOpened in 1927, the Tower Theatre at 8th & Broadway was commissioned by H.L. Gumbiner, who would go on to build the Los Angeles Theatre as well. It was the first theatre designed by architect S. Charles Lee.

But that is not what makes this theatre part of film history. In 1927, Warner Bros. was about to release one of the world’s first movies with synchronized sound, The Jazz Singer, starring Al Jolson. Producers were nervous and wanted to do a secret test screening, so the Tower Theatre became one of the first theaters in the world to be wired for sound. The audience was awestruck. It was the birth of what was at the time called “talkies,” but it was a revolution in movie making. It was also the end of many silent movie actors’ careers that could not transition to sound. The Tower was also one of the first theaters in the USA to have what we today would consider modern air conditioning.

The Tower Theatre stopped being used as a theater in 1988. From the 1970s through 2018, the interior or exterior of the theater was used in almost a dozen movies and TV shows.

In 2015, DTLA Rising reported that Apple was interested in leasing the Tower Theatre for a flagship retail store. Refurbishment and renovation began in 2020, and Apple opened the new store on June 24, 2021. Given reality, it seems appropriate that a theater on the cutting edge of technology at its beginning would now have a tech giant occupying its space. The Tower Theatre as it exists today in 2025

Opened in 1927, the Tower Theatre at 8th & Broadway was commissioned by H.L. Gumbiner, who would go on to build the Los Angeles Theatre as well. It was the first theatre designed by architect S. Charles Lee. 

But that is not what makes this theatre part of film history. In 1927, Warner Bros. was about to release one of the world’s first movies with synchronized sound, The Jazz Singer, starring Al Jolson. Producers were nervous and wanted to do a secret test screening, so the Tower Theatre became one of the first theaters in the world to be wired for sound. The audience was awestruck. It was the birth of what was at the time called “talkies,” but it was a revolution in movie making. It was also the end of many silent movie actors’ careers that could not transition to sound. The Tower was also one of the first theaters in the USA to have what we today would consider modern air conditioning. 

The Tower Theatre stopped being used as a theater in 1988. From the 1970s through 2018, the interior or exterior of the theater was used in almost a dozen movies and TV shows.  

The Tower Theater in 2014 being used a retail store

In 2015, DTLA Rising reported that Apple was interested in leasing the Tower Theatre for a flagship retail store. Refurbishment and renovation began in 2020, and Apple opened the new store on June 24, 2021.

The Tower Theatre in October 2020 undergoing renovation to become an Apple Store

Much of the original lobby remains as can be seen when you enter the flagship Apple Store. 

 Given reality, it seems appropriate that a theater on the cutting edge of cinema technology at its beginning would now have a tech giant occupying its space.

The apple store main floor and the original balcony that now is host to the apple genius bar and seating area. 

All 3 exterior photos were taken with different camera and lens combinations including the 2014 photo taken with Canon 60D with a Tokina AT-X 124 12-24mm lens, while the interior photos of the Apple store space were taken with an iPhone 15 Pro Max. It didn’t feel right using a camera inside an Apple store when I had two late-model iPhones in my pockets.

If you use apple products and you are an apple fan, this is a destination store and a must visit whether you live in LA or are just visiting.  

View of the main sales floor from the Genius Bar

in 2027 I will probably post an update about the theatre turning 100! 

All photos copyright Michael Burnham