TCL Chinese Theatre
6925 Hollywood Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
6925 Hollywood Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
161 people
favorited this theater
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Premiere, 1928:
http://tinyurl.com/3c3hf4
From “Los Angeles Business Journal” August 6, 2007:
Final bids were submitted for the purchase of the property beneath Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. The theater itself isn’t part of the package until 2023, after the theater’s 99-year ground lease expires. Then the historic landmark will pass to the owner of the land. In the meantime, the winner of the bid will be able to collect rent from the Mann Theatres chain, which now owns the theater. Local experts say the rent is below market value because of a historical legacy that links the lease to the price of gold, providing an opportunity for profit; because of the waiting period, however, there is also considerable risk.
The Screenvision preshow is a recent distraction at Grauman’s. The Mann Village has it too now. Gone are the days of walking into the theater and just enjoying the aura of the space.
The last time I was there (for Grindhouse) the curtains closed after the preshow, opened for the trailers, closed after the trailers, opened for the main feature and then closed at the end of the credits. I’ll assume they just forgot to program the curtains for Potter, or the curtains aren’t working, or some other excuse. The thought of it being a decision is too horrifying to think of, especially when you consider that they installed new curtains not too long ago.
Re: the screen masking. I have no idea. The screen was slightly masked down during Episode II’s run years ago. At the time it was thought this was to compensate for the lack of light output of the DLP projector. It’s years later and they should no longer have this problem, for film or digital.
Here are pics from May 2002 showing the masking pulled in slightly.
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On a trip to Hollywood a few weeks ago to see Harry Pot at the Chinese I was shocked to go into the this great theatre and see bright orange lights on the screen with a digiatl add pre show thing going on the huge curved cinemascope screen. If adds have to be run so, so but to have all the orange lights on the screen Iam glad I did'nt pay to play my adds on the screen, the lights cut out the image. The biggest shock they didn’t close the great Chinese curtains after the spots or between the previews. Gone Is this last bit of showmanship at the Chinese. I asked for a Coke at the candy counter they gave me a Pepsi full of Ice! When you go Mann Theatres needs to help pay for the remodel job so they fill your cup all with ice and don’t even tell you they have have Pepsi. The Coke people need to check this problem out at the Chinese. The Mann people (Paramount/Warner Bros) Owners of the what is left of the great Fox West Coast Circuit need to get on track with what is going on across the street at Disney’s El Capitain Theatre, with long lines to get in across the street a stage show sometimes with live organ, many sets of curtains the poor Chinese sits almost empty after the second week of a movie? With all the Warner Cartoon people why can’t they do someting like the guys across the street, Charge a little more, with certain engagements have some pre show entertainment. The kids outside just looking at the footprints and tourists will line up like at the El Capitian.I saw a preview at the Chinese of a new Xmass movie, this is a great time to pull something together to bring people back into the Chinese. And please if you go to the Chinese complain to the manager about bringing the curtains back and put in some blue or red lights in the inside of the theatre during the movie. To see just white lights in the place just doesn’t work. Bring back some showmanship. Does anyone know why they don’t use the full curve screen for scope prints or digital? Seems like they can go up and out more in the masking.
Actually, the style of this theater is Chinese Chippendale with an Oriental flavor.
I’ve only had one opportunity to see a movie at this legendary theater. I was visiting family in L.A. at Thanksgiving 1997 and went to see ALIEN RESURECTION back when it was still called Mann’s. I expected it to suck and it did, but I didn’t care. I would have seen anything that was playing there if it meant I could experience the magic of this theater. It was worth it.
So Nice To See This Movie Palace Still Around For All To Enjoy On It’s 80th Anniversary Today !!
You can see the trees in front of the Hollywood Hotel at the top of this 1936 photo:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics03/00011431.jpg
I went to the first night of the Israeli Film Festival at Grauman’s yesterday. After countless movies at my local shoebox, it was a pleasure to watch as a film as it should be exhibited. My wife had never been to Grauman’s before and was amazed by the size and the design, especially the ceiling.
Here’s an aerial view of the Chinese:
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This article was in a Long Beach paper on 9/3/57:
PETTING LIE, MAUREEN TELLS JURY
Miss O'Hara Takes Stand in LA. Trial
Not in Grauman’s Since ‘The Robe’ in 1953, Testifies
LOS ANGELES â€"Confidential magazine’s “petting” story about her was untrue, actress Maureen O'Hara testified here today. Moist-eyed and quietly indignant, Miss O'Hara said she attended the September 1953 premier of “The Robe,” but had not been in Grauman’s Chinese Theater anytime since in 1953 or 1954. The magazine, charged with criminal libel and obscenity, reported Miss O'Hara cuddled with a Latin lover in Grauman’s Row 35 in November 1953. Miss O'Hara, who gave her name in court as Maureen FitzSimons, entered the eighth-floor Superior courtroom at 11:15 a.m. She appeared as a voluntary witness for the prosecution. Her appearance followed a court and jury inspection of Grauman’s Theater at 10 a.m. today.
THE O'HARA cuddling story has become the cause celebre of the four-week-old trial. The prosecution apparently intends to use Miss O'Hara’s denial as a major weapon in proving that Confidential printed lies.
Dep. Dist. Atty. William Ritzi finished his questioning of the beautiful, hazel-eyed actress in about 15 minutes. The preliminary questioning dealt with Miss O'Hara’s passport which showed her to be on a filmmaking trip abroad during the time of the alleged theater petting incident. It showed she left Los Angeles Oct. 6, 1953, returning Jan. 12, 1954. Defense Atty. Arthur J. Crowley began his cross-examination shortly before the noon recess.
WEARING her red hair shoulder length and covered with a white hat, Miss O'Hara was attired in a blue and white striped cotton dress. She posed graciously for news photographers at the witness stand before court resumed after the theater field trip. She told the court her September 1953 visit to Grauman’s was in the company of her brother, Charles FitzSimons.
MISS O'HARA, a witness before the Grand Jury that indicted Confidential on charges of conspiracy to commit criminal libel and circulate obscene literature, produced passports, photos and other documents to prove she was out of the country in November 1953, the month Craig said the love scene was played. She has filed a five million dollar libel suit over the March 1957 story.
The jury spent 20 minutes in the theater, examining the aisles and the two rows of loges. Judge Walker acted as director of the prosecution, motioning the cast here and there and saying “now let us go out and take a look at the foyer.”
Chewbacca the Wookie was arrested in front of Grauman’s the other day for abusing a tour guide. Someone from the Kimmel show across the street took video of the wookie being cuffed and put in the police car. Supposedly he (or it) said “Don’t mess with this Wookie” on the way to the hoosegow.
Bill:
Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, Keye Luke is not the name I’m looking for. I understand that Mr. Luke did, indeed, paint the murals in the lobby, but not the one along the far left-side interior wall.
Again, thanks for the help.
~Spoondoggie
Was it Keye Luke? On the tour I took, the guide said the well-known Chinese-American actor painted all the murals in the theater.
Last month I took a quick 10-minute tour of the Chinese Theater. From the lobby, we entered the auditorium around the right side of the concession stand. We exited the auditorium via an aisle on the far left side. While heading back up towards the lobby, the guide stopped us and pointed out a mural that was painted on the wall (in the aisle, near the entrance to the left side of the lobby). He told us the painter’s name, and I remember saying to myself, “WOW! Wasn’t he a famous musician, or bandleader?” Of course, now I can’t remember the painter’s name.
It is an unusual, but highly recognizable name. I’ve been searching all over the web looking for a clue. Any help would be most appreciated. :)
Thanks, Spoondoggie.
I am writing a story on the Chinese forecourt and would be very interested in talking to William (above) or anyone with knowledge of removed hand and footprints. Thank you very much.
Well from reading most of this I would say most of us are still suffering from (((Sensurround))) syndrome I can still the vibrations! That’s why I was pleased when the DVD came out I just cranked up the THX sound system and shock the room to bits at 120dbc!
Wow, Hollywood sure looked different judging by that aerial view from 1958! I know that church is still there in the background, that’s on Highland Ave, but is now somewhat obscured by so many other buildings. When did they put the Walk of Fame on Hollywood Blvd?
Hey that’s pretty cool, I am going to be in Hollywood and Los Angeles area in a few weeks, I will have to go check that out. I don’t rember that being there the last time I was there some years back, but obviously it was…
On the right side of the photo, you can see what looks like an excavation. The Hollywood Hotel was at that location, but I recall a newspaper article from 1959 discussing the hotel’s imminent demolition.
Warren: Great 1958 photo and seen from a different angle of a famous landmark.
In February 1963 “Fantasia” played the Chinese in a re-formatted SuperScope print:
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That shot of the Chinese would date around Fall (Sept) 1953.
LawMann
The Fries Entertainment sign was on the building across the street from the Chinese.
A high rise office building was later built on the old Hollywood hotel site east of Grauman’s Chinese and for many years until it’s demolition in the late 90’s sported a huge roof top sign that read FRIES ENTERTAINMENT.