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Top 10 Facts about the TCL Chinese Theatre

The TCL Chinese Theatre is the most enigmatic movie palace in Hollywood and the world.

Photo by Carol M. Highsmith – Wikimedia

This theatre is located on the historic Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6925 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California.

The theatre, formerly known as Grauman’s Chinese Theatre was opened in 1922, near Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre. Its construction was inspired by the success of its counterpart, Egyptian Theatre.

Both of these theatres feature Exotic Revival style architecture. The TLC Chinese Theatre took 18 months to complete.

It hosts over 50 events every year such as movie premieres, imprint ceremonies, and film festivals. History-making is a constant event at this theatre.

One unique feature of this theatre is the concrete blocks at the forecourt. The blocks have signatures, footprints, and handprints of popular movie celebrities.

Here is more about the theatre in our top 10 facts.

1. The TCL Chinese Theatre was the first to have footprints on wet concrete

Photo by 3scandal0 – Wikimedia

When the theatre was being constructed, Grauman hired Jean Klossner to develop hard concrete for the courtyard of the theatre.

Klossner is known as the father of footprints and he performed the footprint ceremonies from 1927 to 1957.

Despite this, the origin of the footprints is still debated. According to the officials of the theatre, Norma Talmadge is credited with the idea.

It is believed that she accidentally stepped into the wet concrete and the tradition was born.

Another version according to Grauman is that he was the brainchild of the tradition. He mentioned that putting hands and footprints on the concrete was purely accidental.    

2. The TCL Chinese Theatre is popular for red carpet events

the TCL Chinese Theatre has been home to the most popular red carpet movie premieres and special events Since 1927.

This is one of the paces in Hollywood where the biggest and most prominent celebrities go to watch their movies.

In the front courtyard of the theatre, is a concrete block with several imprints of hands and footprints of famous movie celebrities.

These are famous celebrities of the past and present. It is one of the features unique to TCL Chinese Theatre.

In 1977, the theatre was the location that premiered Star Wars. Other special events held here include private birthday parties, corporate junkets, and three Academy Awards ceremonies.

3. There are other accounts of how the footprints on concrete at TCL Chinese Theatre happened

Photo by Rossrs – Wikimedia

Here are more accounts of how the footprints on the concrete came about.

During the 1947’s Fun and Fancy-Free “Mickey and the Beanstalk”, the fictional character, a Giant, stomped through Hollywood looking for Mickey Mouse.

While looking for Mickey in one of the buildings and missing him, his right foot accidentally stepped over the theatre called the Grauman’s Chinese.

He also searches the restaurant Brown Derby with the lights blinking in the background.

Another account, tells that the original unplanned slabs were made and kept at the curb, on the sidewalk.

It was until 1958 that they were removed from the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This was when they accidentally stepped on wet cement.  

4. The TCL Chinese Theatre has the biggest IMAX auditorium in the world

In April 2013, the TLC Chinese Theatre owners announced strategies to convert the original theatre to IMAX.

The new curved screen measures 94 ft × 46 ft used for premieres and screening events of non-IMAX films.

They re-arranged the seating in stepped rows to accommodate better sightlines and a taller screen. The seating arrangement descends from street level to the floor of the former basement.

Inside the auditorium are decorative walls and ceilings. These have never been altered even during renovations. Additional lighting was included on the TCL signage.

After renovations, the theatre was reopened in 2013 with the IMAX 3D version of The Wizard of Oz.

5. The TCL Chinese Theatre made Hollywood

Photo by 3scandal0 – Wikimedia

When Sid Grauman conceptualized the idea of constructing the TCL Chinese, he had no idea it would be BIG.

The previous location of the then Egyptian Theatre was in Downtown Los Angeles. After its success, the Chinese Theatre was built 5 years later.

This theatre hosted 1944, 1945, and 1946 Academy Awards ceremonies. Grauman’s Chinese Theatre continues to be the first choice for many people in Los Angeles.

It was the first commercial movie theatre in Hollywood to have air conditioning.

The air vents are hidden behind the imported decorative pillars on the sidewalls of the auditorium. These pillars were jointly built by celebrities.  

6. The TCL Chinese Theatre hold frequent concrete festivals

Since 2011, there were several concrete ceremonies held at TCL Chinese Theatre. Several of them were paid for by movie studios for publicity purposes.

Donald Kushner, one of the current owners, admitted that such events were mock ceremonies.

The sudden surge of concrete ceremonies raised concerns among film lovers and historians.

This led to the committee choosing select celebrities’ based on their contributions to Hollywood cinema for the concrete ceremonies.

7. The exterior of TCL Chinese Theatre resembles a traditional Pagoda

Photo by Carol M. Highsmith – Wikimedia

The external of the theatre was constructed to resemble a giant red Chinese pagoda.

It features a Chinese dragon across the façade. There are also two original Ming Dynasty guardian lions at the main entrance as well as silhouettes of tiny dragons along the sides of the copper roof.

This was done to give American viewers a feel of China, something most Americans knew nothing about.

Additionally, there is a freestanding ticket booth that was installed in the 1930s.

8. The TCL Chinese Theatre is a Cultural landmark

The Chinese Theatre was declared a historic and cultural landmark in 1968. Since then, the theatre has undergone several restorations.

Ted Mann, the owner of the Mann Theatres franchise bought the theatre in 1973. It was known as Mann’s Chinese Theatre until 2001.

Mann Theatres become one of the largest independent theatre franchises and was bought by TCL, a Chinese company.

9. Grauman was inspired by Chinese architecture

Photo by wilford peloquin – Wikimedia

By now you would know where the inspiration for the architecture came from.

Two architects Meyer and Holler were commissioned to design the theatre. They included Chinese artefacts like temple bells, pagodas.

They also added the 15^th century Heaven Dogs which still stands at the entrance of the theatre today.

Grauman, the founder of the theatre, did not leave out any intricate detail when constructing the theatre.

10. Actors decorated the lobby of the TCL Chinese Theatre

The murals adorning the main lobby were painted by Keye Luke, a Chinese-American actor and matte painter for early Hollywood movies.

Another celebrity actor that contributed to the decorations was John Beckman, a regular collaborator on Meyer and Holler projects. He worked on several interior designs.

Beckman had worked on the extravagant lobby artwork of the Fox Theatre in Fullerton.