Place
Chinese Theatre
Developed by impresario Sid Grauman, this world-famous theatre has been a Hollywood icon since the day it opened.
Saved
Places that have survived threats of demolition or excessive alteration.
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Photo by Michelle Lee on Flickr
Overview
The new owners of the TCL Chinese Theatre (formerly Grauman’s Chinese), Donald Kushman, and Eli Samaha, announced rehabilitation plans to convert the venue to a digital IMAX facility in early 2013, and the theater was closed for renovations from May 1 through September 19 of that year.
The project installed the latest technology and re-raked the auditorium floor (altered previously in the late 1950s and in 2001) to accommodate stadium-style seating. These upgrades will help keep the world-famous landmark a viable, single-screen theater offering first-run films.
Other upgrades included a new extra-wide screen and sound and projection systems. The 1927 theater is a designated Historic-Cultural Monument (HCM #55), and the owners have retained a historic preservation consultant.
The Chinese Theatre reopened in September 2013 after several months of renovations that converted the iconic venue into one of the world’s largest IMAX auditoriums. According to the TCL Chinese Theatre website, the Chinese Theatre now contains the third largest commercial movie screen in North America. It also holds the distinction of being the only historic movie palace in the United States still operating as a first-run theatre.
About This Place
About This Place
The world-famous Chinese Theatre opened in 1927 with the premiere of Cecil B. DeMille’s King of Kings and immediately became an iconic fixture in Hollywood.
Developed by impresario Sid Grauman, whose earlier venues include the Million Dollar and Egyptian Theatres, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre has operated continuously as a first-run cinema and continues to play host to high-profile movie premieres. Designed by the architecture firm Meyer & Holler in a dramatic yet fanciful interpretation of Chinese architecture and art, the theatre features a pagoda-shaped roof rising to 90 feet, supported by massive columns topped by wrought iron masks.
Imported temple bells, pagodas, stone Heaven Dogs, and other artifacts from China are integrated into the theatre’s design. The theatre underwent a $7 million renovation in 2000-01 that upgraded amenities, uncovered long-obscured details, and restored the exterior to its original appearance. Now known as TCL Chinese Theatre, the building underwent another renovation in 2013 to provide first-run IMAX capabilities.
Our Position
The Conservancy is pleased that the renovations at the TCL Chinese Theater were completed only after plans were approved by the City’s Office of Historic Resources. This ensured that the renovations met the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.
