Egyptian Theatre
Encyclopedia
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
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The first Egyptian Theatre to be constructed in the US - which inspired many of the identically-named theaters that followed it - was Grauman's Egyptian Theatre
Grauman's Egyptian Theatre
Grauman's Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California, is one of the world's most famous movie theatres. Opened in 1922, it was the venue for the first-ever Hollywood premiere.- History :...
in Hollywood, California. For several years, Hollywood developer Charles E. Toberman
Charles E. Toberman
Charles E. Toberman was a real estate developer who was known as "Mr. Hollywood" and the "Father of Hollywood" for his role in developing Hollywood and many of its landmarks, including the Hollywood Bowl, Grauman's Chinese Theater, El Capitan Theatre, the Roosevelt Hotel, the Grauman's Egyptian...
attempted to convince Sid Grauman to locate in Hollywood. During a meeting, Sid told Mr. Toberman of his desire to build a theater of Egyptian design. Mr. Toberman then secured a piece of property on Hollywood Blvd., just east of McCadden Pl. The architectural firm of Meyer & Holler
Meyer & Holler
Meyer & Holler was an architecture firm based in Los Angeles, California noted for its opulent commercial buildings and movie theatres, including Grauman’s Chinese and Egyptian theatres, built during the 1920s...
were hired to design the theater. The result was Grauman's Egyptian Theater with a seating of 1770. The approach to the theater was through a courtyard. Inside, the stage was flanked by carved columns and models of the Sphinx. The theater was opened on October 19, 1922 with the grand premiere of "Robin Hood" starring Douglas Fairbanks.
Many of the other theaters that copied Grauman's Egyptian Theatre were part of the wave of Egyptian revival architecture that occurred after the November 1922 discovery of King Tut
Tutankhamun
Tutankhamun , Egyptian , ; approx. 1341 BC – 1323 BC) was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty , during the period of Egyptian history known as the New Kingdom...
's tomb by Howard Carter
Howard Carter
Howard Carter may refer to:* Howard Carter , English archaeologist who discovered Tutankhamun's tomb* Howard Carter , American basketball player...
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Unlike the many theaters that followed in its wake, Grauman's Egyptian Theatre was designed, built, named and opened before the 1922 discovery of King Tut's tomb. The news of the tomb's discovery reached the US a few weeks after the theater opened.
Early in the twentieth century, it is estimated that up to 100 of these theater types were constructed across the U.S. Many of them no longer exist, but there are many fine examples of this style still in use today. Conrad Schmitt Studios
Conrad Schmitt Studios
Conrad Schmitt Studios is an architectural arts studio located in New Berlin, Wisconsin. It provides ecclesiastical art, stained glass artistry, art glass, decorative painting, mosaics, murals and sculptural arts. The studio specializes in restoration services for buildings of architectural,...
has played a big part in the restoration of these atmospheric theaters, including Egyptian Theatres in Ogden, Utah
Ogden, Utah
Ogden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
, Boise, Idaho
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
, and DeKalb, Illinois
DeKalb, Illinois
DeKalb is a city in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. The population was 43,862 at the 2010 census, up from 39,018 at the 2000 census. The city is named after decorated German war hero Johann De Kalb, who died during the American Revolutionary War....
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Theatres in this style
Sorted by date of first opening.- Grauman's Egyptian TheatreGrauman's Egyptian TheatreGrauman's Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California, is one of the world's most famous movie theatres. Opened in 1922, it was the venue for the first-ever Hollywood premiere.- History :...
, Hollywood, California, 1922 - Peery's Egyptian TheatrePeery's Egyptian TheatrePeery's Egyptian Theater is a movie palace located at 2439 Washington Blvd., in Ogden, Utah in the United States of America. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.-History:...
, Ogden, UtahOgden, UtahOgden is a city in Weber County, Utah, United States. Ogden serves as the county seat of Weber County. The population was 82,825 according to the 2010 Census. The city served as a major railway hub through much of its history, and still handles a great deal of freight rail traffic which makes it a...
, 1924 - Egyptian TheatreEgyptian Theatre (Coos Bay, Oregon)The Egyptian Theatre is an historic movie theatre in Coos Bay, Oregon, United States. It was originally built as a garage, and was converted to a theatre in 1925...
, Coos Bay, OregonCoos Bay, OregonCoos Bay is a city located in Coos County, Oregon, United States, where the Coos River enters Coos Bay on the Pacific Ocean. The city borders the city of North Bend, and together they are often referred to as one entity called either Coos Bay-North Bend or the Bay Area...
, 1925 - Mary G. Steiner Egyptian TheatreMary G. Steiner Egyptian TheatreThe Mary G. Steiner Egyptian Theatre is located at 328 Main Street in Park City, Utah in the United States of America. It has also been referred to as the Mary J. Steiner Egyptian Theatre or The Egyptian Theatre in Park City.-History:...
, Park City, UtahPark City, UtahPark City is a town in Summit and Wasatch counties in the U.S. state of Utah. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The city is southeast of downtown Salt Lake City and from Salt Lake City's east edge of Sugar House along Interstate 80. The population was 7,558 at the 2010 census...
, 1926 - The Egyptian TheatreThe Egyptian Theatre (Boise, Idaho)The Egyptian Theatre, also known as the Ada Theater, at 700 West Main Street in Boise, Idaho is a movie theater that opened in 1927.- History :...
, Boise, IdahoBoise, IdahoBoise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
, 1927 - Empress TheatreEmpress Theatre (Montreal)The Empress Theatre, also known as the Cinema V , is a vacant building located on Sherbrooke Street in the neighbourhood of N.D.G. in Montreal...
, MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, QuebecQuebecQuebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, 1927 - Egyptian TheatreEgyptian Theatre (Delta, Colorado)The Egyptian Theatre in Delta, Colorado is an Egyptian Revival movie house. The 750-seat theater opened in 1928 at the height of the fashion for thematically-designed cinemas...
, Delta, ColoradoDelta, ColoradoThe City of Delta is the county seat and the most populous city of Delta County, Colorado, United States. The population was 8,915 at the 2010 census...
, 1928 - Egyptian TheatreEgyptian Theatre (DeKalb, Illinois)The Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb, Illinois, United States, is an Egyptian Revival theatre that is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The theatre was built in 1928 and 1929 as part of a much larger wave of national fascination with Ancient Egypt throughout the United States, due,...
, DeKalb, IllinoisDeKalb, IllinoisDeKalb is a city in DeKalb County, Illinois, United States. The population was 43,862 at the 2010 census, up from 39,018 at the 2000 census. The city is named after decorated German war hero Johann De Kalb, who died during the American Revolutionary War....
, 1929