Grauman's Chinese Theatre opens
Grauman's Chinese Theatre, an iconic Hollywood landmark, opened on May 18, 1927, with a spectacular event that is considered one of the most extravagant in American motion picture history. Designed by architect Raymond Kennedy, the theater features an elaborate Chinese theme, adorned with artifacts from China, including pagodas and temple bells. Its most notable aspect is the Forecourt of Stars, where the handprints and footprints of numerous Hollywood celebrities are embedded in concrete, a tradition that began shortly after its opening. The first major film screened was Cecil B. DeMille's "The King of Kings," accompanied by a live prologue and a large orchestra.
Grauman's Chinese Theatre quickly became a vital hub for film premieres, hosting the Academy Awards ceremony three times in the mid-1940s. It attracts over four million visitors annually, making it one of Hollywood's key tourist destinations. In 1968, the building was designated a historic landmark and has undergone renovations while maintaining its cultural significance. The theater stands as a testament to the rich history of American cinema, offering a tangible connection to the past through its storied architecture and celebrated celebrity imprints.
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Grauman's Chinese Theatre opens
Grauman’s Chinese Theatre is an elaborate structure whose grand opening in 1927 was the one of the most extravagant in American motion picture history. Its best-known feature is the Forecourt of Stars, where the handprints and footprints of the icons of motion picture industry are captured in concrete. The theater is one of Hollywood’s key tourist attractions, bringing in over four million visitors each year, and remains in high demand for film premieres.
On May 18, 1927, showman Sid Grauman opened the doors to the fourth of his famous Los Angeles theaters, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, to a crowd of thousands lining Hollywood Boulevard to see the arriving celebrities. Immediately preceding its first premiere, director Cecil B. DeMille’s The King of Kings, Grauman staged a live prologue entitled, “Glories of the Scriptures,” which featured a Wurlitzer organ and sixty-five-piece orchestra. The theater officially opened to the public the following day.
In 1926, after securing a lease on property along Hollywood Boulevard, Grauman began planning with architect Raymond Kennedy to realize his dream theater. Designed with an opulent Chinese theme, the theater features artifacts imported from China, including pagodas and temple bells. Several of the statuary pieces that decorate the interior of the theater were produced on site by Chinese artisans. Among the theater’s immediately recognizable attributes are the high curved walls, enormous stone dog statues known as Heaven Dogs, and lotus-shaped fountains.
Grauman’s Chinese Theatre is best known for the Forecourt of the Stars, a cement courtyard that contains the footprints, handprints, and signatures of Hollywood celebrities. Accounts differ as to how this tradition first began; actor Norma Talmadge, Mary Pickford’s dog, and Grauman himself have all been credited with having walked through wet cement, thereby inspiring the idea to create concrete slabs specifically for that purpose. Among the first stars to make their mark in the cement were actors Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. The novelty quickly became a tradition that attracts millions of visitors each year.
Impact
Grauman’s Chinese Theatre went on to host the Academy Awards ceremony three times during the mid-1940s. In 1968, the iconic building was designated a historic landmark and has since been renovated several times. The theater continues to hold film premieres and serve as a physical link with the rich and storied past of the American motion picture industry. Its famous cement imprints—from actor John Wayne’s fists to comedian Harpo Marx’s harp—are part of American popular culture and offer visitors a tangible reminder of the Hollywood of yesteryear.
Bibliography
Beardsley, Charles. Hollywood’s Master Showman: The Legendary Sid Grauman. New York: Cornwall Books, 1983.
Gomery, Douglas. Shared Pleasures: A History of Movie Presentation in the United States. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1992.
Williams, Gregory Paul. The Story of Hollywood: An Illustrated History. Malden, Mass.: Blackwell, 2005.