1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:08,559 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class is a production of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:15,120 Speaker 1: Hello and Welcome to This Day in History Class, a 3 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:18,759 Speaker 1: show that raises the curtain on everyday history and lets 4 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:23,040 Speaker 1: it take a bow. I'm Gabe Bluesier, and in this episode, 5 00:00:23,239 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 1: we're talking about what might be the most recognizable movie 6 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:30,479 Speaker 1: theater in the world, not to mention one of LA's 7 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:40,839 Speaker 1: must see tourist traps. The day was May eighteenth, nineteen 8 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:47,559 Speaker 1: twenty seven. Grauman's Chinese Theater opened on Hollywood Boulevard, marking 9 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 1: the debut of one of the world's most iconic cinemas. 10 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:55,120 Speaker 1: To celebrate the occasion, the theater hosted the premiere of 11 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 1: The King of Kings, a new silent religious epic from 12 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 1: director Cecil B. De Mille. The theater's mastermind, Sid Grauman, 13 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:07,440 Speaker 1: pulled out all the stops for the event. He even 14 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 1: arranged for an elaborate prologue to precede the screening. It 15 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 1: was called Glories of the Scriptures and was performed live 16 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 1: on stage by a cast of two hundred, with music 17 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:23,160 Speaker 1: provided by a Wurlitzer organ and a sixty five piece orchestra. 18 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 1: The movie stars and other celebrities in attendance were dazzled 19 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 1: by the evening's entertainment, but even more so by the 20 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 1: lavish theater, which was unlike anything else in Hollywood. The 21 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:38,760 Speaker 1: average moviegoer would have to wait until the following day 22 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:42,319 Speaker 1: to get a look inside for themselves, but the showmanship 23 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 1: of sid Grauman ensured it would be worth the wait. 24 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 1: The Chinese Theater was the last of three movie palaces 25 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:53,960 Speaker 1: built by Sidney Grauman, a former vaudeville theater manager who 26 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:57,760 Speaker 1: believed that moving pictures were the future of entertainment. He 27 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:00,559 Speaker 1: decided to get in on the ground floor by opening 28 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 1: a chain of theaters in the heart of Hollywood venues 29 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 1: that would be as beautiful inside and out as the 30 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:10,960 Speaker 1: movies that adorned their screens. The first of these ventures 31 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 1: was the Million Dollar Theatre, which actually cost about eight 32 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:18,959 Speaker 1: hundred thousand dollars to build. It opened in nineteen eighteen 33 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 1: in the downtown core of Los Angeles and was followed 34 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:27,000 Speaker 1: four years later by Grauman's Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. 35 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 1: As the name suggests, Grauman's second movie palace drew inspiration 36 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 1: from Egyptian architecture. Its entrance was marked by four massive columns, 37 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:41,600 Speaker 1: and both the exterior and interior walls were decorated with 38 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:47,480 Speaker 1: Egyptian style paintings, sculptures, and hieroglyphs. That choice of theming 39 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:51,080 Speaker 1: may seem a bit random today, but it aligned perfectly 40 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:54,920 Speaker 1: with the growing public interest in Egyptology in the nineteen twenties. 41 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:59,840 Speaker 1: In fact, archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the tomb of King 42 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:04,000 Speaker 1: Tutt just two weeks after the Egyptian Theatre's grand opening. 43 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 1: Both of Grauman's theaters proved successful, with their luxurious trappings 44 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:11,960 Speaker 1: helping to lure people to the movies at a time 45 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: when the medium was still finding its footing. The success 46 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 1: convinced Grauman to go all out on his next project, 47 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 1: which he decided to base on Chinese architecture. In nineteen 48 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 1: twenty five, he enlisted real estate developer Charles Toberman to 49 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 1: secure a long term lease on a property just a 50 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 1: few blocks down from the Egyptian. At the time, it 51 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 1: was the site of Francis X. Bushman's private mansion, but 52 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 1: Toberman managed to convince the actor to part with the property. 53 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 1: Grauman re hired the design firm responsible for the Egyptian 54 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 1: Theater and worked closely with architect Raymond Kennedy to capture 55 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:54,040 Speaker 1: the Chinese motifs he wanted. Construction began in January of 56 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 1: nineteen twenty six and lasted for eighteen months. Part of 57 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 1: the reason for that lengthy bill time was that Grauman 58 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:05,440 Speaker 1: had to obtain authorization from the US government to import 59 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 1: decorative artifacts from China, and he then had to wait 60 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 1: for them to arrive. The treasures he procured included pagodas, 61 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:17,240 Speaker 1: temple bells, and a pair of giant stone heaven dogs, 62 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 1: which would stand guard at the theatre's entrance. Grauman selected 63 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 1: many of these pieces himself, but he also arranged for 64 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:28,520 Speaker 1: poet and filmmaker Moon Kwan to travel from China and 65 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 1: oversee the creation of original sculptures and statuary, many of 66 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:37,280 Speaker 1: which still decorate the theatre's interior today. Of course, the 67 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:41,679 Speaker 1: exterior of the Movie Palace was and is no slouch either. 68 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:45,920 Speaker 1: It sports a ninety foot high bronze pagoda roof, which 69 00:04:45,960 --> 00:04:49,680 Speaker 1: is supported by two enormous coral red columns topped with 70 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 1: wrought iron masks, and between the columns right above the 71 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 1: main entrance, there's a thirty foot high stone relief carving 72 00:04:57,480 --> 00:05:00,599 Speaker 1: of a Chinese dragon, a symbol of sar strength and 73 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:06,479 Speaker 1: good fortune. Surprisingly, the theatre's Chinese inspired architecture wasn't its 74 00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:10,279 Speaker 1: only defining feature. Another thing that set it apart was 75 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:13,679 Speaker 1: its lack of a full sized stage. Many early movie 76 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 1: theaters had been converted from vaudeville venues, and some owners 77 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 1: hedged their bets by continuing to hold live shows between 78 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 1: movie screenings. Grauman's theaters, on the other hand, had only 79 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:28,479 Speaker 1: a small stage for presenters and were built to showcase 80 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:33,080 Speaker 1: the movie screen first and foremost. The Chinese theater also 81 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:36,159 Speaker 1: distinguished itself by being the first to be equipped with 82 00:05:36,279 --> 00:05:40,600 Speaker 1: air conditioning. Large pillars imported from China were installed on 83 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 1: either side of the auditorium, and the vents for the 84 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 1: air and heating system were cleverly concealed within them. All 85 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:50,560 Speaker 1: of its bells and whistles likely would have been enough 86 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:54,479 Speaker 1: to capture the public's attention, but Grauman's Chinese Theater had 87 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 1: one more trick up its sleeve. The now famous forecourt 88 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:02,719 Speaker 1: of the Stars, flanked by forty foot high curved walls 89 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:06,800 Speaker 1: and copper top turrets. The theater's outdoor courtyard is home 90 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 1: to the hand prints, footprints, and signatures of more than 91 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:15,320 Speaker 1: three hundred Hollywood stars. The impressions were immortalized in slabs 92 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:19,240 Speaker 1: of wet cement, allowing future visitors to match palms and 93 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 1: heels with stars from every era of movie making, from 94 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:27,040 Speaker 1: Harold Lloyd and Shirley Temple to Tom Hanks and Lily Tomlin. 95 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 1: You'll also find plenty of impressions besides hands and feet. 96 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 1: For example, Jimmy Durant pressed his distinctive nose into the cement, 97 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:40,240 Speaker 1: Betty Grable did an imprint of her leg, Whoopy Goldbird 98 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 1: used one of her dreadlocks, George Burns left his cigar print, 99 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 1: and John Wayne pressed his fist. The wands of the 100 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 1: three Harry Potter leads are imprinted there as well, and 101 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:53,839 Speaker 1: so are the three treads of Star Wars Droid R 102 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 1: two D two. If you're wondering how the tradition got started, 103 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: well you're not the only one. Several origin stories have 104 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:05,040 Speaker 1: been circulated over the years, but the most widely accepted 105 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:09,080 Speaker 1: is that actress Norma Talmidge, a personal friend of Sid Grauman, 106 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:13,559 Speaker 1: began the practice by accident. The story goes that while 107 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:17,080 Speaker 1: touring the theater ahead of its opening, she accidentally stepped into 108 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:20,280 Speaker 1: wet cement which in turn gave Grauman the idea for 109 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 1: a fun new tradition. That said, Grauman himself later claimed 110 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:28,160 Speaker 1: in a radio interview that he was the one who 111 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 1: wandered into fresh concrete, not Talmidge. In either case, the 112 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 1: first official imprints in the forecourt were left by Mary 113 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:40,560 Speaker 1: Pickford and her then husband Douglas Fairbanks Senior. They kicked 114 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 1: off the trend in late April of nineteen twenty seven, 115 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 1: but only dated their imprints for the theatre's opening day. 116 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 1: As for why that duo was the first, it probably 117 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:53,760 Speaker 1: helped that they were co owners of the theater, along 118 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 1: with Grauman and studio executive Howard Schenck. The total cost 119 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 1: to bring Grauman's dream theatre to life was about two 120 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 1: point one million dollars, the equivalent of nearly thirty seven 121 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 1: million dollars in today's money, so you can see why 122 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 1: Grauman had opted to bring in a few partners rather 123 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 1: than footing the bill himself. Sid Grauman eventually sold his 124 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 1: shares to Fox West Coast Theaters in nineteen twenty nine, 125 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 1: but he continued as managing director of the theater until 126 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:27,640 Speaker 1: his death in nineteen fifty. The Chinese Theater was declared 127 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 1: a Historic Cultural Landmark in nineteen sixty eight, and there 128 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 1: have been ongoing restoration projects ever since to help maintain 129 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:39,280 Speaker 1: its beauty. Along with that, there have also been plenty 130 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:42,920 Speaker 1: of expansions and upgrades, including the addition of an IMAX 131 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 1: screen and a state of the art sound system. Since 132 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:50,160 Speaker 1: its soft opening on May eighteenth, nineteen twenty seven, the 133 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 1: Chinese Theater has hosted thousands of movie premieres, including classic 134 00:08:54,800 --> 00:08:58,280 Speaker 1: favorites like The King and I, West Side Story, Breakfast 135 00:08:58,280 --> 00:09:02,080 Speaker 1: to Tiffany's, Mary Poppin's The Jungle Book, and Star Wars. 136 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:05,760 Speaker 1: The theater was also home to the Academy Awards for 137 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:10,480 Speaker 1: three consecutive years from nineteen forty four to nineteen forty six. 138 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:14,720 Speaker 1: These days, the Oscars are held just down the street, 139 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:18,760 Speaker 1: but high profile movies continue to premiere at the Chinese Theater, 140 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:22,200 Speaker 1: and of course, plenty of modern celebrities still add their 141 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:25,679 Speaker 1: impressions to the forecord of the Stars, a feature that 142 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:29,440 Speaker 1: more than four million tourists come to see each year. 143 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:33,839 Speaker 1: Ownership of the theater has changed hands several times over 144 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:37,240 Speaker 1: the years, and in twenty thirteen, the naming rights were 145 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:42,200 Speaker 1: sold to Chinese Electronics company TCL. That means its current 146 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 1: name is technically the TCL Chinese Theater, but if you 147 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:49,480 Speaker 1: still call it the Graumans, everyone in LA will know 148 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:55,680 Speaker 1: exactly what you mean. I'm Gabe Luzier and hopefully you 149 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:58,520 Speaker 1: now know a little more about history today than you 150 00:09:58,559 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 1: did yesterday. If you enjoyed today's show, consider keeping up 151 00:10:02,320 --> 00:10:07,240 Speaker 1: with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at TDI HC Show. 152 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:10,760 Speaker 1: You can also rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, 153 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:13,280 Speaker 1: or you can drop me a line directly by writing 154 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:17,480 Speaker 1: to this Day at iHeartMedia dot com. Thanks to Chandler 155 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:20,319 Speaker 1: Mays and Ben Hackett for producing the show, and thanks 156 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:22,839 Speaker 1: to you for listening. I'll see you back here again 157 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:26,120 Speaker 1: tomorrow for another day in History class.