GRAUMAN'S CHINESE
THEATER
Address 6925 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood.
Norma Jeane often went to this cinema when she was a child with her mother Gladys Baker, on Saturdays afternoon. Later, she was accompanied by Grace
McKee.
In 1922, the manager Sid Grauman (,), inspired by the Toutankhamon's grave digs, made built the Egyptian
Theater (6708 Hollywood Boulevard).
Elevne years later, in 1934, the construction hadn't changed. The patrons crossed a long corridor decorated with a torrent of stucco effects.
False graves, huge Egyptian Gods statues, pharaoh, sarcophagus, sphinx, vultures and wrought iron.
The most famous chef d'oeuvre of Grauman was the Chinese Theater, a bit further away on the West, but still on Hollywood Boulevard.
Buddhist
temple outside, Chinese palace inside, and very complicated Chinese
decorating and also a huge gong to announce the beginning of the show.
On June 26, 1953, during the promotion of "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", Marilyn and Jane Russell left their hand and foot prints across from this famous movie theater, following upon a tradition created by Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, in the middle of the 20's, when they unfortunately had paddled in the fresh cement spread there.
Arrival
Prints
with Jane Russell
,,,;-,,,,,,,,,-,,,,-,,;,,,-,,,,,,,,-,;
alone
prints
With the lack of enthousiasm of the audience, Marilyn offered to replace the dot on the "i" of her first nam, by a diamond. It was done but with a rhinestone, which was quickly stolen.
Marilyn's prints aren't far from Jean Harlow's, printed 18 years before.1955 poster of "The Seven Year Itch" -,