Grauman’s Chinese Theatre
Grauman’s Chinese Theatre (Grauman’s Chinese Theatre) is a 1,162-seat movie theater located on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. Sid Grauman, producer, movie boss and weirdo, built it in 1927 in the shape of a Chinese pagoda and opened the theater with the premiere of the film Sun Valley Serenade. In September 2007, Grauman’s Chinese Theater was purchased by CIM Group, the largest commercial real estate owner in Hollywood.
Video: Grauman’s Chinese Theater
General Information
The Grauman’s Theater attained the status of an important site of historical and cultural significance in 1968. The theater has been meticulously restored several times before being presented to numerous audiences. It traditionally hosts the premieres of many Hollywood films, which bring together film fans and world-class movie stars.
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In Grauman’s Theater, generations of legendary filmmakers have left their prints in cement: feet, palms, dreadlocks (Whoopi Goldberg) and even magic wands (young stars of the Harry Potter films). Actors dressed up as Superman, Marilyn Monroe, etc. pose for photos (for a tip) and will probably offer you free tickets to a TV show.
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The theater building itself is already a notable feature, as its 30-foot green bronze roof stands out prominently among the other structures. The entrance to the theater is guarded by an enormous dragon and two watchdogs. Many of the exterior and interior elements were brought from China or made by Chinese craftsmen, for Grauman’s Theater is a symbol and embodiment of Chinese culture and worldview in Hollywood.
.Grauman’s Chinese Theater hosts movie premieres almost every day, involving some of the biggest stars in the action. The theater is also known for its main entrance, as it is near the part of the Alley of Stars where the hand and footprints of the most famous movie stars are imprinted into the sidewalk.
While the nearby Walk of Stars is littered with nameplates, most of which are known only to Americans, there are many more names familiar to residents of every other continent. At the foot of the red pagoda, stars have been dipping their hands and feet in cement since the 1920s. Some were original and put guns, horseshoes, lips, noses, hair and cigars on the sidewalk. Looking at these strange seals, one realizes that unlike the flashy pseudo-gold plaques of the Alley of Stars, this is the real history of cinema.
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The idea of preserving forever the footprints and palm prints of stars came to Sid Grauman at the end of the construction of the theater quite unexpectedly. One could say that chance gave him the idea.
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In the spring of 1927, when work was being done around the theater to make improvements, Mr. Grauman came to Mr. Grauman famous actress Norma Talmadge She was in a hurry and, running on a wooden deck, accidentally stepped on the sidewalk, where the cement has not yet set. At that moment Grauman realized that there was something that will always attract film lovers, tourists, and even gawkers to his brainchild. The famous producer offered famous actors to do the same, but for money – for $2000. Now the amount of the fee has risen to $ 10,000, but on the site in front of the Chinese Theater is no longer a place, prints are rarely made, content with honorary stars, which are laid in the sidewalk of Hollywood Boulevard.
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Nearly two hundred stars have left their footprints in the courtyard of Hollywood’s premier movie theater over the decades. Among them are Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, and many others. Since the death of the theater’s founder, the tradition has continued, but the system by which a celebrity is chosen has not been revealed. Today, there are about 200 celebrity prints in front of Grauman’s Theater.
.To get into the Chinese theater you need to banal buy a movie ticket or attend a guided tour of the theater. Prices are quite democratic.
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