Amy

Higgins

Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, California   1927

 
 

  1. Bullet  Grauman’s Chinese Theatre       1927    

The photos below show work done the Chinese Theatre in the past years.

Click to goto a detailed view of the project.

Cast Stone Architrave: repair missing details../../Project_Archives/Entries/2001/12/1_Graumans_Chinese_Theatre,_Cast_Stone_Archways.html
Interior Lobby: gold leaf repair, mural work../../Project_Archives/Entries/2004/9/1_Graumans_Chinese_Theatre,_Lobby.html
Exterior Frieze: restore paint../../Project_Archives/Entries/2001/12/1_Graumans_Chinese_Theatre,_Exterior_Frieze.html
Exterior Vestibule: decorative painting../../Project_Archives/Entries/2004/12/1_Graumans_Chinese_Theatre,_Exterior_Vestibule.html
Marble Ming Buddha Dogs: sculpt marble muzzle../../Project_Archives/Entries/2001/12/1_Graumans_Chinese_Theatre,_Marble_Repair.html
Cast Stone Fountains: mold replacement panel../../Project_Archives/Entries/2006/6/3_Graumans_Chinese,_Poster_Cases_%26_Fountains.html
../../Project_Archives/Entries/2006/6/3_Graumans_Chinese,_Poster_Cases_%26_Fountains.html

Poster Cases:

gold leaf designs

Exterior Vestibule:       Over the years, the exterior details were painted over numerous times in hopes to 'refresh' and aging building. 75 years, things being to alter or downright change in color and appearance. I tried to recreate as accurately as possible the entrance the way it should have looked in 1927. The beautiful door windows had been painted black. I found gold leaf underneath


Exterior Frieze:       The theatre's exterior hadn't been painted in twenty years, therefore scaffolding encircled the building to allow me to refresh it's look. Above the tall Orange/Red columns are capitals with 22 individual panels consisting of six different designs. These were painted the wrong color over the years, as well as, losing their subtle detail.  Extensive blistering from water damage also need repairs.


Cast Stone Fountains:       Detail of the back access panel. I made a mold of the stone texture, made the panel out of fiberglass and resin then installed and painted it to match the surrounding surface.

Poster Cases:        Fresh coat of paint and gold leaf. I made some design additions to make the 1960’s cases look more Asian.

Fountain Panel:        I molded and cast a panel to cover the access hole for the stone fountain in the exterior forecourt.

Cast Stone Architrave:       This detailed architrave was covered up in the fifties with the ornate neon sign. To restore the original appearance, the neon signs were removed to reveal the archway underneath. Damage where the sign was bolted to the exterior needed to be repaired consisted of missing elements, saw cuts, and bolt holes. Using an understructure, I sculpted with cement to build up the surface to match the surrounding details.

Grauman's Chinese Theatre is a movie theatre located at 6925 Hollywood Blvd.  in Hollywood. It is located along the historic Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Chinese Theatre was commissioned following the success of the nearby Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre which opened in 1922. Built over 18 months, beginning in January 1926 by a partnership headed by Sid Grauman, the theater opened May 18, 1927 with the premiere of Cecil B. DeMille's film The King of Kings. It has since been home to many premieres, birthday parties, corporate junkets and three Academy Awards ceremonies. Among the theater's most distinctive features are the concrete blocks set in the forecourt, which bear the signatures, footprints, and handprints of popular motion picture personalities from the 1920s to the present day.After his success with the Egyptian Theatre, Sid Grauman, once again, turned to C.E. Toberman to secure a long term lease on property located at 6925 Hollywood Blvd. Mr. Toberman contracted the architectural firm of Meyer & Holler (who also designed the Egyptian) to design a "palace type theatre" of Chinese design. Grauman's Chinese Theatre was financed by Grauman, who owned a one-third interest, and his partners: Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, and Howard Schenck. The principal architect of the Chinese Theatre was Raymond M. Kennedy, of Meyer and Holler.

Restoration to Grauman's Chinese Theatre began in 2001 with a $7 million dollar budget. Many diverse projects were my responsibility, from repairs of the decorative cement archways on the facade, to repairing marble Ming Dynasty Heaven Dogs in the forecourt. Also in the lobby, I repaired the gold leafed ceiling which was water damaged in select areas and replaced missing mural segments. On the exterior, I reconstructed the design and color of column friezes (22 panels) to the 1927 original

   Another dream job became a reality in September 2001. I began restoration to Grauman's Chinese Theatre. Seven million dollars didn't go very far in aesthetics with bigger issues of seismic repair, leaky roofs and a redesign of the concession stand. The concession area (which didn't even exist in 1927) was pushed into the vacated 1958 projection booth, opening up the lobby area to make the today's movie goers experience far more comfortable. New seating, sound and a larger screen were also purchased to rejuvenate this historical landmark.