What Was the First Movie Theater in Los Angeles?

Movie Theater|Theater

The first movie theater in Los Angeles was the Electric Theater, which opened on April 2, 1902. Located near Broadway and Hill Streets, it was the first motion picture theater in the city.

It was owned by S.I. Wadsworth and managed by D.W. Griffith.

The Electric Theater was a small, three-story building with seating for about 200 people and a projection booth at the top of the theater. It featured short films and live vaudeville acts during its two-year stint in Los Angeles before closing down due to competition from larger theaters that had sprung up in the area.

For most of its existence, movies were considered a passing fad and were often seen as low-brow entertainment compared to legitimate theater or vaudeville shows. However, the popularity of movies soon began to grow and movie theaters started to pop up across the city. By 1910 there were over 100 movie theaters in downtown Los Angeles alone and Hollywood had become a major center for film production.

The Electric Theater may have been the first movie theater in Los Angeles, but it wasn’t the last one either; it was just one of many that opened up around this time as people’s interest in movies grew rapidly. Theaters such as The Orpheum, The Million Dollar Theater, The Palace Theatre, and Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre all followed suit and continued to give moviegoers an enjoyable experience for years to come.

Although it may have been forgotten over time due to its relatively short lifespan compared to other theaters of its time, The Electric Theater will always be remembered as being one of Los Angeles’ very first movie houses – paving the way for what would eventually become a major industry in Hollywood.

Conclusion: What Was The First Movie Theater In Los Angeles? The Electric Theater was the first movie theater in Los Angeles when it opened on April 2nd 1902 near Broadway and Hill Streets; although it only lasted two years due to competition from larger theaters popping up around town at that time; its contribution gave way to Hollywood becoming a major center for films production with over 100 theaters downtown by 1910 already open in LA alone!