Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, California 1927
Amy
Higgins
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, Cast Stone Archways
December 1, 2001
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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.