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1927 - A pre-opening entrance view from the Kurt Wahlner collection. The photo, by an unknown photographer, appeared on page 288 of the August 20, 1927 issue of The American Architect with the article "Chinese Theatre at Hollywood, California." It's on Kurt's superb page "A Tour of Grauman's Chinese Theatre 1927."
He comments: "Here we see some workmen putting the finishing touches to the main entrance just prior to opening day. The triple double doors are surmounted by a small pagoda topped with a statue, surrounded by a stylized flame punched out of metal, said to symbolize the imperishable spirit of creativity.
1927 - Four pre-opening photos by George D. Haight appearing on page 84 of the January 1928 issue of Architectural Digest. Thanks to Scott Collette for locating the issue. He curates the Facebook page Forgotten Los Angeles.
1927 - A pre-opening look in from the street by an unknown photographer. It's on Kurt Wahlner's "A Tour of Grauman's Chinese Theatre 1927" where he comments: "Long before the cement of the Forecourt would become world famous for its imprints of film greats, the entrance to Grauman’s Chinese was a lush semi-tropical oasis, sheltered from the roar of Hollywood Boulevard. Originally, four Queen Anne palms flanked the center isle, so that the grandeur and height (87 feet) of the central pagoda would be slowly revealed as you move toward the main entrance.
"Here in the Forecourt, patrons would mingle in the warm air, quaff the house brand of water and, if inclined, have a smoke....Notice the dark coloring of the curved lintel and dentils above the center bronze gong. This gong would be struck at the conclusion of intermission, signalling to patrons that the second half of the program would commence shortly."
1927 - A detail of the entrance taken from the Mott Studios photo.
1927 - A closer look at the boxoffice and fountain. Thanks to Eric Lynxwiler for sharing the photo from his collection on Flickr.
1927 - A detail from a much larger photo taken during the run of "King of Kings." The full image from the Eric Lynxwiler collection is on Flickr. It's also in the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation Group Pool on Flickr that's curated by Michelle Gerdes.
1927 - Sid in the forecourt with Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. It's a photo from the Chinese Theatre's collection that appeared on "Chinese Theatre at 90: Landmark Look Back," a story on the NBC Los Angeles website. The photo can also be seen in a 90th Birthday album on the TCL Chinese Facebook page.
Of course, there are scandalous reports of re-arrangements over the
years with a few stars' imprints being hauled off to storage. The Chinese Theatre
website curated by theatre historian Kurt Wahlner includes an interactive map on his "Forecourt of the Stars" page. His site also lists the films that played the Chinese year by year as well as an alphabetical film list.
"Hollywood At Your Feet: The Story of the Chinese Theatre Footprints"
(available on Netflix) offers lots of newsreel footage of footprint
ceremonies -- many with Sid Grauman supervising. Check out the
footprints map on Seeing Stars.
See Martin Turnbull's post "The Most Famous Slab of Concrete in the World" for another history of Sid Grauman and the Chinese Theatre footprints. The Wikipedia article on "List of Handprints" also has a full rundown of dates of events in the forecourt.
1927 - Gloria Swanson with Sid Grauman playing in the forecourt. It's a photo located by Nile Hight for a post on the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles. Ms. Swanson was the eighth star to add footprints.
1927 - We're looking past the pagoda to another Charles Toberman project on the hills. The big sign for his Outpost Estates housing project rivaled the one for the Hollywoodland project. It's a photo from Marc Wanamaker's Bison Archives that appeared on two Noirish Los Angeles posts about Outpost Estates. GS Jansen initially had it on his Noirish post #1650. Mr. Ethereal Reality later had more discussion on his Noirish post #38206. Also see the website www.outpostestates.com.
1927 - The staff lined up to serve you in a great image from the McAvoy/Bruce Torrence Historic Hollywood Photographs collection. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for spotting it for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group.
1927 - Those usherettes got into all sorts of trouble. Here, in a photo from the McAvoy/Bruce Torrence Historic Hollywood Photographs collection, they're up on top of the entrance vestibule. The photographer is unknown. Head to the site to browse nearly 400 Chinese Theatre photos, including many of ceremonies in the forecourt.
1927 - Mary Pickford posing with Sid's promotional airplane. It's a photo from Marc Wanamaker's Bison Archives. Thanks to Woody Wise for sharing it on the History of Hollywood with Marc Wanamaker private Facebook group. Kurt Wahlner has a date for the shoot as July 7 and has a view with Mary in the plane on his listing for "King of Kings."
1927 - Lieutenant Pentland, Gloria Swanson and H. Ellis Reed at the July 25 unveiling of a wax figure of Charles Lindbergh that was to be displayed in the lobby. Thanks to Eric Lynxwiler for sharing this photo from his collection. It's on Flickr. See Christopher Crouch's article on Cinelog about Sid's obsession with wax figures. Kurt Wahlner notes that the ceremony was part of an "Aviation Jubilee." See the July 24 L.A. Times ad about it that he located.
Also from 1927: Cezar's Del Valle's Theatre Talks blog on Tumblr
has two posts featuring forecourt views from scrapbook pages by Beryl, a
woman visiting Hollywood in August 1927. | Part 1 | Part 2 |
1928 - A promotion in January for Chaplin's "The Circus" with a Chaplin imitator and the Mexican clown Pepito. The Dick Whittington Studio photo is part of a set of five in the USC Digital Library collection. The film opened January 27 for a fourteen week run. A clip of premiere footage is on YouTube as well as on the Criterion Channel. The cover of the program can be seen in a blog post from the Homestead Museum.
1928 - A look down from the pagoda into the forecourt during a premiere. It's a photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. The photo can also be found on the website of the McAvoy/Bruce Torrence Historic Hollywood Photographs collection. They give it a 1927 date.
Chinese Theatre historian Kurt Wahlner says: "I have determined that this photo was PROBABLY taken during the premiere of a picture called 'The Trail of '98,' on May 7, 1928. My reasons are these: The four palm trees at center forecourt - the photo must have been taken prior to the engagement of 'White Shadows in the South Seas,' August 3, 1928, where the rear two have been removed, and a grass shack had been erected in that space.
So, only four premieres were held during this time frame: 'King of Kings,' 'The Gaucho,' 'The Circus' and 'The Trail of '98.' I rule out 'The Gaucho,' as its premiere picture shows the stenciled canopy in place. I also rule out both 'King' and 'Circus' because this photo is really not crowded enough for pictures with such large public interest."
The film "The Trail of '98" was of interest technically as it used an MGM process called "The Fantom Screen" where the picture both got bigger-- and the screen rolled toward the audience -- during climactic scenes. Kurt tells all on one of his Chinese Theatre projection pages.
1928 - Thanks to Kurt Wahlner for locating this view of the "Trail of '98" premiere from the east side of the theatre's pagoda. It can be seen on the Los Angeles Public Library website. Edwin Schallert, in his Los Angeles Times review of the opening of "Trail of '98" noted that "There was a little less glamour than usual attending its advent, probably because premieres are gradually losing some of their popular excitement, due to their constantly increasing number."
1928 - A view from the street during the "Trail of '98" premiere. It's a Los Angeles Public Library photo.
1928 / 1929 - A view of the original stenciled canopy by an unknown photographer taken sometime during the run of "Noah's Ark," a film that ran from November 1, 1928 until January 16, 1929. The photo is in the Kurt Wahlner collection.
1930 - Sid in the forecourt with the Cycloplane Trainer. Presumably the gentleman is Omer Woodson, its inventor. Wikipedia has an article about the plane. Also see "Cycloplane Device in Chinese Court," an August 12 Daily News article located by Leonard Wynne. Note the photo kiosk on the right with a photo of Sid showing. This is one of over 800 images in the great book "The Story of Hollywood: An Illustrated History" by Gregory Paul Williams, available on Amazon. This photo is on page 158. There's a preview of the book to browse on Google Books.
1930 - A "Hell's Angels" view of the forecourt with "Napoleon's Coach" on display beneath the biplane. Thanks to David Cutter for locating the photo. See the early street views page for more photos taken during the run of "Hell's Angels."
1933 - A lovely view from the top of the building looking over toward the Roosevelt. The photo, appearing on the Vintage Los Angeles Facebook page, was a find by Nile Hight. Kurt Wahlner advises that the shot is a still for a Paramount film called "The Search for Beauty," released in 1934. The theatre doesn't figure in the film.
1934 - A view east giving us a nice panorama up Hollywood Blvd. and a great look down at the lush foliage in the forecourt and atop the walls encircling it. It's a photo from the California Historical Society appearing on the USC Digital Library website. Also see a very similar shot (but with a different assortment of vehicles) from the Marc Wanamaker collection that appeared in Ronald Haver's 1980 book "David O. Selznick's Hollywood."
The signage fronting the parking lot east of the theatre would usually have a film title up. Here it just says "Sid Grauman's Prologue." Evidently the photo was shot sometime between March 19 and April 3, when the house was dark after the run of Garbo's "Queen Christina." The banner at the El Capitan is advertising Sidney Kingsley's play "Men in White," a production that ran from March 11 until May 5.
1936 - A shot taken during the run of "Robin Hood of El Dorado." It's a Life magazine photo appearing on the Google/Life Images site. Thanks to Noirish Los Angeles contributor BifRayRock for locating this for his Noirish post #40551.
The boxoffice we see here was installed in 1934 after the Chinese had abandoned the two-a-day format and gone to a "grind" policy. It survived until it was dynamited in 1975 during the run of "Funny Lady." Kurt Wahlner says "I only recall the story of the boxoffice being blown up, but that is my recollection. They might very well have only wanted to expand the thing to get more customers in, but who knows? If the damage was done, they kept it pretty quiet, if you ask me...I like the version of 'Funny Lady' being a box office bomb."
1936 - A Life magazine shot on Google/Life Images, perhaps also taken during the May run of "Robin Hood of El Dorado." Thanks to Noirish Los Angeles contributor BifRayRock for the photo, appearing on his Noirish post #40551.
1936 - Another Life magazine shot on Google/Life Images. Thanks to Noirish Los Angeles contributor BifRayRock for the find, appearing on his Noirish post #40362. The post includes many other fun Hollywood shots of young hopeful actresses hanging out around town waiting for their big break. Maybe this young hopeful is looking for an usherette job in the meantime.
1936 - A Life magazine shot from Google/Life Images. Thanks to Noirish Los Angeles contributor BifRayRock for the find, part of his Noirish post #40362.
Kurt Wahlner suggests that this shot might be from March, April or May -- perhaps another from the May 8-14 run of "Robin Hood of El Dorado." That little visor over the entrance doors was deployed intermittently. Kurt has two other shots from mid-1936 showing it in use. One was used in a Lansing speaker brochure from perhaps summer 1936 and the other was taken during the August 1936 run of "His Brother's Wife."
1936 - Another take of that Life magazine pagoda shot from Google/Life Images. Thanks to Noirish Los Angeles contributor BifRayRock for the photo, seen on his Noirish post #40551.
c.1937 - An easel announcing that it's Studio Preview night. It's a photo by Herman Schultheis in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. Note the reflection in the glass of the signage for the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.
c.1937 - The forecourt during a premiere. It's a Herman Schultheis photo from the Los Angeles Public Library collection.
1940s - A tourist snapshot that popped up on eBay.
1940s - A photo taken by Dennis Lewis, Sr. showing the canopy leading to the entrance doors from the boxoffice. It was on a now-vanished site titled Scenes of L.A. During WWII.
1940s - A boxoffice view by Dennis Lewis Sr. that appeared on the vanished site Scenes of L.A. During WWII.
The original boxoffice was at the rear of the forecourt -- this one was a 1934 addition when the theatre abandoned two-a-day shows and went to a "grind" policy. Kurt Wahlner notes that the boxoffice was bombed during the run of "Funny Lady" in 1975 and replaced with a larger version. It was removed entirely in 2001. The current boxoffice is just east of the forecourt. For an entertaining romp, see Kurt's Grauman's Chinese Timeline.
1940s? - Thanks to Christopher Crouch on his blog Cinelog we get this undated Christmas view of Sid Grauman in the forecourt. The photo is from the collection of Jefferey Hawkins.
1940s? - A postcard map showing hand and footprint locations on "The Floor of Fame." Thanks to Martin Turnbull for the card, appearing on "The Most Famous Slab of Concrete in the World," his article about Sid Grauman and the Chinese for the Garden of Allah Novels blog.
1943 - A view from the Theatre Talks collection of Cezar Del Valle showing Monty Woolley imprinting his beard in the cement. Cezar is a Brooklyn-based theatre historian with a fondness for Los Angeles theatres. Thanks, Cezar!
1944 - In this photo from the McAvoy/Bruce Torrence Historic Hollywood Photographs collection we're looking over at the original boxoffice in the northeast corner of the forecourt.
c.1946 - A look at tourists in the forecourt that appeared on eBay.
1948 - A summer tourist shot included in a fine batch of Hollywood photos from eBay. Thanks to Noirish Los Angeles contributor Ethereal Reality for spotting them -- they're on his Noirish post #25261.
1948 - "Strictly Taboo: Mrs. John Poen catches husband taking photo of Betty Grable's gams. The Poens of Iowa were visiting Graumans Chinese Theater in Hollywood." It's a photo taken for the Herald Examiner that's now in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.
1948 - A nice look in toward the entrance from a tourist snapshot located by Hector Acuna. See his post on the non-public Facebook group Mid Century Modern Los Angeles for three more views from the set. Thanks, Hector!
1950 - A tourist checking out Don Ameche's "Happy Landings" message to Sid Grauman. Thanks to Sean Ault for spotting this one from a family album when it was for sale on eBay. Kurt Wahlner bought it and reports that the poster in the "Next Attraction" case is for Otto Preminger's "Where the Sidewalk Ends," a film that played one week beginning July 7. Thus the photo was taken sometime during the run of "The Gunfighter," a film with Gregory Peck that played two weeks beginning June 23.
1951 - Tourists looking at the footprints. It's a June 15 photo by Earl Leaf from the Michael Ochs Archives. Thanks to Torbjörn Eriksson for locating it for a post on the private Facebook group Southern California Nostalgia.
1952 - 500 Examiner carriers got a free show of Samuel Fuller's "Park Row" on September 1. That's Sam in the pressman's hat showing the boys a reproduction of an 1886 New York Globe issue with, of course, content about the film. On the right is old-time pressman Fred Schwan. Also see a shot out on the sidewalk with the boys coming in. Those two, plus another take in the forecourt, are in the USC Digital Library collection. They were shot by an Examiner photographer named Miller.
1953 - An Arnold Hylen photo of the forecourt. Kurt Wahlner dates this as sometime from March to June of 1953: "The palm trees are sporting a haircut they received in the early part of 1953 - just before they hung up the sign for 'Shane.'" The photo appeared on the Facebook page Vintage los Angeles where, Kurt notes, it had been flipped. Also on Facebook see the pages for Arnold Hylen and Arnold Hylen - Los Angeles - Images of an Era 1850-1960s.
1955 - Thanks to Richard Wojcik on the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles for this view of a tourist looking at the hand prints of Bing Crosby and Jack Benny.
1950s - Here's our tour guide showing us the wonders of the forecourt. She seems partial to Jane Wyman. Thanks to Sean Ault for spotting the card and sending it along.
1958 - Signage up during the renovations for the Cinemiracle process. Thanks to Sean Ault for spotting this February photo when it came when it came up for sale online. See the street views page for more shots taken during the reconstruction. The theatre was closed from February 5 until April 7. The "Windjammer" premiere was April 8. It went on to a 37 week run.
c.1959 - Thanks to Ron Whitfield for locating this pagoda shot for a post for the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group.
1959 - On the right there's a display for Jean Negulesco's "The Best of Everything," a film that opened October 9 for a six week run. It starred Hope Lange, Stephen Boyd and Suzy Parker. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for finding this postcard.
1960/61 - A fine look into the forecourt while the theatre was playing "The World of Suzie Wong" with William Holden. It opened December 15 for a thirteen week run. Thanks to Sean Ault for finding the photo and sending it along.
1962 - A photo from the October issue of National Geographic. Thanks to Gary Demirdjian for posting it on the SoCal Historic Architecture Facebook page.
1963 - Checking out the hand prints during the run of "Under the Yum-Yum Tree." The film opened October 23 for a nine week run. Thanks to Qione Holmes for the photo on the non-public Facebook group Mid Century Modern Los Angeles.
1969 - A Julius Shulman photo taken for the City of Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Board. It's in the collection of the Getty Research Institute, indexed as Shulman's job #4450.
1969 - Thanks to Kurt Wahlner for this photo from his collection of the October 19 Danny Kaye footprinting ceremony. He notes that the band accompanied the UNICEF choir that was performing at the ceremony to honor Kaye’s work for the organization. Visit Kurt's website about the Chinese Theatre's history: www.GraumansChinese.org.
1970s - A forecourt postcard from Ken McIntyre on Photos of Los Angeles. The display was a series of plaques celebrating Academy Award winners year-by-year. These were also featured in at least one National General souvenir book.
1970s - The Chinese used to have a coin operated machine in the forecourt that made little plastic pagodas while you waited. On one side they said "Hollywood USA" and "Chinese Theatre" on the other. Thanks to Robert Stone II for his photos on Vintage Los Angeles. He says you could choose either red or green.
1972 - A look at the molding machine that made the souvenir plastic pagodas. It came from a site called Moldville.com, no longer with us. Similar machines were at other tourist attractions, including at the Hollywood Bowl. The film playing at the time of the photo was "What's Up Doc?"
1970s - A peek into one of the molding machines at the Chinese. This one looks like it gave you a Disney character rather than a pagoda. Thanks to Chexy Decimal for the photo on the Facebook page Photos of Los Angeles.
1970s - The Chinese also had a recording booth as well -- but nobody seems to remember exactly where it was. This souvenir record that was made at the Chinese comes from the Kurt Wahlner collection.
1973 - Thanks to Rick Balin on the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles for this pagoda shot taken during the engagement of "Enter the Dragon." The film opened August 24 for an eight week run.
1973 - A view out toward the street during the run of "Enter the Dragon." Again thanks to Rick Balin on Vintage Los Angeles for the photo -- and also to Kurt Wahlner for some color correction.
1974 - An entrance view from the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles. It's a Johns Burwell photo.
1975 - Thanks to John Stewart for his photo taken during the run of "Beyond the Door." It's one of 25 shots appearing in his Los Angeles Theaters set on Flickr. John is the long-time projectionist at the Austin Paramount. Thanks also to Mike Hume for advising of John's collection.
1975 - A look to the west side of the forecourt. Photo: John Stewart
c.1975 - A bit of construction going on over on the east side of the forecourt. Thanks to the Classic Hollywood/Los Angeles/SFV Facebook page for locating the photo.
1977 - A shot of the 50th anniversary showing of "King of Kings." Thanks to Ken McIntyre for finding the photo -- it was a post of his for the private Facebook group Photos of Los Angeles.
1977 - Cheech and Chong and two actresses from their film "Up In Smoke" visit the theatre for a promo shot. Thanks to Rick Watts for posting the photo on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page. In the film they just drive by the theatre without stopping. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for several shots from the film.
1978 - One of the many souvenir opportunities at the Chinese was getting a photo in a decorative frame featuring the pagoda. Thanks to Rick Balin for this one on Vintage Los Angeles.
1978 - The wax dolls in the lobby display cases dressed in Chinese costumes were spooky enough. But one of the forecourt displays was even more macabre -- Sid Grauman in a box. Thanks to Rick Balin posting this photo of his on Vintage Los Angeles.
1979 - A fine look down into the forecourt from the Vintage Los Angeles Facebook page as they set up for the premiere of "Hurricane." Thanks to Richard Wojcik for sharing the photo from his collection.
1980 - A lovely column capital detail by Franciscophile on Flickr.
1980s? - Thanks to Bill Gabel on Photos of Los Angeles for this shot of tourists doing their work in the forecourt.
1989 - The display devoted to Academy Award winning films. It's a photo by John Margolies that's in the Library of Congress collection.
1990 - Tourists checking it all out in a photo from the Los Angeles Public Library collection. It's one taken by William Reagh.
1991 - An August look at the pagoda in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. It's a William Reagh photo. Also from Mr. Reagh in 1991: pagoda detail | tourists looking at footprints |
1994 - A display case view during the run of "True Lies" on the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles. Thanks to Matthew Jones for the photo. The film opened July 15 for a three week run.
2005 - A look at the pagoda from the Library of Congress collection. It's a Carol Highsmith photo. Thanks to Jonathan Raines for finding it. You might also want to browse more Highsmith photos of L.A. buildings that are in the Library's collection.
2007 - The vista west from the forecourt toward the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Photo: Bill Counter
2007 - For many, the impressions in the concrete are are the big attraction at the Chinese. Here's Maurice Chevalier. Photo: Bill Counter - 2007
2007 - The middle of the forecourt used to have a free-standing boxoffice but it wasn't original. Here on the far right we see a bit of the original 1927 boxoffice. Photo: Bill Counter
2007 - The "heaven dog" is guarding the doors if you try to sneak in. Photo: Bill Counter
2007 - A closer look at one of the guardian "heaven dogs" thanks to Tom O'Neil on Flickr.
2007 - A pagoda dragon detail by Glowfish on Flickr.
2007 - A lovely view of the pagoda at night by Hagoody on Flickr.
2007 - A photo by Floyd Bariscale of the entrance doors. See his Chinese Theatre page on Big Orange Landmarks and his Chinese Theatre set on Flickr for more terrific views.
c.2010 - The ornament on the front doors. Thanks to Don Solosan for his photo, taken for the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation.
The LAHTF works to preserve historic theatres in the Los Angeles area by supporting events, offering tours and promoting awareness of the architectural merit of these treasures. www.lahtf.org | LAHTF on Facebook |
c. 2010 - A detail of some ornament on a column of the pagoda. Photo: Don Solosan - LAHTF
c. 2010 - Ornament on the south forecourt wall above one of the souvenir stands. Photo: Don Solosan - LAHTF
c.2010 - A wonderful night view looking up from the entrance. Photo: Don Solosan - LAHTF
c.2010 - The top of the pagoda at night. Photo: Don Solosan - LAHTF. Thanks, Don!
2011 - A pan and tilt 360 degree tour of the Chinese Theatre forecourt by Bryan Groulx is featured on the amazing site 360 Cities.
2011 - This great shot down from the pagoda once appeared on the TCL Chinese Theatre Facebook page. The event was a premiere of something called "Abduction."
2012 - A look at the entrance doors by Wendell Benedetti, a photo on the LAHTF Facebook page.
2012 - A detail of the capital on a column of the pagoda by Kathy Dominic.
2012 - The stairs leading up from the west side of the forecourt to the offices, private boxes and booth upstairs. Photo: Bill Counter
2012 - A view from the far west side of the forecourt looking along the side of the building toward the stage door. Photo: Bill Counter
2013 - A view on the Facebook page Photos of Los Angeles looking across the forecourt toward the Roosevelt. Thanks to Douglas Rudd for the post.
2013 - The original boxoffice in the northeast corner of the forecourt -- now an office for Starline Tours. Photo: Bill Counter
2013 - A peek into the original boxoffice, now the Starline Tours booth. The photo was part of a lovely Curbed L.A. photo gallery by Elizabeth Daniels that's now vanished. Adrian Glick Kudler wrote the story: "Touring the Chinese Theatre Before it Closes For a Renovation."
2013 - Another view of the original boxoffice (and the safe) by Elizabeth Daniels. It's one of her 33 photos that was with the Curbed L.A. story "Touring the Chinese Theatre Before it Closes For a Renovation."
2014 - This photo is by Kurt Wahlner, curator of the site graumanschinese.org, gives us a look at the professional signage at the theatre's entrance. It's the newly trendy blackboard look. Don't miss Kurt's superb page on Signage at the Chinese.
2014 - The squatters and riffraff have taken over the forecourt. This August evening photo is by Kurt Wahlner, historian of all things related to Grauman's Chinese. Kurt notes that our spray paint artist in the photo is on top of the footprints of Anthony Hopkins, Nicholas Cage, and the "Giant" trio of George Stevens, Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor.
2015 - The base for an Imax laser projector up in the air. The photo is from the set about the installation by Escott O. Norton on the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation Facebook page. Thanks, Escott!
2015 - A side view of one of the projectors in the forecourt. The unload was done in the middle of the night to avoid attention. Photo: Escott O. Norton - LAHTF Facebook page
2015 - Another view of one of the projectors getting strapped up ready for a lift by the crane. Photo: Escott O. Norton - LAHTF Facebook page
2015 - Ready for a lift up to the 2nd floor door near Sid Grauman's old office. Photo: Escott O. Norton - LAHTF Facebook page
2016 - A fine look at one of the metal dragons appearing out on each corner of the pagoda. Thanks to Shawn Dudley for his photo, originally appearing on the LAHTF Facebook page.
2016 - Here's Shawn Dudley's wider view taken the same day showing the dragons atop the pagoda. Thanks, Shawn!
2017 - Thanks to Shawn Dudley for this great photo of the dragons scurrying down a corner of the pagoda roof. It was a post on the LAHTF Facebook page.
2017 - The pagoda lit during a "Hollywood Lights" presentation. The installation of nine Christie projectors was part of the theatre's 90th anniversary celebration. Thanks to the theatre for the photo -- it appeared on the TCL Chinese Facebook page.
2017 - A stunning shot by Wendell Benedetti of the forecourt lit with the theatre's projectors for the "Hollywood Lights" show running every evening at 8:30. The photo originally appeared on the LAHTF Facebook page. There's a a five minute video of the show on YouTube from the firm Inside The Magic. Thanks to Kurt Wahlner for sending along the link.
The show debuted in May 2017 for the theatre's 90th anniversary. After a short run it took a several month break for equipment repairs. John Hough and Mark Mulhall have done a video of the October re-premiere. It's on the LAHTF Facebook page.
2017 - The crowd control barricades were up and bags were being checked during the December run of "The Last Jedi." Photo: Bill Counter
2019 - Ornament on the west wall. Thanks to Cat Lukaszewski for her photo, one of 30 in a TCL Chinese Theatre album on Facebook with views taken at the November 2019 LAHTF "all-about" tour.
2019 - Ornament on the pagoda. Photo: Bill Counter
2019 - The east side of the pagoda. Photo: Bill Counter
2019 - The figure atop one of the columns. Photo: Bill Counter
2019 - The forecourt from the west. Photo: Bill Counter
2023 - The forecourt after an early September rain. Thanks to Patrick Caldwell for sharing his photo. He was in town as the lead projectionist for the IMAX 70mm run of "Oppenheimer."
The Grauman's Chinese pages:
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What an amazing collection of pictures
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