TCL Chinese Theatre
6925 Hollywood Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
6925 Hollywood Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
159 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1,576 - 1,600 of 1,670 comments
Wow! 78 Years Ago Today — Opened For Business!!
my best friend worked at the theater next to graumans before they tore it down.when they let him go he took the exit signs that were over the doors,he has 2 i have one,its in a asian script,so im happy with my little piece of hollywood.the last movie i saw there was rush hour 2,and the place was empty,it connected to gruamans by some kind of tunnle,i wonder if they incorprated that into the new complex.either way my friend shane got transfered to the dome,and i saw solomon birch there and that was awsome.im a little upset about the whole archlight thing,but at least they kept it.
Perhaps, but I was already in the theater a few years earlier, so it’s not like I “had” to go inside.
I’d say, spend the $10 and go inside! Who cares what’s playing. Remember, we buy tickets to theaters, not movies.
Yes, it is amazing. I was just there this past January. Althought I didn’t see a movie there this past January, I did see a movie in the Chinese Theater the last time I was in California some years ago. Unfortunately the last few times I was in California, there were always stupid movies in the Chinese Theater that i had no desire to see, so haven’t been inside for a while.
I was just in California and had the chance to see the Graumans Chinese just before the world premiere of Miss Congeniality 2. I did not stay for the walk down the red carpet, but it looked fabulous with all those lights. Though I have to admit it seemed smaller then I envisioned it. However, those footprints are great and well worth going to see. If they ran the tour that day I would go inside, but, unfortunately they didn’t. That theater is a show in itself.
KenRoe, I had no idea they were doing that extensive of renovations! That’s great news. I am very interested to see the pagoda over the door and the replica doors, as well.
Although I have not yet seen the movie, I noticed in a still from the film “The Aviator”, they have replicated the entrance of the Chinese as it looked with specially built neon signs for the movie “Hell’s Angels” in 1929. I believe the neon signs were red, and were 2 sided on both sides of the forecourt. I also found a photo of the signs at the following links. Does anyone know what other real neon signs were made just for a film title shown at the Chinese Theater?
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater3/00015760.jpg
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014618.jpg
Here is another view of the Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr signature blocks … again, notice her HUGE “and I” in comparision to his “The King” … below is another unusual “non-star” set of prints, which was Donald O'Connors mother in his block….
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014585.jpg
While on my recent visit to LA, I stopped by the Chinese (as all good theatre lovers should do! lol) and went into the adjacent gift shop. They have on sale the DVD “Hollywood at Your Feet” ‘The story of the Chinese Theatre footprints’ hosted by Raquel Welch. 53 mins running time. On the Image Entertainment label # ID0964FSDVD
Also, every 15 minutes they announce over a microphone to the crowd viewing the footprints that they can come into the theatre lobby where one of the staff tells you a little about the history of the theatre and you can take photo’s. Of course the movie is screening in the auditorium so you’re not allowed any further inside. 2 Dollars goes to childrens charity as an entry fee to this short tour.
Restoration work continues on the building with the help and advice of Hollywood Heritage. Recent work completed is the new screen curtain which replicates the original Chinese patterned curtain and replaces the plain red drapes that have been in use the past 40 years or so. Also with help from photographs taken at the time of opening, new replica entrance doors have been made and are now in place. They were designed by studio craftsmen at Warner Brothers studios and look terrific with patterns in real gold leaf etc. A small pagoda has also been replaced over the front entrance. The original disappeared many years ago. Next job is apperently to sort out the electric wiring at the theatre and re-light circuits of decorative lighting that has been out of commission for many years.
You’re welcome, Christian. That’s the first photo I posted to the web – I’m glad it worked. I hope you find your book. I’m looking forward to reading some of those stories.
Hey Bill… Thanks for posting… the photo is great! I think the story of those blocks rate among the best stories of the forecourt. I have a book all about the prints at the theater somewhere in storage. I will try to find it and post some of the other legendary stories. The book also gives the dates and ceremony info. It is long out of print. Has anyone else seen the book?
Maybe this link will work better:
View link
Here’s a link to a picture I took in 2003 of the “King and I” footprint block. I hope it works:
View link
In one scene in the new flick ‘Be Cool’, John Travolta and Uma Thurman are shown driving away from the Million Dollar Theater, while the follow-up shot is of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. (Also, on prominent display on the Grauman’s marquee, via either stock footage or some sort of homage, is title signage from 1987’s ‘The Untouchables’.)
I heard it was an actress too.
Hi Gustavelifting… I understood it was Norma Talmadge who was being given the tour by Sid Grauman and it was poor Norma who made the mis-step. Her square is very prominant in front of the entrance doorway.
William, that is great information! I also have another tidbit concerning Yul Brynner’s square. At the time of the premier for “The King and I”, which also starred Deborah Kerr, it was said the 2 were not on speaking terms and quite angry with each other because each thought they deserved top billing in the film. Yul apparently was asked to come to place his prints first, so he had his ceremony and wrote “THE KING” along the top of his square in huge letters. When Deborah placed her prints in the cement in a separate ceremony a short time later next to his, she wrote “AND I” in letters that were even larger than Yul’s. If that is a true story, it sure is a good one, because after seeing their squares in person, it looks like it could have happend that way. Her “AND I” is absolutely gigantic! Have you heard that one?
According to the play I mentioned earlier, A DAY IN HOLLYWOOD/ A NIGHT IN THE UKRAINE, Grauman got the idea for the footprints when he accidentally stepped back into wet cement while watching the masons laying the pavement. Is that an accurate account? Did they take artistic liberties?
Another square that is missing from the forecourt is the one Charlie Chaplin did in January of 1928 for the opening of his film “The Circus”. At some point during the Senator Joseph McCarthy hearings in the early 1950’s, the hate campaign directed at Chaplin resulted in his square being removed. One story has it that Fox West Coast Theatres the operators of the Chinese Theatre, became tried of the nuisance of cleaning up the daily vandalism of his square.
Also the first square that Jean Hersholt did with the Dionne Quintuplets in October of 1938. Was replaced with a pair of squares for stars Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour. Jean Hersholt later did a second square in October of 1949.
On Edward Purdom’s square it was later replaced by Yul Brynner’s square. The story has it that Fox West Coast Theatres decreed that Purdom’s square should be removed on “Moral Grounds” as he had become romantically involved with Linda Christan, who at the time was married to (Fox star) Tyrone Power. The affair caused a considerable scandal for the time. And also shows the power and pull of the Studio had.
A set of imprints were done for just promotional purposes for the film “Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo” in 1977 of Herbie the Love Bug car.
GrauMann, thanks for the details. I think Rhonda Fleming, who was Mr. Mann’s wife, is still there, but I cannot be sure. She sure was a fine actress, however, and don’t think her name should be removed. Her square was just to the left hand side of the main doorway. She is still on the unofficial map of the forecourt.
William, I recall “The Egyptian”. It was a magnificent technicolor epic which also starred Jean Simmons and Victor Mature. The name of the star was “Edmund Purdom” (who replaced Marlon Brando when he turned down the role). If they took his name away, that’s a real shame. He is still alive and well in Europe and has been living in Rome and has been making films in that country for the last few decades. He will be 80 years old this year. Wouldn’t it be great if we could get him to come back and re-do his slab? “The Egyptian” is available on DVD and even the soundtrack co-written by Bernard Hermann and Alfred Newman is available on Amazon. It’s an incredible score.
There is one name that comes to mind, Edward Purdom that his footprints removed from the forecourt in the late 50’s. He was one of the stars in the Fox Feature “The Egyptian” (1954).
Hi Jim and RobertR, As far as I know, no names have been removed to make way for someone else (although it is possible for another reason) and we have never run out of room in the forecourt yet.
If memory serves me, 1 or 2 of the stars did put their prints in the cement, and because it was not prepared correctly those squares crumbled in a short while, so those stars were asked back to put their prints in cement once more, although I don’t believe with a second ceremony. Although there are a couple of hundred stars whos names are imprinted, there is still cement left in the forecourt for more, but the ceremony is now only reserved for major movie stars only (although I am not sure how they judge that criteria).
When the Chinese Theater was restored 3 or 4 years ago, they removed a long awning that ran for many years from the sidewalk to the main entrance… that opened up some concrete patches, then they also removed some palm trees. In these areas, there is new space to add future names.
There is a page that has a map of the forecourt and where to find the stars…. if you look at the map, you will see a light blue area around the footprint squares… that is aprox. how much room is left. Perhaps 2/3 to ¾ of the space has been used so far. It should last a little while longer …..
View link
Jim
I always wondered also how they have not run out of room all these years if they did not move some of them.
Does anyone know if it is true that various celebrities' names in concrete in the forecort have been removed to allow room for latter day stars' imprints? If so, which?
Thank you, Christian, for that great photograph. I always enjoy seeing the photos of the stage shows these theatres used to have, even if it’s just to see what I have missed (sigh). “Footlight Parade”, by the way, is one of my favorite films!
I found a wonderful photograph of the “Etude Ethiopian Chorus” onstage at Grauman’s Chinese theater performing a live musical prologue that came just before the showing of the movie “TRADER HORN”… the photo is dated 1931….
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics04/00001962.jpg
There is a movie about a company that performs prologues for movie theaters… and it contains some great muscial numbers by Busby Berkeley that could not possibly be performed on a real stage. The movie is called “Footlight Parade” and starred James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Dick Powell, and Ruby Keeler from 1933. Future stars Dorothy LaMour and Ann Southern played chorus girls and were not credited in the titles.
Does anyone know other prologues that were performed at the Chinese Theater or any other theater and perhaps how common they were?
Many people have wondered if the theatre building shown in the MAJESTIC film were actual theatres dressed for the sake of the movie, and the answer to this is ‘no’; both the exterior and the interiors were very elaborate sets actually crafted to “give homage” to Hollywood’s EGYPTIAN theatre (hence the strange mixture of Art Deco, Baroque, and Egyptian decor) and because the director spent part of his youth as an usher in movie palaces. From the extraordinary details one can, when viewing stills on the DVD of the film, notice e