Grauman's Chinese Theatre
6925 Hollywood Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
6925 Hollywood Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
120 people
favorited this theater
Grauman’s Chinese Theatre is arguably the most famous movie theater in the world. Opened on May 18, 1927 with Cecil B. DeMille’s “The King of Kings” starring H.B. Warner. The 2,000 seat capacity, Chinese Theatre has been the site of thousands of movie premieres and the destination of millions of tourists. Scores of celebrities have left their footprints, hand prints and hoof prints on the walkways near and on the theater’s courtyard.
In 1973, Mann Theatres bought the Chinese Theatre. Two auditoriums, each seating 750, were added next to the Chinese Theatre, turning the theatre into a triplex operation from April 12, 1979. In 2000, the two added auditoriums were razed to make way for the construction of the Kodak Theater — the new site of the Oscars.
In 2001, the original 1927 built Chinese Theatre underwent a renovation to return its exterior to its original design and Mann Theatres, in late-2001, also added an adjoining 6-screen multiplex theater, designed by the architectural firm Behr Browers Architects of Westlake, CA.
Still opulent in red tonality and Asiatic influences, Grauman’s Chinese remains the ultimate movie palace experience. The main original auditorium now seats 1,492.
In August 2009, Mann Theatres announced they were planning to put the Chinese Theatre up ‘For Sale’, and it was sold to an independent operator in April 2011.
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Recent comments (view all 1,090 comments)
Actually it’s wall to wall lunatics. Freaks in costumes who are NOT employees. Rappers who scream if you don’t buy their CD’s. And the religious kooks who stalk.
Chris Utley posted that the screen at the chinese was 60 feet and suggested they go with a larger screen. the current screen at the Chinese is 90 feet. There was a 120 foot screen installed at one time. the problem is getting enough light to fill a large screen. With 70mm and carbon arcs it was easy to do but with digital and xenon short arcs it isnt easy to fill a huge screen.
Back when they still owned it, Mann was advertising the screen as 60 feet wide. It sure ain’t 90 feet wide right now…they’d be wider than THE DOME!
In other news: looks like my final visit will be worthwhile: RED TAILS!
The new silver screen (installed in 2010 for 3D) is 73 feet wide for scope. It is not bigger then the DOME, but it is bigger then most every other large screen in the city.
Does anyone know anything about the “Graumans Chinese Theatre Tour” that the new operation has recently started up?
It’s probably not worth the $13.50 price, but I assume it likely includes normally non-public areas, and I was curious what that might be.
One odd thing is they’re scheduled frequently through the day- all during the times a film is playing. And I would think you can’t really have a tour group and its guide tramping through the auditorium while a movie is screening. Hopefully not.
The theatre tour has been running for years. It’s not a new thing.
Unless there have been dramatic changes with the new operator, the tour doesn’t involve any non public areas. It’s more about pointing out architectural details, trivia, and the general history of the theatre. While that may sound a bit disappointing, I found the tour enjoyable. If you go to the first tour of the day, prior to any showtimes, they also allow you to look around on your own (i.e. you are afforded some private time in the theatre, before they open for business). If a movie is playing during your tour, they spend less time in the auditorium (the guide communicates via a headset that is issued). I had heard there were plans to expand the tour’s coverage a bit; so, it may have changed since Mann.
Saw “Red Tails” on 1/21. Small to medium crowd. Tech top notch as usual. Theater has NO BUSINESS being reserved seating!
For the REAL history, you might look here –
http://www.angelfire.com/ri2/valleygirl/index.html
I was hoping that Grauman’s would get Phantom Menace 3D, but tickets are now on sale at arclight hollywood. Oh well.