TCL Chinese Theatre
6925 Hollywood Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
6925 Hollywood Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
155 people
favorited this theater
Related Websites
Chinese Theatres (Official)
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Fox West Coast Theatres, Grauman, Mann Theatres, United Artists Theater Circuit Inc.
Architects: Phillip W. Holler, Raymond M. Kennedy, Mendel Meyer
Firms: BB Architects, Behr Browers Architects, Meyer & Holler
Functions: Movies (Film Festivals), Movies (First Run)
Styles: Oriental
Previous Names: Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Mann's Chinese Theatre
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
323.461.3331
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Sep 18, 2013 — TCL Chinese renovation unveiled
- Jul 31, 2013 — Pantages shops naming rights
- Apr 12, 2013 — IMAX coming to the TCL Chinese
- Feb 9, 2013 — Renovations loom for the TCL Chinese Theatre
- Jan 12, 2013 — China firm buys naming rights to Grauman's Chinese Theatre
- May 23, 2012 — Celebrating the Original STAR WARS on its 35th Anniversary
- Dec 29, 2011 — Movie star prints' futures not set in cement
- Oct 18, 2011 — Happy 50th, "West Side Story"
- Jun 12, 2011 — New Photo Page!
- Jun 1, 2011 — We've added over 1,500 movie theater photos
- Apr 29, 2011 — Grauman's Chinese Theatre sold
- Aug 26, 2010 — "Windjammer" screening at Cinerama Dome
- Aug 12, 2009 — Grauman's Chinese for sale
- Jan 23, 2009 — D-BOX scores deal to bring rumbling chairs to Mann Theatres
- Dec 5, 2008 — Mann's Chinese gets "3-D sound" system
- Dec 4, 2008 — 3D sports could be next big thing
- Oct 10, 2008 — Remembering Cinerama (Part VI)
- Sep 5, 2007 — Hollywood's Famous Grauman's Chinese Theater sold
- Jul 9, 2007 — TRON...Happy 25th!
- May 25, 2007 — Happy 30th, Star Wars!
- Nov 17, 2006 — Five L.A. area showcase theaters go NEC Digital
- Apr 5, 2005 — Cinema Treasures Adds Google Maps
- Sep 2, 2004 — The Movie Palace Series: Gallery (Part Two)
- Mar 22, 2004 — Barbie Loves Cinema Treasures?
- Jan 9, 2004 — Sid Grauman and the Courtyard Theatres Event at the Egyptian
- Nov 25, 2003 — Southern California Cameos
The Chinese Theatre is arguably the most famous movie theatre in the world. It opened as Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on May 18, 1927 with Cecil B. DeMille’s “The King of Kings” starring H.B. Warner and a stage prologue “Glories of the Scripture” which had a cast of 200. Seating was provided for 2,200, all on a single sloping floor (apart from a private box located at the rear, to the left of the projection box overhanging the rear orchestra seating). The theatre was equipped with a Wurlitzer 3 manual 17 ranks theatre organ which was opened by organist Frederick Burr Scholl, and accompanied the 65-piece symphony orchestra conducted by Constantine Bakaleinikoff. The 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 theatre’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 Theatre – the new site of the annual Oscar presentations.
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 theatre, designed by the architectural firm Behr Browers Architects of Westlake, CA. Seating capacities in the six new screens are: 459, 177, 177, 177, 177, 279.
Still opulent in red tonality and Asiatic influences, the main original auditorium of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre remains the ultimate movie palace experience, and now seats 1,162.
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. In January 2013, the naming rights were sold to television manufacturer Television China Ltd., and it was renamed TCL Chinese Theatre.
The main original auditorium was closed at the end of April 2013. Renovations by the architectural firm Blair Ballard Architects to turn the historic auditorium into a 986-seat IMAX theatre, with a 46 foot tall x 94 foot wide screen were completed on September 15, 2013 when the world premiere of the updated 1939 classic movie “The Wizard of Oz-3D” was screened on the giant IMAX screen.
On November 2, 2021 a vote was passed at a Planning and Management Land Use Committee (PLUM) meeting of the city council to re-zone the TCL Chinese Theatre for high to medium residential use.
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Recent comments (view all 1,663 comments)
I am puzzled by RogerA’s comment, there are quite a few “good” theatres left in Los Angeles, and in my opinion, some magnificent ones, like the Chinese, El Cap, Hollywood Legion, United Artists, Palace, Los Angeles, United Artists, Orpheum, Million Dollar, etc. I was just at the Westwood Village for Last Remaining Seats and it seems well maintained with good sound and picture, clean throughout, and an attentive staff. not sure about the curtain, but that would be low on my list, very few theatre even HAVE curtains any more, sadly.
As for bigjoe59’s query, I agree with silver that the Westwood Village should be included, it was built as a first run theatre, and still shows the biggest first run films. The exterior of the theatre is almost all original, including the marquee which has changed very little. It is probably one of the oldest original marquees still being used in Los Angeles.
Hello-
Escott N.-
L.A. with the Chinese and the Westwood must be one of the very very few cities in the U.S. with 2 grand old movie theaters that were built as 1st run venues from the get go and have continued to operate as such since the day they opened. Manhattan doesn’t have any.
bigjoe: It’s not first run and never really was, but the Loew’s 175th St. in Manhattan, now known as United Palace, shows classic movies once in a while. They recently showed The Godfather and Raiders of the Lost Ark. I saw All About Eve there recently. The theater itself has been restored beautifully.
Great historic landmark. I really enjoyed my visit. 5 Stars. By Gregg L. Friedman MD
Hello-
I’m slightly confused by the info about the Westwood stated by my fellow posters. I’m interested in grand old movie theaters built from the get go as 1st runs venues and have continued to operate as such since the day they opened. does the Westwood fit that category?
BIgJoe: Yes. Specifically, they’re talking about the old Fox Village, now referred to as the Westwood Village.
The new theaters at the Academy Museum in Los Angeles are state of the art.
I’m sure that’s valuable information, but what does it have to do with the Chinese theatre exactly?
Here’s one way it’s relevant. When the Academy first proposed their new theatre they presented it to the community as a place for small revival screenings, no new movie premieres. This is important because movie premieres is a major source of revenue for the Chinese Theatre. If the Academy goes against what they promised it will hurt the Chinese, and piss off the immediate neighbors. I personally don’t care how “state of the Art” the Academy is, it will never have the prestige of a grand opening in the Chinese Forecourt!
Screened the World premiere of the Movie “Grease”. RIP Olivia Newton-John!!!! 😓💔🎤🎶📀📽️🎬🎞️📺