Warner Bros. Studio Tour Brings the Magic of Old Hollywood But Leaves Out the Dirt

You’re standing under towering palm trees, the  Southern California sun hitting your eyes, the faint hum of movie soundtracks echoing through your mind.

It’s a cacophany of sights and sounds, mixed with your own memories. There’s even a distinct smell. Is it from the Bay Laurels on that western horizon, the sunlight hitting their leaves? Or just the smell of California? Whatever it is, the studio air seems to have its own signature scent that says “you’ve left where ever you came from and come back to the place that made you what you are.”

Hollywood.

But it’s not Hollywood. It’s Burbank.

And it’s almost impossible to take it all in. And it’s impossible to remember all the things you want to remember, what you’re hoping to see and even what you do see. It’s just so much. So much happened here. So much of who you are and what you became started right here.

Because this is the place that helped shape us as Americans. Every one of us. Whether we like it or not.

“Is that statue really from ‘House of Wax’ with Vincent Price?

“Yes it is.”

“Can I touch it?”

“Yes.”

This is a gathering of ghosts and relics. 

The ghosts are those of the Old Hollywood stars who walked these alleys while making films like Casablanca, Now Voyager, East of Eden and multiple versions of A Star is Born. The relics are their costumes and lamps and tables, their kewpie dolls, swords and pirate thrones. So much stuff they may or may not have touched. Dating back to silent films.(And yes, there’s plenty of newer attractions for the whole family – from the Friends set to Batman. But me? As a ’30s-film obsessed nut, I want to see where William Powell robbed Kay Francis in Jewel Robbery!)

It’s also the place of Bugs Bunny and the Jetsons. The pens they were drawn with and the transparent sheets of celluloid where they started to come to life. And just about every freaking television show you ever saw growing up was recorded here before it was drilled into your brain via movie theaters and television sets.

It’s where the John Boy and his siblings ran down the dirt road to meet pa. Where the great costume designer Cecil Beaton made sure Audrey Hepburn was transformed into the perfect member of English society in “My Fair Lady.” Where Errol Flynn pulled on his tights to steal from the rich and give to the poor. And so much more.

From lush jungles and serene lagoons to bustling backlots and prop houses packed with pieces of Hollywood’s history, the Warner Bros. studio tour is a curated playground for film lovers and pop culture fans alike.

Ok breathe…

If you’re a fan of Old Hollywood, cult movies, or simply curious about the history of it all, this tour gives you a glimpse into Warner Bros.’ storied past and shows you the magic of movie-making up close. Sort of.

You’re not going to be entering a working set. But you may see extras dressed in hospital garb having a break and scrolling their phones outside a sound stage. We did.

Love old movies and everything Old Hollywood but can’t make it to Burbank any time soon?

We’ve got you covered. Get ready to dive into the rich history, behind-the-scenes stories, and fascinating film trivia that make the Warner Bros. Studio Tour an unforgettable adventure.

You’ll meander through a tropical forest where John Wayne once fought in Green Berets, explore the lagoon where Natalie Wood made a splash in The Great Race, and glide down Midwest Street, transformed over the decades into countless small towns, western streets, and even fantasy villages.

The Story of Warner Bros. – From Small Beginnings to Hollywood Fame

Before we dive into the sights, let’s rewind to the early 1900s, when Warner Bros. was just a dream for four ambitious brothers: Harry, Albert, Sam, and Jack Warner. Immigrants from Poland, they began by showing films with a borrowed projector, traveling town to town to entertain audiences with silent films. Their passion for cinema grew quickly, and by 1918, the brothers had established their first studio in Hollywood, on Sunset Boulevard.

The real breakthrough came in 1927 with The Jazz Singer, the first feature-length movie with synchronized sound. Sam Warner championed the idea of synchronized sound for film, convincing his brothers to take the risk on this revolutionary technology. The gamble paid off, and The Jazz Singer became a sensation, propelling Warner Bros. to the forefront of the film industry. Soon, Warner Bros. was producing some of the biggest stars and most memorable movies of the era, from gritty dramas to iconic gangster films.

By the 1930s, Warner Bros. was one of Hollywood’s “Big Five” studios, known for its ability to create stars and explore socially relevant themes. Jack Warner, the youngest brother, took control of the studio in the 1950s and led it to even greater heights, overseeing classics like Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, and Rebel Without a Cause. Today, Warner Bros. is an entertainment giant, expanding beyond film into television, digital media, and theme parks. This studio tour offers a glimpse into that storied legacy and the movies that have become part of American culture.

Hollywood Goes to War: Warner Bros. in WWII

Warner Bros. played a notable role during WWII, as Hollywood became deeply involved in wartime efforts. When the United States entered the war, the Warner brothers dedicated their resources to support the troops and boost morale on the home front. They produced dozens of propaganda films and training videos for the military, helping instill a sense of patriotism across the nation. Movies like Casablanca, though not an official propaganda film, struck a powerful chord with audiences, promoting ideals of sacrifice and loyalty in wartime.

This period also marked a shift in Warner Bros.’ reputation. Known for their gritty realism, they leveraged this talent to create films that showed both the heroism and tragedy of war. The studio even sent stars like Humphrey Bogart and Errol Flynn on tours to entertain the troops, and many Warner Bros. employees enlisted to serve, further intertwining the studio’s legacy with America’s wartime history. The Warner Bros. Studio Tour reflects this patriotic legacy, with WWII-era memorabilia featured in various displays.

The Jungle and Lagoon: Warner’s Tropical Filming Locations

Our first stop is the Warner Bros. jungle set, a rare gem and one of the few remaining jungle backlots in Hollywood. Built in the 1950s, this jungle was created as Warner Bros.’ answer to other studios’ similar sets. Unlike many Hollywood jungle backlots that have been replaced by offices or sound stages, Warner’s jungle has stood the test of time. With over 250 plant species carefully maintained by the studio’s greens department, it’s a living, breathing part of the lot, complete with a towering bamboo grove planted in the 1960s.

This jungle has represented countless locations in film and television. The Green Berets with John Wayne used it as a stand-in for Vietnam, while Kung Fu with David Carradine filmed various outdoor scenes here. You might also recognize parts of the jungle from The Waltons, where it doubled as the forests of Virginia. Interestingly, before this jungle was fully established, Warner Bros. transformed the Southern California woods into the Southeast Asian jungle in Objective Burma with Errol Flynn.

Beyond the jungle is Warner Bros.’ lagoon, a body of water that holds over a quarter of a million gallons. With heated coils beneath the lagoon, the water stays at a warm 85°F, keeping actors comfortable during scenes. The lagoon takes about eight hours to fill and ten hours to drain, making it one of the studio’s most versatile sets. It appeared in The Great Race, starring Natalie Wood, and also in Days of Wine and Roses, where it was featured as the shore of a lakeside amusement park.

Warner Village: From Western Frontier to Production Hub

Moving on, you’ll enter the Warner Village, a part of the lot that once hosted the famous Western town known as Laramie Street. This area was built in the early 1950s for television as the Western genre boomed, showcasing shows like Cheyenne with Clint Walker. Laramie Street became a go-to filming location for Warner’s other Westerns, including Bonanza, Colt .45, and Maverick, helping define the Western genre in American television.

As the studio’s needs evolved, so did Laramie Street. By the 1990s, it had transformed into Warner Village, featuring charming houses that today serve as production offices and writers’ rooms. While the facades remain the same, the interiors are filled with offices instead of kitchens and living rooms. Warner Village has even played a small role in modern TV, with shows like Night Court (the reboot of the original 1980s series) using the space for production. Decorated for Halloween, the houses add a touch of seasonal charm, though contrary to popular belief, Beetlejuice was not filmed here.

Midwest Street: Hollywood’s Quintessential Small Town

Midwest Street is one of the most versatile and frequently used backlots at Warner Bros., doubling as a small town in countless productions. This charming street features classic Americana storefronts, a church, a police station, and a quintessential town square. Over the years, filmmakers have used it to portray towns in movies like East of Eden, where James Dean famously roamed the streets, and Lucky Me with Doris Day.

 

One of the more unusual uses of Midwest Street was in The Swarm, a late-1970s disaster movie in which killer bees terrorize a small town. Olivia de Havilland starred as a schoolteacher on Midwest Street, a role that added an unexpected element of horror to this otherwise serene setting. This area was also used in The Waltons TV series, where it became part of the fictional Virginia town in which the Walton family lived.

For fans of Cool Hand Luke, Midwest Street has even served as a place of small-scale rebellion. The film’s opening scene, where Paul Newman’s character is cutting the heads off parking meters, was filmed here, with the quaint surroundings adding an ironic touch to Luke’s defiant act.

Termite Terrace: Birthplace of Looney Tunes

One of the coolest stops on the tour is the home of Warner Bros. Animation and the legendary Looney Tunes characters like Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. Originally housed in a run-down, termite-infested building on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, Termite Terrace became synonymous with the creativity and innovation that Warner Bros. brought to animation. By the 1950s, the studio had moved its animation department here to the Warner lot, where a new building (131) with ample lighting allowed animators to create in better conditions.

This is where Chuck Jones and his team worked on What’s Opera, Doc?, often regarded as one of the greatest animated shorts of all time.

The spirit of creativity extended beyond animation, too. The animators were known for their playful pranks on each other and even on their bosses. In one legendary story, they installed a light switch at the secretary’s desk that controlled the lights in the animators’ room. When the boss entered, the secretary would turn on the lights, signaling the animators to look like they’d been goofing off, much to the boss’s frustration.

The Prop House: A Treasure Trove of Movie Magic

A highlight of the tour is the Warner Bros. Prop House, home to one of Hollywood’s largest collections of movie memorabiliaAlthough the original Maltese Falcon statues are long gone (reportedly stolen after filming wrapped), the Prop House contains countless treasures from Warner’s history. Notable items include the chair and desk that Rock Hudson used in Giant, the chandelier from The Letter with Bette Davis, and even a throne used by Errol Flynn in Captain Blood.

The Prop House is so extensive that other studios often rent pieces for their own productions. It’s filled with everything from vintage jukeboxes to grand pianos and statues, each with its own cinematic story. From Warner’s golden era to recent films, every corner reveals a piece of history, whether it’s a leg lamp from A Christmas Story or items from The Incredible Mr. Limpet.

The Oval Office Set: The Presidential Stage

Warner Bros.’ replica of the Oval Office is one of the most popular sets on the tour. Originally built for The West Wing, this replica is used by multiple productions needing a realistic White House setting. Complete with doubles and triples of each item, the set’s level of detail makes it perfect for any project requiring a presidential backdrop. This set remains one of Warner Bros.’ most frequently rented spaces, offering productions from other studios the chance to capture that authentic Oval Office look.

What you Won’t See on the Tour: The “Other Side” of Jack Warner

While the Warner Bros. Studio Tour celebrates the studio’s glamorous history, Jack Warner’s personal story reveals a more controversial side. Known for his ruthless business tactics, Warner famously betrayed his own brothers by secretly buying out their shares to gain control of the studio in the 1950s. The move led to a family rift that was never fully healed.

Jack Warner was also known for his strict approach to contracts, keeping actors under restrictive terms that limited their creative control. Stars like Bette Davis and James Cagney famously took Warner to court over contract disputes. Warner was also rumored to be part of Hollywood’s “casting couch” culture, in which aspiring actresses were pressured into compromising situations for roles. This side of his legacy is rarely mentioned but adds a layer of complexity to his role in Hollywood history.

While the Warner Bros. Studio Tour highlights the cinematic achievements of Jack Warner and his legendary studio, there’s a lot about the man himself that stays under wraps. Beyond the glitz and glamor of the silver screen, Jack Warner was known as a shrewd, ruthless, and sometimes downright controversial figure in Hollywood.

The Great Warner Family Feud

Jack Warner didn’t exactly have a “family first” mentality. In fact, he famously betrayed his own brothers. In the early 1950s, Warner orchestrated a secret deal to buy out the shares of his brothers, Harry and Albert, under the guise of a company-wide sale. Once they were out of the picture, Jack quickly took back control, leaving his brothers feeling deceived and sidelined. This scandalous maneuver soured his relationship with his family for the rest of his life.

The Union-Busting Mogul

Jack Warner was no friend to Hollywood unions. During the rise of labor movements in the 1930s and ’40s, Warner was known for his fierce opposition to unionization efforts among studio workers. In 1945, he clashed with the Screen Actors Guild in a massive strike, refusing to budge on worker demands and sending in strikebreakers to shut down picket lines. For a man who built his empire on the backs of talented artists and hardworking crew members, Warner’s labor disputes cast a shadow on his legacy.

Underhanded Business Tactics

A master of Hollywood deal-making, Warner was also infamous for his unscrupulous tactics. He was known for reneging on contracts, manipulating contracts in his favor, and firing actors on a whim if they dared to defy him. Bette Davis and James Cagney were among the many stars who went to court to fight Warner’s draconian contracts. For Warner, controlling talent was just another business strategy—even if it meant facing the wrath of his biggest stars.

The Man Behind the “Dream Factory

While he was celebrated for his vision, Jack Warner’s perfectionism often bordered on cruelty. Known for a short temper and an iron grip on his studio, Warner was demanding, micromanaging, and, at times, downright harsh. He reportedly had little patience for failure and wasn’t above berating employees to get results. The Warner Bros. Studio may have been a “dream factory,” but behind the scenes, it sometimes felt more like a dictatorship.

Hollywood’s Party King:

Warner’s personal life had its share of scandals, too. Known for his hard-partying lifestyle, Jack Warner’s extravagant tastes and penchant for celebrity affairs were legendary. His lavish parties were notorious in Hollywood, complete with a who’s who guest list and flowing champagne. Though he was a family man on paper, Warner’s flirtations and rumored dalliances with young starlets added a hint of scandal to his name.

The Dark Legacy of the “Casting Couch”

One of Hollywood’s most notorious open secrets was the “casting couch”—a euphemism for the practice of studio executives using their power to solicit sexual favors from aspiring actors, particularly young actresses, in exchange for roles. Jack Warner, like several other high-ranking Hollywood moguls of his time, has been linked to this darker side of the industry.While the term “casting couch” has become synonymous with the abuse of power in Hollywood, it was a disturbingly common practice in the early studio days.

Young women, eager to break into show business, were often placed in compromising situations, with career opportunities dangled in front of them as a way to exert control. Jack Warner, as head of Warner Bros., was reportedly part of this toxic culture. It’s said that he and other executives would invite actresses to “audition” in private settings, making it clear that complying with their advances could help secure a role.

While Jack Warner may have faced his share of criticism over the decades, the studio lot tour wouldn’t be what it is today without his influence. So don’t let him bum. you out.

The tour offers an immersive, behind-the-scenes experience that showcases the magic of filmmaking and remains a must-see for movie and TV enthusiasts alike. Click here to book your tour!