TCL Chinese Theatre
Built by master showman Sid Grauman, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood had its grand opening on May 18, 1927, which some have described as the most spectacular theater opening in motion picture history. The theater, designed by architect Raymond Kennedy, cost $2,000,000 to build. In the forecourt entry to the theater, ten-foot tall lotus-shaped fountains and intricate artistry flank the footprints of some of Hollywood’s most elite. There has always been a restoration program in process to maintain the theater’s beauty. In 2013, a naming rights partnership with electronics manufacturer TCL, aka “The Creative Life,” secured plans to preserve the legacy of the Chinese Theatre. The Chinese Theatre was declared a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1968.
Hollywood, Los Angeles County
Images by John Bare