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GRAUMAN'S CHINESE THEATER

 

Today, the Mann's Chinese Theater.

Address 6925 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood.

 

Pictures outside ,,,,,

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Pictures inside ,,,,;

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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.

At the East of Vine Street, on Hollywood Boulevard, stood the fantastic Pantages Theater.

It had been built in 1930 for receiveing 2 228 spectators.

It was a profusion of Art Deco pilasters, vaults, skylights and statues, with, in the middle, uniformed usherettes with a flashlight to guide the patrons to a golden hall.

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.

Grauman assured his own immortality and the one of some movie stars, inviting them to press with the hand and the foot the still damp cement of his palace, and to write some appropriate comments towards him.

In fact Norma Jeane attended every week-ends one or the other of the Grauman's Theaters, the Chinese or the Egyptian, both on Hollywood Boulevard.

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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 

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Prints

with Jane Russell  

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alone

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prints

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With the prize --,,

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Other ;-

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" -,

 

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