Grauman's Egyptian Theatre
Encyclopedia
Grauman's Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard
in Hollywood
, California
, is one of the world's most famous movie theatre
s. Opened in 1922, it was the venue for the first-ever Hollywood premiere
.
and real estate developer Charles E. Toberman
, who subsequently built the nearby El Capitan Theatre
and Chinese Theatre
on Hollywood Boulevard. Grauman had previously opened one of the United States
' first movie palaces, the Million Dollar Theater
, on Broadway
in Downtown Los Angeles
in 1918. The Egyptian Theatre cost $800,000 to build and took eighteen months to construct. Architect
s Meyer & Holler
designed the building and it was built by The Milwaukee Building Company.
The Egyptian Theatre was the venue for the first-ever Hollywood premiere, Robin Hood, starring Douglas Fairbanks
, on Wednesday, October 18, 1922. As the film reportedly cost over $1 million to produce, the admission price to the premiere was $5.00. One could reserve a seat up to two weeks in advance for the daily performances. Evening admission was 75¢, $1.00 or $1.50. The film was not shown in any other Los Angeles
theater during that year.
In 1927, Grauman opened a second movie theater further west on Hollywood Boulevard
. In keeping with the public fascination in that era with international themes, he named his new theater the Chinese Theatre
. Its popularity eventually rivaled and surpassed the Egyptian because of its numerous celebrity handprints, footprints and signatures in the cement of its forecourt.
The layout, design and name of the Egyptian Theatre was emulated by other movie palaces in the USA. Peery's Egyptian Theatre
in Ogden, Utah
, opened in 1924, is a prime example.
style. It is probable that this was due to public fascination with the multiple expeditions searching for the tomb of Tutankhamun
by archaeologist Howard Carter
over the preceding years. (Carter eventually discovered the tomb on November 4, 1922
—just two weeks after the Egyptian Theatre opened.) At the time that the change in architectural style was determined, the Hispanic-styled roof pans had already been delivered and paid for; they were kept and used in the building.
The exterior and interior walls contain Egyptian-style paintings and hieroglyphics
. The four massive columns that mark the theatre's main entrance are 4½ feet (1.3 m) wide and rise 20 feet (6 m).
Capitalizing on Southern California
's sunny weather is the large courtyard (45 feet wide {13.7 m} and 150 feet {45.7 m} long) in the front, complete with a fountain and queen palm trees. This is actually the "entrance hall" (the theatre doors used to open directly into the auditorium) and was specifically designed to host the theatre's famous red carpet ceremonies. Guided tours are offered by American Cinematheque
's staff on weekends.
Reflecting the ebb and flow of Hollywood's popularity as a location, the Egyptian's popularity also changed over the years. As Hollywood declined in the 1980s and early 1990s, the theatre eventually fell into disrepair. In 1996, the city of Los Angeles sold the theatre to the American Cinematheque
for a nominal one dollar with the proviso that the landmark building be restored to its original grandeur and re-opened as a movie theatre. The Cinematheque committed to raising the funds to pay for the restoration and to using the renovated theatre as home for its programs of public film exhibition.
The Egyptian Theatre was re-opened to the public on December 4, 1998, after a $12.8 million renovation. The original theatre seated over 2,000 patrons in a single auditorium. In the restored Egyptian the building has been reconfigured to add a second screening theatre. The main theatre now accommodates 616 patrons and is named after Los Angeles philanthropist Lloyd E. Rigler
. The smaller, 77-seat theatre is named for Hollywood producer
/director
Steven Spielberg
.
Hollywood Boulevard
-Revitalization:In recent years successful efforts have been made at cleaning up Hollywood Blvd., as the street had gained a reputation for crime and seediness. Central to these efforts was the construction of the Hollywood and Highland shopping center and adjacent Kodak Theatre in 2001...
in Hollywood
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, is one of the world's most famous movie theatre
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
s. Opened in 1922, it was the venue for the first-ever Hollywood premiere
Premiere
A premiere is generally "a first performance". This can refer to plays, films, television programs, operas, symphonies, ballets and so on. Premieres for theatrical, musical and other cultural presentations can become extravagant affairs, attracting large numbers of socialites and much media...
.
History
The Egyptian Theatre was built by showman Sid GraumanSid Grauman
Sidney Patrick Grauman was an American showman who created one of Southern California's most recognizable and visited landmarks, Grauman's Chinese Theater. He was the son of David Grauman who died in 1921 in Los Angeles, California and Rosa Goldsmith...
and real estate 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...
, who subsequently built the nearby El Capitan Theatre
El Capitan Theatre
El Capitan Theatre is a fully restored movie palace at 6838 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood. It is owned by Pacific Theatres and operated by the Walt Disney Company. It serves as the venue for many of Walt Disney Pictures' movie premieres...
and Chinese Theatre
Grauman's Chinese Theatre
Grauman's Chinese Theatre is a movie theater at 6925 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood. It is on the historic Hollywood Walk of Fame.The Chinese Theatre was commissioned following the success of the nearby Grauman's Egyptian Theatre which opened in 1922...
on Hollywood Boulevard. Grauman had previously opened one of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
' first movie palaces, the Million Dollar Theater
Million Dollar Theater
The Million Dollar Theater at 307 S. Broadway in downtown Los Angeles is one of the first movie palaces built in the United States. It opened in February 1918...
, on Broadway
Broadway Theater and Commercial District
Broadway Theater and Commercial District in Downtown Los Angeles is the first and largest historic theater district listed on the National Register of Historic Places...
in Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, United States, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area...
in 1918. The Egyptian Theatre cost $800,000 to build and took eighteen months to construct. Architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
s 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...
designed the building and it was built by The Milwaukee Building Company.
The Egyptian Theatre was the venue for the first-ever Hollywood premiere, Robin Hood, starring Douglas Fairbanks
Douglas Fairbanks
Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. was an American actor, screenwriter, director and producer. He was best known for his swashbuckling roles in silent films such as The Thief of Bagdad, Robin Hood, and The Mark of Zorro....
, on Wednesday, October 18, 1922. As the film reportedly cost over $1 million to produce, the admission price to the premiere was $5.00. One could reserve a seat up to two weeks in advance for the daily performances. Evening admission was 75¢, $1.00 or $1.50. The film was not shown in any other Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
theater during that year.
In 1927, Grauman opened a second movie theater further west on Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood Boulevard
-Revitalization:In recent years successful efforts have been made at cleaning up Hollywood Blvd., as the street had gained a reputation for crime and seediness. Central to these efforts was the construction of the Hollywood and Highland shopping center and adjacent Kodak Theatre in 2001...
. In keeping with the public fascination in that era with international themes, he named his new theater the Chinese Theatre
Grauman's Chinese Theatre
Grauman's Chinese Theatre is a movie theater at 6925 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood. It is on the historic Hollywood Walk of Fame.The Chinese Theatre was commissioned following the success of the nearby Grauman's Egyptian Theatre which opened in 1922...
. Its popularity eventually rivaled and surpassed the Egyptian because of its numerous celebrity handprints, footprints and signatures in the cement of its forecourt.
Inspiration for other movie theatres
Peery's Egyptian Theatre
Peery'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:...
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...
, opened in 1924, is a prime example.
Architecture
The exterior of the theatre is in the Egyptian Revival style. However, the attentive visitor will notice roof pans above the main entrance, items which are not in ancient Egyptian style. The original plans for the theatre show a Hispanic-themed theatre, but at some point these plans were changed to an EgyptianAncient 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...
style. It is probable that this was due to public fascination with the multiple expeditions searching for the tomb of Tutankhamun
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...
by archaeologist Howard Carter
Howard Carter (archaeologist)
Howard Carter was an English archaeologist and Egyptologist, noted as a primary discoverer of the tomb of Tutankhamun.-Beginning of career:...
over the preceding years. (Carter eventually discovered the tomb on November 4, 1922
KV62
KV62 is the tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings , which became famous for the wealth of treasure it contained. The tomb was discovered in 1922 by Howard Carter, underneath the remains of workmen's huts built during the Ramesside Period; this explains why it was spared from the worst of...
—just two weeks after the Egyptian Theatre opened.) At the time that the change in architectural style was determined, the Hispanic-styled roof pans had already been delivered and paid for; they were kept and used in the building.
The exterior and interior walls contain Egyptian-style paintings and hieroglyphics
Egyptian hieroglyphs
Egyptian hieroglyphs were a formal writing system used by the ancient Egyptians that combined logographic and alphabetic elements. Egyptians used cursive hieroglyphs for religious literature on papyrus and wood...
. The four massive columns that mark the theatre's main entrance are 4½ feet (1.3 m) wide and rise 20 feet (6 m).
Capitalizing on Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
's sunny weather is the large courtyard (45 feet wide {13.7 m} and 150 feet {45.7 m} long) in the front, complete with a fountain and queen palm trees. This is actually the "entrance hall" (the theatre doors used to open directly into the auditorium) and was specifically designed to host the theatre's famous red carpet ceremonies. Guided tours are offered by American Cinematheque
American Cinematheque
The American Cinematheque is an independent, non-profit cultural organization in Los Angeles dedicated exclusively to the public presentation of the Moving Image in all its forms. It is considered among the premier organizations of its kind in America....
's staff on weekends.
Current state
American Cinematheque
The American Cinematheque is an independent, non-profit cultural organization in Los Angeles dedicated exclusively to the public presentation of the Moving Image in all its forms. It is considered among the premier organizations of its kind in America....
for a nominal one dollar with the proviso that the landmark building be restored to its original grandeur and re-opened as a movie theatre. The Cinematheque committed to raising the funds to pay for the restoration and to using the renovated theatre as home for its programs of public film exhibition.
The Egyptian Theatre was re-opened to the public on December 4, 1998, after a $12.8 million renovation. The original theatre seated over 2,000 patrons in a single auditorium. In the restored Egyptian the building has been reconfigured to add a second screening theatre. The main theatre now accommodates 616 patrons and is named after Los Angeles philanthropist Lloyd E. Rigler
Lloyd Rigler
Lloyd Rigler , along with his business partner, the late Lawrence E. Deutsch , helped introduce Adolph's Meat Tenderizer to the world. In 1948, they bought the recipe and name from Adolph Rempp, a chef and restaurant owner in Santa Barbara, California...
. The smaller, 77-seat theatre is named for Hollywood producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
/director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
Steven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an...
.
See also
- Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments in Hollywood
- Grauman's Chinese Theater
- Egyptian Theatre (Coos Bay, Oregon)Egyptian 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...
- 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:...
, in Ogden, Utah - 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:...
, in Park City, Utah - The Egyptian Theatre (Boise, Idaho)The 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 :...
- Egyptian Theatre (DeKalb, Illinois)Egyptian 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,...
External links
- http://www.egyptiantheatre.com/
- http://www.americancinematheque.com/